The University of the South Pacific (USP) has announced the appointment of Professor Pal Ahluwalia as the new Vice-Chancellor and President (VC&P) of USP.
The decision was made during the 86th Council meeting of the University in Nauru last month.
Professor Ahluwalia will formally take up his new role as VC&P in November 2018.
This will allow for a smooth transition and handover process from USP’s current Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Rajesh Chandra, whose term comes to an end in December 2018.
Professor Chandra served as USP’s Vice-Chancellor and President for a maximum term of ten years.
Professor Ahluwalia was selected for this position after a rigorous and thorough selection process by the University’s Joint Committee of Council and Senate.
He is currently the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom where he also holds the role of Equality and Diversity Champion.
According to USP Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, Mr Winston Thompson, the new Vice-Chancellor brings to USP credentials and experience, which would make him a strong applicant for a Vice-Chancellor’s position anywhere in the world.
“Professor Ahluwalia shows a great understanding of USP and articulated a compelling vision for its future; he emphasised the importance of advancing the interests of member nations,” Mr Thompson said.
In accepting his role as USP’s new Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ahluwalia said “the opportunity to undertake the role of Vice-Chancellor and President at USP is enormously exciting as it is a position that would be a privilege and an honour to hold. I am passionate about education in the broadest sense of the word and the potential that the role offers is one that I will relish.”
Professor Ahluwalia said that the fundamentals at USP as the premier regional university serving the Pacific Islands are in place with a sound financial foundation.