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 | The Pro Chancellor and Chair of Council, Mr Ikbal Jannif (centre) and the Vice Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra with the USP Council members during their meeting. |
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The 75th meeting of the University of the South Pacific Council was held at the University’s Laucala Campus from 5 - 6 November 2012.
The Council is the highest decision making body of the University and comprises representatives of the 12 member country governments, academic staff, and student, community and business leaders. Representatives of Australia and New Zealand and a member of the CROP agency are also part of the Council.
The two-day meeting was chaired by the Pro Chancellor and Chair of Council, Mr Ikbal Jannif. Mr Jannif said that although the meeting was intense, the time spent on finalising the new six-year Strategic Plan was well worth it.
“The open and frank discussions have meant that the USP’s Strategic Plan 2013 – 2018 now has the approval of all stakeholders.”
The newly appointed Visitor of the University, Sir James BruceRobertson of New Zealand, visited Suva and briefly addressed the University Council at the invitation of the Pro-Chancellor & Chair of Council. Sir Bruce, as he is known, is a retired judge of the Court of Appeal in New Zealand. He is a graduate of the University of Otago and the University of Virginia. He holds an honorary LLD from the University of Otago. He is currently the President of the Court of Appeal in Vanuatu.
In presenting his report, the Vice Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Rajesh Chandra highlighted the following achievements since the last Council Meeting in May, which the Council acknowledged with appreciation.
Some of these achievements include:
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The finalisation of the University’s new Strategic Plan 2013-2018;
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Successful graduation ceremonies for the Laucala, Tonga, Solomon Islands and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) campuses;
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The progress by the Strategic Total Academic Review (STAR) project in working closely with the Curriculum Advisory Program, the Planning Office, the Credit Point project (implemented by Student Academic Services), and the Associate Deans (Learning and Teaching) to ensure a smooth transition and successful implementation of the Council-approved new degree structure and the adoption of a Credit Point System;
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A successful Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Forum on 10 September 2012 at the Multi-Purpose Theatre, Japan-Pacific ICT Centre, Laucala Campus. The keynote speaker was Professor Sally Kift, who spoke inspiringly on ‘A Transition Pedagogy for First Year Student Success’. She is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at James Cook University and is President of the Australian Learning and Teaching Fellows;
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A number of major initiatives were discussed at the Forum Ministers of Education meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu from 12-18 May 2012. One of them included the new ICT in Education framework that was jointly developed by USP and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community;
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The University Grants Committee (UGC) held its Triennial Meeting 2013 - 2015 at the Laucala Campus from 16 July to 20 July 2012. The UGC was pleased to observe that the University was on track to achieve the objectives of the current Strategic Plan by the year’s end. The UGC also noted that the University is the most successful regional institution in terms of its longstanding positive impact on all member countries, and acknowledged the very important role that USP plays in fostering regional solidarity. UGC accepted the University’s proposal to keep member government contributions at the 2012 level of FJD$47,946,462 for each of the three years of the triennium 2013-2015;
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The signing of the first loan agreement with an international development bank in the University’s 44 year history has been completed. The University’s US$19million Multi-tranche Financing Facility (MFF) soft loan from ADB for major capital development works has several major components, which will have separate loan sub-agreements. The signing of the loan agreement (Tranche 1) pertaining to the new Kiribati campus, worth US$2.6million, took place at the Laucala Campus on 19 June 2012;·
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The new extension to the Cook Islands Campus was officially opened on 27 August 2012. The extension includes a conference room, a student lounge, and a furnished reception area. The project was funded through the incentive funding provided by AusAID amounting to NZ$600,000;
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Signing of a lease agreement for an additional 14 acres of land for USP Tonga campus. This will include priority developments like fencing; a building for the Institute of Education, a new building for graduate teaching (including the MBA programme) and facilities for expanded science teaching, sports and other amenities;
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Ground breaking ceremony for a new campus in the Marshall Islands by the President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, H.E. Mr. Christopher Loeak and the USP Chancellor at the time, Sir Frank Ofagioro Kabui;
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USP’s partnerships with Australia and New Zealand will conclude this year. Both the Governments have indicated that they intend to continue their support to the University for the duration of the new Strategic Plan 2013 - 2018; and
Professor Chandra said that the outlook for the University going into 2013 remains strong, adding that, enrolment growth is around 11 percent in equivalent full-time students (EFTS) for 2012. This, he explained, is already surpassing the record growth in 2011.
Professor Chandra pointed out that the externally-audited accounts show that the University’s finances are sound and that the University will have an outcome better than budgeted.
“On the whole, the University has made excellent progress in a difficult time, increased its reputation and standing, the goodwill of its stakeholders, and stands on the cusp of exciting development to transform itself from good to excellent in the next Strategic Plan,” he added.
The Council deliberated on a number of reports and papers. Some of the key decisions taken by the Council were:
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USP Strategic Plan 2013 – 2018: Approved the University’s new Strategic Plan. The Council also commended the Vice–Chancellor, the Senior Management Team and staff for the consultative process undertaken for the new Strategic Plan and the bold aspirations of the new plan.
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Annual Plan 2013: Approved the financing of the Annual Plan 2013 to be within the proposed total income of $170.37m, and a proposed total expenditure of $170.22m.
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2013 Tuition Fees and Charges: As the University had not increased its tuition fees since 2008, and to compensate for inflation and other increased costs, the Council approved a 5 percent increase in the University’s tuition fees for next year.
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New Academic Programme: The Diploma in Leadership, Governance and Human Rights programme was instituted.
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Accreditation: The council noted that two new professional degrees in Computing Science - Bachelor of Software Engineering and Bachelor of Net Centric Computing received provisional accreditation from the Australian Computer Society. It was also agreed that the University seeks Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation following stipulations in the WASC accreditation guideline for institutions external to the U.S.
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New Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee: Mr Iowane Naiveli is the new Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He is a Chartered Accountant and has served previously on the USP Council. Ms Susan Kumar was re-appointed as the independent member on the Audit Committee for two years from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014. Ms Kumar is the General Manager for Corporate Service at the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
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Appointments to the Finance and Investments Committee: Named Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Fiji to be members of the Finance and Investments Committee for the term, 1 January 2013 – 31 December 2015.
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Appointment of Members to the Executive Committee: Named Cook Islands, Samoa and Nauru as well as Fiji to the Executive Committee. The Council also appointed Dr Jeremy Strudwick, Senior Education Adviser, Pacific Division, AusAID, Dr Kabini Sanga, an academic from Victoria University in Wellington and Mr Rex Horoi, Director of the Foundation of the People of the South Pacific to its Executive Committee which has delegated authority to carry out assigned duties on behalf of the Council.
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Honorary Degrees Committee: The Minister for Education, Tokelau and Dr Kabini Sanga were re-appointed to serve on the Honorary Degrees Committee for a term of two years from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2014.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, this was one of the most crucial meetings of the Council.
Professor Chandra said that the approval of the new Strategic Plan for 2013-2018 provided a bold vision of excellence, relevance, and strong regional engagement with an exciting set of initiatives to take the University to its 50th anniversary in 2018.
The Council also approved the 2013 Annual Plan - the first year of the new Strategic Plan. It also noted that the USP regional Ministers of Finance had approved the University’s government contributions for the next three years.
“These approvals and other decisions will ensure a very bright future for the University. I am pleased with the outcomes of the Council,” stated Professor Chandra.
Mr Jannif also welcomed the approval of the triennial funding for 2013-2015 by the USP regional Ministers of Finance.
The next Council meeting will be held in Tonga in mid-May 2013.
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