Do the Pacific Islands still need a Regional University?

Abstract

This article offers some background on a current issue in Pacific regionalism with reference to the problems of the University of the South Pacific (USP). The South Pacific region’s greatest assets are its people. The development of the region depends greatly on the education and training of its people. Training and education are important at all levels (primary, secondary and tertiary), particularly higher education. Higher education in the South Pacific region emerged after the post-World War II and independence movement period. This started with the University of Papua New Guinea being the first official institution of higher learning to be established in the South Pacific region. Its establishment paved the way for the founding of the USP which was designed to cater to the higher education needs of 14 Pacific Island states excluding Papua New Guinea. The formation of the USP meant that the member nations within the sphere of its coverage were not able to develop their own national institutions of higher learning due to the funding model of the USP donors. This was until Samoa went against the grain and established the National University of Samoa which triggered the emergence of national institutions of higher learning throughout the region