National state flags of Solomon Islands and Australia. Photo: 123rf / Leonid Altman
The Solomon Islands National University (SINU) is set to offer a new Australian government-backed course on national security.
The SINU Security Studies Pilot was launched in Honiara on Monday under the Solomon Islands-Australia Partnership.
The course - scheduled to be delivered starting in 2025 - will aim to build the Solomon Islands' capacity to produce analytical writing and high-quality teaching on national security, the Australian High Commission to Solomon Islands said.
The country's Minister of Police, National Security and Correctional Services Jimson Tanangada said national security is the backbone of sovereignty and highlighted the need for such a course "in an increasingly unpredictable world".
Australia's top diplomat in Solomon Islands Rod Hilton said the project will help Solomon Islands to tell its own story about security - by Solomon Islanders, for Solomon Islanders, and to share this with the Pacific.
Hilton said Australia is proud to be partnering with SINU and listening to the needs of Solomon Islands' academics and security professionals.
"Many academics are writing and teaching about security in Solomon Islands, but much of that happens outside Solomon Islands," he said.
According to the Australian High Commission, the course will include the delivery of bespoke national security courses for security professionals at SINU, study tours, and exchanges between SINU and Australian universities.
