Academic Council
Disseminate scientific knowledge to support the sustainable development of islandsAcademic Council members are select institutions that facilitate studies centered around topics of particular relevance to islands.
The programme was designed to facilitate connections and collaboration between island communities and academia, encouraging the sharing of academic research with diverse island stakeholders.
Apply NowMember Institutions
Our Global Network
Discover the far-reaching influence of our Academic Council and see where our member institutions are located across the globe.
Academic Council Members (32)
View institution names
- University of the Faroe Islands
- Asia Climate Change Education Center
- Observatory of Tourism for Island Economies (OTIE)
- University of Waterloo
- Icelandic Tourism Research Centre
- University of The Virgin Islands
- University of St. Martin
- University of Madeira
- Caribbean Studies Association
- Massey University
- UCL Islands and Coastal Research Lab
- Centre for Biosecurity Studies, University of the West Indies
- Middlebury Institute Center for the Blue Economy
- South Atlantic Environmental Research Institute
- University of Prince Edward Island Institute of Island Studies
- Galapagos Science Center
- Environmental Fridays Inc. (Andrews University. Michigan)
- University of the Highlands and Islands
- Jersey International Centre of Advanced Studies
- University of Aruba Research Centre
- University of Tasmania
- University of the Azores (UAc)
- Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Policy, Law, and Services (SRC)
- Small Island Cultures Research Initiative (SICRI)
- Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur
- University of Guam
- Islands and Small States Institute (ISSI) of the University of Malta
- Wadden Academy
- Reiner Lemoine Institute
- Humboldt Cosmos Multiversity
- University College Cayman Islands
- College of Arts and Social Sciences, Marinduque State University
Policy Papers
The Academic Council is committed to fostering knowledge exchange and driving policy innovation. Our members regularly contribute thought-provoking policy papers addressing critical island challenges. Explore these insightful works below.
From Tailings to Rights of Nature: A New Environmental Paradigm for Marinduque
READ MORE.jpg)
Cooperation Between the Public and Private Sector for Climate Adaptation: A Case Study on Fiji's Sovereign Green Bonds
READ MORE
From Periphery to Powerhouse: A New Policy Paradigm for Scotland's Islands
READ MORE
Waste, Sustainability, Climate Trade & Tourism Nexus in Barbados: Biotrash for Cash & The Spherical Economy (Part 1)
READ MORE
An Overview of Loss & Damage in the Context of COP27 & COP28
READ MORE
Can Vanuatu Tourism Keep Recovering?
READ MORE
Exploring amplified Food Security vulnerabilities in Curacao, Aruba and Sint Maarten amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
READ MORE
The climate crisis and sea level rise: Brazil-Tuvalu analysis and opportunities for Brazilian leadership in adaptation and international cooperation
READ MORE
Redefining Health for Island Communities: What Island Communities Can Learn from Māori Approaches
READ MORE
Reconnecting Through Culture: A Model for Cultural and Health Empowerment
READ MORE
Insights and Recommendations on Societal Readiness for Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
READ MORESubmit Your Policy Papers
Access our guidelines to help make your writing process smoother.
Access GuidelinesMeet the Academic Council Representatives
Professor Firouz Gaini
Professor in Social Anthropology, University of the Faroe Islands
Professor Dai-Yeun Jeong
Director, Asia Climate Change Education Center
President Dr. Antonio Carmona Báez
President, University of St. Martin
President Giovanni Ruggieri
President, Observatory of Tourism for Island Economies (OTIE)
Professor Simron J. Singh
Professor and University Research Chair, University of Waterloo
Ása Marta Sveinsdóttir
Researcher, Icelandic Tourism Research Centre
Deborah da Cunha Estima
PhD Candidate and Researcher, The University of the Azores
Dominik Kalweit
Research Support Officer, Islands and Small States Institute (ISSI) of the University of Malta
Dr Andrew Jennings MA (Hons) MSc FHEA FrHist FSAScot
Associate Professor in Island Studies, University of the Highlands and Islands
Dr. Austin J. Shelton III, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, University of Guam
Join the Academic Council
The Academic Council Goals
Maximize the impact of academic research by making it more accessible to a wider audience of practitioners and policymakers
Establish a greater academic focus on island communities by utilizing islands' social, economic and cultural realities as the context for exploring these topics
Deepen relationships between island-based academic institutions globally and provide them with useful resources for disseminating their research
Facilitate the engagement and collaboration of multiple stakeholders, such as private sector, researchers, NGOs, and policymakers