A meeting will soon be arranged to address the escalating situation at the University of the South Pacific (USP), where staff are calling for the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro announced that the meeting’s timing will depend on the availability of the University Council.
“We have reached out to the secretariat of the USP Council to request a special council meeting,” Mr. Radrodro stated. “Discussions are ongoing regarding the meeting date, and we expect to finalize it soon. This will allow all council members to be informed about the date and potentially the location.”
A secret ballot conducted by the union on August 14 indicated that over 90 percent of members favored the dismissal of Professor Ahluwalia. The Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations facilitated this secret ballot, which garnered participation from over 550 union members. Concerns about poor governance by Professor Ahluwalia in relation to staff welfare have been cited by the unions.
During the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in Tonga earlier this month, Mr. Ahluwalia assured leaders of USP’s crucial role in advancing the social and economic transformation of the Blue Pacific through a skilled workforce. He also discussed the significant global changes affecting higher education, including shifting student demographics and labor mobility issues.
“USP is addressing these challenges through themes of consolidation, transformation, innovation, and sustainability,” Mr. Ahluwalia added during the forum.