The University of the South Pacific’s (USP) Alumni and International Offices have collaborated and hit the ground running, engaging and connecting with the staff, students and the USP Alumni Network.
Two events held at the USP Lautoka and Labasa Campuses, respectively, saw the Alumni and International Office meet and present to the USP staff, students, and alumni on the International Office’s programmes, such as Erasmus, Inter-Campus Mobility and JENESYS; these student and staff exchange opportunities aim to add value to the overall USP experience, expand their horizons and gain new knowledge and a broader world view.
The presentations also touched on the Alumni Office’s efforts to create a community for USP’s globally diverse alums, with the recent launch of the University’s Alumni Relationship Management system (ARMS), a web-based portal where alums can register with their email address and create their profile, after which, they can access various features such as networking with other alums, joining interest groups, accessing career resources, updating their contact details, and receiving latest news and events from USP.
Mrs Lillian Fuata, Manager International Office and Mrs Sala Lesuma, Alumni Affairs Coordinator, delivered the presentations.
In a meet and greet with Alumni, Mrs Lesuma worked with the USP Lautoka Campus Director, Dr Pramila Devi and Labasa Campus Officer in Charge, Ahemad Shah, to convene, engage and re-start the alumni community in Lautoka, Labasa and Savusavu.
The Alumni standalone events aimed to introduce the ARMS online portal and to engage, revive and re-establish focal points with the alum community in Vanua Levu and the Western Division. This activity links to strengthening the Fiji Alumni Chapter and connecting Alumni in other parts of Fiji.
Officiating at the events, USP Deputy Vice-Chancellor Regional Campuses and Global Engagements, Dr Giulio Masasso Tu’ikolongahau Paunga, highlighted that USP recognises and is proud of its Alumni’s professional contributions and achievements within the communities they serve to the nation at large and to the Pacific region as a whole.
Dr Paunga also acknowledged the work of the staff and alums within USP in helping work to reconnect and build the Alumni Network.
“We are proud of our 60,000 USP alumni who continue to represent us in all sectors and communities across Fiji. And as we do in the Pacific, we come together to break bread and reaffirm our relationships. We are here to celebrate our achievements, share our experiences, and strengthen our bond,” he added.
Dr Paunga stressed, “By reconnecting, we can create a stronger relationship moving forward. The hope is that through ARMS, USP can promote itself as an institution of excellence and an engaged university that is truly connected to its alumni and the wider community.”
Alumni speakers in Lautoka included Mr Edwin Aisake, Executive Director Culture & Performance, Health Care (Fiji) and Mrs Wainikiti Soqolala, a paediatric nurse who attained postgraduate qualifications in HR and business administration and MBA.
In Labasa, the alumni speakers included Aminiasi Katuba, General Manager of Merchant Finance, Sisilia Cokanauto, Head Teacher, Nasekula District School; Mr Ravin Lal, Vice Principal All Saints Secondary School, and Aaron Prasad, teacher and part-time tutor at USP.
A total of 109 alumni attended the meet-and-greet events in Lautoka and Labasa.
USP’s Alumni and International Office is working to continue with outreach programmes in regional campuses in member countries.
