Two Tongan students received gold medals, during the University of the South Pacific's first day of graduation on 30 March at Vodafone Arena in Suva, Fiji.

Rachel Vakasiuola received a gold medal and prize for most outstanding graduate with a major in chemistry and most outstanding graduate with a major in biology. 

Veisinia Veikoso received her gold medal and prize for most outstanding graduate with a major in geography.

A total of 22 Tongan students will be graduating. This is the university’s Laucala Campus first graduation ceremony for the year, which is being held over two-days, in four sessions.

International momentum 

USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia said USP’s international profile gains momentum, with an additional 1,786 students graduating.

“In everything you do exemplify excellence, embrace innovation, uphold the highest ethical standards and operate with integrity; be respectful to all, and celebrate diversity and above all, never settle for second best because you have the potential to do anything that you set out to."

Of the 1,786 students graduating, 61 would receive two awards and are counted once under their highest honour. 

He said that the most remarkable figure was that 61 percent of those graduating over the four sessions would be women. Students from 22 countries will be graduating in this March Laucala graduation, including 10 non-member countries testifying to the growing international profile and attraction of USP. 

“We have 204 students graduating in Postgraduate programmes, of which 104 will receive their master’s qualification in this session. That’s an amazing figure. We have one out of the six students graduating with a Doctorate in Philosophy in this session who will receive a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in Computing Science."

“In addition, USP has been and continues to be a bedrock for regionalism, a resource owned by the region; for the region and a precious institution that needs to be protected in line with the vision of our forbearers. 

“Our graduates have filled critical roles, and many have become leaders across all sectors in their respective countries. We are proud of our alumni who have become Prime Ministers, Presidents, Ministers of the cabinet, leaders of the public and private sector in our member countries, the Vice-Chancellor said.

“Our top 10% Times Higher Education global ranking has demonstrated that we continue to punch above our weight compared to the more than twenty thousand universities across the globe. For the second time in a row, USP ranked in the top 101-200 in the Global Top 100 Innovative Universities by the World University Real Impact Ranking (WURI) 2022. USP also ranked in the top 151-200 in the latest Shanghai Rankings through the Discipline of Tourism and Hospitality Management," he said.

Meanwhile, among the graduates in this morning’s session was Dolores Leneuoti, who received the HFC most outstanding graduate with a major in Land Management. 

She has worked for the Department of Lands in Tuvalu for a decade and realised the need to upgrade her qualifications. She started her Degree at USP Laucala Campus in 2020, and the Government of Tuvalu sponsored her through the in-service scholarship program. 

The USP graduation today was for students from the School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education (SPACE), School of Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Oceans & Natural Sciences (SAGEONS) and Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD). 

On 31 March, the last two graduation sessions will be for students from the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics (SAFE) and the School of Law and Social Sciences (SoLaSS), and from the Pacific Technical and Further Education (PTAFE).