New full-time undergraduate degree students studying at the University of the South Pacific starting from this year will each receive a new tablet as the University embraces a new mobile platform for learning. This initiative is for new full-time undergraduate students attending any USP campus throughout the Pacific including Tonga.

The decision to issue tablets this year is part of USP’s latest scheme, taking into account international best practice and an earlier experiment when USP gave 600 tablets to students two years ago and found encouraging results.

Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and President of USP said the world of traditional learning is being dramatically disrupted and transformed by new digital learning opportunities and that USP is a pioneer in distance and flexible learning.

“With the influx of mobile computing through notebooks and tablets, USP has formulated a bold new strategy for its digital transformation,” he said.

He added the university is adopting new methods and practices of teaching that students can be engaged in.

Professor Chandra said with digital technology transforming societies and impacting universities in learning and teaching, USP had to re-think how its structure of information and communication services could be altered.

With this in mind, specific programmes are being implemented that include maintaining student access ratios, maintaining specialised computer labs, design of collaboration spaces, strengthening wireless coverage accessibility as well as speed and support for the USP Tablet project.

In addition to a fully setup Android tablet, students will be offered a leather case with keyboard, a power adaptor, a USB to micro USB cable, and a USB to micro USB extension cable for new full-time undergraduate USP students who have paid their first semester fees. Students