USP

This follows a call by a Fiji opposition MP for the Vice Chancellor Dr Rajesh Chandra and the acting Vice Chancellor Professor Richard Coll to resign.

RNZ reports Mikaele Leawere said the USP decision was cruel and badly timed.

But the USP said student debt was very high and the University sees it as a critical issue to be addressed.

Lecturers Dr F M Rabiul Islam and Dr Kabir Mamun, and student Shaneel Prakash of the School of Engineering and Physics invented the portable device, which presents the concept of a low cost wave-solar generation for Pacific Island Countries.

The ‘Portable Wave-Solar Energy Harvesting Device’ is a simple self-contained system, which can be deployed off-shore and useful in situations where there is no supply of electricity within the coastal area.

The Robot Contest, which is known as “Game of ABU Robocon 2016” is an international showdown of ideas in order to create the awareness of efficient energy consumption and clean and renewable energy use.

Robocon team at USP comprises Senior Lecturer from the School of Engineering and Physics (SEP), Dr Utkal Mehta, Assistant Lecturer Mr Sumesh Narayan, Lab Technician Mr Sanjay Singh and five students studying in the Bachelor of Engineering programme - Ram Singh, Peni Jitoko, Sumeet Kumar, Shyamendra Prasad and Asneet Sagar.

The MOU is a fruition of the efforts made by USP’s Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) under the leadership of the Dean, Dr Akanisi Kedrayate and initiated by the School of Social Sciences under the Social Work Programme.

The impetus of the HLC last Friday was significant in light of the new USP-New Zealand Partnership Agreement which was recently launched by High Commissioner Mark Ramsden on 15 April 2016. Through this new Agreement, the Government of New Zealand provides a total of NZ$15 million for the current triennium (2016-2018).

The programmes are Certificate III in Commercial Cookery (Level 3), Certificate IV in Hospitality Operations, Certificate IV in Human Resources, Certificate IV in Project Management, Diploma in Information Technology (Level 5), Diploma in Office Management (Level 5), and Diploma in Accounting (Level 5).

According to the Director of Pacific TAFE, Mr Hasmukh Lal, the accreditation confirms that Pacific TAFE, as a new and strategically transformed learning and teaching section, delivers high quality skills qualifications which meet industry standards and labour market demand.

Artistic Director, Peter Rockford Espiritu said there will be two full days of art, music, education, culture and heritage focused on Oceania.

The festival is spearheaded by the Oceania Dance Theatre, together with Pasifika Voices, the Visual Arts Department, Pacific Studies, and the Pacific Cultural Heritage Hub.

“This year our feast of movement will focus on the very heart and soul of Oceania.  Its people, their past, their present and their future!  We return to our roots and invest in the multiculturalism that connects us all as Oceanians,” Mr Espiritu said. 

The purpose of the cruise is to collect oceanographic data to better understand the water properties on the East Coast of New Caledonia.

Shilpa Lal will be assisting in data collection and analysis during the cruise and at the same time, acquire necessary skills from the training provided to conduct her own research.

Ms Lal is looking forward to the cruise on board the vessel CALIOPE 3.

Ms Lal said she was incredibly honoured because she would be representing USP and Fiji, and privileged as she would learn from scientists who are experts in their field.

The formal welcome marked the end of the week-long Orientation programme, which is held annually, to ensure new students have a smooth transition to university life by providing them with appropriate advice and support as they embark on an exciting journey to study at USP.

The Chief Guest at the event was the President of Fiji, His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konousi Konrote who was welcomed to the University by the Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Coll.

The two programmes received professional accreditation by ACS in December 2015. ACS is a professional association for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector in Australia and also a signatory to the Seoul Accord, which is a multi-lateral mutual recognition agreement among agencies responsible for accreditation or recognition of tertiary-level computing and IT-related qualifications.