[OPPORTUNITY] Co-designing the future of Indian Ocean research: join us on Réunion Island

Next February, researchers from Australia, Réunion Island and across the Indian Ocean will spend three days together on Réunion with one goal: turning shared regional challenges into concrete, fundable research projects. Thirty-two Australian researchers have already signed up, and we are opening the door to more.

Why Réunion, why now

Australia, Réunion and the island and coastal nations of the Indian Ocean face the same pressing questions: emerging diseases, cyclones and rising seas, threatened ecosystems, the energy transition, and how science can better inform public decisions. Yet research cooperation across the basin remains fragmented.

Science 2030 Indian Ocean sets out to change that. Led by the Université de La Réunion with AFRAN, and funded by the European Union through the INTERREG VI Indian Ocean programme, it aims to build a regional research and innovation hub linking universities, research organisations, institutions and businesses across the region. It is supported by the Embassy of France to Australia and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

The initiative took shape at a pre-event at Murdoch University, which brought together participants from around ten countries and the Indian Ocean Commission. They identified the shared priorities that now frame the work: health, climate change, biodiversity, energy, the blue economy and governance.

The Archipels de la Recherche Réunion is the next step: moving from shared priorities to joint projects.

What the three days look like

This is a working event, not a conference. Each day builds towards one outcome: research projects of one to three years, fully scoped (partners, duration, people, budget) and ready to be put to funders.

Day 1: Discover and connect. Participants tour Réunion's research facilities in small thematic groups, from infectious disease and atmospheric observatories to marine ecology, plant health and energy labs. The afternoon closes with structured matchmaking, with one-to-one meetings arranged in advance based on what each participant offers and is looking for.

Day 2: Frame and co-design. Thematic groups agree on a shared research question and the regional value of tackling it together. Cross-cutting sessions then bring in perspectives on training and mobility, open science and governance, and the transfer of research to policy and industry.

Day 3: Shape and commit. Groups finalise their project proposals, then present them to a panel of funders and decision-makers. Participants also help draft policy recommendations on research mobility and partnerships in the Indian Ocean.

What participants gain

• A European foothold in the Indian Ocean. Réunion is a French department and an outermost region of the European Union, opening doors to European and African research networks and funding.

• Unique field sites and infrastructure. Tropical, volcanic and marine environments, with observatories and laboratories that complement Australian capabilities.

• Partners ready to work. Colleagues from Réunion, the region and 32 fellow Australian researchers, already grouped around shared themes.

• A route to funding. Projects are designed from the outset to fit funders' requirements, including the next phase of the INTERREG programme.

• Long-term opportunities. Joint PhD supervision, researcher mobility and a place in a growing Indian Ocean research hub.

• A voice in policy. Recommendations from the event will feed into discussions with national governments and regional organisations such as the Indian Ocean Commission and IORA.

  
  

Practical details and how to join

• When: 8-10 February 2027

• Where: Université de La Réunion and partner research sites, Réunion Island

• Who: researchers at any career stage working on health, climate, biodiversity, energy, the blue economy or governance in the Indian Ocean region

• Cost: participation is free; travel and accommodation are self-funded

• Language: English

Register your interest by 31 December 2026: https://afranorg.wixforms.com/f/7505123697796056146

The short form asks what you bring and what you are looking for, so we can place you in the right thematic group and set up useful meetings before you arrive.

Questions? Contact us on afran.org@gmail.com

We look forward to welcoming you to Réunion.