Assoc ProfessorPat Gibbons

Pat’s research is grounded in the humanitarian principles and examines how they are applied and sustained in an evolving global context. A central focus of his work is resilience — exploring how higher education can contribute to strengthening the capacity of states, societies, and communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from crises.

He has a strong interest in localisation, analysing how power, resources, and decision-making can be shifted closer to affected communities without compromising humanitarian standards. This research intersects with his work on the internationalisation of higher education, investigating how global academic partnerships can both advance humanitarian localisation and address the challenges of asymmetrical relationships, brain drain, and academic dependency.