Pacific Connections: Making European Union External Actions More Effective (REF2014)

Narrative

Dr Tony Crook’s research on knowledge-practices solved a long-standing theoretical problem in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Key insights have been developed into a working method for knowledge exchange - ‘Pacific Connections’ - with application for national and international policy contexts that confront misunderstandings between Euro-American and Pacific knowledges. The EU is the second largest international donor of development assistance to the Pacific region, contributing €665m between 2008-2013. Through on-going collaborations, and a series of EU-funded workshops and high level roundtables, involving EU and European Commission policy makers and diplomatic counterparts from a range of Pacific states, Dr Crook is implementing ‘Pacific Connections’ as the method by which social science research is informing and enabling European external actions to more effectively connect to Pacific concerns. As a consequence of Dr Crook’s work, Europe’s capacity and ability to more effectively engage its Pacific partners has been significantly enhanced.

Impact status	Closed
Category of impact	Cultural, Creative Impact