During her visit, Tuiketei also attended a reception at the Royal Society, where she connected with global researchers, partners and supporters of the KCFP initiative.
She says the reception allowed us to network with supporters, finders, KCFP partners, and researchers to also explore other practical collaborative opportunities to build and grow the programme.
Tuiketei says it was also an honour to have a tour at the Royal Society, the world’s oldest independent scientific institution, founded in 1660.
She says she had goosebumps opening the Charter Book and seeing the handwritten signatures from 1665 featuring fellows like Newtown, Darwin, Queen Victoria and others that made a difference in science globally.
FNU says her PhD scholarship is undertaken in collaboration with the University of London, specifically the Development Studies Department, SOAS University of London, where she engaged with her co-supervisor during her visit.
SOAS University of London has been named the second-best University in the world for Development Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
Tuiketei says she visited her supervisor in Brighton, and they were able to connect, meet regarding her PhD research, explore the vibrant seaside city, and plan for 2026.
Tuiketei also presented at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the Commonwealth at the Palace of Westminster, highlighting the role of education, skills and mobility in strengthening economic resilience across the Commonwealth.
She says this was also her first time to visit the House of Commons Chamber, House of Lords Chamber, Central Lobby, Westminster Hall, Royal Gallery, and to listen to the Commonwealth Day debate led by Adam Jogee MP.
She further participated in a roundtable co-hosted by ACU and Octopus Energy, focusing on enhancing collaboration between the private sector, academia and governments to accelerate climate resilience solutions for SIDS.
She says ACU co-hosted roundtable with Octopus Energy on how they can better leverage private sector-academia-government collaboration to accelerate climate resilience solutions for SIDS.
Tuiketei says the setting she found to be beautiful, and the ceiling was so distracting as she was admiring the 500-year-old art.
Reflecting on her experience, Tuiketei emphasised the importance of continued support for SIDS research and innovation.
She says she is grateful through ACU supporting their research, as they, from SIDS, can give value to a defenceless system; they are able to use the torch of education and mobility to shed a light into needed research; they are empowered to answer the call of ‘Leaving No one Behind’ by addressing climate change inequities.
She stresses this includes our future generations.
Tuiketei adds she comes back home to Fiji more inspired than when she left.
