NZ commits $48m to USP
The New Zealand Government has reaffirmed its 55 years of partnership with the University of the South Pacific (USP). Yesterday, NZ Deputy Prime Minister and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Pacific Carmel Sepuloni and USP Vice-Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia signed a deal strengthening this partnership for a further 10 years.
The partnership will also see the USP receive approximately $48million in core funding over the next five years.
This is to support USP’s long-term planning, innovation and stability and to deliver its strategic plan in a flexible and responsive way.
“Now more than ever, and in true Pacific spirit, we must continue to maintain regional solidarity and be unified in what is a very important partnership for Aotearoa New Zealand,” Deputy PM Sepuloni said.
“This partnership will support an enduring and thriving university. It’s a partnership that is grounded in the value of Pacific regionalism, informed by Pacific knowledge and cultures, and led by Pacific people.”
Ms Sepuloni said USP was a well-known training ground for future leaders and an institute where many Pacific leaders and politicians have studied. It’s a centre of excellence for Pacific knowledge, systems and research.
“We’ve partnered with USP since its inception in 1968, and today’s announcement reaffirms our commitment to the USP and the important role it plays to the region,” she said.
“The partnership further provides Aotearoa NZ with the opportunity to support the university’s strategic direction, as well as to deliver against shared priorities. It also supports Pacific action on the region’s 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, and works towards countries’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”
Professor Ahluwalia said the money provided was for the university to deliver its strategic plans which encompasses the best education over their campuses without which they would not survive. He added the money would be spent on the university’s core budget which was to invest in the university as a whole.
“The core budget comes from three different sources, it comes from contributions from all the 12 governments, development partners which are Australia and New Zealand and the rest of it comes from tuition fees, that is our core budget,” he said. “The priority is our strategic plan where we outline what we are going to do in the next three years.”