The University of the South Pacific (USP) 2025 Tonga Graduation celebrated the core values of the institution and its commitment to the Pacific.
The ceremony, held at the Tonga High Indoor Stadium, was attended by the USP Chancellor, His Majesty King Tupou VI, King of Tonga.
The Pro-Chancellor and Chair of the USP Council and the Interim Management Group (IMG), Mr Siosiua ‘Utoikamanu, addressed the graduates, their families, development partners, and the diplomatic corps, setting a clear vision for the role of education in the Pacific.
“Education is not the privilege of a select few; it is the shared responsibility of all, a collective commitment to uplift, empower, and transform,” Mr. Utoikamanu said.
“Graduation is a celebration of that belief. It reminds us that talent is everywhere – in every island, every village, every home – but opportunity is not. That is where USP stands: as the bridge between potential and opportunity.”
“To every graduate gathered here today: your achievement is not yours alone. It is the triumph of families who sacrificed, of teachers who nurtured your potential, and of communities who believed in you even in moments when you questioned your own path.”
The Pro-Chancellor urged the graduates to view their achievement not as an endpoint, but as the beginning of a responsibility to the Pacific region.
“This celebration also calls us to look beyond the stage and the gown, to the larger purpose that brought this University into existence,” he added.
“USP was not founded merely to grant degrees. It was founded to shape futures, to connect islands, and to serve the Pacific. We are, in many ways, returning to the original compass set by our founders: the belief that our greatest asset is our people.”
“Your talent will open doors, but it is your integrity that will determine how long they stay open. Your success will not be measured by what you earn, but by what you enable others to achieve.”
“We are building upon the dreams of our founders, but also laying foundations for the next generation of Pacific leaders – for a university that not only keeps pace with the world but helps define what progress looks like for our region.”
“Our duty as custodians is to ensure that this University remains a mirror of the Pacific it serves. We must look like our communities, sound like them, and ensure our teaching and research speak to their realities and aspirations. If USP is a mirror, our nations should see themselves reflected in its light.”
“The journey ahead calls for imagination and courage. It calls for us to harness innovation while holding fast to our values. It calls for wisdom – the kind that looks back with gratitude, around with humility, and forward with conviction.”
Mr Utoikamanu also referenced the words of the late Professor Epeli Hau‘ofa: “We are the sea; we are the ocean; we must wake up to this ancient truth.”
“So, as we celebrate you today, we also honour the enduring wisdom of our founders – and the living legacy of our Chancellor and his late father before him,” he added.
“May we continue to build a University that not only pursues excellence but embodies foresight – one that opens doors, uplifts lives, and strengthens every island, every family, every dream across this vast Pacific.”
“For when the next generation looks into the mirror of USP, may they see themselves – confident, capable, connected, and ready to steer our ocean of islands toward a future of purpose and promise.”
