New Delhi: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) joined the Solomon Islands government and other partners in officially opening a new campus of the University of the South Pacific (USP) in Honiara, an ADB press release stated.
The new campus will provide courses across all six schools and institutes of USP, including information and communication technology, accounting, finance, economics, communication, education, geography, oceanography, and natural sciences. The USP intends to develop the new campus into a regional hub for public health.
ADB has supported the new campus with a $15.4 million loan from the Asian Development Fund. ADB Regional Director Shane Rosenthal said, “This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a hub for innovation, collaboration and growth. The new campus will provide expanded access to quality higher education, particularly for women and students from remote outer islands and other Pacific countries.”
Solomon Islands Governor General David Tiva Kapu said, “Solomon Islands has waited a long time for this transformational project which will help mold our leaders of the future–particularly in the public health sector. USP graduates will contribute toward enhancing the competitiveness and diversification of Pacific island countries’ economies.”
USP Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia said, “With the opening of the new campus, we are enhancing our commitment to mitigate the environmental impacts of climate change, and we will be leveraging our strength as the only world-ranked university in our region to lead community action, policy reform, and research to focus on this challenge.”