The Vanuatu National Cultural Council is responsible for cultural research in Vanuatu under chapter 186, 6(2)(e) of the Laws of the Republic of Vanuatu. It is the role of the National Cultural Council to define and implement national research policies (including those outlined in this Policy), to define national research priorities, and to sponsor, regulate and carry out programs of research.
The Vanuatu Cultural Centre is the executing arm of the National Cultural Council, and is responsible for implementing this Policy.
As part of its function to regulate research, the National Cultural Council will determine whether it is desirable that a foreign national undertake research on a cultural subject in Vanuatu.
"Cultural research" means any endeavour, by means of critical investigation and study of a subject, to discover new or collate old facts or hypotheses on a cultural subject; the latter being defined as any anthropological, linguistic, archaeological, historical or related social study, including basic data collection, studies of or incorporating traditional knowledge or classification systems (eg. studies of the medicinal properties of plants, land and marine tenure systems), documentary films and studies of introduced knowledge and practice.
Objectives of the Vanuatu Cultural Research Policy:
1. To ensure that cultural research projects are consistent with Vanuatu’s own research priorities, and to make researchers aware of these priorities.
2. To establish a clear process by which applications from foreign nationals to undertake research in Vanuatu can be evaluated. This Policy is not intended to apply to research undertaken by ni Vanuatu, by Government officers in the execution of their duty or at the request of the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu.
3. To ensure that the number of researchers working in Vanuatu at any one time is manageable, and that researchers are adequately prepared for collaborative fieldwork. For this reason, this Policy distinguishes between researchers new to Vanuatu, and those with previous experience in the country.
Download the Vanuatu Cultural Research Policy
Download the Research Agreement
