USP's Strategy Plan developed in 1998 has environment/sustainable development and marine studies as two of its five priority areas (along with tourism, agriculture and teacher education).  There are seven institutes at USP which are responsible for facilitating the utilization of University staff in project work, consultancies and short-term training courses relevant to the University's mission.  These Institutes have a small group of core staff to facilitate their work.  The Institute of Applied Sciences (IAS) is the relevant institute for applied conservation science and resource management projects.  The IAS Mission is "to contribute to the development of the member countries of USP in the scientific, technical and resource areas."

The Institute of Applied Science (IAS) Environment Unit conducts environmental impacts assessments and can monitor land and water biodiversity and water quality.  It also works with communities to assist them in the development and implementation of resource management plans.  This work won the Equator Initiative Award in 2002 and the Whitley People and Environment Award in 2003.

Major projects of the unit are the Locally Managed Marine Area (LMMA) Project, which focuses on community-based management of marine resources in a number of sites around Fiji, and the Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) project which has a pilot site on the Coral Coast.  The unit is also the Pacific focal point for the LMMA Network, a learning portfolio of community-based marine conservation projects in Asia and the Pacific.

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