Seu'ula Johansson-Fua (born 1974) is a Tongan academic and educational researcher. Her research explores how indigenous concepts of leadership can be tools in education systems across the Pacific region. She is currently Director of the Institute of Education at the

University of the South Pacific The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public university, public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and ...

Early life and education

Seu'ula Fua was born in 1974. She received her MA in Educational Administration from the

University of Toronto The University of Toronto (UToronto or U of T) is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, located on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution ...

and a BA Diploma in Teaching from the

University of Waikato The University of Waikato ( mi, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato), is a Public university, public research university in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand established in 1964. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university perfo ...

. She earned her PhD in Educational Administration from the University of Toronto.

Career

Johansson-Fua is Director of the Institute of Education at the

. In 2018 she initiated a Network for Educational Research which brought together education ministries from a variety of Pacific countries for the first time to further collaborative research and understanding.

Research interests

As a Tongan academic, Johansson-Fua sees her Tongan rather than a general

indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

identity as central to her practise. One strand of her research explores ideas of indigenous leadership and how they might be applied within education. This includes how the Tongan concept of ''faka’apa’apa'' guides ideas of leadership in that country. This concept is based on four key principles: generosity, love, helpfulness, and humility. Another strand of her research in education centres on ''talanoa'', a traditional oral communication method amongst Pacific Islanders. As an educational researcher, Johansson-Fua has published on how schools and school relationships need to function within local cultural contexts. One application of this model was the Rethinking Pacific Education Initiative by Pacific Peoples for Pacific Peoples (RPEIPP), an academic and educational research project which Johansson-Fua convened. She has been vocal in addressing the absence of input from Pacific Islanders in international and comparative educational research. Johansson-Fua also oversees the Kukū Kaunaka Collection, an archive commissioned by King

Tupou VI Tupou VI (; born 12 July 1959) is the King of Tonga. He is the younger brother and successor of the late King George Tupou V. He was officially confirmed by his brother on 27 September 2006 as the heir presumptive to the Throne of Tonga, as his ...

which contains doctoral and masters dissertations written by Tongan scholars at universities around the world. The

United Nations Population Fund The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), formerly the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, is a UN agency aimed at improving reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Its work includes developing national healthcare strategies ...

commissioned Johansson-Fua to produce a report on domestic violence in Tonga. In 2012, Johansson-Fua was a member of the team that assessed the potential for heritage tourism in Tonga.

Impact

Johansson-Fua's work on ''talanoa'' has inspired the foundation of the arts organisation ''Talanoa''.

Selected bibliography

* Johansson Fua, S. (2007), "Looking towards the source – social justice and leadership conceptualisations from Tonga", ''Journal of Educational Administration'', Vol. 45 No. 6. * Johansson Fua, S. (2016), "The Oceanic Researcher and the Search for a Space in Comparative and International Education", ''International Education Journal: Comparative Perspectives,'' Vol. 15 No. 3.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Johansson-Fua, Seu'ula 1974 births Living people Tongan women University of the South Pacific faculty University of Toronto alumni University of Waikato alumni Tongan academics Educational researchers