USP PRESS STATEMENT : The Head of State, His High Highness, Tuimaleali’ifano Vaaleto’a Sualauvi II, started his official visit this week to Fiji as the Vice Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, with a tour of the university’s Laucala Campus.
His Highness was accompanied by Masiofo Faamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiifano, Samoa’s High Commissioner to Fiji His Excellency Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia, and Mr Agafili Shem Leo, CEO of the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
The delegation was received by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), Professor Jito Vanualailai and the Secretary to the USP Council, Totivi Bokini-Ratu before attending a virtual meeting with the USP Vice-Chancellor and President (VC&P), Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
Following the brief meeting with the USP VC&P, the Chancellor and the delegation proceeded on a tour of the USP Laucala Campus Library with University Librarian, Elizabeth Fong and her staff.
Ms. Fong shared information about the USP library throughout the tour, highlighting how the main Library at the Laucala Campus was established in 1969, a year after the University was founded in 1968.
“Campus and Centre Libraries have also been established in the 12 USP member countries and part of our mission going forward is to be able to provide equitable access to excellent library and information services, resources and facilities for students, staff and the wider Pacific community,” she added.
The USP Chancellor was also given a tour of the Pacific Collection within the library.
Librarian, Gwen Rounds explained that the Pacific Collection of the USP Library was a special collection of library materials both published and unpublished on the Pacific.
“The Pacific Collection contains materials focusing on one or more of the following Pacific islands or their people. The collection also has items relating to the Australian Aborigines, Hawaiians, New Zealand Maoris, Torres Strait Islanders and Pacific Island communities living outside the region,” she added.
The Chancellor was then given a tour of the ITS Centre with Acting Director ITS, Fereti Atalifo and his team.
The ITS team gave the USP Chancellor and his delegation a run-through of all the services provided throughout USP’s labs and how respective systems and networks were created, managed and maintained.
The final stop of the tour for the USP Chancellor was the USP Oceania Centre and Oceania Art Gallery where he was given a tour by the OCACPS Acting Director, Mr Larry Thomas and viewed performances by the Oceania Dance Theatre and Pasifika Voices.
The USP Chancellor is in Fiji to officiate at the USP October Graduation that will be held between 5 and 6 October 2022 at the Vodafone Arena where 1,199 students will be graduating.