The CTI-CFF University Partnership

Role and Responsibilities

The CTI-CFF University Partnership plays an important role in mobilizing academic expertise, scientific knowledge, and institutional resources to support the implementation of CTI-CFF priorities. Its work is focused primarily on capacity building, research collaboration, and outreach, which were adopted as the three main areas of action under the Partnership.

• Capacity building, the Partnership supports academic collaboration, professional development, regional training, and initiatives aimed at strengthening both individual and institutional capacities. These efforts contribute to improving knowledge, leadership, management, and technical capabilities related to marine and coastal resource management.
• Research collaboration, participating universities and research institutions are encouraged to undertake bilateral and multilateral research that contributes to science-based solutions for marine and coastal challenges. Priority areas include coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass, ecosystem connectivity, biodiversity, socio-economic resilience, climate change impacts, transboundary pollution, fisheries management, and innovative approaches to resource management.
• Outreach, the Partnership helps extend scientific knowledge and expertise to governments, scientific communities, stakeholders, local communities, and the general public through scientific meetings, public-awareness activities, community services, knowledge-sharing initiatives, regional networks, and web-based learning activities.

Universities may individually or collectively propose programs related to capacity building, research, and outreach. These initiatives are coordinated with the relevant National Coordinating Committees (NCCs) and the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat to ensure alignment with national policies, regional priorities, and the CTI-CFF framework. The Regional Secretariat facilitates partnership arrangements, coordination, positioning of programs under the CTI-CFF framework, and potential funding opportunities.

Through these roles, the University Partnership contributes to strengthening the connection between science, education, policy, and practical marine resource management, while supporting collaborative actions that advance the objectives of CTI-CFF across the Coral Triangle region.

Coordinator of the UP

Prof. Dr. Ir. Grevo S. Gerung, M.S. (2017-2020) Dean of Fisheries and Marine Science Faculty, University of Sam Ratulangi, INDONESIA grevogerung@unsrat.ac.id

List of members