Ceremonial & Academic Dress Regulations

1.0 The ceremonial dress of The University of the South Pacific was designed in lightweight materials to be appropriate for tropical conditions. The principal colours reflect the brown of tapa or masi found throughout the Pacific, while the blue derives from the colour of the sea and the sky.

2.0 CEREMONIAL DRESS

2.1 Chancellor: The gown is made from brown Indian silk with long sleeves lined with cream silk. The facings are six-inch- (fifteen-centimeter-) wide strips of specially designed tapa motifs representative of all the member countries of the University. The material is gathered at the yoke. The headgear is a trencher covered with brown Indian silk, with matching braid round the lower edge and a brown tassel.

2.2 Pro-Chancellor: The gown is as for the Chancellor, but with unlined sleeves. The head gear is as for the Chancellor without the braid.

2.3 Vice-Chancellor: The gown is as for the Pro-Chancellor, but the facings are four-inch- (ten -centimetre-) wide strips of tapa. The headgear is as for the Pro Chancellor.

2.4 Secretary to Council: The gown is as for the Pro-Chancellor with no facing. The headgear is as for the Pro-Chancellor.

3.0 ACADEMIC DRESS

3.1 Doctor of the University: The gown is in dark blue Indian silk with pleats on each side at the back. The sleeves have a horizontal lower edge and a slit in the front. Facings down the front of the gown are in light blue Indian silk, as are the linings of the sleeves. The hood is a simple cowl twice the size of the bachelor’s hood with a lining in light blue. The headgear is a trencher in dark blue Indian silk with a light blue tassel.

3.2 Master of the University: A dark brown master’s gown, with a light blue lining for the hood and front V attaching it. The headgear is a dark brown trencher.

3.3 Doctor of Philosophy: The gown is as for the Doctor of the University but the sleeves are unlined and the facings are in red. The hood is as for the Doctor of the University hood but the lining is red. The headgear is a trencher in dark blue Indian silk with a red tassel. Master’s Degree: Gowns should be of cotton in the dark brown colour of the usual deep shade of tapa cloth patterns, in a simple design with three pleats on each side at the back.

(a) Sleeves come down to knee level.

(b) The hood is a simple cowl lined with the following degree colours: · forest green for Agriculture

  • gold for Arts and Social Sciences
  • purple for Business Administration
  • teal for Commerce
  • cream for Education
  • magenta for Engineering
  • silver grey for Law
  • brick red for Public Health
  • palm green for Science
  • pale pink for Master of Computing and Information Systems (MCIS)
  • pale pink for Master of Information Systems (MIS)

(c) The front finished in a two-inch- (five-centimetre-) wide V which is in the degree colour. The headgear, which is optional, is a trencher in a light-weight matching brown fabric.

3.4 Master of Philosophy: A dark brown gown and plain dark brown hood.

3.5 Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates: A dark brown gown only, the same colour and design as the master’s degree.

3.6 Professional Diplomas and Certificates: A dark brown gown only, the same colour and design as the master’s degree.

3.7 Bachelor’s Degree: Gowns are of the same design as for the master’s degree, but in a lighter shade of tapa brown.

(a) The hood is lined in the discipline colours as defined by the master’s dress. In addition to the colours prescribed for the master’s degree in clause 3.4, the following colours are assigned:

  • orange for Bachelor of Software Engineering (BSE)
  • orange for Bachelor of Networks and Security
  • magenta for Bachelor of Geospatial Science (BGS)

(b) The front V attaching the hood is in plain brown. The headgear, a trencher, in the same light tapa brown of the gown.

3.8 Combined programmes: Where two programmes are completed simultaneously resulting in the award of 2 certificates, the recipient shall wear two hoods (each depicting the colour of the two qualifications) as part of their academic dress.

3.9 Diplomas and Certificates: A light tapa brown gown only, the same colour and design as the bachelor’s degree.

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