The University of the South Pacific to conduct information sessions

The University of the South Pacific (USP) is committed to making quality higher education more accessible to students in Papua New Guinea (PNG) through an awareness and recruitment initiative scheduled for 17-18 March 2025.

These upcoming sessions will allow the institution to engage with local stakeholders, parents and prospective students and highlight the University’s diverse programmes, its global rankings, and the comprehensive support services available to students.

USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, emphasised the unique opportunities USP offers to PNG students, stating, “USP stands not only as an educational institution but as a gateway for Papua New Guinea students to realise their academic ambitions and impact their communities and the broader region”.

PNG students Tara-Pat Hobart, Lavirheema Jorari, Sandra Navuru and Jacqueline Piniau are currently undertaking studies at the USP Laucala Campus in Suva, Fiji and commended the institution for providing quality education in a multicultural learning environment.

From PNG’s Oro and Central provinces, Hobart is a second-year Bachelor of Commerce (Professional Accounting) student and learnt about USP through a family member.

“I was initially accepted into a university back home, but my father encouraged me to study abroad,” she revealed.

“He believed studying at a recognised university with global rankings would provide me with a better learning experience.”

Navuru is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce double major in International Business Marketing and Tourism and Hospitality Management.

After adjusting to university life and managing her time wisely between lectures, assignments and social activities, Navuru said she found comfort in the PNG student community at USP.

Piniau, from East New Britain and East Sepik Province, is undertaking a Bachelor of Science (Computer Science and Electrical Engineering) and encouraged students to embrace new experiences.

“I first learnt about USP through an advertisement in the PNG Post Courier and took a chance applying,” she said.

“Get out of your comfort zone, study and meet other people from other countries. USP provides opportunities that help shape the future of students from PNG and the region.”

Parents, teachers and prospective students can visit the following locations to learn more about the region’s premier institution;

Interested students will be able to submit their application and receive a provisional Offer Letter, where eligible.

Students who enrol in a three-year programme for Semester 2, 2025 or 2026 studies will receive a 5 percent discount on their tuition fees.

About The University of the South Pacific

The University of the South Pacific (USP) is the premier dual sector University serving the Pacific region and only one of three regional universities of its kind in the world. Uniquely governed by its twelve member countries, USP is not only a higher education and research institution, but also a regional integration organisation that provides services within communally agreed structured regional mechanisms geared towards benefiting the lives of the Pacific people.

The University, guided by its ethos of continuous improvement has strived to provide the best possible value for money to its member countries, while constantly improving the quality and breadth of its academic offerings, facilities, educational and pastoral support, community projects, and globally relevant research. It has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1968. The University’s regional leadership and contribution of academic knowledge and policy advice, in particular its guidance and resource-sharing have contributed greatly to USP’s overall contribution to the Pacific region.

USP has accredited programmes across various disciplines and recently rose by 200 places in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.

The 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings assessed 2,092 institutions from 115 countries across numerous performance indicators covering teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook.