CoveragePost
June 16, 2020
By Christine Rovoi of RNZ Pacific A former vice-chancellor of Papua New Guinea’s University of Technology says politics has no place in university governance. Professor Albert Schram’s comments follow last week’s suspension of the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, by the USP Council’s executive committee. The growing controversy at ... <a title="Pacific leadership in spotlight as pressure rises over USP impasse" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/16/pacific-leadership-in-spotlight-as-pressure-rises-over-usp-impasse/" aria-label="Read more about Pacific leadership in spotlight as pressure rises over USP impasse">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 15, 2020
PACIFIC PANDEMIC DIARY: By David Robie What an irony. The 12-nation regional University of the South Pacific that prides itself on its pan-Pacific culture has unwittingly suffered collateral damage in the wake of the covid-19 coronavirus pandemic in the Pacific. Although the Pacific has largely fended off serious incursions by the virus with the Cook ... <a title="Covid, culture and USP’s fight to save academic freedom" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/15/covid-culture-and-usps-fight-to-save-academic-freedom/" aria-label="Read more about Covid, culture and USP’s fight to save academic freedom">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 14, 2020
By Luke Nacei in Suva The Fiji Labour Party believes suspended University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia is being harassed for his attempt to clean up governance at USP. In a statement, party leader Mahendra Chaudhry claimed the suspended vice-chancellor had been denied justice. “We commend his stand to fight for the ... <a title="Labour claims USP vice-chancellor ‘denied justice’ in clean up drive" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/14/labour-claims-usp-vice-chancellor-denied-justice-in-clean-up-drive/" aria-label="Read more about Labour claims USP vice-chancellor ‘denied justice’ in clean up drive">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 13, 2020
By Wansolwara staff Pacific leaders are echoing strong calls for USP Council members to work together to resolve the ongoing challenges currently faced by the region’s premier educational institution. The call by Tuvalu Prime Minister Kausea Natano yesterday comes in the wake of mounting pressure from staff, students and stakeholders for good governance to prevail ... <a title="Pacific leaders call for for ‘common sense’ to prevail in USP impasse" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/13/pacific-leaders-call-for-for-common-sense-to-prevail-in-usp-impasse/" aria-label="Read more about Pacific leaders call for for ‘common sense’ to prevail in USP impasse">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 12, 2020
Cook Islands campus backs University of the South Pacific’s attempts to clean out alleged corruption and mismanagement at its Laucala headquarters campus in Suva, Fiji. University of the South Pacific Cook Islands campus staff and students are backing the university’s suspended vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia. Campus director Dr Debi Futter-Puati said she was pleased there ... <a title="USP Cook Islands backs ‘clean out’ bid in Fiji, avoids student disruption" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/12/usp-cook-islands-backs-clean-out-bid-in-fiji-avoids-student-disruption/" aria-label="Read more about USP Cook Islands backs ‘clean out’ bid in Fiji, avoids student disruption">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 12, 2020
By Wansolwara staff The decision to suspend the academic chief of the University of the South Pacific pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of “material misconduct” was made legally by the university’s executive committee, says pro-chancellor Winston Thompson. Thompson was responding yesterday to claims from concerned staff, students and some council members that ... <a title="Suspension of USP’s academic head ‘legal’ claims pro-chancellor" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/12/suspension-of-usps-academic-head-legal-claims-pro-chancellor/" aria-label="Read more about Suspension of USP’s academic head ‘legal’ claims pro-chancellor">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
By Sri Krishnamurthi. contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch The Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor, is the latest figure to support Nauru’s call to convene a special meeting of the University of the South Pacific Council in the long-running leadership saga. In a letter to incoming chancellor of the USP, ... <a title="Forum’s chief Meg Taylor backs Nauru call for urgent meeting on USP" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/forums-chief-meg-taylor-backs-nauru-call-for-urgent-meeting-on-usp/" aria-label="Read more about Forum’s chief Meg Taylor backs Nauru call for urgent meeting on USP">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
By Soli Wilson in Apia Trouble continues to brew at the University of the South Pacific with the suspension of the vice-chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwahlia, being met with student and staff protests in campuses and criticism from council members. Following months of opposition against the bid by pro-chancellor Winston Thompson to investigate Professor ... <a title="Fiji suspension move against USP chief ‘nonsense’, says Samoan deputy PM" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/fiji-suspension-move-against-usp-chief-nonsense-says-samoan-deputy-pm/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji suspension move against USP chief ‘nonsense’, says Samoan deputy PM">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
By Lena Reece in Suva The Fiji government has denied allegations being levelled against it of trying to “nationalise” the 12-nation University of the South Pacific, describing the claims as “baseless”. Fiji Minister of Education Rosy Akbar was responding to accusations made by some Pacific countries and individuals that Fiji was too heavily involved in ... <a title="Fiji denies allegations of takeover at regional USP as criticisms mount" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/fiji-denies-allegations-of-takeover-at-regional-usp-as-criticisms-mount/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji denies allegations of takeover at regional USP as criticisms mount">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 11, 2020
Pacific Media Watch After three days of protests by hundreds of students and staff at the regional University of the South Pacific over the treatment of their popular reforming vice-chancellor, an independent New Zealand journalist has now revealed damning details of previously secret governance reports. Journalist and author Michael Field has revealed that some academics ... <a title="Journalist reports on USP payments scandal as campus backs reform VC" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/journalist-reports-on-usp-payments-scandal-as-campus-backs-reform-vc/" aria-label="Read more about Journalist reports on USP payments scandal as campus backs reform VC">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 10, 2020
ANALYSIS: By Albert Schram This article attempts to put the current governance crisis at the Fiji-based University of the South Pacific (USP), one of only two regional universities in the world, in a broader regional perspective. If Pacific regional integration and coordination means anything, then this would be a good moment to demonstrate it values ... <a title="Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/albert-schram-university-governance-academic-freedom-and-institutional-autonomy-in-the-pacific/" aria-label="Read more about Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 10, 2020
Pacific Media Watch Nauru President Lionel Aingimea has accused a “small group” of Fiji officials of “hijacking” the 12-country regional University of the South Pacific and suspending the vice-chancellor. He has called for an urgent meeting of the University Council to reverse the “illegitimate” action against vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, which he described as a ... <a title="Nauru president accuses Fiji group of ‘hijacking’ USP in vendetta" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/nauru-president-accuses-fiji-group-of-hijacking-usp-in-vendetta/" aria-label="Read more about Nauru president accuses Fiji group of ‘hijacking’ USP in vendetta">Read more</a>
