2023 USP Orientation Week starts on a high  

 

The University of the South Pacific (USP) 2023 Semester 1 Orientation Week started on a high with excitement and laughter filling the air as hundreds of first-year students turned up at the Laucala, Lautoka and Labasa Campuses. 

 

The Orientation Week is designed to help new students understand the University’s learning and teaching environment and assist these students in conforming and familiarising themselves with the campus and other services rendered by USP. 

 

Dimitri Natonga, a Ni-Vanuatu, was amongst the students who toured the campus as he wanted to identify his lecture and tutorial classrooms before the commencement of classes next Monday. 

 

Natonga joined the institution last year after being admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Mathematics programme at USP’s Emalus Campus in Vanuatu. 

 

He stated that this would be his first time in Fiji and the first of the few years studying at the Laucala Campus in Suva. 

 

“I arrived last Tuesday with over 50 other ongoing and new students from Vanuatu. I made it my business to attend the orientation programme because I am new to the Laucala Campus. I am satisfied with how the team assisted us, and now I am getting to know the surroundings, science laboratories and the lecture as well as the tutorial buildings,” he stated. 

 

Natonga said that first-year students must participate and be part of the orientation week programme to ensure they have a smooth start to a new semester and academic year next Monday. 

 

USP’s Campus Life Officer, Ms Saileshni Naidu, said the most important activity during the week would be the school information sessions. Students are encouraged to be part of the discussion and deliberations.

 

She added the School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education (SPACE) and the School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS) started the week welcoming the new students who have opted for the programmes the schools offer. 

 

“On Tuesday (today), we have the School of Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics (STEMP) and the School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean, and Natural Sciences (SAGEONS) information sessions while on Wednesday will be the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics (SAFE) and School of Business and Management (SBM) and Thursday will be the information session for Pacific Technical and Further Education (Pacific TAFE),” Ms Naidu said. 

 

She added, “Students can come and attend their school orientation sessions, and after the sessions, they take a campus tour. Following this, students can connect with their buddy mentor who will help them throughout the year. Some of the issues include accessing Moodle and finding their classrooms. The buddies can help them throughout the year. It is one of the things that students need to do so that they do not struggle when they begin their first year.” 

 

Ms Naidu said the programme is also organised for new entrants at USP Samoa, Kiribati and Tonga Campuses, with different daily programmes. However, the schedule for the Kiribati and Tonga campuses begins on Wednesday.

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