By Staff Writer
The University of the South Pacific Council made two top appointments in its two day meeting on 10, 11 of November in Apia.
Professor Janusz Jankowski is appointed Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President and Mr Walter Fraser as the University’s inaugural Chief Operating Officer (COO).
Professor Jankowski has expertise in Health, Research, Innovation, Education and Government Policy in Asia, Europe, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States.
Prior to his appointment at the University, Professor Jankowski was the Chair of Board at the University College Osteopathy in London, with HRH The Princess Royal as the Chancellor, from 2019 to 2022. He also serves as the Justice of the Peace (Magistrate), HM Courts Service, from 2019 until 2024. Further, he was an Honorary Clinical Professor at University College London.
The new DVC & VP has over 250 peer-reviewed publications, with over 60 per cent as the corresponding or senior author. He has been cited on more than 37,000 occasions, in the top one per cent of researchers worldwide and has been the principal investigator, co-applicant or board chair on grants which, added in total reach over £250,000,000.00 (FJD 658,860,500.00).
Professor Jankowski holds a degree in Medicine (MB ChB) from the University of Glasgow, a Master of Science (MSc) from the University of Oxford, an MD Research from the University of Dundee and a PhD Research from the University of London. In addition, he has Clinical Fellowships in the UK and the USA as well as Postgraduate qualifications in Education and Business Management from the University of Cambridge and Lancashire Business School.
Mr Fraser has expertise in strategic change leadership and operational service delivery with over 30 years of experience in the tertiary education sector in New Zealand and the Pacific, with the last 20 years at senior management and executive level. Mr Fraser will join USP from Auckland University of Technology (AUT) where he has been Assistant Vice-Chancellor for its South Campus in Manukau. Prior to his appointment at AUT, Mr Fraser was Director of the Centre for Pacific Studies and the Director of Pacific Strategy and Engagement at The University of Auckland. Mr Fraser was also Registrar at USP from 2001 to 2009.
In addition to his extensive experience in the tertiary sector, Mr Fraser brings a deep understanding of Pacific affairs and cultures given his previous experience working in our region and within USP’s complex governance and organisational structure.