School of Business and Management Testimonials

Student Testimonials

Till last year I had only the job experience with no formal qualification. I started with Diploma in Management with USP Lautoka and completed it last year.
The Diploma and work experience in Industrial Relations inspired me to enroll in Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Human Resource Management & Employment Relations and International Business Marketing.
Making the choice to study with work full-time was quite challenging however I am really glad that I have made that choice. This has only been possible through flexible learning USP offered through its Lautoka Campus. It is great that the West based students have the facilities at the Lautoka Campus to complete their program of studies. The campus staff and lecturers have been supportive in their endeavor to provide the necessary assistance and guidance to enable positive learning environment.
Being a student at USP has provided me with the opportunity to evolve in a culturally diverse environment and this learning will remain with me lifelong both in my professional career as well as in my personal life. It has also been a perfect opportunity to build contacts and network with professionals from other organizations.

Why did you choose your field of study?
I have an ongoing passion to serve others, and I like to be thorough when it comes to procedures. I believe that I will attain insight from this field to not only benefit me and improve my skills, but to make an impact in any community, or economy I will be based in.
Briefly reflect on your student life at USP Lautoka?
Lautoka Campus, has enabled me to come out of my comfort zone, to befriend colleagues from unique cultural and ethnic backgrounds, as well as various age groups. The Director of Campus, Dr. Pramila Devi, hosts student forums during the semesters, these forums encouraged me to speak up to raise issues or to voice my opinions. Also I study from home and have easy access to the campus since I also live in Lautoka.
Greatest achievement[s] as a student:
One of my greatest achievement, yet! Would be of when I was a student intern in semester I of 2020, I gained a lot of experience and insight from the IT department and the Student counselors.
What advice would you give to current and future students of USP?
Never think that your question will undermine your IQ level! And do not compare anyone`s timeline to yours, regardless of the age gap!

Why did you choose your field of study?
I am extremely passionate about working with young children and helping them develop to reach their full potential. ECEC is a field where first hand growth and development is witnessed in education. ECEC educators are the “front liners” when it comes to formal education. As a facilitator to the potential future generation of leaders, it is a most dignified field of study.
Briefly reflect on your student life at USP Lautoka?
I first joined USP in 2003. Since then, I have moved on to upgrade my skills and knowledge whenever possible. In 2018, after a prolonged lapse, I enrolled for my B.Ed programme. As an in-service student and a full time mother, my studies took a back seat for two years. In 2020, I resumed studies as a full time online student. While there were some scheduled face to face classes, the timetables were very flexible. The flexible learning environment enabled me to come back to study. Currently, I am on to my second year in completing my programme.
Greatest achievement[s] as a student:
Personally, the fact that I motivated myself enough to resume studies after a long period. My last tertiary education had been in 2010 and it took me 8 years to get back to learning and upgrading my skills. Program available through Lautoka Campus made it easier for me to get back to studies.
What advice would you give to current and future students of USP? Communication is the key. Reach out to your fellow students. Establish that link that is necessary to build a Learning Web. Currently, due to the new normal, the personal interaction is impossible. It gives even more reasons to maintain contact with your friends, fellow students, PASS leaders and lecturers.

Why did you choose your field of study?
I chose this field mainly because I believe that I can achieve my dream goal and that is to become someone independent myself and to help my family in future. It was my field of interest that boosted me in knowing more as an individual. So the reason behind my field of study was about having two options in mind that was having a backup plan as if I don’t get the Accounting field job I can always go for Information system side which was good .
Briefly reflect on your student life at USP Lautoka?
Student life at USP Lautoka was all about virtual online learning , which some students agree or disagree but as time flew by, everything was done online .In my case this was a good experience as being independent ,and also having to manage time was my challenge but being able to set checklist online reminders ,alarms was my best way to track all my virtual online classes. Also with the help of Peer mentoring sessions and my supportive friends. Having to learn online was made easier since it is accessible anytime anywhere as long as you access and learn. Since all my courses was offered online at Lautoka campus so I didn’t have to travel to Lautoka everyday unless it was needed for tutorials and using the library, since I live in Vatukoula, Tavua. Meeting and making new friends also helped me gain new ideas and it was a great learning experience. I was able to balance my school work load as well.
Greatest achievement[s] as a student:
So far my greatest achievement as a student was grasping new concepts like Information system, learning to create Websites , using coding , new programs for example (Joomla,Microsoft Visual Web Development etc .) and creating Accounting reports was Quite good experience that enabled me to pass my courses.
What advice would you give to current and future students of USP?
Never give up , always try and try till you succeed academically.

Alumni Testimonials

USP is the premier tertiary institution in the Pacific and will provide the perfect learning and development platform for individuals who aspire to be valuable contributors to progress in their community.

USP studies upgraded my mindset about Businesses through real-life international market case studies well portrayed by outsourced Professors and the tycoons of TQM and governance. I would recommend USP considering credentials, experts involved in teaching and availability of content with USP.

The courses offered and the Program of study I undertook were highly interactive and it helped me learn through a vast network of other like-minded professionals from different backgrounds, through Team work and a lot of interactions with the lecturers. I have broadened my knowledge and USP has provided me the space to get out of my comfort zone. Being a Nurse by profession, MBA was a new program altogether as I had little knowledge of what the business environment was all about. As a wife, a full-time working woman, a mother and a part time student, juggling all my responsibilities though a challenge, USP has definitely bring out the best in me and now I can see the world from an open perspective as I am able to set my priorities and here, I am, a USP ALUMNI, A proud product of USP.
The learning environment is conducive especially for matured students and I would definitely recommend MBA to those that wishes to pursue quality academics, as it broadens the mind in Leadership, Management foremost Business knowledge, for they are innovative, accessible and responsive to sustainable development challenges. Courses offered are a great way forward for working professionals to build our competencies and set us apart in our working places or spheres of influence. The lecturers are so passionate as they provide us with tools to navigate the changes taking place in the technology driven business environment, making sure that not only do we pass but understood the concept well and be able to apply it to reality. The course offers a dynamic education experience and an MBA at USP is definitely a way forward.
“Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have overcome to reach your goal” surround yourself with people who share a passionate commitment around a common purpose and it is never too late to be the person you might have been for improvement starts with the letter I. Be kind and be humble, acknowledge God in all that you do.

Make the right decisions with school and your social life. Find the balance and keep it. You are going to make it no matter how difficult or long the programme seems to you!

The University of the South Pacific shape my future in many ways and as such new knowledge gained from USP has groomed me to be where I am today. Different Learning platform gained all-embracing my knowledge from both formal and informal, moulded me to, where I am today. Social networking, teambuilding and adjusting to new environment. Different cultural background inspires me to explore the unknown experiences of student life journey with a given timeframe and the clock ticks depends on the right path of studying while at USP. As a mature student, I completed my secondary education in form three (3) and completed my one year foundation with years of work experience is the only opportunity landed me to study “BA in Tourism & Hospitality” is the precious gift of a lifetime journey. As a former student at USP, my only precious gift of advice to future and current students is; if you opt to study or studying now at USP. Always Remember! Being at USP, You represent your Country, family and ethnicity, therefore take pride of yourself. Always study SMART because at USP, you will find three (3) categories of students. You decide which category you choose. First batch of students, always their first semester at USP and is their final semester. WHY? Student’schoice of study at USP is to enjoy being at USP, meeting new friends and partying is their priority and yet forget about why they are at USP. The Second batch of students, they set their priority, study SMART. In other words, they balance being a Student at USP and at the same time socialize with other fellow students,they grasped as much as they can from informal social interactions apart from attending formal interaction and they achieved their goals within their term at USP. Finally, the third batch of students never concern about other things in life because they focus on their future, and of the reason of being why at USP and they achieved their dreams at USP.

The University of the South Pacific through their MBA Programme has given me a different view of the changing environment in the pacific, more specifically on the continuous reforms in public administration. Concurrent to my studies at the time (2005), I was heavily involved with Public Finance Management (PFM) reforms in my role as an Assistant Chief Executive Officer (ACEO) for Accounts and Reporting with the Ministry of Finance (MoF). MoF in its capacity as a central agency, was instrumental in rolling out changes in the financial system, government policies pertaining to finance and business operations, accountancy and financial reporting in Samoa. The course bolstered my ability to cultivate strategies to navigate these public reforms. Leadership and innovation were among the qualities needed to push through with these changes as well as introducing a workable schedule. My experience alongside the skills and knowledge learnt in this course instilled in me the confidence to not only refine these qualities but to act accordingly.

As I reflect on the content of the course one aspect which resonated with me during these reforms was regarding human resource management. Introducing change in a vast government operational environment is definitely one of the most challenging tasks you may encounter in your working life. This is mostly due to people themselves. This is true in any setting and the course shed light on this aspect as well as strategies to manage potential conflicts. There was a heightened awareness that having a supportive leader and colleagues who share the same ethical goals as you while being mindful of the social responsibilities can certainly help in achieving set goals. I carry this knowledge and experience to my current role as Finance Director for the Tokelau Government.

It was exciting to learn from the professors not only given their years of experience but the various ethnic backgrounds add a diverse set of perspectives. One of the highlights of my studies at USP as a mature student was the companionship with my cohort who were also mostly senior public servants. It is sad to say that some of them are no longer with us, but I thoroughly enjoyed and treasure the time and experience shared.

In 2021 I was awarded a Solomon Island Government Scholarship in pursuing my degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management at the University of South Pacific, Fiji.
USP is a recognized academic accredited university and is also a mandatory English institution.
What I love about my field of study is that it allows me to open up to new cultures, and gain new perspective. Professionally, it has contributed a lot in my current work. My field of study involve a lot of presentations, field work, course works, and internship, these really fostered my confidence and built my skills which carried forward throughout my work and life.
I always believe whatever an individual education journey is like, one should never give up, if you have a passion for it then go for it. And that with God all things are possible- Mathew 19:26.

The thing I liked most about USP is that most lecturers have either taught or worked all around the Pacific and share what works and what doesn’t. They also have a good knowledge of the different cultural backgrounds we come from which supports them in relating to us and help them to understand us learners better. The environment is also sociable and many of my classmates have become friends.

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