Masters and PhD students at The University of the South Pacific (USP) were reminded of the importance of research in the Pacific and their roles in addressing the research priorities of the region.
The students, who began their studies in Semester 1 this year were hosted by the Graduate School last week at a student induction session at Laucala Campus in Fiji. The hybrid event also included virtual participants, with the induction session featuring various sessions from the schools and sections at USP.
The event was officially launched by the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), Professor Gurmeet Singh, who also discussed the opportunities USP had to offer to assist the students with their research work.
“This includes the likes of the N-POC scholarship, Project Halophyte, US Rising Scholarship, as well as the $5 million funding by the Indian government for research relating to the Blue Economy,” Professor Singh stated.
“Everyone present today is doing research that fills an important gap in the greater Pacific research priorities and theme.”
“We appreciate your choice of institution and are dedicated to working with you all to achieve your dream of graduating with your research degrees.”
Professor Singh urged the students to utilise the session to learn about USP processes and procedures. He also reassured the scholars that the University is dedicated to working with the scholars to address the key research areas and themes of the Pacific.
He added that the induction programme sought to promote and revive the cross-disciplinary interactions between the higher degree research (HDR) students and foster a strong research community amongst the scholars.
Adi Talatoka Likuvesi, a Masters by SRP (Supervised Research Project) student at the School of Pacific Arts, Communication, and Education (SPACE), expressed her appreciation to the University for hosting timely activities such as the Joint Induction.
Likuvesi said it helped her to understand the finance procedures for acquiring funds and the relevant forms to use. She further mentioned that the sessions left her feeling empowered and motivated to proceed with her fieldwork.
The Joint Induction programme featured a team of experienced facilitators who guided the students during the two-day event, covering key supporting areas of research such as Finance, Information Research Skills (IRS), Procurement processes and other USP services.
The student induction aimed to equip HDR scholars with essential knowledge and resources to enhance their research journey at USP.
