Leaders at the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting in Tonga were assured of The
University of the South Pacific’s (USP) leading role in the social and economic
transformation of the Blue Pacific through a skilled society.
USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia addressed the 53 rd session
on Wednesday afternoon alongside other Heads of the Council of Regional Organisations
of the Pacific (CROP) agencies.
Professor Ahluwalia highlighted that USP would continue to train and produce educated
and skilled graduates who would contribute to an agile and highly productive
knowledge economy that is crucial in the realization of the 2050 Blue Pacific Strategy.
Leaders noted USP’s unique role as the region’s premiere institution for higher
education, training, research and policy advice. Professor Ahluwalia also congratulated
the Chair of PIF and Prime Minister of Tonga, Honorable Hu’akavemeiliku Siaosi
Sovaleni for championing the ‘Education and Health’ topics on the leader’s agenda after
almost a decade.
The role of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF), which is hosted at USP,
was identified as a key driver by the leaders for achieving resilient, inclusive, and high-
quality education systems across the region.
Climate Change remained a key area of discussion at the sessions and side events, with
Professor Ahluwalia briefing the leaders about the newly established ‘Center for
Sustainable Futures’ at USP as a game changer in the region’s collective efforts to
address climate change-related issues, including building resilient, adaptive and
transformative economies.
By consolidating expertise, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration, and fostering a
comprehensive approach to training and research, the Center will bridge gaps and
ensure that the strengths of each specialized institution contribute synergistically to
addressing climate change holistically in the Pacific Island Countries.
Professor Ahluwalia reaffirmed USP’s commitment to strengthening various existing
regional structures that coordinate and cooperate with the development of ICT in the
Pacific, ensuring that cyber security be prioritized at the ICT Ministerial Meeting and
developing a governance framework incorporating the Regional Regulatory Authority
(RRA).
These will be done in close collaboration with all CROP agencies. USP currently chairs
the CROP ICT Working Group and the CROP Working Group on Human Resource
Development and contributes to all other working groups via its membership.
He also briefed leaders on the significant global shifts that are taking place across the
Higher Education Sector, with a rapidly changing student profile and issues related to
labor mobility.
USP is responding to these issues through cross-cutting themes of Consolidation,
Professor Ahluwalia
Transformation, Innovation and Sustainability.