A meeting will be scheduled soon to address the escalating situation at the University of the South Pacific (USP), where staff are calling for the dismissal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro announced that the meeting will be arranged based on the availability of the University Council. He mentioned that a special council meeting has been requested through the USP Council secretariat.
“We are currently discussing potential meeting dates and hope to finalize arrangements soon. This will enable council members to be informed about the date and possibly the venue,” Mr. Radrodro stated. “Our goal is to choose a date that ensures full attendance for the discussion.”
A secret ballot conducted by the union on August 14 indicated that over 90 percent of members supported Professor Ahluwalia’s removal. The Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations facilitated this secret ballot, which saw more than 550 individuals registered as union members. The unions have raised concerns regarding Professor Ahluwalia’s governance, particularly in relation to staff welfare.
At the recent 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting held in Tonga, Professor Ahluwalia reassured leaders of the university’s pivotal role in fostering social and economic transformation in the Blue Pacific by cultivating a skilled society. He also discussed significant global changes in the Higher Education sector, including shifting student demographics and labor mobility challenges.
“USP is addressing these challenges through themes of consolidation, transformation, innovation, and sustainability,” Professor Ahluwalia expressed at the forum.