Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity announces 2025 changemakers

The Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity (AFSE), an influential community of Indigenous and Pacific thought leaders, has announced its 2025 cohort of Fellows.

This year, 17 leaders from five Pacific nations will join the AFSE fellowship, expanding a global network that drives Indigenous-led, community-based solutions to today’s most pressing challenges.

In partnership with the University of Melbourne, AFSE offers Fellows a fees-free Masters of Social Change Leadership. This intensive year-long program immerses participants in learning and self-development guided by the insights and expertise of Indigenous leaders and scholars from across the Pacific.

With the support of AFSE, the 2025 Fellows will tackle key issues impacting Pacific communities, from climate change and health inequalities to child protection and youth empowerment.

This cohort, which includes Fellows from the Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Aotearoa New Zealand, and Australia, deepens AFSE’s footprint across the Pacific, building on its 2024 expansion that introduced fellows from Fiji and Vanuatu.

University of Auckland’s Pro Vice-Chancellor Māori, Te Kawehau Hoskins, says: “We are thrilled to welcome such a diverse and talented 2025 cohort of Fellows.

“AFSE is a unique programme. It foregrounds Indigenous knowledge, and ways of being and doing, as the starting place for creative social innovation for the benefit of all.”

AFSE Executive Director Damien Miller spoke to the importance of Indigenous-led collaboration and leadership in building the region’s future.

“Our shared future depends on embracing Indigenous social innovation and leadership. By elevating diverse Indigenous and Pacific perspectives and voices, such as those in this new cohort, we activate solutions grounded in generations of understanding and deep connections to country, community, and culture."

"This approach not only honours the rich cultural tapestry of the Pacific but also inspires collective action to build societies where we all thrive.”

University of Melbourne Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous), Professor Barry Judd, highlighted the significance of the AFSE program.

“I’m delighted to welcome new AFSE Fellows to the University community. Their work brings to life our vision of a globally connected institution innovatively addressing complex challenges, foregrounding Indigenous knowledge, fostering Pacific and global collaboration, and promoting intercultural understanding.”

Once Fellows complete their studies, Fellows are eligible to apply for up to $30,000 in funding to implement their social change projects. Each Fellow becomes a lifelong member of the Atlantic Fellows global network, an international community of over 1,000 changemakers working collectively towards equity and fairness worldwide.