Avondale University and Pacific Adventist University (PAU) are exploring new opportunities to deepen and leverage their institutional partnership, reinforcing a shared commitment to faith-based higher education in the South Pacific.
Both universities are owned and operated by the South Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and are part of a global network of Adventist tertiary institutions. In February 2026, Avondale’s Dean (Research and Research Training), Dr Jason Morton, and Associate Dean (Research and Research Training), Professor Tracie Mafile’o, spent a week at PAU strengthening research ties and supporting academic development.
Professor Mafile’o has been delivering research capacity-strengthening workshops at PAU since mid-2024. The February visit marked the culmination of this series, with a final workshop focused on equipping PAU researchers to write for academic publication. The workshop aimed to build confidence and skill among early career researchers, supporting them to share their scholarship more broadly.
The program was delivered in collaboration with Professor Liz Tynan, Head of Professional Development for the Graduate Research School at James Cook University. A specialist in teaching academic writing and critical thinking, Professor Tynan worked alongside Avondale’s research leaders to provide practical strategies for scholarly writing and publication success.
In addition to leading workshops, Dr Morton and Professor Mafile’o were honoured as guests at PAU’s Opening Convocation, marking the beginning of the academic year and the conferring of academic awards. Addressing the significance of the occasion, Dr Morton reflected on the shared mission of the two institutions within the global Adventist education system and expressed his encouragement to staff and students for the year ahead.
Dr Morton emphasised that strengthening the partnership between the two universities is a high priority. “It is a very high priority for me to contribute to the development of clear and effective channels of communication and to encourage greater mutual awareness of our respective research strengths and teaching expertise,” he said.
The visit signals a continued commitment to collaboration, capacity building and shared scholarship—ensuring both institutions grow together as part of the Adventist higher education community in the South Pacific and beyond.
