AT the Victoria University in Melbourne (Australia) graduation ceremony last Friday, Irene Paulsen of Buala, Isabel Province was announced and capped as Dr Irene Paulsen, PhD.

As Irene walked across the stage to be capped, she could feel the emotion of her years of hard work.

She could also feel the weight of her achievement as a Solomon Islands woman who is living in Australia and now, finally achieving her dream; obtaining a doctoral degree in Education.

Receiving her PhD was a special moment for Irene.

According to Dr Paulsen: “This moment marks the end of my personal ambition to obtain a PhD. I had worked hard over a number of years to get to this point. There were many challenges but I kept going. With much support from family, friends and from work, I have now arrived at this point.”

Dr Irene Paulsen is an experienced educator; having had a successful and satisfying career as an academic at Victoria University, spanning over 10 years.

Prior to 2006, Irene worked as a Programme Manager with the South Pacific Centre of the Commonwealth Youth.

In the mid-late 1990s, Irene was the Head of Distance Education of SICHE (now SINU); and earlier she was the Head of English at King George VI Secondary School in Honiara.

As an educator, undertaking and completing her doctoral degree was an obvious pathway for Irene.

 

She hopes her achievement will inspire others.

In her words, Dr Paulsen said, “I hope that my story will encourage more women and girls in Solomon Islands to study towards higher degrees and to achieve this through making clear goals for themselves, staying focussed and to always acknowledge the various forms of support received along the way.”

 

Dr Irene Paulsen’s thesis investigated the patterns of engagement, achievement and transition for Pacific Islander secondary school students in Melbourne.

With more and more Pacific Islanders migrating to and settling in Australia, education authorities are struggling to understand the education and social implications for Pacific and other migrant young people.

Using a strengths-based approach, Dr Paulsen looked at the post compulsory study and work trajectories of Pacific Islander young people over three years.

Her research identified important factors that can enable or constrain transition success for young Pacific Islanders in Australia.

The international examiner of Dr Paulsen’s doctoral thesis was New Zealand-based Associate Professor Kabini Sanga of Victoria University of Wellington.

According to Professor Sanga, “Among other things, Irene’s doctoral research is of the highest merit because of its original contributions to the global scholarship on diasporic Pacific Islander, minority, indigenous and migrant students.

“As a Solomon Islands academic, I was proud to see such a major high quality research by another Solomon Islander and felt honoured to have examined the thesis.”

Sanga adds: “Dr Irene Paulsen is a deserving Solomon Islands woman who is carrying our national flag high in academia.”

Dr Paulsen received a Victoria University sponsorship under the staff professional development programme to undertake her PhD.