Rabuka calls for reset and renewal at USP Council, reaffirms commitment to the university

Fiji stands with all fellow member countries to ensure the University of the South Pacific continues to thrive.

This was the assurance given by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka as he opened the 100th meeting of the USP Council at the Hilton Hotel in Denarau today, marking a historic milestone for the region’s premier academic institution.

In his address, Rabuka reflected on the university’s founding in 1968 and the vision of Pacific leaders who sought to establish USP as both a centre of academic excellence and a living symbol of regional unity, self-reliance and shared purpose.

More than five decades later, Rabuka says the university continues to honour that mission by shaping generations of Pacific thinkers, scholars, policymakers and leaders.

He says USP is one of the clearest examples of Pacific regionalism at its best, where the collective effort becomes stronger than what any could achieve alone.

The Prime Minister also commended the USP Council for its “calm, steady, and transparent approach” during the current leadership transition, describing the moment not as a pause, but as “a reset and a step up”, an opportunity to rebuild trust, strengthen governance and chart a confident way forward.

He reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to supporting the institution’s stability, financial sustainability and academic excellence as both the host country and a founding member of the regional university.

He also highlighted USP’s central role in advancing the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, praising its contributions to climate research, ocean governance, digital learning, skills development and youth empowerment.

Rabuka referenced the global impact of the student-led initiative, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, which began at USP and helped catalyse the campaign leading to the International Court of Justice’s historic advisory opinion on climate change.

He says this achievement began in a USP classroom and grew into a powerful example of regional solidarity and youth leadership.

Rabuka reiterated the Pacific’s determination to review and reinforce its governance mechanisms to ensure that the regional architecture remains fit for purpose amid emerging and complex challenges—from climate change and cybersecurity to labour mobility and economic pressures.

Reflecting on the Ocean of Peace vision, the Prime Minister noted USP’s foundation during the colonial era and its early connections to regional defence frameworks, describing the university as a long-standing contributor to peace and stability in the Pacific.

He says the ocean reminds us that these challenges cannot be solved alone, and has urged Council members to uphold the founding vision of unity, courage and foresight, emphasising the need to keep students and member countries at the heart of all decision-making.