USP

The programmes are Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (Level 3), Certificate IV in Hospitality Operations, Certificate IV in Human Resources, Certificate IV in Project Management, Diploma in Information Technology (Level 5), Diploma in Office Management (Level 5), and Diploma in Accounting (Level 5).

According to the Director of Pacific TAFE, Mr Hasmukh Lal, the accreditation confirms that Pacific TAFE, as a new and strategically transformed learning and teaching section, delivers high quality skills qualifications which meet industry standards and labour market demand.

Dr Eberhard Weber is a senior lecturer in Geography, Earth Science and Environment as well an expert in social science research on natural hazards and disasters. Previously he has conducted research in the Solomon Islands after the 2007 tsunami and in Samoa after the 2009 tsunami.

Dr Weber is confident that disaster preparedness and people’s resilience will increase when they make more use of their traditional knowledge.

He said people have realised that the comfort and prestige of having modern houses are high, but cyclone protection is not.

Artistic Director, Peter Rockford Espiritu said there will be two full days of art, music, education, culture and heritage focused on Oceania.

The festival is spearheaded by the Oceania Dance Theatre, together with Pasifika Voices, the Visual Arts Department, Pacific Studies, and the Pacific Cultural Heritage Hub.

“This year our feast of movement will focus on the very heart and soul of Oceania.  Its people, their past, their present and their future!  We return to our roots and invest in the multiculturalism that connects us all as Oceanians,” Mr Espiritu said. 

The purpose of the cruise is to collect oceanographic data to better understand the water properties on the East Coast of New Caledonia.

Shilpa Lal will be assisting in data collection and analysis during the cruise and at the same time, acquire necessary skills from the training provided to conduct her own research.

Ms Lal is looking forward to the cruise on board the vessel CALIOPE 3.

Ms Lal said she was incredibly honoured because she would be representing USP and Fiji, and privileged as she would learn from scientists who are experts in their field.

The formal welcome marked the end of the week-long Orientation programme, which is held annually, to ensure new students have a smooth transition to university life by providing them with appropriate advice and support as they embark on an exciting journey to study at USP.

The Chief Guest at the event was the President of Fiji, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konousi Konrote who was welcomed to the University by the Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Coll.

The two programmes received professional accreditation by ACS in December 2015. ACS is a professional association for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Australia and also a signatory to the Seoul Accord, which is a multi-lateral mutual recognition agreement among agencies responsible for accreditation or recognition of tertiary-level computing and IT-related qualifications.

The forum was organised by the International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE), hosted by Stenden Hotel Management School, Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Leeuwarden (the Netherlands).

THE-ICE is an Australian-based accreditation agency, which specialises in the accreditation of higher education programmes in tourism, hospitality and events at a range of top quality

Fifty per cent of the total graduates were females. 106 students graduated with undergraduate qualifications while 14 graduated at the postgraduate-level.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning, Teaching & Student Services), Professor Richard Coll described graduation as the most significant and meaningful occasion in the University’s calendar for graduates.

He extended his congratulations to the graduates for persevering and completing their studies.

His appointment was made by the USP Council in October this year.

USP will be welcoming one Commonwealth Scholar to the University’s Laucala campus in Fiji in 2016, to study an MSc in Climate Change. Another scholarship will be offered to start in February 2017.

Commonwealth Scholarships in low and middle-income countries are majority funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) endowment fund. These