The Pacific Academy of Sciences (PAS) announced two historic milestones for Pacific research and innovation at its inaugural Congress on Monday, launching the region's first AI-powered research platform alongside a comprehensive assessment of research and development investment across 10 Pacific nations.

Launched by Minister of Education and Culture, Aiono Prof Alec Ekeroma, the Pacific Research Hub is the first Pacific-specific online research platform powered by artificial intelligence.

Designed by Pacific software engineer Sonny Lemalu in collaboration with PAS, the open-science platform enables researchers, academics and practitioners across the Pacific to connect, collaborate, and share their work. Inspired by ResearchGate, its integrated AI capabilities help users discover Pacific research, identify collaborators, and access regional knowledge that is often difficult to make visible.

“This digital hub combines cutting-edge technology with Pacific leadership and ownership,” said Professor Ioana Chan Mow, PAS Fellow and ICT expert.

“It gives us great pride to launch this platform as a start-up project. It exemplifies Pacific-led excellence that contributes to knowledge sharing that benefits our people”, Professor Chan Mow said. “However, additional investment is needed to allow us to build a platform that is sustainable for all Pacific scientists globally.”

The Congress also launched “An Assessment of Research and Development Investment and Capacity in Ten Pacific Small Island Developing States,” a UNESCO-funded report examining Research and Development ecosystems across the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

Aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 9.5, Building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and fostering innovation, the report provides the first baseline assessment of R&D investment and human capacity across these nations.

Key findings include low and fragmented national research and development investment, with most developments funded by donors and overseas aid, which impacts sustainability, significant capacity variations influenced by small populations, limited resources, and geographic isolation and growing research outputs in climate change, environment, biodiversity, agriculture, and health.

“This report is very timely, given we have not had this data before,” said Li'amanaia Dr Roannie Ng Shiu, head of PAS Secretariat and report lead. “Now, equipped with this information, policymakers can make informed decisions to bolster the research capacity of their Island states and ultimately improve the science ecosystem of our region.”

Recommendations focus on developing national R&D and science, technology and innovation policies, enhancing cross-sector partnerships, building digital infrastructure for data management, and prioritising gender-inclusive capacity building through regional networks.

Leaders, scientists, and partners from across the Region gathered for the Pacific Academy of Sciences (PAS) Inaugural Congress to advance Pacific‑led research, ethical science, and trusted data systems that support healthier, more resilient communities across the islands.

In his keynote address at the Congress, the WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, highlighted how Pacific‑driven science, strong ethics, trusted data and people‑centred innovation are essential foundations for achieving healthy islands by 2050.

The inaugural congress runs from 16 to 18 February.