Integrating Indigenous knowledge into research and teaching remains a central focus for higher education institutions in the Asia-Pacific region. The Association of Pacific Rim Universities held a workshop this month on Boracay Island, Philippines, to discuss how local ecological practices can support sustainable development. The event, which took place from June 16 to 20, gathered leaders from 64 universities across 20 economies to address how to weave traditional ecological knowledge into academic priorities and institutional cultures.
Living Knowledge Traditions
The gathering was hosted by the University of the Philippines, which organized the sessions under the theme “Living Knowledge Traditions Rooted in Land and Sea: Pathways to Resilience, Innovation, and Cultural Continuity.” Adriana Rojas, senior director of programmes at APRU, emphasized the significance of convening the meeting on Boracay, which is home to the Ati indigenous community. This context provided a unique backdrop for discussions, as the island serves as a living classroom for traditional practices. Rojas stated, “The knowledge systems rooted in land and sea, nurtured over generations by Indigenous peoples and local communities, are not only heritage to be preserved but also vital sources of insight for the pressing challenges of our time,” she added in her welcome remarks.
Angelo Jimenez, president of the University of the Philippines, highlighted a dynamic that emerged during the discussions. He noted that meaningful engagement with Indigenous knowledge begins with humility. “Universities must be willing to listen, to question some of their assumptions, and to learn from communities whose knowledge traditions have often been overlooked or marginalised,” he said during an interview.
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A Call for Reciprocity
At the start of the meeting, the APRU Indigenous and First Nations Knowledge Network Statement was formally read by co-chairs Dr Noelani Puniwai and Professor Adrian Little. The document lists five commitments that member universities should adopt to support Indigenous communities. These include affirming the importance of Indigenous peoples and their heritages, honouring their sovereignty, emphasising the primacy of Indigenous knowledge as a holistic understanding of the world, and creating inclusive, safe academic environments.
A final point stresses the need to create and enhance opportunities for Indigenous students, academics, and staff. Puniwai, from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, argued that understanding these epistemologies requires more than textbooks. “Relationships need to be developed and stigmatisms to be addressed,” she noted. Puniwai believes current academic conferences often fail to capture this dynamic because they usually study Indigenous culture rather than engage with Indigenous scholars as peers.
This shift from extraction to partnership reflects a broader tension in academia where Western research models have historically treated Indigenous populations as subjects of study rather than collaborators. By prioritizing lived experience over documentation, institutions risk alienating the very communities whose wisdom is essential for solving complex environmental problems.
Climate Leadership
Adrian Little, from the University of Melbourne, pointed out that the network is populated by Indigenous leaders across member universities. Their goal is to avoid exploitative practices and to connect universities with local communities. Little says the network has made climate leadership a core activity, noting that Indigenous knowledges are grounded in deep relationships to place. He cited specific examples of traditional practices that offer modern solutions, noting that Indigenous burning techniques have proven more effective than recent methods for managing the extremes of fire and flooding currently affecting Australia. These practices demonstrate how ancient wisdom can guide modern environmental stewardship.
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Jimenez addressed the historical issue of knowledge appropriation. He suggested that universities fail when they attempt to incorporate Indigenous practices without altering their own relationship with these communities. “Indigenous knowledge cannot simply be extracted, documented, and inserted into curricula while the communities that sustain it remain at the margins,” he argued.
He stated that the message from the workshop was clear: integration is a long-term commitment requiring sustained relationships and institutional support, rather than a one-time initiative. “In many ways, Indigenous knowledge systems remind us that progress and rootedness need not be opposites. They can, and must, advance together,” Jimenez concluded.
Indigenous wisdom offers unique solutions.
