21 February 2003 - Australia Confirms USP Funding Arrangement

Australia remains a key supporter of the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Government of Australia will provide A$9 million to the University over the next three years.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the University and the Australian Government was signed at the University today by the USP’s Vice Chancellor, Mr Savenaca Siwatibau and the Australian High Commissioner, Ms Susan Boyd.

Of the agreed funding, A$2 million will be provided annually for the University’s core budget and A$1 million annually for agreed program activities.

Mr Siwatibau said the University was deeply appreciative of the Australian Government’s continuing long-term support of the institution’s development over the past 33 years.

“We are naturally extremely pleased that this support is continuing and that this latest financial commitment reflects very real sensitivity to the human resource needs of the Region for the future,” Mr Siwatibau said. “The substantial growth – both in terms of capital and program development - of the University since its inception in 1968 can be directly attributed to the active, and substantive, support of the Australian Government.”

Commenting on the MOU from Canberra, Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Ms Chris Gallus said in the area of governance, the university will establish a Pacific Institute of Advanced Studies in Governance and Development. This will enable the university to strengthen its capacity to influence public policy in the Pacific.

“Australia's funding will also enable the university to deliver a full Bachelor’s degree in primary education by distance education. This will allow practising teachers living in Pacific island nations to upgrade their skills in their home countries,” Ms Gallus said.

The program activities agreed to for 2003 are:

1. Staff Development: Assistance will be provided for USP academic staff to upgrade their professional qualifications to PhD level. This is an on-going activity and will be phased out during the life of the new MOU.
2. Bachelor of Education Program: The program will look to improve the quality of primary teaching in the Pacific Region. The objective is to achieve an accessible and functioning Distance and Flexible Learning Program of teacher education within member countries. A regional teaching/learning network will be established with teacher training colleges in member countries and they will be the key centres for the delivery of primary Bachelor of Education courses throughout the region.

3. Good Governance Program: The University will develop and implement a program in good governance education and training in response to needs in the region mainly in the areas of economic reform and in the adoption of good governance principles. The governance program covers education and training in good governance, applied research in economic reform and governance, and public awareness and advocacy. The goal of the program is to promote good governance and sound economic reform in the region.

4. Distance Education Program: This program commenced in July 2002. The goal of the program is to improve the access, equity, efficiency and quality of the provision of distance and flexible learning at USP. The program will develop effective Distance and Flexible Learning systems that will be integrated with existing USP resources.

Allocations to individual programs will be decided at annual consultations between the Australian Government’s Development Cooperation agency, AusAID, and USP. Supplementary program funding may be provided on an annual basis in recognition of particular regional needs and performance of programs. AusAID and USP will jointly decide the allocation of any such additional funding.