At the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in Tonga, leaders were informed of the University of the South Pacific’s (USP) pivotal role in driving social and economic transformation within the Blue Pacific through the development of a skilled society. USP’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, spoke to the Forum leaders, alongside other heads of regional organizations, highlighting the university’s commitment to producing educated and skilled graduates. These graduates are essential for fostering a dynamic and productive knowledge economy, aligning with the objectives outlined in the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.
The leaders acknowledged USP’s distinct position as the primary institution for higher education, training, research, and policy guidance in the region. Professor Ahluwalia also praised the Prime Minister of Tonga, who serves as the Chair of PIF, for prioritizing ‘Education and Health’ topics on the leaders’ agenda for the first time in nearly ten years.
Additionally, the leaders identified the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF), which is hosted at USP, as a crucial element for achieving inclusive, resilient, and high-quality education systems throughout the region. Discussions at the forum also focused on climate change, where Professor Ahluwalia introduced the newly launched ‘Centre for Sustainable Futures’ at USP. This center aims to significantly enhance the region’s efforts to tackle climate-related challenges by promoting resilient and adaptive economies.
By uniting expertise, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and ensuring a holistic approach to training and research, the Centre seeks to address climate change challenges across the Pacific Island Countries effectively. Professor Ahluwalia reaffirmed USP’s dedication to reinforcing existing regional frameworks that focus on the development of ICT in the Pacific, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing cybersecurity at the ICT Ministerial Meeting and establishing a governance framework that includes the Regional Regulatory Authority (RRA).
USP currently leads the CROP ICT Working Group and the CROP Working Group on Human Resource Development, contributing across all other working groups as well. He also informed leaders about the significant changes occurring in the global higher education sector, including evolving student demographics and labor mobility challenges. “USP is responding to these challenges through cross-cutting themes of Consolidation, Transformation, Innovation, and Sustainability,” Professor Ahluwalia stated.