Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697792030081.pdf (Fiji)
2017 Annual Report Parliamentary Paper No.
123 of 2018 About the Cover
Contents Mission and Purpose Pro-Chancellor’s Foreword Vice-Chancellor and President’s Report University Governance University Governance Structure Principal Ofﬁcers Organisational Structure Our Students, Staff and Region (Key Data) Highlights of 2017 Learning and Teaching Student Support Research and Internationalisation Information and Communication Technologies Regional and Community Engagement Our People Governance, Management, Leadership and Continuous Improvement Quality Matters Corporate Social Responsibility Financial Overview Financial Statements 2 5 6 10 13 14 15 16 25 41 48 53 57 61 66 70 76 81 85 87 2017 | USP Annual Report 1 Mission and Purpose OUR VISION Achieving excellence and development of the Paciﬁc Island Countries.
innovation for sustainable OUR MISSION • To provide Paciﬁc people with a comprehensive range of excellent and relevant tertiary qualiﬁcations; • To deliver the beneﬁts of advanced research and its applications; • To provide communities and countries in the Paciﬁc region with relevant, cost effective and sustainable solutions, including entrepreneurship, to their main challenges; and • To be an exemplar of tertiary education for the Paciﬁc Islands in quality, governance, application of technology and collaboration with national tertiary institutions.
OUR VALUES of USP’s graduates and staff.

These are the key drivers of the Strategic Plan.


USP GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES USP’s academic programmes will promote the development of the following attributes in all graduates: Academic Excellence • Extensive knowledge of a particular discipline or professional area, including relevant knowledge and skills; • Capacity for independent critical thinking and self- directed, life-long learning; • Advanced information and communication technology knowledge and skills; and • Research skills.
Intellectual Curiosity and Integrity • Deep respect for truth and intellectual integrity, and for the ethics of scholarship; • Commitment and loyalty of staff and students to the • Intellectual curiosity and creativity, openness to new institution and the region; ideas; • Highest standards of governance, leadership, academic freedom, integrity and transparency; • Highest standards of creativity, innovation, teamwork and ﬂexibility in the pursuit of excellence; • Investments in staff, rewarding staff excellence, and empowerment of all The University of the South Paciﬁc (USP) teams; • Respect for distinctiveness and diversity in our Paciﬁc its development, preservation and heritage and dissemination; • Commitment to regional cooperation and integration; • Commitment to inter-disciplinary understanding and skills; and • Respect for the principles, values and ethics of a chosen profession.
Capacity for Leadership and Working for Others • Effective interpersonal communication skills; • Leadership, organisational, management abilities; and teamwork and time • Personal maturity and self-conﬁdence.
Appreciation of the Cultures of the Paciﬁc Islands • Knowledge and appreciation of both the unity and • Positive and inclusive learning and living environments diversity of Paciﬁc Island cultures; for student excellence; • Support for ﬂexible learners in all locations for success in work, life and citizenship; • Protection and nurturing of the environment; • Strong relationships to guide engagement with national governments, Paciﬁc communities, and development partners; and • Humility in performance, learn from others, value the trust given, and honour Paciﬁc knowledge, contexts and aspirations.
Ultimately, both the Vision and Mission of this Strategic Plan will be realised through the contribution and attributes • Understanding of the diverse economies and environments of the Paciﬁc Islands; and • Commitment to the maintenance and strengthening of the societies of the Paciﬁc.
Cross-cultural competencies • An understanding and appreciation of social, cultural and linguistic diversity; • Respect for human rights and dignity in a global context; • Commitment to accountability, ethical practice and social responsibility; and • Demonstrated oral and written proﬁciency in the English language.
2017 | USP Annual Report 3 USP STAFF ATTRIBUTES The commitment of USP’s staff to the Vision, Mission, and Values of the University is embedded in the following attributes: • Commitment and loyalty to the institution and its mission; • Honesty and integrity in personal and professional interactions in the work environment, including the highest standards of academic conduct; • A strong student-centred approach to learning and teaching; • Highest standards of creativity, innovation, teamwork, cooperation and ﬂexibility in the pursuit of excellence; • Respect for the distinctiveness and diversity of our Paciﬁc heritage and dedication towards its development, preservation and dissemination; Quality An enhanced quality of teaching, learning, research and services, as measured through international accreditation of programmes.
Regional Campuses A comprehensive and time-lined development of regional campuses with improved governance and management to bring about equitable and sustainable growth.

Postgraduate Studies Signiﬁcantly increased postgraduate enrolment, including PhD and Masters research, student success and supporting faculty.

Research A greater impact of research, to place USP amongst the leaders in selected priority areas, including Paciﬁc societies and cultures, oceans and marine resources.
Global Leadership • A responsible attitude towards a healthy work-life • The lead institution in Paciﬁc Studies/Arts and Culture; balance; and • A positive and proactive stance towards customer • Amongst the leading universities in the world in service; • Respectful and ethical behaviour; and • A collegial and cooperative attitude that contributes towards building a more cohesive university community.
FROM GOOD TO EXCELLENT In order to bring about a transformative change from good to excellent, the University will focus on the following: People Investment in people, leadership and change management.

> Information and Communications Technology learning and new leveraged ﬂexible (ICT) pedagogies; and > Paciﬁc Ocean and Marine Resources.

An Enterprising University A university that produces students with entrepreneurial skills, as job creators, not just job seekers.
Regional Exemplar In tertiary education and assisting national institutions where needed and appropriate.
Gold Medals are presented to University Graduates in recognition of their outstanding academic work 4 2017 | USP Annual Report Pro-Chancellor’s Foreword Among achievements, University Chandra, the incumbent, has given decades to the growth and development of this University, and has personally actively promoted the idea of continuous improvement, encouraging all staff and students to strive for excellence.
A key expectation of his successor is one who embraces the idea that USP can be outstanding in every way, and that member countries and stakeholders should not accept any level of achievement below this benchmark.

its many the this year launched the preparations to celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2018 across the 14 campuses in 12 member countries.

This Annual Report sets out the facts and accomplishments that will enable readers to assess the progress that was made in 2017.
The University’s activities and outputs are reﬂective of an educational institution and development organisation that is characterised by its special Paciﬁc outlook and commitment to regional cooperation and development.

My role relates particularly to Governance, and therefore I will highlight a few major governance issues and share some thoughts on the upcoming Golden Jubilee Year.

Governance is the central support to USP’s plan for growth and development.
USP’s governance structure reinforces accountability, celebrates responsible leadership, and provides a framework that is conducive to growth and development.

The Council is the University’s apex governing body and takes major decisions on matters of crucial importance at its bi-annual May and November meetings.

The signature by member countries of the USP Convention was the most important achievement within this area in 2017.
The signed and ratiﬁed Convention will resolve ambiguities that have arisen regarding the legal status and operation of USP in each of the member countries.

USP was established under Royal Charter in 1970, and each member country is named in the document.

Very few universities are established under Royal Charter, and this mode of incorporation is universally regarded as being prestigious and legal.
In ﬁnalising the Convention, consultations were held with representatives of the Ofﬁces of the Attorney General and Solicitor General at the 2 workshops in November 2016 and March 2017.

The Convention was opened for signature at the May 2017 Council meeting in Majuro, Marshall Islands, where Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga and Vanuatu signed, with Samoa also ratifying it.
By the end of 2017, 11 members had signed, out of which 4 ratiﬁcations were received whilst Nauru and Vanuatu Parliament gave approval for ratiﬁcation in December 2017.

I earnestly look forward to getting more ratiﬁcation by May 2018 to complete the 6 ratiﬁcations required for the Convention to enter into force.

All of the documents have been deposited with the Fiji Government’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs as the agreed legal repository.
There are 3 other major matters that concerned the Council in 2017 and will continue to require careful attention in 2018.

First, at the 85th Meeting of the Council, I requested members to offer their full support to the recruitment of a new Vice-Chancellor and President.

Professor Rajesh Secondly, much of 2017 was devoted to work on the development of the new Strategic Plan (SP) 2019-2024.
The Council examined the extent to which the goals and objectives of the current SP were achieved, and is assessing both what USP should look like in 2024, as well as the priorities and activities that will be required to make that vision a reality.

The new SP will draw on the strengths of the current SP and will likely incorporate similar type of timelines, in-built accountability, and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Thirdly, the year 2018 will see the biggest celebrations ever at the University.
The 50th Anniversary Project is a huge undertaking and must be done right.

The celebrations will be an unique opportunity to embrace our expanded University community, promote USP, to thank stakeholders, and to shine a light on the accomplishments of Paciﬁc scholars and researchers.

It is crucial that the 50th Anniversary commemorations are reﬂective of the journey to excellence that has come to characterise the University.
The Council approved the 50th Anniversary logo and theme as well as launched the 50th Anniversary website at the November meeting.

In terms of Governance, USP is in a good position, bolstered by a knowledgeable and strong Council that will guide it through the introduction of a new SP, recruitment of a new Vice-Chancellor and President, and over-sight the year-long festivities to celebrate USP’s Golden Jubilee.
Accountability and productivity are important, and staff have done well to carry out their current SP tasks while also delivering their core functions.

The Council will play a key role in the preparations for USP’s 50th Anniversary and in setting the University’s trajectory for the next 6 years and beyond.

The staff, students, and our communities in USP’s 12 member countries have brought us a long way from our humble beginnings.
In the process all have beneﬁtted greatly from this institution, and we aim to multiply that beneﬁt in the years to come.

Mr Winston Thompson Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council 2017 | USP Annual Report 5 Vice-Chancellor and President’s Report In its 5 decades of existence, USP has changed course numerous times, having had to make adjustments and almost reinvent itself in order to ensure its continued ﬁnancial solvency, relevance, and value to its member countries.
USP, ﬁrst and foremost, has an obligation to become and maintain itself as the university that its member countries require and demand for.
While reﬂecting on 2017 and looking forward to our 50th Anniversary in 2018, I am struck by the various ways that USP has promoted invention and reinvention, proving that creativity breeds excellence and that a change of direction, altered approach, or modernised philosophy to conserve resources, better address challenges, and produce more thoroughly work-ready graduates is a smart move and something to celebrate.
The individual chapters of this Report provide details on the University’s 2017 outcomes in each Strategic Plan (SP) Priority Area (PA); the idea of transformation and invention or reinvention is illustrated in the impact of the PAs.

Those priorities were included in the SP because their full implementation results in a complete change, whether it be changed results, transformed business methods, or reinvented approaches for radically different outputs.
The SP aimed to create a positive change and a total transformation of the University, and this Report shows that thorough improvements have been embedded in many areas of our work.

Before readers delve into the chapters on each SP PA, I am pleased to provide a summary of the year’s main accomplishments.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS OF 2017 USP’s greatest achievement of the year was the graduation of 4,182 people, 2,425 women and 1,757 men.
Many of these graduates were government employees who immediately began to contribute to their countries’ development.

Other new graduates looked for or created new jobs.

Graduates with disabilities proved that, with support and determination, challenges can be overcome.

USP awarded 986 postgraduate, 2,024 undergraduate and 676 technical and vocational qualiﬁcations respectively in 2017.
The Paciﬁc job market requires a wide range of skill sets and competencies, and USP’s varied academic and 6 2017 | USP Annual Report practical programmes have been developed in response to this demand.

As has been the case for the past several years, and has to be expected with growing numbers of graduates, the University has recorded another increase in enrolment in 2017.

This is very positive, and is also something we have expected and planned to manage.
The re-development of the regional campuses, introduction of the lecture capture system, availibility of more online and blended mode programmes have enabled more students to enrol outside of Laucala, and will allow for continued growth.

In the 2016 Annual Report, I had mentioned that the “… recently acquired building for the new Republic of Marshall Islands Campus commenced extensive renovation in 2016 and this is planned to be opened during the May 2017 Council”.
It is pleasing to note that the new Marshall Islands Campus was completed and opened on 23 May.

External accreditation provides public reassurance that the quality of a USP education is outstanding, and so this remains University’s high priority.

This is an important framework and component of our quality assurance increases the employability of our graduates.

At the end of 2017, USP had 26 programmes internationally accredited, and 10 recognitions.
Seven (7) of those accreditations and 5 recognitions were attained in 2017, which is indicative of just how diligently staff are pursuing this validation.

The University has, in fact, exceeded its SP target of 23 international accreditations.

accreditation, The University has made signiﬁcant progress towards pursuing WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) whole-of-institution accreditation.
In November 2017, USP hosted a Mock Seeking Accreditation Visit (SAV) to enhance and reﬁne its preparation for SAV1, which will be held in April 2018.

The University currently has Eligibility status with WSCUC and it is valid till January 2021. a We have also agreed on a process and timeline for the development of the next SP 2019-2024.

The ﬁrst step in its creation was to develop our collective vision of USP in 2024.
The new SP is being developed collaboratively to instil a strong sense of ownership by Council and its governing bodies, Senate, staff, students and our member countries, “By the end of 2017, 81% of the SP aims and objectives had been achieved.” development partners and other stakeholders.

By the time the new SP is ﬁnalised in late 2018, staff will be familiar with it and have detailed work plans in place.

The new SP will be ﬁnalised through extensive consultation involving all our stakeholders.
USP has worked very closely with our member countries and Council of Regional Organisations of the Paciﬁc (CROP) agencies, and the University is truly embedded in our member countries and in our regional system in partnership with other CROP agencies.
This was quite evident through the support that was provided in terms of technical and policy advise to member countries that participated in the United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference in June in New York and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) in Bonn, Germany.

The University was awarded USD 1.77 million from the Government of People’s Republic of China to construct a new model Confucius Institute at USP.
This award reﬂected the success of the Confucius Institute operations at USP since 2012; local students and staff numbering 4,086 have taken up the opportunity to learn the Chinese language and culture.

A FJD 1.3 million Tourism and Hospitality Centre of Paciﬁc Technical and Further Education (Paciﬁc TAFE) was opened in Nadi in August.

This is consistent with USP’s commitment to providing the type of technical and vocational education that is demanded by the market.
A University-wide Emergency Management Policy was adopted, having been devised to incorporate the lessons learned from the horriﬁc cyclone of 2016.

INNOVATION, INVENTION, AND MEETING OUR OBJECTIVES The above-noted achievements stand out as major accomplishments for the year.

However, all sections incorporated innovative practices in their work.
The Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) worked diligently to transform their student experience by developing leadership capacity, while the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) focused on getting its students to translate their ideas into inventions and the need to engage in research at any level.
The Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) improved their research activities and presentations to engage a wider variety of stakeholders and present information in a way that is more useful to the public.

The Paciﬁc Technical and Further Education (Paciﬁc TAFE) continued to grow with their foundation and vocational programmes.
The Finance section looked at ways to craft capital intensive projects into opportunities to collaborate with international organisation such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and Human Resources (HR) section, worked hard to improve HR processes and begin a long term transformation of HR to align more closer to USP's corporate goals.

Activities consistent with the vision of USP as a high-tech university are led by Information Technology Services (ITS).
The Strategic Partnerships, Advancement and Communications ofﬁce worked towards enhancing USP branding and proﬁle, liaising strategically with development partners and ensuring achievements of the University are disseminated effectively.

The list above and other work of the University simply indicates that the work we have been doing is transformative, and is above and beyond the delivery of education and research.
Our work is about transforming and reinventing this University into the best possible institution for our member countries.

Indications are indeed positive that the goals of the SP and institutional transformation will be achieved by 2018.

By the end of 2017, 81% of the SP aims and objectives had been achieved.

REINVENTION OF THE INSTITUTION USP’s 14 campuses and 10 centres grew for decades in response to increasing enrolments and shifting populations.
When it became apparent around 5 years ago that secondary education had improved to the point that growing tertiary enrolments were certain, USP devised a plan to improve and expand its campuses and centres, ensuring that their infrastructure and technology could meet the demands of staff and students.

While building new campuses such as Marshall Islands and Nauru and improving existing ones (e.g.
Cook Islands and Emalus Campuses), a great deal of thought has been put into creating the best workplace, optimum study space, and most research-friendly environment.

We have initiated the development of new USP Solomon Islands Campus and its ground breaking ceremony was held in August, ofﬁciated by the President of the ADB and the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.

We have used successes at some campuses as benchmarks to inspire the others to improve.
Outstanding teaching staff have been recognised and held up as an example to all our staff, and students who have excelled in terms of scholarship, innovation, and community outreach are encouraged and rewarded.

Clear and direct communication and public acknowledgement have encouraged all our leadership, staff, and students throughout our many campuses and centres, 2017 | USP Annual Report 7 as they have set about becoming better scholars, teachers, administrators, and researchers.
In securing valuable partnerships with sponsors and support of governments, and in looking creatively at ﬁnancing and funding sources, USP has been able to evolve and modernise, keeping pace with global education trends and providing the best possible resources to its staff, students, and member countries.

USP increased its activities with alumni in 2017, laying the groundwork for their engagement with the University meaningfully in the 50th Anniversary year and beyond.
Currently, USP has 43,642 individual alumni, who have received 64,632 awards.

The institution does need to look at the ﬁnance area as an area that still requires improvement because it is critically important to every other area of the University’s operations.

The Finance section led the introduction of deeper and more strategic ﬁnancial planning and reporting, together with the Budget Efﬁciency Working Group.
We have had, however, signiﬁcant continuing problems with variations with our budget and outcomes, and I have emphasised that we need to work harder to ensure greater ﬁt between budget projections by month and actual income and expenditure.

The University did ﬁnish 2017 within budget.


PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR REINVENTION Students took advantage of study abroad opportunities, sports clubs, and special interest clubs to relax, to learn more about other students from different cultures, and to develop those soft skills, including leadership, effective communication, cooperation, and expressing empathy, that are highly valued by employers.
Our vibrant student body is proudly Paciﬁc, and there are numerous opportunities for students to involve themselves with advocacy and actions relating to topics such as climate change that are deﬁning our life in the Paciﬁc Islands.

For many students, their studies at USP mark the ﬁrst time they have lived outside of their parents’ home, or their home country, and so they really come into their own during the course of their education.
It is the role of the University to provide opportunities, support, and encouragement as our students explore and reinvent themselves however they see ﬁt, be it into entrepreneurs, activists, academic experts, volunteers, innovators, or all of those.

IMPACTS OF USP’s INNOVATION INVENTIONS AND USP’s work has long term impacts.

The use of ICT in Education is one area that USP is known for globally, and USP chairs the CROP ICT Working Group.
The regional ICT initiative, spearheaded by USP, continues to make an impact on the Paciﬁc Islands.

USP consistently assists member countries to expand their ICT capacity and 8 2017 | USP Annual Report make improvements in connectivity between all of USP’s campuses.

USP took this role many years ago and will continue to provide leadership in this area.

USP creates long term impacts through the application of its research.
There are numerous cases that show how our research has been practically applied within the region to make a real difference to communities.

For example, the research that USP scientists have done for many years on Hammerhead sharks has proven that a nursery exists in the Rewa River in Fiji.

This exciting discovery resulted in the production of a BBC documentary, may provide a boon to eco-tourism, and will ultimately help safeguard this shark population.
In 2017, 3 inventions created by USP staff and students were registered as innovation patents.

These innovations are special as the inventions were designed to enhance the lives of people with disabilities and are affordable to Paciﬁc Islanders.

This demonstrates that USP is achieving what it aims to do: produce civic-minded graduates who care about others and have a strong sense of social justice.
The world already belongs to organisations, ﬁrms and countries that innovate and this focus on design and innovation will only intensify.

USP is well placed to help our member countries sustain and prosper in a world increasingly driven by knowledge and innovation.

Those are but a few examples of how USP’s activities, inventions, and innovation have long term impact.
FINANCES As a relatively “young” university, USP does not have a well-established income stream from alumni contributions or corporate partnerships.

It depends on member country contributions, partnerships with third countries such as Australia and New Zealand, and tuition fees.

Favourable loans from ADB have enabled USP to carry out the re- development of the regional campuses, and new options for income generation are being explored.
Moving into the 50th Anniversary Year, and based on a proven track record of success in delivering regionally-relevant and practically applicable research, as well as graduates who are well-prepared for the modern business environment, the University will be bolder in seeking funds from the private sector and from alumni to help ﬁnance its operations.

It is important that the University maintains member country levies at manageable levels.
Financial reporting and planning has improved considerably from where it was at the beginning of the SP.

As we seek to maximise the value out of every dollar in our budget, all staff with responsibility for a budget code have been advised to ensure that they completely understand and adhere to USP’s expectations.
We have improved up our early monitoring of budget and ﬁnancial plans so as to head off any cost over-runs, and have sought to reward those sections whose operations come in under budget while managing to implement work plans in their entirety.

The ﬁnancial health of the University is acceptable, although, I would like the University to generate more of its own income and to identify additional ways to save costs and protect our environment through the use of technology.
The University and Australia are committed to enhancing quality teacher education in the Paciﬁc and in order to effectively aid this, the USP-DFAT Joint Working Group has been established to provide oversight on the implementation of mutually agreed initiatives in this regard.

It has been agreed that from 2018 onwards, 10% of all partnership funding from Australia will be allocated towards enhancing the quality of teacher education in the region.
USP continues to work on 11th European Development Fund (EDF 11) Paciﬁc Regional Indicative Programme (PRIP) with other CROP agencies, and is open to implementing funded projects from a wide variety of donors.

Donor- funded projects that are consistent with SP PAs are always seen as positive; staff are encouraged to seek out these opportunities.

CONCLUSION USP has transformed or “reinvented” itself as a modern purpose-built Paciﬁc regional university.
We are proud of the fact that we have been agile enough to adjust to changing times and priorities.
As we promote continuous improvement in our institutional behaviour, which is often supported through the introduction of different strategies and priorities, we also encourage our students to become better people and more effective learners by taking risks, being creative, and engaging with different cultures and communities; in essence, reinventing themselves and, in so doing, becoming mature academics and conﬁdent, skilled graduates.
The current SP 2013-2018 comes to its conclusion in 2018; member countries contributed to its creation, endorsed the ﬁnished product, and have followed its implementation, acknowledging its success and providing advice at roadblocks and during discouraging times.
I am conﬁdent that our members will play just as big a role in the development of the new SP, which will reﬂect greater regional character of the University, bolstered by the many new and revitalised regional campuses that are expected to play a major role in USP’s future decision-making, enrolment growth, and research accomplishments.
Our current triennium ends in 2018 and we will be preparing our University Grants Committee (UGC) Submission and seeking approval of our Finance Ministers for next triennium’s funding.

I am proud that USP makes the lives of all Paciﬁc Islanders better.

Its work impacts the lives of all Paciﬁc Islanders, be they staff, students, community members, or have no obvious or direct link to the University.
USP staff and students have invented products, such as Braille Eye Slate, that help people with disabilities, and the University has distributed some of those-for free in its member countries.

USP has encouraged visual and performance artists, and has provided them with space to create and perform, enriching local cultures with their work and making all our lives more pleasant.

Our scientists have reached out to isolated communities and provided them with sustainable sources of power.
Our economists have made recommendations on jobs creation to our member countries, leading to increased opportunities for all of us.

Those are just a few examples of how USP has become such an important engine of development in the region.

USP was set up in 1968 to give Paciﬁc Islanders access to higher education.
It seems likely that USP’s founders did not imagine that, 5 decades on, the University would be so highly regarded internationally, and play such a vital role in the economies of its member countries.

USP was set up to serve a purpose, and has ended up expanding its remit and answering demands that did not even exist at the time of its founding.
USP has reinvented itself as a purposeful education institution and development organisation, constantly self-examining and liaising widely to ensure that it serves its members comprehensively, and always in new and innovative ways.

2017 was an exceptionally good year for the University and I am looking forward to more achievements in 2018, ﬁnalising the new SP 2019-2024 and celebrating the University’s 5 decades of development and achievements.
Professor Rajesh Chandra Vice-Chancellor and President 2017 | USP Annual Report 9 University Governance The University of the South Paciﬁc (USP) is the premier institution of higher learning for the Paciﬁc, uniquely placed in a region of extraordinary physical, social and economic diversity to serve the region’s need for high quality tertiary education, research and policy needs.

Established in 1968, USP is one of only three universities of its type in the world.
It is jointly owned and governed by 12 member countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

The University has campuses in all member countries.

The main campus, Laucala, is in Fiji.

The Alafua Campus in Samoa is where the School of Agriculture and Food Technology is situated, and the Emalus Campus in Vanuatu is the location for the School of Law.
The academic Schools, Institutes and Centres at the University are organised into 3 Faculties led by Deans.

These are the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE), the Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) and the Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE).

Each Faculty comprises a number of Schools which offer a wide range of academic programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

In addition to the Faculties, the Paciﬁc TAFE provides vocational and pathway education.
The University is committed to modern, cutting-edge pedagogies and ﬂexible learning programmes and courses are delivered through ﬂexible learning in a variety of modes and technologies throughout USP’s 14 campuses.

Advanced communication technologies through USPNet are used to reach ﬂexible learning students across 33 million square kilometres of the Paciﬁc Ocean.

State of member countries.


The Pro-Chancellor is Chair of Council and the executive head of the University is the Vice- Chancellor and President.

THE COUNCIL The Council is the apex governing body of the University.

It exercises all powers conferred on the University by the Charter, subject to the powers, duties and functions conferred upon it by the Statutes.

The Council has general control over the conduct of the affairs of the University and sets its strategic direction and monitors its performance.
It has the custody of the Common Seal and is responsible for the management and administration of the revenue and property of the University as well as the responsibility to ensure that appropriate risk management strategies and mechanism for their implementation and reporting are in place.
The Council appoints the Ofﬁcers of the University who are the: Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, Deputy Pro-Chancellor and Deputy Chair of Council, Visitor, External Auditor, Vice-Chancellor and President, Deputy Vice-Chancellors and Vice-Presidents.

It also assesses the performance of the Vice-Chancellor and President on an annual basis The Council can add to, amend or repeal the provisions of the Statutes by a Special Resolution as long as such changes are not repugnant to the Charter.
Any changes to the Charter need to go to the Privy Council for approval with ﬁnal assent by Her Majesty.

The Council makes Ordinances to direct and regulate the University and its authorities and members.

The Council meets twice a year normally in May and November, with the Executive Committee meeting at least 4 times a year to facilitate the oversight and operations of the University.
The following are the major Committees of the Council and they are required to report to each meeting of the Council on their activities and work.

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION Executive Committee The Royal Charter and Statutes form the overriding governance instruments of the University.
It is governed by its own Council, which includes representatives of the member country governments, staff and student representatives, community and business leaders, the Paciﬁc Islands Forum Secretariat, Australia and New Zealand.

The Council and the Senate are served by a network of standing committees as well as Joint Committees of the Council and Senate in key areas.

The ceremonial head of the University is the Chancellor.
USP’s Chancellors are normally Heads of 10 2017 | USP Annual Report The Executive Committee (EC) exercises Council powers delegated to it from time to time.
This includes the powers to appoint the University Visitor and the Auditor; to co-opt members to the Council; to determine fees of the University and allowances for Committee members (as recommended by the Finance and Investments Committee (FIC)); to 1 (as make ﬁnancial commitment up to FJD 10 million recommended by FIC); to ensure a supportive working environment for staff; to determine the appointment procedures and salary structure for staff of the University; 1 The approved funding level of FJD 10 million will be applied per case as long as this does not exceed the ceiling amount of FJD 20 million a year.
to grant special academic distinctions; and to exercise other delegations.

The Nominations Committee is a sub-committee of the Executive Committee and considers potential candidates and skills and maintains a register of persons who could be considered for vacancies in the co-opted member category.

The selection of candidates will depend on the skill set needed by Council at any particular time, taking into consideration the skills of current members.
Finance and Investments Committee Finance and Investments Committee (FIC) is responsible for overseeing and monitoring the University’s ﬁnancial system and processes; approval of ﬁnancial policies; review of all signiﬁcant ﬁnancial proposals for Council’s consideration; and for ensuring ﬁnancial sustainability.

The Tender Board is a sub-committee of FIC and reports on all tenders awarded.

Audit and Risk Committee Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) oversees the risk management strategy for the University.
It monitors the performance and effectiveness of external and internal audits; ensures that the University’s processes and systems are audited for efﬁcacy; and ensures that satisfactory arrangements are in place to promote economy, efﬁciency and effectiveness of the University.

Remuneration Committee The Remuneration Committee (RemCom) decides the terms and conditions of employment of the Vice-Chancellor and President and the Senior Management Team (SMT).
It is also responsible for deciding the pay, and the terms and conditions of academic and professional staff of USP.

Two (2) members of Council join the RemCom to form the Review Committee which is tasked with the Annual Performance of the Vice-Chancellor and President.

The RemCom is currently working on the new review cycle for staff salaries to be approved by Council in 2018.

Search Committee The Search Committee oversees the appointment process for the Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council.
This new committee was used for the ﬁrst time in 2015 for the appointment of the current Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, Mr Winston Thompson.

Legislation Taskforce The Legislation Taskforce was established to oversee the implementation of the Convention recognising USP in each member country in time for the 50th Anniversary of the University in 2018.

The Convention will supplement the Royal Charter which established USP in 1968.
Joint Committees of Council and Senate These Joint Committees are established when required to oversee the positions appointed by Council such as the positions of Vice-Chancellor and President, the Deputy Vice-Chancellors and the Vice-Presidents.

The Joint Committee makes a recommendation to the Council which makes the ﬁnal decision.

Honorary Degrees Committee The Honorary Degrees Committee is a joint committee of Council and Senate and considers nominations for the award of honorary degrees.
Recommendations are taken to the EC for approval on behalf of Council.

University Trust Fund The University Trust Fund was set up to promote the establishment of a Trust Fund.

It will be guided by a Board of Trustees with the Vice-Chancellor and President as Chair, 1 member of Council and 3 independent members from outside the University with expertise in the area of investment, trust law and knowledge/experience of managing signiﬁcant endowment funds.

Work is continuing on establishing the Board.


THE SENATE The Senate is the chief academic authority of the University, responsible for all academic matters, including quality.

It exercises the powers, duties and functions conferred by the Charter and Statutes to promote excellence in teaching, consultancy, research and other academic work of the University.
The Senate makes Regulations and approves policies and procedures to govern learning and teaching, and research at the University as well as all matters with respect to students, including academic and non-academic support services aimed at improving the overall student experience at USP.

The membership of the Senate is drawn from the Faculties, regional campuses and the Students’ Association, with a majority of members being elected.
The Senate meets at least 4 times a year, and has 11 standing committees to expedite its work and execute its assigned statutory responsibilities as well as a number of ad-hoc committees and working groups for speciﬁc tasks.

The Academic Programmes Committee (APC) and Teaching Quality Committee (TQC) deliberate on all academic matters before they are considered by the Senate.
APC is concerned with all matters in respect of qualiﬁcations for all sub-degree and undergraduate courses and programmes of study while TQC is responsible for ensuring that the University has an established framework to reﬂect international best practice in teaching, learning and supervision in alignment with the University’s Strategic and Academic Plans.
2017 | USP Annual Report 11 In terms of research, the University Research Committee oversees, promotes, coordinates and facilitates research while the University Research Ethics Committee ensures that all research activities undertaken in the name of the University comply with its ethical principles.
The Communications, Information and Technology Committee (CITC) ensures the most effective use of IT Services in all forms (data, voice and video) to support the current and future activities of the University in the areas of teaching, research, management, consultancy and service to the communities that the University serves.
To facilitate a positive and supportive campus environment in the University, the Campus Life Committee advises on overall welfare and personal development and well-being of all students and staff, the development of sound policies on health and security and the promotion of a Safe, Clean and Green campus for all campuses.
It is also responsible for promoting cultural interaction and the development of a Pan-Paciﬁc consciousness to ensure that the University produces graduates who can espouse or advocate and champion the idea of people who can live, work and prosper peacefully together and who can promote regional co- operation and integration.

The Student Discipline Committee is responsible for student discipline according to the Ordinance and Regulation Governing Student Conduct.
The Medals and Prizes Awards Committee oversees the award of medals and prizes to the University’s exceptional and high performing students.

Other committees are the Gender Mainstreaming Advisory Committee, the Library Advisory Committee and the Education for Sustainable Development Advisory Committee.
USP Council members at the 84th Council Meeting in RMI 12 2017 | USP Annual Report University Governance Structure COUNCIL EC SUB-COMMITTEE: Nominations Committee EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (EC) FIC SUB-COMMITTEE: Tender Board (TB) TB SUB-COMMITTEES: Goods & Services Projects Other Campuses FINANCE & INVESTMENTS COMMITTEE (FIC) AUDIT & RISK COMMITTEE (ARC) RemCom SUB-COMMITTEE: Review Committee (VC&P Annual Performance) REMUNERATION COMMITTEE (RemCom) SENATE ACADEMIC PROGRAMMES COMMITTEE (APC) TEACHING QUALITY COMMITTEE (TQC) CAMPUS LIFE COMMITTEE (CLC) MEDALS & PRIZES COMMITTEE (MPC) APC SUB-COMMITTEES: Credit Assessment and Validation Committee University Scholarships Committee Academic Regulations and Policy Review Committee Flexible Learning Board Faculty Academic Standards and Quality Committee TQC SUB-COMMITTEES: E-learning, Innovation & Technical Enhancements Committee (ELITE) SEARCH COMMITTEE LEGISLATION TASKFORCE 50th ANNIVERSARY STEERING COMMITTEE (ASC) USP TRUST FUND JOINT APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE FOR VC&P, DVCs & VPs* HONORARY DEGREES COMMITTEE* DISCIPLINE APPEALS COMMITTEE (DAC)* MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES: SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM (SMT) ** APPOINTMENTS COMMITTEE STAFF CONDUCT COMMITTEE STAFF REVIEW COMMITTEE REGIONAL CAMPUS ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPACE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE POLICY WORKING GROUP STAFF POLICY COMMITTEE (SPC) DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE (DEIC) COMMUNICATIONS & IT COMMITTEE (CITC) STUDENT DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE (SDC) EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (ESDC) LIBRARY ADVISORY COMMITTEE (LAC) SPC SUB- COMMITTEE: Staff Development Committee UNIVERSITY RESEARCH COMMITTEE (URC) URC SUB-COMMITTEE: Faculty Research Committee OPEN DAY COMMITTEE KEY 1.
2.
* Joint Committee of Council and Senate ** Senior Management Team (Advisory to Vice-Chancellor & President) 2017 | USP Annual Report 13 Principal His Excellency Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote CF, OF (Mil), MC, SBSt.J, MSD, OMRI, NOC Chancellor Mr Winston Thompson Pro-Chancellor & Chair of Council Professor Rajesh Chandra BA GCEd MA S.Pac., PhD Br.Col Vice-Chancellor & President Professor Richard Coll BSc PhD Cant., ScEdD Curtin Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning, Teaching & Student Services) Professor Derrick Armstrong BA Hons (Philosophy) Lond., MA PhD Lanc.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and International) Dr Giulio Masasso BA Wesleyan, MA PhD Daito Bunka Vice-President (Regional Campuses and Estates & Infrastructure) Mr Kolinio Boila BA MBA S.Pac.
Executive Director Finance Dr Akanisi Kedrayate MEd Glas., PhD NE Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Law & Education Professor Arvind Patel BA S.Pac., MCom NSW, PhD Qld Acting Dean of the Faculty of Business & Economics Associate Professor Anjeela Jokhan BSc PGDip MSc S.Pac., PhD Brist.

Dean of the Faculty of Science, Technology & Environment Mr Hasmukh Lal BEd PGDip (Edu) MEd S.Pac.
Executive Director of Paciﬁc Technical and Further Education 14 2017 | USP Annual Report Organisational Structure COUNCIL VICE-CHANCELLOR & PRESIDENT DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR LEARNING, TEACHING & STUDENT SERVICES DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR RESEARCH, INNOVATION & INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT PLANNING, QUALITY & DIGITAL SERVICES VICE-PRESIDENT REGIONAL CAMPUSES AND ESTATES & INFRASTRUCTURE • Undergraduate Affairs • Academic Programmes Committee (APC) • Graduate Affairs • Research • Innovation & Knowledge • Teaching Quality Committee Transfer/IP (TQC) • Student Administrative Services • Campus Life • Scholarships & Financial Assistance • Centre for Flexible Learning • Paciﬁc Technical & Further Education (Paciﬁc TAFE) • USP International • Paciﬁc Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development • USP Press • Libraries PRO VICE- CHANCELLOR HUMAN RESOURCES • Operations • Talent Aquisition Management • Employee Relations • Beneﬁts • MIS/Automation DEANS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FINANCE • Financial Planning & Budgets • Financial Accounting • Management Accounting • Financial Operations • Procurement • Payroll • Associate Deans & Heads of School • Faculty Executive Committee • Faculty APC/TQC • Faculty Research Committee • Faculty Appointments Committee • Faculty Assessment Board • Centres and Institutes • Planning • Quality • Institutional Research & Data • Digital Services • Japan-Paciﬁc ICT Centre • USP Commercial • Regional Campuses: Cook Islands, Labasa, Lautoka, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu & Vanuatu • Estates & Infrastructure • Security & Safety DIRECTOR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, ADVANCEMENT & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR ASSURANCE, COMPLIANCE & RISK MANAGEMENT
 SECRETARY TO COUNCIL & MANAGER, COUNCIL & SENATE SECRETARIAT • Audit • Insurance • Risk Management • Council and Senate Secretariat • Records Management • Governance Reviews • Mail Services • Strategic Partnerships • Marketing • Communications • Alumni Relations • Central Web Portal • CROP Engagement • Australia Awards Paciﬁc Scholarships • ADB Loans DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR LEARNING, TEACHING & STUDENT SERVICES DEPUTY VICE-CHANCELLOR RESEARCH, INNOVATION & INTERNATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT PLANNING, QUALITY & DIGITAL SERVICES VICE-PRESIDENT REGIONAL CAMPUSES AND ESTATES & INFRASTRUCTURE DEANS 2017 | USP Annual Report 15 Our Students, STUDENTS HEADCOUNT Total Number of Students In Pre-degree Courses In Bachelor Courses In Postgraduate Courses In Other Courses 2016 27,642 8,938 15,638 2,801 2,335 2017 29,918 9,121 16,721 2,933 2,865 Note: The sum of students studying at different course levels will not be equal to the total number of students since a signiﬁcant number of students study between different course levels.
ENROLMENT BY CAMPUS Cook Islands Fiji - Labasa 2016 69 497 2017 62.8 547.6 Samoa - Alafua Solomon Islands Fiji - Laucala 10,263 11,349.9 Tokelau Fiji - Lautoka Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue 795 502 104 27 7 954.8 880.2 102.1 20.9 3.9 Tonga Tuvalu 2016 378 1,701 47 447 117 2017 397.8 2,201.8 61.1 546.6 125.9 1,236 Vanuatu - Emalus 1,074 TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 3% 0.3% 0.7% 6.7% 0.3% 3% 61.2% 11.9% 2.2% 0% 0.1% 0.6% 4.8% 5.2% Cook Islands Fiji - Labasa Fiji - Laucala Fiji - Lautoka Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa - Alafua Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu - Emalus Note: EFTS - Equivalent Full-time students is a unit of measure that deﬁnes the calculated (not actual) number of students equivalent to the number carrying the workload of a full-time student.
For example, an EFTS workload of 1.0/yr for a student means that the student is equvalent to a full-time student, while an EFTS of 0.5/yr means half the workload of a full-time student.
2017 | USP Annual Report 17 ENROLMENT BY REGIONAL NATIONALITY Cook Islands Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa 2016 67 9,180 825 100 51 4 364 2017 55.6 10,320.2 1,182.8 102.4 48.4 3.5 381 Solomon Islands 2,945 3,516.9 Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu International 59 708 334 1,195 196 59.2 859.2 343.0 1,391.4 227.8 TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 55.81% 1.23% 6.4% 0.55% 0.26% 0.02% 2.06% 19.02% Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu - Emalus 0.3% 7.52% 1.86% 4.65% 0.32% Cook Islands Fiji International Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue 55.32% Female Male ENROLMENT BY GENDER Female Male TOTAL EFTS 44.68% 2016 8,820 7,208 16,028 2017 10,228.4 8,263 18,491.4 ENROLMENT BY FULL-TIME/PART-TIME 65.6% Full-Time Part-Time1 2016 9,773 6,255 2017 12,136.4 6,355 TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 (1) A student is considered Part-Time if the annual EFTS workload for the student is less than 0.75/yr.
Where the student's annual EFTS workload is greater than or equal to 0.75, the student is considered Full- Time.
18 2017 | USP Annual Report Full-Time Part-Time 34.4% 38.89% 3.68% ENROLMENT BY MODE OF STUDY 14.42% 14.57% Face to Face Blended Online 80% offering (no F2F) 28.44% Print 2016 6,815 2,089 1,756 4,708 660 2017 7,192 2,666.9 2,693.3 5,258.6 680.6 Face to Face Blended Online 80% offering (no F2F) Print Flexi-School Flexi-School TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 ENROLMENT BY FACULTY Faculty of Arts, Law & Education Faculty of Business & Economics Faculty of Science, Technology & Environment PaCE-SD 2016 3,427 5,093 3,780 3,656 72 2017 3,765.3 5,372 3,915 5,349.4 89.7 TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 21.1% 28.9% 29.1% 0.5% 20.4% Faculty of Business & Economics Faculty of Arts, Law & Education Faculty of Science, Technology & Environment PaCE-SD 5.6% 0.1% 25.3% 16.6% ENROLMENT BY COURSE LEVEL English Language Preliminary Foundation Skills Based 21.3% Degree 100 level Degree 200 level 6.7% 0% 1.5% 0.6% 0.5% English Level Preliminary Foundation Skills Based 16.7% Degree 300 level 5.1% Degree 200 level Degree 300 level Postgraduate 400 level MBA course Professional Law Postgraduate 400 level Professional Law 2016 3 889 2,420 698 0 4,321 3,502 2,853 853 105 124 260 2017 2.3 1,240.3 3,077.2 1,031.8 10.4 4,678.8 3,930.6 3,080.9 944.2 116.2 94.2 284.5 Degree 100 level Research TOTAL EFTS 16,028 18,491.4 2017 | USP Annual Report 19 ENROLMENT BY SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND CENTRES 636.1
94.1 431.2 89.8 819.1 759.4 872.2 279.1 636.1 1,389.1 594.4 681.3 1,024.8 159.8 1,013.9 208.1 1,576.6 423.4 432.4 1,657.2 16,028 18,491.4 Col of Business,Tourism & Hosp College of Arts & Humanities
Admn Mgmnt
12.8% 0.5% 2.3% 0.5% College of Business,Tourism & Hosp College of Arts & Humanities College of Science, Tech & Env Graduate School of Business Ocenia Centre/Ats Cul.Pac stud Sch of Geo, Earth Sc & Envirmn Sch of Gov,Dev & Intertnl Affs Sch of Language Arts & Media Sch.
Agriculture & Food Tech School Engineering & Physics School of Accounting & Finance School of Bio, Chemical Scienc School of Economics School of Education School of Land Mgment & Devel School of Law School of Marine Studies School of Mngmnt & Public Admn School of Social Sciences School of Tourism & Hosp Mgmnt School.Comp, Info & Math Sci.
TOTAL EFTS 9% 2.3% 5.2% 11% 2.3% 8.5% 1.1% 5.6% 0.9% 5.5% 4.4% 4.1% 4.7% 1.5% 3.7% 3.2% 7.5% 3.4% 20 2017 | USP Annual Report ENROLMENT BY POSTGRADUATE COURSE LEVEL 65.6% 2016 2017 Postgraduate 400 level 852.6 944.3 MBA course Professional Law 123.8 94.2 104.5 116.2 Masters Mini Thesis (Part-Time) 20.8 18.5 Masters Mini Thesis (Full-Time) Masters Thesis (Part-Time) Masters Thesis (Full-Time) PHD Thesis (Part-Time) PHD Thesis (Full-Time) 4 79 78.5 36.3 41.5 8.5 82.3 91 41.8 42.5 8.1% 1.3% 0.6% 6.3% 5.7% 2.9% 3% 6.5% Postgraduate 400 level Masters Thesis (Part-Time) MBA course Professional Law Masters Thesis (Full-Time) PHD Thesis (Part-Time) Masters Mini Thesis (Part-Time) PHD Thesis (Full-Time) TOTAL EFTS 1,341 1,439.3 Masters Mini Thesis (Full-Time) AWARDS BY REGIONAL NATIONALITY Cook Islands Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu International 2016 2017 14 19 2,550 2,722 146 20 9 1 130 536 6 200 75 166 63 154 44 15 3 96 679 20 132 94 218 60 TOTAL AWARDS 3,916 4,256 Note: Includes College of Foundation Studies and Paciﬁc TAFE awards.
63.9% 16% 1.4% 3.6% 1% 0.1% 0.4% 2.3% 0.4% 5.1% 2.2% 3.1% 0.5% Cook Islands Solomon Islands Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu International 2017 | USP Annual Report 21 15.9% 1.5% 2.3% 13.3% 38.7% 0.4% 6.8% 12.3% 1.7% 3.8% 3.3% Foundation Postgraduate Diploma Programmes Professional Diploma Programmes Diploma Programmes Masters Programmes Degree Programmes Doctorate Programmes AWARDS BY PROGRAMME LEVEL Foundation Diploma Programmes 2016 2017 509 599 36 63 570 676 62 100 Degree Programmes 1,540 1,648 Programmes Programmes Post Graduate Diploma Programmes Professional Diploma Programmes Masters Programmes Doctorate Programmes 19 157 517 125 342 9 72 161 522 142 288 15
 Grad TOTAL AWARDS 3,916 4,256 ALL STAFF BREAKDOWN SENIOR STAFF BREAKDOWN STAFF CATEGORY 2016 2017 STAFF CATEGORY 2016 2017 Academic & Comparable Intermediate & Junior Hourly Paid TOTAL 670 657 290 626 639 249 1,617 1,514 Academic Comparable TOTAL 425 245 670 400 226 626 Note: Staff numbers include academic and support staff.
Staff data census date is as at 31 December 2017.

PACIFIC TAFE ACADEMIC STAFF BY RANKING STAFF CLASSIFICATION 2017 Head of College Coordinator Facilitator Teaching Assistant Assistant Facilitator TOTAL ACADEMICS 3 17 44 3 1 68 Paciﬁc TAFE was established in 2016 and full academic stafﬁng recruited by 2017.
ACADEMIC STAFF BY RANKING STAFF CLASSIFICATION 2016 2017 Professor Associate Professor Senior Lecturer Senior Fellow Fellow Lecturer Librarian Subject Coordinator Programme Coordinator Curator Assistant Lecturer Tutors/TA's Other Academics TOTAL ACADEMICS | USP Annual Report STAFF BY CAMPUS AND CATEGORY CAMPUS HOURLY PAID 2017 2016 I&J SENIOR STAFF TOTAL 2016 2017 2016 2017 2016 2017 (% OF TOTAL) 2017 2016 Alafua Cook Islands Emalus Kiribati Labasa Laucala 2 Lautoka Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Solomon Islands Tonga Tokelau Tuvalu TOTAL 2Laucala Fiji staff numbers include USP headquartered staff who support the rest of the University.
RESEARCH OUTPUT BY PUBLICATION TYPE Year Books Book Chapters Conference Proceedings Journal Articles Total Others 3 Total Outputs (USPERR) Total Outputs (Scopus) Note: The focal areas of research output at the University are: Books, book chapters, conference proceedings and journal articles.
These are the main areas listed in the 2013 Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC), Australian government.

3 Non-faculty, but USP publication.

Source of data is the USP Electronic Research Repository, USPERR.

Some publications are not ranked or internationally indexed.

Publications indexed by Scopus reveal that the number of ranked or internationally recognised publications are increasing.
Comparatively, the USPERR data and Scopus data are converging, implying staff are publishing in recognised outlets.
2017 | USP Annual Report 23 RESEARCH OUTPUT BY FACULTY Year 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 FALE 49 FBE 92 FSTE 143 PaCE-SD 12 Other 7 50 70 56 54 58 69 86 70 77 73 135 161 143 145 105 5 16 10 13 12 7 12 16 10 8 Total 303 266 345 295 299 256 Note: Where two staff from different Faculties share a publication, the publication is counted twice, once in each respective Faculty; thus, Research Output by Faculty is higher than the Research Output by Publication Type (see total in column 6).
RESEARCH OUTPUT BY AREA - TOP 5 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Soc.

Sci.

(32) Soc.

Sci.

(44) Eng.

(44) Eng.

(38) Comp.

Sci.

(51) Soc.

Sci.

(58) BM&A (24) BM&A (32) Soc.

Sci.

(41) Comp.

Sci.

(36) Soc.

Sci.

(46) Eng.

(42) Env.

Sci.

(20) Comp.Sci.

(28) Comp.

Sci.

(40) Soc.

Sci.

(34) Env.

Sci.

(40) Env.

Sci.

(37) Comp.

Sci.

(16) Eng.

(24) Agr.

& Bio.

Sci.

(30) Math (30) Agr.

& Bio.

Sci.

(31) Comp.

Sci.

(31) Eng.

(15) Math (20) Env.

Sci.

(27) Agr.

& Bio.

Sci.


(30) Math (26) Agr.

& Bio.

Sci.

(27) Note: These are shared publications between Faculties.

Sources: Scopus and USPERR Soc.

Sci.

= Social Science; BM&A = Business, Management & Accounting; Env.

Sci.

= Environment Science; Comp.

Sci.

= Computer Science; Eng.=Engineering; Math = Mathematics; Agr.

& Bio.

Sci.
& Bio.

Sci.

= Agriculture & Biological Science RESEARCH MASTERS & PhD AWARDS 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Masters (Full Thesis) PhD Total Research Masters & PhD 45 7 52 43 4 47 45 3 48 44 12 56 36 9 45 50 15 65 RESEARCH INCOME Year 2014 2015 2016 2017 $5,517,025 $9,928,820 $10,576,323 $7,478,636 Note: The deﬁnition of External Research Income is as per the 2013 HERDC.
24 24 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 | USP Annual Report Total Research Income TOTAL UNIVERSITY ALUMNI 43,642 Note: Alumni is deﬁned as a graduate with at least one Senate approved qualiﬁcation from the University.

For example a person with 3 qualiﬁcations (BSc, MSc, PhD) is counted as one Alumni.
of2017 th The 24th Chancellor of USP is the President of Fiji, H.E Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote, who was appointed to serve Laucala Campus on 15 August, ahead of his formal installation at the Laucala Graduation Ceremony on 22 September.
During his visit, the Chancellor met members of USP’s SMT and was given a tour of the Upper, Marine, and Statham Campuses at Laucala.
The tour visited and the Graduate School of Business.
New Marshall Islands Campus Opened May, ahead of the 84th Council Meeting.
Many dignitaries, including H.E.

Dr Hilda Heine, President of Marshall Islands and Hon.
Henry Puna, USP Chancellor and Prime Minister of Cook Islands, were quality and range of higher education delivered in Marshall Islands and in Micronesia as a whole.
Visit by the President of Palau H.E.

Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr, President of the Republic of Palau, accompanied by a high-level delegation, paid a visit to USP on 14 March.

H.E.
Remengesau visited Fiji to attend a preparatory meeting for the UN Conference on Oceans and took the opportunity to visit successful talks, the delegation was given a tour of the Laucala Campus.
2017 | USP Annual Report 25 Hon.

Tuila’epa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa launched the second cycle of the cohort-based Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (STAP) on 23 January at the Alafua Campus.
This successful programme has become a new model for the regional campuses to deliver targeted academic programmes to the Government of Samoa and USP to build on STAP and develop other similar programmes was signed at the launch.
Gold Medalists Shine Forty-eight (48) top achievers were honoured at the 2017 Medals in 49 different categories.
The awards ceremony was attended by the Chancellor and Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon.

Henry Puna, many other dignitaries, including the Diplomatic Corps and USP’s Senior Management, sponsors, families, and friends of the awardees.

Notably, 27 of the awardees were scholarship recipients.
5th Anniversary and Groundbreaking of the The Confucius Institute (CI) celebrated its 5th anniversary and the launch of the CI-USP Association at the Laucala Campus on 12 October.

Following this, H.E.
the President of Fiji and Chancellor groundbreaking ceremony of the model CI-USP project at the Laucala Campus on 13 October.
CI at USP won a competition among all the Confucius Institutes for a grant of USD 1.77 million to become a Model Confucius Institute.

The grant will be used to extend and renovate the facilities as part of a collaborative project involving Hanban, the CI Headquarters in Beijing, and USP.

Signing of the USP Convention Eight (8) member countries signed the USP Convention at the 84th USP Council Meeting in Majuro, Marshall Islands on 25 May.
The Convention is open for signature for the next 24 months for Convention was the USP Chancellor and Prime Minister of Cook Islands, Hon.
Henry Puna, followed by Education Ministers of the following countries: Hon.

Jean Pierre Nirua from Vanuatu; Hon.

Alexander Teabo of Kiribati; Hon.

Vodrick Detsiogo of Nauru; Hon.
Wilbur Heine of Marshall Islands; and Hon.
Fano Mativa of Tokelau.
26 2017 | USP Annual Report The UN Ocean Conference, held from 5 – 9 June in New York, was co-chaired by the governments of Fiji and Sweden.
USP, together and hosted a number of side events.
The University’s engagement showcased examples of its leadership in innovation, research and capacity building in the region’s Marine Sector.

Meeting with Vanuatu Government Mr Winston Thompson, Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, and the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra visited Vanuatu on 22 August.

A highlight of this visit was a meeting with the Hon.

Charlot Salwai, Prime Minister of Vanuatu, and Hon.

Jean Pierre Nirua, Minister for Education and Training.

Hon.
Hon.

Salwai articulated the needs of the country in higher education and narrated the collective aspirations for USP to respond to these favourably.

The meeting presented an opportunity to discuss a range of issues with the Vanuatu Government.
The 11th Halls of Residence at the Laucala Campus, worth FJD 9.3 million, was opened by Hon.

Jone Usamate, Fiji’s Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations on 17 July.
The 11th Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) and another FJD 1.8 million share apartment with its own hot water showers, bathrooms, toilets, washing machines, kitchen and cooking facilities.
SI Campus Groundbreaking Ceremony The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Solomon Islands Campus took place on 24 August.

Mr Takehiko Nakao, President of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Hon.
Manasseh Sogavare, has provided a loan of USD 15.4 million for the development of the new campus, guaranteed by the Solomon Islands Government.
In addition, the ADB’s Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility provided a USD 1.5 million grant for a solar panel PV system to meet 75% of the campus’ energy requirements.

2017 | USP Annual Report 27 The hugely successful Laucala Campus Open Day 2017, held on 28 July, was attended by almost 10,000 secondary school students.
Fine weather, an engaging speech by Fiji’s Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Public Enterprises, Civil Service and Communications, Hon.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, interesting performances from the from all of the Faculties and sections made the event a worthwhile and enjoyable experience for prospective students.
the UN General Assembly H.E.
Ambassador Peter Thomson, the President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), delivered a Public Lecture at the Laucala Campus during which he urged everyone to register their commitments and initiatives on the online registry of The Ocean Conference website.

More than 300 USP students, staff, Heads of Regional Organisations and the public gathered to hear Ambassador Thomson’s inspirational advice to be ocean activists.
USP hosted a successful WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) Mock Seeking Accreditation Visit (SAV) from 13 to 16 November in preparation for the SAV 1, which will be held in April 2018.
The Mock Visit Team of distinguished academics met with a wide range of USP community members, including all levels of staff and students from various campuses.

At the completion of the exercise, the Mock Visit Team members provided the SMT with a debrief, highlighted the areas of achievement under each Criteria for Review (CFR), and made recommendations for improvement.
of Economics, ADB, and Australian National University’s (ANU) Development Policy Centre was held from 20–21 June.
The conference applied research to the generation of policy suggestions and emphasised the importance of government policies being informed by evidence and analysis.

This activity in one mechanism through which USP provided practical support to its member countries.

28 2017 | USP Annual Report High Level Consultations with New Zealand High Level Consultations between USP and the New Zealand were held in Wellington on 26 April.
A four-member delegation from USP met with senior Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and Skills Development; Regionalism and Partnership; Performance and Accountability; and the New Zealand-USP Partnership.
New million for the upgrade of the USPNet.
The funds will be used to enhance current USPNet satellite equipment, networking and communications systems across all of USP’s regional campuses.
were facilitated by a Washington, DC-based NGO, The Ocean Foundation and were the result of a collaboration of many parties, including the US Department of State, US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Swedish International Development Agency, the International Atomic Energy Association’s
(SPREP), and Sunburst Sensors.
At an UN Ocean Conference Side Event on 7 June, USP and the in Oceans and Climate Change will be located at the Laucala Campus and supported by staff from the University of Bergen in Climate Research and Social Anthropology.
USP also announced other voluntary commitments, including its intention to set up the Micronesian Centre for Sustainable Transport in Marshall Islands, to make a special appointment in the IMR, and to support two new Master-level studentships on coastal research in Marshall Islands.
Free Remote Sensing Course (PaCE-SD) conducted a free two-week Satellite Remote Sensing Training Course at the Laucala Campus from 9 to 20 January.
The course was facilitated by Dr Bruce Monger of Cornell University, and taught participants the basic skills needed to work independently to acquire, analyse, and visualise data sets derived from a variety of satellite sensors.

The Fijian Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Hon.

Inia Seruiratu stated that these skills are essential for maritime navigation and safety, disaster planning, and the use of Climate Adaptation Plans.
2017 | USP Annual Report 29 High Level Consultations with Australia High Level Consultations between USP and Australia were held at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) on 11 April in Canberra.
Discussions centred around the status of the current SP 2013–2018 implementation; the USP-Australia Partnership; funding and priorities for the balance of the current partnership; planning for the new partnership, post-March 2019; USP’s 50th Anniversary; and Australia’s commitment to stepping-up its engagement in the with Australia and New Zealand at the Laucala Campus on 21 November.
USP-ADB Agreement to Strengthen Knowledge Collaboration The Cooperation Agreement between USP and ADB was signed at the ADB Headquarters on 5 July.

The agreement signals the two organisations’ intentions to work together on a long-term basis on mutually agreed and collaborative work programmes.
The agreement states that the ADB and USP will work jointly to improve capacity in policy analysis and public sector management, and will 2 international recognitions for its programmes in December, surpassing the target laid out in the SP 2013-2018.
The SP target in surplus as the total number of accrediatations and recognitions accreditation given by the Fiji Higher Education Commission.
Skills Promotion Reddy on 14 June.
Dr Reddy welcomed USP participants from Tuvalu and Vanuatu, and from other institutions, such as the Fiji Police Force, Fiji National University (FNU), Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Hanoi University in Vietnam and the University of Adelaide in Australia.

Such symposiums help strengthen not only research skills, but also the link between research, academia and policy making.

USP’s Research Skills Development Framework was lauded as a success by Dr Reddy.
30 2017 | USP Annual Report The 84th Council Meeting was held in Marshall Islands from 24-25 May while the 85th Council Meeting was held in Nadi, Fiji from 24- 25 October.
The Council at both the meetings received reports from Pro-Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor and President and the various Committees of the Council and the Federal Students Association.
The opening of the new USP Marshall Islands Campus, formal signing of a MOU between Marshall Islands Government and USP on the Joint Education Programme and the University’s Marshall Islands Campus Graduation were also held as part of the May launch of the University’s 50th Anniversary logo, theme and website.
On 16-17 October, a wide cross section of University staff and students convened a “Visioning Workshop”, or brainstorming session, relating to the new Strategic Plan that should be ready for the approval of the November 2018 Council.
The two-day workshop provided a platform for envisioning, effective engagement and exchange of ideas.

The major outcome of the workshop was to prepare a draft Vision, Mission, Core values and Objectives for the SP 2019-2024 that was presented to the October 2017 Meeting of the University Council.
FJD 1.3 million Investment in Nadi Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE), Ms Pauline Tang on 18 August.
It is a simulated training centre which has a commercial for the delivery of Hospitality (Events, Food & Beverage, and Front Student Medalist in Global Essay Competition
Global Climate Law and Governance Legal Essay Competition.
Ms Mani’s essay, Loss and damage and the relationship to human rights context of a collaborative research project on Climate Change Law, involving USP, Macquarie University and the Queensland University of Technology, as part of the course Regional Environmental Law.
2017 | USP Annual Report 31 diplomats on 13 July and 23 November.
The meeting briefed PIC Diplomats on the outcomes of the 84th and 85th USP Council Meetings; progress towards implementation of the USP SP 2013- 2018; plans for the University’s 50th Anniversary celebrations; USP’s role in the EDF11 programming; Regional Campus Development, USP’s support for its member countries at the UN Ocean Conference and COP23, progress on the development of USP’s new SP 2019– progress on new USP membership; and USP’s work on climate change, oceans and regional initiative on ICT.
USP-Development Partners Forum A forum to facilitate dialogue and information sharing between USP and its Development Partners was held on 24 November at included Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the EU, France, Japan, ADB, USA, World Bank, People’s Republic of China, Indonesia, Trade Mission of Taiwan, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The strong support of USP’s Development Partners has enabled the New DRC Common Room The newly built Disability Resource Centre (DRC) Common Room was opened on 27 October at Laucala Campus.
A large lounge area gives students with special needs a study environment and a venue for socialising, with a sitting room, kitchen, and washroom facilities.

The establishment of the DRC in 2013 was one of the initiatives of the SP 2013-2018 and was designed to support students with disabilities who wish to study at USP.
Training Organisation (RTO) with the Australian Skills Quality operations from Semester 1, 2017 and issues Australian-recognised
 by students contain three logos; that of USP, a logo indicative of Australian Nationally Recognised Training (NRT), and that of AQF.
32 2017 | USP Annual Report On 14 November, FSTE unveiled its ambitious proposal at Kiribati Campus to bring in country science programmes to Kiribati from 2018.
The science proposal for Kiribati is a two-year STAP offered jointly with three-year Bachelor of Science programmes for Form 7 and Foundation graduates.

This initiative for Kiribati can become one of the major achievements of USP when serving the needs of the region.
The Government of Kiribati believes in that science and technology are the key drivers of the development of the Kiribati Vision for 20 years (KV20) plan, where education and training are playing crucial roles in the realisation of the vision.
USP became an institutional member of the Oracle Academy, which supports 3.1 million students in 100 countries by providing a complete portfolio of software, curriculum, hosted technology, resources into computer science and business programmes, thereby enabling students to gain industry-relevant skills prior to graduation.
USP is the only institution in Fiji and its member countries to become a member of the Oracle Academy.
On 27 November, the School of Education (SOEd) began a project to improve educational quality by upskilling untrained teachers in Fiji.

Fiji’s Director of Primary Education had held discussions and shared data with SOEd on this issue.
Statistics show that over 1,000 teachers in Fiji’s education system are untrained, and this fact will adversely affect children’s education.

This project, and future collaboration between USP and Fiji’s Ministry of Education, should have a positive impact on primary education in Fiji.
The Vice-Chancellor and President delivered a goodwill message July in Samoa.
He noted that broadband is an important driver of development, and that the greater availability of broadband and liberalisation of the telecommunications market, resulting in falling prices and greater mobile coverage, has improved the lives of of Samoa and the Deputy Prime Minister of Tonga, attended the Forum.
2017 | USP Annual Report 33 Investment in Mobile Learning New full-time undergraduate students at the Laucala Campus received a free tablet computer once they had paid their fees as part of a FJD 700,000 project to promote mobile learning and teaching and improve learning outcomes.

The launch of the tablet distribution was held on 28 March.

The high-quality tablets are meant for study, and so students return them to the University for the semester breaks.
The distribution of tablets at the regional campuses began around the same time.

 A physically impaired student has commended the University for having a disability-inclusive environment.
Leslie Tikotikoca, a DRC student representative who had his right leg amputated following an accident during childhood, relayed how going to school was tough, especially when people stared at him.

He shared his story during the launch of the 2017 Orientation Week at the Laucala Campus.

“Here at USP, it is very different because everyone accepts you for who you are.

The environment all around is friendly,” he stated.
USP Student Forums USP hosted 2 student forums, on 21 April and 6 October respectively, to update students on the latest developments at the University and to provide them with a platform to raise their concerns and grievances.
Issues raised included the need for more student accommodation on-campus; the need for affordable accommodation off- campus; issues with Flexi Schools; usage rules of some points relating to face-to-face and blended courses; and theft at the Information Technology Services (ITS) labs.
2017 USP Entrepreneurial and Career Fair The 2017 USP Entrepreneurial and Career Fair was held on 1 May at the Laucala Campus.

Hon.
Hon.

Jone Usamate, Fiji’s Minister for Employment, Productivity & Industrial Relations launched the Fair, noting “Like all other institutions of higher learning, USP constantly faces the challenge of providing the best career opportunities to match with students’ career choices in the employment market.” The week-long Career Fair featured 60 top employers in Fiji, lunch- time seminars on career choices, and presentations on starting one’s own business.
34 2017 | USP Annual Report Two (2) teams from USP were declared the winner and second August in Suva.
The teams Chai-Yo and Tranquility were two of six USP teams who were up against teams from FNU and University of Fiji (UoF).
The challenge, which was organised in partnership with USP, required students to address the topic “Digitalising the The winning team, Chai-Yo proposed a mobile application that will assist tourists to reach any destination in Fiji.
It is different from other travel applications, in that it guides the tourists along the way.
USP Named a CPA-Australia Registered Tuition Provider Accountant (CPA) Australia.
CPA Australia engages external Tuition Providers to offer study support for candidates enrolled in the CPA Programme.

The School of Accounting and Finance is well placed to offer high quality accounting tuition, and USP is proud to be associated with CPA Australia.
A Master of Science in Chemistry student, Robert Chang, presented his research on “Miscibility of Poly (butylene succinate) and pine- gum blends” to the 7th International Conference in Advanced Material Research (ICAMR) in Hong Kong.
Mr Chang’s presentation was about blending polymer or plastic based products with pine resin to make biomaterials, such as skin or body implants.
The use and generated a great deal of interest at the conference.
Mr Chan was named the “Best Oral Presenter”.

 USP’s ITS department carried out major works to its infrastructure at the Niue Campus.
Rigorous assessment of the infrastructure thorough maintenance of suspected supplementary equipment were done.
USP’s ICT infrastructure was expanded and co-joined Niue High School, providing teachers and students an opportunity to teach and learn from a whole wide world of old and new academic online resources.

2017 | USP Annual Report 35 CROP ICT Working Group Meeting of 2017 The CROP ICT Working met twice in 2017.
Some of the key issues from the 47th Forum Communiqué and reporting to the 48th PIF Leaders; important initiatives including cyber security; the proposal for a bigger group meeting of ICT stakeholders; the landscape of from the Working Group.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the launch of the CROP ICT Working Group Website/Portal.
Tamtam Carved for USP by Vanuatu Student The Laucala Campus was presented with a special new landmark in the form of a grand wooden tamtam, which was installed in Professor Derrick Armstrong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, Innovation and International, representatives from the Vanuatu High Commission, and students from Vanuatu were present.
The tamtam was carved by Vanuatu student George Koran, who had noticed the wear and tear on the previous tamtam and offered to create another.

The new tamtam was carved from a breadfruit tree branch which fell at the Laucala Campus during Cyclone Winston.

New Nauru Campus Development USP Nauru Campus development commenced in August 2016, for a total of 775 square meters of space allocated at the new Learning Village.
The building is expected to be completed by March 2018 and is funded by the Australian Government and the Government 2018 along the margins of the 86th USP Council Meeting.
It was announced in December that the Marine Collection Unit the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an open- data platform which provides biodiversity data on all types of animals and plants from around the world.
USP is now part of an international network of 1,130 biodiversity data publishers.
The Marine Collection, established in 1970, is comprised of more than 36 2017 | USP Annual Report About 30 new students attended the Success @ USP programme from 19-20 July in Tuvalu.
Dr Rosiana Lagi, Tuvalu Campus Director, Ministry of Education were also present at the opening.
This involvement of stakeholders ensured that all parties are aware of expectations and of the support that is available to ensure student success.
13 September.
Developed by USP and Software Factory Limited, the portal provides a mechanism for communication between from enrolment through to graduation.
The Portal is a sophisticated way of recording and monitoring what happens in research.
Award Classrooms that were named “Confucius Classroom of the Year” in the Advanced Class Category at the 12th Global Confucius Institute Conference, held in Xi’an, China on 12-13 December.
Hon.

Ms Liu Yandong, Chinese Vice-Premier and President of the Confucius Institute Headquarters Council, presented the award in the presence of 2,500 delegates from 140 countries.

Dr Akanisi Kedrayate, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) accepted the award for USP.

USP Staff Forums Laucala-based staff were briefed by SMT and invited to provide feedback and raise queries and concerns during 2 staff forums, held on 21 April and 6 October, respectively.
Some of the issues raised include the process of staff dispute resolution; repatriation of expatriate staff at the end of their employment terms; the Job Evaluation Exercise for Intermediate and Junior (I&J) staff, and the security of staff and students on campus.
2017 | USP Annual Report 37 th Anniversary Logo, Theme, and Website The launch was held on day 2 of the University’s 85th Council Meeting.
The 50th Anniversary logo entails a sailing canoe element which is sea of islands symbolises the strive for education; of the progress of its people through time and space, and the journey of USP as it navigates its way into the future together with its stakeholders.
The 50th Anniversary website displays information about USP’s alumni; leaders, development partners, and regional campuses.
Lautoka Campus Open Day More than 3,000 students from 34 schools in Fiji’s Western Division attended the Lautoka Campus Open Day.
Chief Guest, Mr Selemo while the Government of the day is focusing its efforts in making Fiji a knowledgeable society, USP is playing an important role in training and skilling thousands of people in Fiji and around the quality tertiary education more accessible to students from the Western Division of Fiji.
Labasa Campus Open Day Twenty four (24) secondary schools from as far as Taveuni, South to the interiors of Bua, covering a span of three confederacies of Bua, Macuata and Cakaudrove totaling more than 2,000 people graced Labasa Campus Open Day on 28 July.

The Chief Guest, Mr Iowane Tiko, Fiji’s Permanent Secretary of Education reiterated the Government’s commitment in supporting children’s education in Fiji, which he stated was emphasised in the recent announcement of the 2018 budget.
Renewable Energy-Based Refrigeration Systems Installed Physics’ (SEP) Sustainable Energy for Sustainable Development Tavuki), with no means of refrigeration to preserve their catch until it could be sold, received solar PV and battery systems to power freezers using solar energy in July 2017.
Under the current funding of close to FJD 100,000, 4 systems have been installed, at Wainika and Vesi villages in Vanua Levu, Yanuca Island in Viti Levu, and Levu.
38 2017 | USP Annual Report Braille Eye Slate Donated to Vanuatu USP donated a Braille Eye Slate device to the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training on 9 June.

Dr Utkal Mehta, the project supervisor, noted that the Braille Eye Slate is smaller in size and weight, easier to use, and cheaper as compared to what is already on the market.
The Vanuatu Acting Director General of the Ministry of Justice and Community Services, in receiving the device, said that the National Sustainable Development Plan (NSDP) of Vanuatu is disability-inclusive and noted that this was an area of development focus.
Four (4) staff from PaCE-SD were recognised as authors of the and for the University.
Professor Elisabeth Holland, Director of PaCE-SD and Professor in Climate Change, and Dr Helene Jacot Des Combes, Senior Lecturer in Climate Change Adaptation, were selected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to be Lead Authors for the Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere (SROCC).

Dr Morgan Wairiu, PaCE-SD Deputy Director and Climate Change Tutor, and PhD student Diana Salili were selected to be Lead and Contributing Authors respectively on the IPCC’s 1.5 °C Special Report.
winning USP team demonstrated a good knowledge of European history, EU–Fiji Cooperation, COP 23, and The Ocean Conference.
Lead Authors Meeting for IPCC the Fiji Meteorological Services in Nadi from 2-6 October.
The IPCC brought together around 100 experts from over 20 countries for the week-long event to begin drafting the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC).

2017 | USP Annual Report 39 2017 USP Orientation Week Orientation Week at Laucala commenced in 30 January, with Fiji’s Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts and National Archives, Hon.

Dr Mahendra Reddy as Chief Guest at the launch.


This welcome event marked the beginning of the academic year and featured a great deal of information for new students.

In the words of Hon.
Dr Reddy, it provided newcomers to the University “with a bridge in terms of their swift adjustment to the new environment and in The Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) on 16 January.
More than 150 students enrolled in full Bachelor of Science programmes in the face-to-face mode at the Tonga Campus for Semester 1.

Tonga’s Minister of Finance and National Planning noted that, with the opportunity to study from home, more Tongans will be able to afford quality science education even without a scholarship.
The Annual Risk Focus Workshop was held on 27-28 November in Suva.
The University’s approach to Risk Management follows standard, which aims to ensure all risks are assessed, managed and monitored.
Two (2) of the major outcomes of the workshop the update of USP’s Risk Register and for participants to have a better understanding the USP Risk Management Framework.

Prestigious International Award for Alumnus (A-CSEAR) The 16th Annual Conference of the Australasian Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research inducted Associate Professor Sumit Lodhia into its Hall of Fame on 9 December in Nadi.
Associate Professor Lodhia was recognised for his leadership and sustained research contributions to social and environmental accounting.

He graduated with a BA and MA from USP, and earned a PhD from ANU.

He is currently the Director of the Centre for Sustainability Governance, where he leads research on sustainability accounting, reporting, and governance.
40 2017 | USP Annual Report and 2017 | USP Annual Report 41 USP’s educational offerings are designed to meet the needs of its member countries, which expect the University to develop the human resources that will drive their sustainable development.
This overarching goal is met through innovative teaching and academic programme design that recognises students as individuals, who arrive at USP with a wide range of education and work experience, support needs, and future plans.

Employers and other academic institutions value USP’s reputation for quality, which is tested by institutional audits, external programme reviews, and international accreditation.
Throughout 2017, USP delivered outstanding academic programmes in a wide variety of modes, settings, topics, and levels, carried out targeted activities to meet the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) set out in the Strategic Plan (SP) 2013-2018, and took steps to secure international recognition of its high-quality learning and teaching.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING AND TEACHING EXCELLENCE The University recruits accomplished academics who have talent for delivering learning experiences in such a way that student learning outcomes are maximised.

To meet those high expectations, USP also provides staff with comprehensive support.

In 2017, the University developed an Action Plan with Faculties to ensure all teaching staff complete a Postgraduate Certiﬁcate in Tertiary Teaching (PGCTT) or the equivalent.
This plan will make it possible to meet the related KPIs in the SP.

The Action Plan required agreement on what constitutes ‘equivalency’, and this was matched to experience and demonstrated or certiﬁed evidence of competence.

Based on these criteria, 78% of academic staff in FALE had either obtained a PGCTT or its equivalent.

The ﬁgure for FBE and FSTE staff were 72% and 77%, respectively.

This gave the University an overall achievement rate of 76% of its staff holding the PGCTT or its equivalent.
To ensure that the SP target of 90% is achieved by the end of 2018, the University decided to allow staff to enrol in 2 programmes (e.g.

a higher degree in their specialty and in the PGCTT), and Faculties have committed to enrolling those staff members who have not done this.

New recruits must have a PGCTT or immediately register for it.

The University celebrated the hard work and dedication of exceptional academic teaching staff through the Faculty Teaching Excellence Awards.
The FBE Teaching Excellence prize was awarded to Professor Raghuvar Pathak, Dr David Rohindra won the Faculty Teaching Excellence Prize for FSTE, and Dr Matthew Hayward was awarded the FALE Teaching Excellence Prize, as well as the 2017 Vice-Chancellor’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching.

These superior teachers have made an important contribution to 42 2017 | USP Annual Report the development of their students, both as scholars and as individuals.
VICE-CHANCELLOR’S TEACHING FORUM LEARNING AND The Annual Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Forum was held at the Laucala Campus on 31 August with the theme “The OERu: From Vision to Reality”.

The keynote speaker Dr Wayne Macintosh spoke on the Open Educational Resource universitas (OERu), which is an international collaboration of universities, colleges and polytechnics.
OERu provides free learning opportunities using courses based on Open Educational Resources (OER), with pathways to obtain university-level qualiﬁcations.

USP is a founding partner of the OERu, and many faculties have been involved with USP’s efforts in open education.

The development and implementation of an Open Education Policy, approved by the Senate in 2017, will provide strategic direction for further work in this area.
NUMERACY AND ENGLISH PROFICIENCY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING LANGUAGE In 2017, the Online Mathematical Diagnostic Tool (OMDT) was introduced across the University.

This is mandatory for all ﬁrst-year degree students, to diagnose numeracy gaps that students may have.

USP also revised the English Language Skills Assessment (ELSA) and converted it online.

Like OMDT, ELSA has 2 parts, an online test and online remedial support in reading, listening, and writing.
The ELSA will be fully implemented as of Semester 1, 2018.

Both OMDT and ELSA are provided to all students free of charge, and whilst diagnostic and remedial in nature, both must be attempted and for any component not passed, remedial work needs to be done during the ﬁrst-year of studies to allow progress to their second-year degree studies.
ONLINE CONVERSION AND GREATER ACCESSIBILITY The University vigorously pursued the conversion of courses and programmes to ﬂexible and online modes of delivery in 2017.

By the end of the year, 33 undergraduate programmes had been converted to ﬂexible modes, which exceeded the SP target of 32 undergraduate programmes by the end of 2018.

The end of 2018 target for the conversion of undergraduate programmes to online mode is 16.

By the end of 2017, 14 programmes had been converted.
The conversion of courses and programmes to ﬂexible and online modes helps improve accessibility to higher education for our regional students, whilst at the same time utilising the power of digital technologies to enhance collaborative learning, amongst other things.
The University also improved access to education by 2 further projects; roll out of its lecture capture system (where all face-to-face lectures are video recorded and uploaded for student access), to Laucala, Emalus and Alafua Campuses, and provision of free tablets to all ﬁrst-year undergraduate students (who have paid their fees).

This allows students to learn with more ﬂexibility, consistent with the University’s strong drive to convert its courses and programmes to ﬂexible modes.
Just over 1,365 tablet computers were distributed, with 879 provided at Laucala, 65 to Lautoka, 68 to Alafua, 259 to Tonga, 39 to Kiribati, 52 to Solomon Islands, and 3 to Vanuatu.

FLEXIBLE LEARNING POLICY Consistency across programmes and courses, regardless of mode or location, will be further enhanced by the implementation of the Flexible Learning Policy, which was approved by the third meeting of the Senate in 2017.
The Policy was developed by USP’s Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL) and is a requirement of the WSCUC.

It provides the parameters for the adoption and integration of ﬂexible learning and teaching at USP, is aligned with the Learning and Teaching Policy, and recognises the University’s regional and distributed nature.

The Policy is clear that the University does not favour any one mode of delivery.
INNOVATIVE PEDAGOGIES The Faculties and the CFL rolled out several initiatives to foster innovation in learning and teaching.

The most signiﬁcant of these were the development of both the Flexible Learning Policy and the OER Policy Framework, The mainstreaming and integration of both these policies in Faculties and Schools began in 2017, through a wide variety of mechanisms.
REVIEW OF LEARNING SUPPORT FOR FLEXIBLE LEARNING In 2017, CFL conducted a quality audit of learning support available for ﬂexible learning at USP.

Australasian Council on Open, Distance and e-Learning (ACODE) benchmarks were used, and audits of both Moodle Course Sites (including the setup of Marksheets) and the uptake of Moodle Orientation Module for staff and students were carried out, showing that by the start of the semester almost all courses had a Moodle page and 90% Marksheet.
USP also introduced PoodLL, which is a plugin that adds audio recording feedback functionality to Moodle.

PoodLL was trialled in April and from Semester 2, 2017, CFL encouraged lecturers to use this facility to give feedback to students.

FACULTY INITIATIVES TO IMPROVE LEARNING AND TEACHING Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) A major FALE objective, set out in 2016, was to offer regional language courses not offered by other universities.
FALE introduced the Cook Islands Maori language stream through the School of Language, Arts and Media (SLAM) in 2017, as part of a productive collaboration between the USP Cook Islands Maori Language Committee, the Cook Islands Ministry of Education, and the Linguistics staff of SLAM.

The Faculty will introduce language streams in Rotuman, Vagahau Niue, Tongan and Niuafo‘ou and the languages of Vanuatu in 2018.
The Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Paciﬁc Studies (OCACPS), home to the world-renowned Oceania Dance Theatre and the Pasiﬁka Voices Ensemble, provided the soundtrack for the Disney movie ‘Moana’, garnered its performances.

Students international attention for from other Schools of FALE have also been recognised internationally for their scholarship and creativity.
Ms Mereoni Mili was the only student winner of the COP 23 Climate Journalism Competition, in which 10 outstanding Paciﬁc journalists were rewarded with a trip to Bonn, Germany.

Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) The School of Accounting and Finance commenced the delivery of the new Postgraduate Diploma in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation at the Laucala and Lautoka Campuses from Trimester 1, 2017.

This programme was extended to all campuses through lecture capture technology.
The School also mandated that there be at least 2 guest lectures in all face-to-face courses.

FBE also encouraged students to undertake ﬁeld work and to learn by ‘doing’.

The School of Tourism and Hospitality Management (STHM) organised ﬁeld trips to various resorts.

Undergraduate STHM students undertook training in the Opera Property Management System, which is the reservation system used by most large hotels and cruise liners.
This provided them with entry-level skills to work in Front Ofﬁce and in Sales and Marketing in the industry.

The School of Agriculture and Food Technology (SAFT) also conducted student ﬁeld trips, to destinations such as the Quarantine Ofﬁce, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and private farms.

These excursions enabled students to gain ﬁrst-hand experience in food and agriculture.
A School Food Technology Laboratory is now operational and equipped with basic food processing and sensory evaluation equipment and tools.

In addition, a Pest Museum was established at SAFT, which serves as a repository of specimens of insects, diseases, weeds, vertebrate animals and other pests found in Samoa.

It will assist farmers and other stakeholders wishing to identify pests.
In terms of accreditation, the Fiji Institute of Accountants in (FIA) re-accredited Accounting, the Bachelor of Professional Accounting and the Postgraduate Diploma in Commerce (Professional Accounting) for another 3 years, from 2018 to 2020. the Bachelor of Commerce 2017 | USP Annual Report 43 Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (STAP) FSTE launched science programmes in Samoa and Tonga in January.
Based on the success of the ﬁrst Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (STAP) cohort in Samoa, which saw 86.4% of students graduating with a Bachelor of Science, the Samoan Government offered another 60 scholarships.

The STAP II cohort will complete their studies in January 2019.

The face-to-face Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, Bachelor of Marine Science, and Bachelor of Environmental Science (Biology pathway) are now offered in Tonga.
The cohort comprises 130 students, including 36 enrolled in the STAP.

The Government of Tonga has sponsored a total of 30 teachers to undertake the Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry.

Six (6) teachers and 14 students are sponsored by ADB’s Climate Resilience Sector Project (CRSP).

In November, FSTE unveiled an ambitious proposal to offer in-country, face-to-face science programmes in Kiribati from July 2018.
The science proposal for Kiribati is a two-year STAP, offered jointly with a three-year Bachelor of Science for Form 7 and Foundation graduates.

This proposal is part of USP’s response to the Kiribati Government’s newly implemented Kiribati Vision for 20 Years (KV20) Plan.

Support and Additional Resources A mobile course module app was designed to provide extra support to students facing difﬁculty in some topics in their courses.
This remedial tool features notes, examples, quizzes and supplementary resources.

The app also works ofﬂine, so students can use it anywhere.

This app was tested by 196 students enrolled in UU100 and by 65 students enrolled in CH203.

The School of Marine Studies (SMS) increased its presence during the year at the regional campuses through the provision of additional face-to-face teaching.
SMS also paid the online license fees so that students could access textbooks for MS111, and staff also ensured that students had access to content from The World Ocean Review series.

The School of Engineering and Physics (SEP) established the ﬁrst international technical students’ branches of the Industry Applications Society and the American Society of Mechanical Engineering.

These chapters facilitate direct and meaningful connections with researchers around the world.
Paciﬁc TAFE The SP signalled an intention to merge the old Paciﬁc TAFE and the College of Foundation Studies into a single entity, the new Paciﬁc TAFE.

This was formally completed by the 44 2017 | USP Annual Report end of 2016, with a newly-launched Paciﬁc TAFE beginning in 2017, and comprising College of Arts and Humanities, College of Business, Tourism and Hospitality, and College of Science, Technology and Environment.

The new structure being fully resourced on self-funding basis.
The Paciﬁc TAFE Colleges provide pre-degree and sub- degree programmes which sit underneath the University’s Faculties and which provide clear pathways to undergraduate study.

Against a SP target of international accreditation for 16 programmes by 2018, Paciﬁc TAFE achieved international accreditation and/or recognition for 19 of its programmes or qualiﬁcations by the end of 2017, thereby exceeding the target.
Growth in Paciﬁc TAFE has been spectacular, with EFTS enrolments increasing from 4,860 in 2016 to 5,350 in 2017 (which is a growth of 10%), exceeding both enrolment and income targets and comprising more than a third of the University’s enrolment.

Paciﬁc TAFE also successfully developed a Psychometric Testing Centre.

It continued to offer relevant short courses via its Workforce Development Training Unit (WDTU), located at the impressive Walu Bay facility.
Paciﬁc TAFE also opened a sophisticated new Tourism and Hospitality Training Facility in Nadi in 2017.

Paciﬁc TAFE will focus on expanding its programmes to the regional campuses.

As these programmes have successfully commenced in Fiji, Paciﬁc TAFE is conﬁdent that its programmes will likewise beneﬁt regional students, beginning with the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in 2018.

More high schools will be accredited by Paciﬁc TAFE to deliver Preliminary and Foundation Studies.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES In 2017, the University continued to monitor student achievement of learning outcomes via the Teaching Quality Committee (TQC) and Academic Programmes Committee (APC).

For example, evaluation of student success shows comparable pass rates in 2017 compared with 2016 (79.4% and 79.2%) and a continued improvement in programme retention over 2016 (68% and 71%), when full-time and part timers both are counted.
All student achievement data was reported on the newly revamped Learning and Teaching Website and indicates that USP compares very favourably on key indicators, such as retention and course pass rates, relative to its New Zealand and Australian counterparts.

Student learning outcomes are achieved through face-to- face and virtual classroom experiences, coupled with learning opportunities offered outside of class.
Some examples include the School of Education’s 17-week school-based Practicum, and Journalism, Law and Social Work’s 400 hours of Field Placement Education.

FBE offers a Tourism Placement Programme, and SEP requires 800 hours of Industrial Work Experience.

These capstone experiences, such as in the engineering capstone projects, allow students to apply their knowledge learning in the classroom to produce useful products or innovations such as the patented Braille Eye Slate.
Many courses also include well-resourced and internationally-accredited ﬁeld trips that provide out-of- class learning experiences.

GRADUATION CEREMONIES The year 2017 saw 6 graduation ceremonies held at both Laucala and the regional campuses.

These were joyful occasions that, together with the Foundation Award and Confucius Institute Graduation ceremonies, allowed students, families, stakeholders, and sponsors to celebrate their achievements.
Key information about each ceremony is included in the infographic on the next page.

MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 The major focus in 2018 will be the completion of initiatives and achieving the few remaining KPIs under Priority Area 1 of the SP.

This Priority Area is well on-track to achieving completion status in all of its objectives and initiatives.
Staff will work diligently to improve performance statistics, particularly on undergraduate completions and the attainment of the PGCTT or equivalent for our academic staff.

The KPIs related to the conversion of courses and programmes will be achieved.

There will be a strong emphasis on the roll out of the OER and Flexible Learning Plans, both of which contribute to staff development and the use of innovate pedagogies, which are key components of the SP.
Lecture capture system Students during a ﬁeld trip in Marine Studies programme 2017 | USP Annual Report 45 Students during a ﬁeld No.
of Graduates Gender Other Notable Achievements 4 0 6 1 , 2016 4 0 6 , 1 6 9 9 2016 2016 9 9 2017 6 4 2017 0 8 6 , 1 2017 3 8 1 1 , 3 4 2017 LAUCALA CAMPUS 31 March MARSHALL ISLANDS CAMPUS 23 May LAUCALA CAMPUS 22 September TONGA CAMPUS 21 October 46 2017 | USP Annual Report Female 57% Undergraduate: 47%, Postgraduate: 24%, Paciﬁc TAFE: 18% 299 Masters graduates, 6 PhD graduates 24 nationalities Male 43% Female 67% Undergraduate: 33%, Postgraduate: 2%, Paciﬁc TAFE: 46% 3 Masters graduates, 6 PhD graduates Male 33% 5 nationalities, including 1 international student Female 63% Undergraduate: 43%, Postgraduate 24%, Paciﬁc TAFE: 21% 124 Masters graduates, 9 PhD graduates 20 nationalities Male 37% Female 60% Undergraduate: 49%, Postgraduate 9%, Paciﬁc TAFE and Foundation: 33% 3 Masters graduates 2 nationalities Male 40% No.
of Graduates Gender Other Notable Achievements EMALUS CAMPUS 1 December ALAFUA CAMPUS 8 December 0 6 1 2016 9 3 1 2016 Other Award Ceremonies FOUNDATION (LAUCALA) AWARD CEREMONY 15 December CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE GRADUATION 6 June and 10 November 5 9 4 2016 4 3 3 2016 2017 3 9 1 2017 1 4 1 2017 9 1 5 2017 1 7 5 Female 52% Undergraduate: 80%, Postgraduate: 12%, Paciﬁc TAFE: 2% 2 Masters graduates 9 nationalities Male 48% Female 54% Undergraduate: 48%, Postgraduate: 6%, Paciﬁc TAFE: 38% 8 Masters graduates, 1 PhD graduates 11 nationalities, including 5 international students 14 nationalities Confucius Classroom of Cook Islands Campus at USP was rewarded as “Confucius Classroom of the Year 2017” CI-USP was named the “Model Confucius Institute Project” in 2017 Female 54% Female 65% Male 46% Male 46% Male 35% 2017 | USP Annual Report 47 Student Support 48 2017 | USP Annual Report Long regarded as a regional leader in the provision of comprehensive, accessible support services, USP continuously assesses the needs of its students and identiﬁes speciﬁc areas in which interventions are likely to have the most impact.
USP made investments in faculty resources and sought to improve the alignment of student support services, including advising, mentoring, and tutoring, to provide more effective support to students in 2017.

STUDENT SUCCESS RATES A sophisticated suite of Educational Performance Indicators (EPIs) to monitor student success in 2017 was approved to analyse the following: 1.
Course rates: the completion/pass successfully completed enrolments in courses each year, as a proportion of the total enrolment in courses (86% for full timers compared with New Zealand universities' average of 86% and 79% at Massey, which has a large cohort of distance students); 2.

Retention rate: the number of re-enrolments or qualiﬁcation completions each year, as compared to the number of students in the previous year (84% for full timers compared with New Zealand average of 77%); 3.
Qualiﬁcation completion rate: the number of qualiﬁcations completed each year as a proportion of total enrolments in that year (66% compared with New Zealand average of 62%); and 4.

Progression from undergraduate to postgraduate study: the rate of re-enrolment in a higher level qualiﬁcation in the following year for students who have completed a qualiﬁcation (21% but no New Zealand data available).
These EPIs provided the University with a better understanding of student success and enabled benchmarking with New Zealand universities.

The ﬁrst set of EPI data for USP, together with data from some New Zealand universities, was used for a report formatted to meet WSCUC requirements.

The report indicated that student success rates at USP are very similar to rates at comparable universities in New Zealand and Australia.
The report concluded that the main factor inhibiting student success at USP was the full or part-time status of the student, with part-time students generally less successful.

The University is addressing this by providing additional support to part-time students.

GRADUATE OUTCOMES identify synergies between those competencies and the USP Graduate Outcomes.

The Modiﬁed Graduate Outcomes were approved by the second Senate meeting of 2017.
Students are engaged with the USP Graduate Outcomes in their academic programmes and co-curricular activities.

Faculty-based Student Learning Specialists offered regular seminars featuring graduates who shared their experiences applying the Graduate Outcomes in their workplaces and communities.

Campus Life activities, such as the Paciﬁc Market Days, and Entrepreneurship and Career Fair helped students engage with the USP Graduate Outcomes through their extracurricular activities.
The success or otherwise of the Model of USP Paciﬁc Market Days is indicated by the strong growth in interest, especially from our students, for whom it provides much needed income to support their studies.

From modest beginnings in 2010 with 15 vendors, it peaked to 58 at the end of 2017.

This has in part been driven by demand, necessitating the number of days extended from 1 day to the current 4 days event resulting from stakeholders' requests.
PROMOTING PACIFIC CONSCIOUSNESS The University promoted Paciﬁc consciousness and cohesiveness through the expansion of Campus Life activities to all campuses.

From 2017, USP began providing face-to-face student counselling services in Emalus, Labasa and Lautoka Campuses, and is looking at further expansion in 2018.

Additionally, the University has numerous cross- cultural societies and activities, including many devoted to sports and recreation.
The Federal USP Students Association, comprising the Campus Student Associations, has visibility of all the clubs that operate at the University and encourages the sharing of Paciﬁc values.

USP’s Wot Eva Student Bar provided a safe and secure environment with a special Paciﬁc Islands atmosphere for students and staff to socialise at the Laucala Campus.
NEW STUDENT ACCOMMODATION The building boom in Fiji has driven up the cost of construction, and the scarcity of development funding are challenges which have slowed down the construction of new accommodation.

Despite all these issues, USP opened new student accommodation blocks at the Laucala Campus in 2017.

A total of 48 beds were added as part of the 11th Hall thus increasing the number of beds at Laucala to 1,061.

The new 11th Hall addition comprises single rooms, which cost FJD 2,475 per semester.
Plans are being developed for the construction of another hostel with 400 beds at the Laucala Campus.

The original USP Graduate Outcomes, their deﬁnitions, and corresponding rubrics were reviewed in 2017 after extensive consultation throughout the University.
The review process also considered the WSCUC Core Competencies to ONLINE STUDENT SUPPORT Online resources are extremely convenient for students as they enable those with busy schedules to access additional 2017 | USP Annual Report 49 academic resources and support as and when it is needed.

The SP 2013-2018 also makes a commitment to the development of online student support.
Given that more than 50% of the University’s current student enrolment is studying in ﬂexible mode, the provision of structured support for ﬂexible and online students is extremely important.

A comprehensive support infrastructure for all students in the Online Student Support (OLSS) is captured Framework, which was approved by SMT in 2017.
OLSS has 8 dimensions, namely: course design, course delivery, instructional support services, academic services, orientation, success and retention programmes, general university support services, and library resources.

The compliance rate with OLSS was 92% in 2017.


SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The Disability Resource Centre (DRC), established in 2013 as one of the initiatives of the SP, has provided services to a total of 96 students to date, and is well prepared to support growing numbers of students with disabilities.

Seventeen (17) of those 96 students have graduated, 11 are currently employed, 4 are continuing with their studies, and 2 have returned home.
Students with disabilities can access a range of services including purpose-built facilities.

The students beneﬁtted from a new Common Room opened in October that provided students with more space for both studies and socialising, including low level benches that are accessible for wheelchair bound students, and assistive technology and software (e.g.

Braille Sense U2, Job Access with Speech (JAWS), Non-Visual Desktop Access-NVDA).
The regional campuses beneﬁtted from the visit by DRC staff in 2017 to publicise USP’s commitment to disability inclusiveness and awareness of the services that are provided.

The needs of prospective students were also assessed.

Regional students with disabilities were offered scholarships amounting to FJD 150,000 by the University in 2017 but none of the applicants were admitted to their chosen programmes.
The scholarships were therefore re-advertised later in the year, and 5 awards were made for studies to commence in Semester 1, 2018.

SPORT, HEALTH AND WELLNESS In 2017, students continued to be provided with opportunities to participate in a range of traditional sports, including rugby, touch rugby, soccer, futsal, basketball, volleyball, beach volleyball, netball, paddling, tennis, swimming, athletics, hapkido and taekwondo.
USP’s Laucala Campus Sports competed in 37 sports held at Laucala Campus in September and reclaimed the Fiji University Sports Association (FUSA) Cup.

50 2017 | USP Annual Report Outpatient care is offered in the 3 Campuses, Laucala, Alafua and Emalus.

At all 3 Campuses we provide outpatient nursing services and at Laucala and Alafua we also provide full doctor services.
All insured students beneﬁtted from general outpatient care provided by the Health and Wellness Centre (Laucala), which also continued to promote healthy living and raise awareness and facilitate health-related activities, such as blood donation and early cancer screening.

USP Blood Drives became part of the monthly Paciﬁc Market Day events.

The University was awarded the 2016 Award for the Highest Collection by an organisation in Fiji at the World Blood Day 2017.
In addition, USP won the Divisional and National Awards for the Highest Collection at a Tertiary Institution for the eighth consecutive year.

The Health and Wellness Centre, in partnership with the Fiji Cancer Society, offered free examinations and consultations aimed at the early detection of cancer.

Other programmes, such as the Reproductive Health, Sexual Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health were also delivered by the Health and Wellness Centre in 2017.
USP Health and Wellness Week, organised in conjunction with the Fiji Ministry of Health helped the USP Community discover and maintain a healthy balance between work, studies, and wellness, and also provided a wonderful opportunity for staff, students, and families to interact socially.

The “Lose It!

Challenge”, a three-month weight loss activity, was launched during the Week.

Four hundred nineteen (419) staff and students participated in the contest, which was won by Ms Irene Naidabu of Nauru.
CAREER CENTRE AND SERVICES inclusion of The University strongly promoted the in the curriculum, and student entrepreneurial skills entrepreneurship through participation in the Paciﬁc Market Days in 2017.

The 2017 USP Entrepreneurial and Career Fair included a Small Business Incubator Workshop.

In addition, students beneﬁtted from Paciﬁc TAFE courses in starting one’s own business.

Information on this was made readily available to all USP students during the year.
Additionally, students around the region accessed the University Career Hub Portal, which alerts its users to employment opportunities and provides resources to all those interested in starting their own businesses.

In 2017, the Career Hub Portal had a total of 2,691 hits, with most coming from Laucala.

The Hub membership stands at 25,032 students, 1,392 alumni, 84 staff.
The Hub includes access to viewing of job vacancies across Fiji and the region (including Australia), and provides an opportunity for job seekers to upload an e-portfolio.

STUDENT SUPPORT THROUGH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE Financial assistance is available to students from member countries and information on this is readily available through the Student Administrative Services (SAS) website.
In addition to member governments’ ﬁnancial assistance to their students, the University also provided scholarships and bursaries.

The ﬁnancial assistance is provided twice annually to all students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds through the University Bursaries Scheme.

In 2017, USP dedicated additional funding to this scheme, with FJD 1 million committed to bursaries and FJD 150,000 set aside for the Paciﬁc Academic Excellence (PAE) Awards.
All students eligible for the bursary scheme were fully supported in 2017.

The University has also worked with member countries and major ﬁnancial institutions to develop alternative ﬁnancing schemes for tertiary students.

A position paper was sent to the Chair of the Fiji Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Board (TSLB), presented at the Fiji Top Executives (TOPEX) Annual Conference, and sent to the Solomon Islands and Kiribati Governments at their request.
USP LIBRARY Ninety percent (90%) of the recommendations of the 2016 External Review of the Library were implemented in 2017.

The Library met its speciﬁc goals and KPIs in its 6 strategic areas of work.

At Laucala, the Library recorded a 22.3% increase (552,747) in the number of visits, which reafﬁrmed the importance of the Library’s physical space for research and study.

Signiﬁcant progress was made on 2 CAPEX projects.


The Integrated Library Systems (ILS) project progressed to Tender call and the Learning Commons Project will be progressed in 2018 as part of the University 50th Anniversary celebrations.

The Library was also involved with the design and arrangement of the Library at the Nauru Campus, which will be opened in May 2018.
The Library expanded its electronic resources, achieving its SP target of a 200% increase in Information Research Skills (IRS) offerings and attendance.

The Library grew its Subject Guides Database by 30% and added 10 new databases.

The successful download of records from Ebook Central resulted in 140,000 e-books being made accessible, with a 15% increase in e-book usage recorded.

The Library continued to build its collection of open access and open educational resources.
Additional Library outcomes for 2017 include the provision of IRS sessions for students with disabilities and JAWS software for the visually impaired.

Nine thousand one hundred fourteen (9,114) photos held by the Strategic Partnerships, Advancement and Communications (SPAC) ofﬁce were digitised for the 50th Anniversary website, and 79 photos and 2 maps were scanned from the Paciﬁc Collection.
In 2018, the Library will develop the regional campus libraries, provide Library representation on research teams, implement its marketing plan, develop the USP repository of internally-produced Open Educational Resources and Altmetrics for better decision making, introduce data visualisation as part of the IRS programme, and use ‘virtual reality’ technology as part of the Learning Commons.
SUPPORTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) New initiatives and materials were used by FALE in 2017 to support students and improve their success rates.

These measures, particularly related to ﬁrst-year courses, aimed to ensure that students receive streamlined, effective, and targeted assistance.

For example, staff noted a need to help students with language usage, writing, and referencing to reduce incidences of plagiarism.
The Student Learning Support (SLS) workshops, the Peer Mentors Scheme, and the Your-Tutor (Studiosity) system all encouraged students.

Early and frequent discussions with students on their progress made it possible to identify struggling students quickly and then provide timely assistance.

The lecturers that work with ﬁrst-year students liaised frequently with the First Year Experience (FYE) team and SLS.
FALE-SLS specialists, who are accredited Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) supervisors and are trained through the PASS National Centre at the University of Wollongong, coordinated the accredited PASS to boost students’ academic performance.

In 2017, 20 100-level core courses were PASS supported, and the majority of students achieved high grades.

During Semester 1, 2017, in PS103, 19 students were PASS assisted and, of the overall total of A+ achievers, half were assisted by PASS.
Another 16 courses at the 200 and 300 levels were supported by the Senior Peer Mentoring Programme.

From January 2018, 8 regional campuses will establish SLS services, following the appointment of Student Learning Specialists at the Alafua, Emalus, Kiribati, Labasa, Lautoka, Marshall Islands, Tonga and the Solomon Islands Campuses.

This is an important step in improving equity across the support complements online University.

Face-to-face assistance well.


FALE-SLS also hosted and coordinated workshops and seminars to enhance students’ leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.

Other workshops focused on the cultures of the Paciﬁc.

The Student Debate Series developed students’ public speaking skills, and the Youth Leadership 2017 | USP Annual Report 51 Forum allowed 150 students from USP and other tertiary institutions to share leadership ideas.
The Graduate Attribute Seminar Series drew students’ attention to those qualities sought by employers.

Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) FBE’s SLS staff provided a range of services to students throughout the year, all of which were formulated to help students develop the skills and strategies that are needed to succeed in the social sciences.
SLS staff held popular Academic and Job-seeking Skills Workshops and encouraged students to start participating in those activities early in their USP experience.

The Senior Peer Mentoring Programme gave advanced students the chance to assist and advise newer students.

SLS staff held individual consultations with students to address academic progress and identify skills gaps.
In April, the Alafua Campus students were made aware of the services available to them by FBE’s SLS staff, with a chance to participate in Academic Skills Workshops, which covered topics such as time management, goal setting, reading skills, argument development, and referencing.

The FYE Coordinator worked in partnership with SLS and the School of Accounting and Finance to create new procedures for At Risk Students (ARS).
They also worked together to improve the Early Warning Systems (EWS) and identiﬁcation of 100-level Accounting and Finance courses that need more attention.

The FYE ofﬁce constantly corresponded with students to check on timetables, programme structures, online enrolment, and other matters.

The FYE Facebook page also proved to be a valuable and much-consulted source of current information.
Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment (FSTE) The Academic and Cultural Orientation for Tertiary Students (ACTS) programme was changed to the Preparation for Higher Education Workshop (PHEW!)

in 2017.

PHEW!

helps ﬁrst-year FSTE students make a smooth transition to tertiary studies and campus life.

One of its aims is to give students hands-on experience in the use of ICT tools as USP is increasingly incorporating ICT in its programmes.

PHEW!
PHEW!

helps ensure that FSTE students commence their studies with a common base of knowledge.

FSTE’s SLS section provided other types of effective and timely support to students throughout the region in 2017, which included speciﬁc academic assistance to match their requirements, and had many opportunities to improve their study skills, knowledge of ICT, and numeracy.

FSTE primarily used mentoring programmes, including peer and online mentoring, to address students’ skills gaps and support needs.
Peer mentoring involves the set-up of interactive study groups led by high-achieving second and third-year students.

Peer mentoring is needs-based; students are encouraged to ask questions and request help.

PASS and e-Mentoring were also used to assist FSTE students.

PASS facilitated group discussions, and e-Mentoring involving real-time online mentoring, led by Peer Mentors, on different courses using Big Blue Button.
The e-Mentoring service was available to the Alafua, Emalus, Tonga, Lautoka, Labasa and Laucala Campuses, with e-Mentoring introduced to Tonga and Samoa as part of the in-country science programme in 2017.

In addition, FSTE utilised the Faculty Orientation Online Tool (FOOT), an online module designed to provide a holistic orientation experience to ﬁrst-year science students.
FOOT underwent a major enhancement in 2017 and is now built using the specialist software package, Articulate Storyline that is used to produce interactive e-learning resources.

MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 There are some changes to annual events that have been planned for 2018, ensuring continuous improvement.

Orientation will have a more festive atmosphere with more staffed drop-in booths, and the Careers and Entrepreneurial Fair will be split in 2, with the latter conducted in the early part of the year.
The aim is to encourage students who are in their ﬁnal year of studies to consider the prospect of starting their own business early on, rather than seeing this as a fall- back option.

The appointment and establishment of the SLS Specialists at the regional campuses will continue, with Tuvalu, Nauru, and Tokelau.

This should result in higher pass and retention rates and will make the support services at all campuses more equitable.
Lastly, the English Language Skills Assessment (ELSA) and EL001 (English language support course) will be relaunched in 2018.

This is a direct response to the Senate’s decision to reintroduce English language testing and support services and reﬂects USP’s dedication to improving students’ achievement levels in English, speciﬁcally in reading, writing and listening.
52 2017 | USP Annual Report Research and Internationalisation 2017 | USP Annual Report 53 All excellent universities are recognised for the scope, breadth, and impacts of their research, and therefore research is a key component of USP’s transformation.

Research is a core component of the University’s mission that considerably enhances its teaching provision.

Over the past few years, the quality and amount of research carried out at USP has been markedly improved.
This has happened alongside a general increase in the internationalisation level of the University, measured in terms of the number of international staff and students, linkages with corporations, governments, and educational institutions overseas, and exchanges and joint research projects.

Both the increase in high-quality research outputs and in the level of internationalisation are good indicators of a university that is transforming to be an excellent institution.
RESEARCH OUTPUTS Figure 1 shows both outputs since 1970 and the trend over the period 1970–2017.

The year 2017 has been the most productive period in USP’s history in terms of research output.

The number of publications in 2017 was 211, which is 13 more than the previous high of 198 in 2016 (sourced from Scopus database, 28 March 2018).

The total number of highly ranked publications (A/A* ranked publications) in 2016 (81) and 2017 (77) is 158 (Refer Figure 2).
This has already surpassed the accumulated KPI of 131, to be achieved over the last 3 years (2016–2018) of the SP 2013-2018.

54 2017 | USP Annual Report USP STAFF AND STUDENT RESEARCH AWARDS The University rewarded 140 of its best-performing academic staff and students for their high-quality research outputs in 2016 at a special Research Awards Evening on 10 November.
“The Best Research Publication Award” was jointly awarded to Professor Maurizio Cirrincione for his research on Vehicle to Grid System to design a Centre Node Virtual Uniﬁed Power Flow Controller and to Dr Jenny Tongsing for her publication Intimate Partner Violence in South Asian Communities, which explored the notion of ‘shame’ to promote understanding of migrant women’s experiences.
“The Best Student Research Publication Award” was presented jointly to Ms Shaiza Janif for research on the Value of Traditional Oral Narratives in Building Climate Change Resilience: Insights from Rural Communities in Fiji and to Mr Gaurav Raicar for his work Improving Protein-Fold Recognition & Structural Class Prediction Accuracies Using Physiochemical Properties of Amino Acids.
“The Innovation Award” was won by Dr Bibhya Sharma, Ms Swasti Narayan, Ms Afshana Anzeg and Mr Jai Raj for the Science Teachers Accelerated Programme (STAP).

PATENTED INVENTIONS In 2017, 3 USP inventions received patent certiﬁcation under the Australian Patents Act.
These were the Braille Eye Slate to Teach Children with Visual Disabilities by Mr Nikhil Singh, Mr Vinaal Prakash, Ms Monika Koroi- Robinson and Dr Utkal Mehta; the Aromatic Network for Power Distribution System by Dr F M Rabiul Islam, Dr Kabir Mamun, Mr Krishneel Prakash and Mr Avneel Lallu; and the GSM-Based Early Flood Warning and Monitoring System by Mr Sheikh Azid, Dr Bibhya Sharma, Mr Reginald Nath, Mr Vikrant Sharma, Mr Abhinendra Chand, Mr Sumeet Prasad and Ms Angele Jacquier.
The patented inventions indicate that the impact of a greater focus on innovation by the University has begun to materialise.

This has been further enhanced by the ﬁnancial award scheme to incentivise innovation instituted in 2016 and within this scheme, the inventors were awarded.

In 2017, the University developed an innovation framework to guide the growth of innovation at USP.
The framework strategy, called Innovation@USP, is underpinned by 3 key focus areas for innovation at USP: commercialisation; community development; and human capacity building and leadership.

SUCCESSES OF THE FUNDING SCHEME FOR INNOVATION In 2016, the University established a funding scheme that emphasises collaboration with the private sector for the development of innovation through research collaboration.
The scheme requires staff to identify the cross-disciplinary nature of their research and how this would build research capacity in the University as well as ensure engagement with key stakeholders and impacts for the beneﬁt of the region.

In 2017, under the scheme, there were several outstanding research projects undertaken for the region.
School of Engineering and Physics (SEP) developed the Braille Eye Slate to teach the Braille language to visually impaired children, and have donated devices to government agencies in member countries.

The Centre for Flexible Learning (CFL) and the School of Education (SOEd), in collaboration with the Fiji Government’s National Food and Nutrition Centre (NFNC), developed the “My Kana” app that has nutrition information on local foods and monitors eating habits.
These are 2 examples of 2017 projects funded under this scheme, aimed at USP’s Strategic Research Themes that produced outstanding results.
EXTERNAL PUBLICATIONS AND ACTIVITIES AWARDS AND NOTABLE Awards Two (2) staff from the School of Language, Arts and Media, Dr Shailendra Singh and Mr Eliki Drugunalevu, won the “Best Research Paper Award” at an international conference in Singapore in October for their paper titled Adaptability and Survivability of Paciﬁc Islands Diasporic Newspapers in the Digital Media Age: Case Studies in the Three Diasporic Hubs of Auckland, Sydney and Brisbane.
A team from SEP received the “Third Prize for the Best Paper Award” at a conference co-sponsored by the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

The team members included Professor Maurizio Cirrincione, Mr Nayzel Jannif and Dr Ali Mohammadi.

Notable Publications and Activities Four (4) staff members from Paciﬁc Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD) authored globally-recognised Climate Change reports.
Professor Elisabeth Holland and Dr Helene Jacot Des Combes were selected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as Lead Authors for the Special Report on Oceans and Cryosphere (SROCC).

Dr Helene Jacot des Combes was also selected to be part of the Science and Technology Advisory Group (STAG) at the United Nations Ofﬁce for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) from 2017-2018.
Dr Morgan Wairiu and Ms Diana Salili were selected to be Lead and Contributing Authors, respectively, of the IPCC’s 1.5 °C Special report.

Professor Sushil Kumar of SEP was one of the co-authors of the collaborative paper Assessment of Unusual Gigantic Jets Observed during the Monsoon Season: First Observations from Indian Subcontinent, published in the prestigious journal Nature: Scientiﬁc Reports.
Dr Stuart Kininmonth, of the School of Marine Studies (SMS), co-authored a paper, titled Abundance and local- scale processes contribute to multi-phyla gradients in global marine diversity, published in the internationally acclaimed journal Science Advances.

The journal is an online-only open access journal published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
The University registered the SMS’s Marine Collection Unit, comprising more than 10,000 specimens, with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) in December.

GBIF is an open-data platform which provides biodiversity data on all types of animals and plants from around the world.
International Conferences and Workshops In 2017, USP hosted a number of international conferences, symposiums and research workshops, which demonstrates that the University is not only the hub of research activities in the Paciﬁc, but also evidence of a vibrant research culture at USP.

The inaugural Paciﬁc People’s Research Skills Symposium held on 14 June discussed the impact of the implementation of the Research Skills Development Framework at USP.
The symposium involved researchers and tertiary teachers from around the region, Australia and several Asian nations.

The 2017 Paciﬁc Update Conference was held on 20 June.

Organised by the School of Economics, in partnership with the ADB, and Australian National University’s (ANU) Development Policy Centre, it was aimed at linking research outputs to policy development.

USP co-hosted Fiji’s IPCC First Lead Authors Meeting on 2-6 October.
IPCC brought together around 100 experts from over 20 countries for the week-long event, which commenced drafting the Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC).

PaCE-SD hosted 3 Ocean Acidiﬁcation Research Workshops which were facilitated by The Ocean Foundation, a Washington, DC-based NGO.

The 3 workshops, held from 30 October-10 November, were attended by 33 participants from 11 Paciﬁc countries.
SOEd, Emalus Campus and the Vanuatu Institute of Teacher Education (VITE) hosted the inaugural 2017 Ni-Vanuatu Educators’ Research Symposium on 29 November.

The School of Accounting and Finance hosted the 16th Annual Conference and Emerging Scholars Colloquium of the Australasian Centre for Social and Environmental Accounting Research (A-CSEAR) on 7-9 December.
INTERNATIONALISATION International student numbers increased in 2017, and international student and staff exchange projects furthered the cause of internationalisation.

International student numbers for 2017 (389) in comparison to 2016 (355) increased by 2017 | USP Annual Report 55 10%.

Twenty-six percent (26%) of the international students were enrolled in Paciﬁc TAFE programmes (pre-degree and skills), whilst 54% were enrolled at undergraduate level and 20% at postgraduate level.
The tuition fee income of FJD 2,231,374 in 2017 was the highest compared to FJD 493,575 from tuition fees, since the establishment of the International ofﬁce in 2009.

STUDENT EXCHANGE USP Exchange Programme The Annual Exchange Fair, attended by approximately 320 students, was held at USP in October.

The International ofﬁce also hosted information sessions with the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board (TSLB) and the USP Regional Scholarship Team (RST) in December to explain exchange procedures.
A total of 10 USP students spent a semester abroad under the exchange MOU with partner institutions in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA and Japan.

Under this programme USP covered the airfares and insurance.

Strong study abroad partnerships including those with the University of Bergen, the University of Wisconsin Plateville, International Student Exchange Programme and International Studies Abroad resulted in growing numbers of incoming students.
In 2017, the University received 55 semester abroad students.

Forty-seven (47) of which were full fee paying students recruited by our partners and 8 were under the exchange agreements, whereby tuition fees are waived.

European Union-funded Exchange Programme The European Union-funded Erasmus Mundus programme, which provides postgraduate scholarships for degree programmes, short exchanges, and staff capacity building beneﬁtted the University.
In 2017, the following opportunities were made possible by the European Union funded Erasmus projects: • 1 alumnus received a full Master’s scholarship to Papua New Guinea University of Technology; • 2 alumni received full PhD scholarships to the National University of Samoa (NUS); • 1 PhD student was awarded 10 months training and research placement at NUS; • 1 staff from the National University of Timor Leste (East Timor) was hosted by USP for one-month placement under the Erasmus Mundus programme (CARPIMS); • 5 international students from partner institutions in the Caribbean namely University of Belize and the University of West Indies received a full scholarship for Masters or PhD programmes to study at USP; • 3 staff received an Erasmus + Scholarship for a one- week training to the University of Valladolid (Spain) and the University of Tartu (Estonia); and 56 2017 | USP Annual Report • 2 staff from the University of Tartu were hosted by USP for one-week placement under the Erasmus + programme.
USP also participated in the Erasmus + programme by partnering with the Universidad de Valladolid (Spain), University of Timisoara (Romania), University of Tartu (Estonia), University of Ljubljana (Slovenia) and the University of Göttingen (Germany).

A total of 29 short- term mobility opportunities are available to USP staff and students.
Association of Commonwealth Universities As a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), staff and students of USP are eligible to partake in the opportunities offered by the ACU.

In 2017, an international student from an ACU member university from Nigeria received a full scholarship to pursue a full Masters study at USP; and a student from USP participated in the Residential School programme for student leaders, which was hosted in Malaysia.
These opportunities boost our international numbers and it also provide opportunities for USP students to travel and exchange with other students within the ACU members.

JENESYS 2016-2017 The Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths, known as JENESYS, is a cultural exchange initiative of the Government of Japan.

Under the JENESYS 2016 Project, 285 students travelled to Japan from the Paciﬁc between late 2016 and 2017.
The 2017 JENESYS Project included 181 Paciﬁc Island students and 55 from Australia and New Zealand.

Groups 1 and 2 travelled between November and December of 2017 while Groups 3 and 4 were scheduled to travel in January 2018.

MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 The increase in research outputs and in the degree of internationalisation has met the SP targets.
Activities of the Research ofﬁce in 2018 will encourage innovation, or the translation of academic research into practical applications and the development of more effective and efﬁcient procedures, products and ideas.

The International ofﬁce will continue to work diligently to further increase international student numbers and simultaneously work with commercial services and off- campus accommodation providers to secure accommodation for international students.
Plans for 2018 include the use of recruitment agents and education portals for student recruitment, the use of “International Student Ambassadors”, securing new partnerships for the Erasmus + programme, liaison with Faculties to increase the number of short courses for summer school, and outreach to private organisations for sponsorship of exchange programmes.
Information and Communication 2017 | USP Annual Report 57 For a university spread over 12 Paciﬁc Island Countries (PICs) and 33 million square kilometres of open ocean, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is integral to the delivery of its mission.
USP depends on its Information Technology Services (ITS) section to design and maintain technical infrastructure that is reliable and consistent with the highest standards in tertiary education, as well as to provide outstanding ICT support to all staff and students.

The University has undertaken to use the latest ICT tools to ensure that all students, regardless of their mode of study or location, have access to the same excellent standard of teaching and to a full suite of learning resources.
At the institutional level, ICT tools help USP to function as an agile and responsive organisation, composed of many campuses and centres that operate harmoniously across time zones.

In addition to providing high quality ICT services to the students and staff, the University develops automation and business intelligence at the University, as per the SP 2013- 2018.
ITS also leverages its resources and experience to exercise leadership in the region’s ICT development and to foster entrepreneurial activity in the region through the use of technology.

The year 2017 saw some key achievements relevant to those SP objectives.
There was a notable overall improvement in student satisfaction (85%) in the standard of ICT services at the University, made possible by infrastructure upgrades, the introduction of new technologies to improve the learning experience, and the implementation of the USP Bandwidth Management Policy.

BANDWIDTH MANAGEMENT POLICY ICT resources at the University are primarily provided to support learning and teaching.
USP recognises that ICT resources are also very helpful for communication, and that many students and staff use these for relaxation and recreation, with many enjoying YouTube and social media.

Unfortunately, the use of bandwidth for non-academic purposes has begun to negatively impact the experience of users who require USPNet for their studies and research.
To address this situation, and to ensure that ICT resources are primarily used for teaching and learning, a Bandwidth Management Policy was introduced and approved by the Senate in 2017, which restricted Facebook and YouTube during the University peak periods.

This resulted in signiﬁcant availability of bandwidth for learning and teaching purposes.
Following the Windows Active Directory (AD) environment upgrade, which is planned for 2018, the University will explore ways to efﬁciently and appropriately implement usage restrictions, most likely based on functionality of users within the University.

IT INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES Signiﬁcant improvements, such as USPNet, submarine 58 2017 | USP Annual Report ﬁbre cable, and the Uniﬁed Telecommunication Voice Over IP Project, were made or commenced to USP’s IT infrastructure.
the development of USPNet Upgrade The current USPNet satellite system is the University’s communications system and teaching and learning modality, which is in its extended phase of life.

The system therefore needs to be upgraded to safeguard the University’s smooth operations.

The two-pronged USPNet Upgrade Project, which will both improve infrastructure at the regional campuses and refurbish the Hub at the Laucala Campus commenced.
This also includes the re-design and restructuring of the entire USPNet network to improve cost-effectiveness and efﬁciency.

The upgrade of infrastructure at the regional campuses and the refurbishment of the Hub at the Laucala Campus are being funded by a grant from the Government of New Zealand.

The Grant Funding Arrangement, worth NZD 5.68 million between the New Zealand Government and the University, was signed on 5 June.

This project has already commenced.


The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had also commissioned a Technical Survey for a detailed technical study of USPNet infrastructure that could be used to inform the development of a new USPNet hub.

The initial survey work was conducted in July and August and the way forward will be discussed further in 2018.

While the New Zealand and JICA projects both deal with USPNet upgrade, the 2 projects are being implemented separately.
JICA is primarily looking at putting a new Hub at Laucala Campus and a second Hub at Alafua Campus in Samoa.

These projects will ensure the overall compatibility of the technical solutions that will transform USP’s ICT infrastructure and services.

Submarine Fibre Cable Satellite technology has been USP’s original choice to connect its member countries, which provides the ability to cover the vast expanse of the Paciﬁc Ocean and connect isolated and terrain-challenged sites.
However, the newer technology of submarine ﬁbre cables is an even better option for USP where available.

In recent years, the University has acquired submarine ﬁbre-optic cable connectivity from countries that have been able to invest in it.

Submarine ﬁbre-optic cable links were established to Campuses in Tonga, Marshall Islands and, more recently in Vanuatu.
The capacity of ﬁbre links brought online in 2017 from the Campuses in Tonga, Marshall Islands and Vanuatu to the Laucala Campus was 100 Mbps, 100 Mbps and 50 Mbps, respectively.
Using these new ﬁbre links, the University has been able to route all intranet trafﬁc to its Data Centres that are transmitted through secured Virtual Private Network (VPN) tunnels while all internet access is transmitted directly to the respective campus’ Internet Service Providers (ISP), ensuring the efﬁcient use of our current AARNet link.

As such, the above links have greatly improved access to online learning and teaching services.
ICT HARDWARE AND ACCESSIBILITY ITS supports 110 computer labs throughout the 12 campuses of the University.

Those labs house a total of around 2,200 computers, in addition to security cables and cameras, whiteboards, desks, and data projectors.

As there are approximately 30,000 students, the student access ratio is around 12 students to a computer.
Students are also allowed to bring their own devices (laptop, tablet, phone) on campus and we have provided Wi-Fi access (all main campuses) allowing them to access USP network.

They can also access Moodle, email, internet and other information by using certain types of relevant software or USP’s apps for their studies and research.
The University also supported approximately 1,500 staff computers and provides technical support such as issues related to email, internet, printing services and others depending on their needs.

It also ensures that their computer is always working.

The development of ICT at the regional campuses is a high priority.

In June, USP assisted the Marshall Islands Campus with its IT infrastructure.
The University also worked with Nauru Campus as it carried out preparatory work for its new campus, which will be opened at May 2018 USP Council Meeting.

The new satellite dish in Nauru is being funded by the New Zealand Grant for the USPNet Infrastructure project.

The University also provided input to ongoing work on the Solomon Islands Campus.

OPEN SOURCE SOFTWARE USP is committed to facilitating the utilisation of Open Source Software.
In 2017, the University compiled a complete catalogue of all Open Source Software used by the University.

The University’s Communication Information Technology Committee (CITC) works to scrutinise the use of software and considers options for the use of Open Source Software.

It will implement a system wherein all prospective software purchasers consider the Open Source solution ﬁrst before making a purchase.
The introduction of Open Source Software will be carefully planned so that service disruptions do not occur.

CITC also assessed whether selected Open Source solutions are suitable for use on the large scale required by the University.

In 2018, the University will continue updating this catalogue.
ICT AT THE REGIONAL CAMPUSES Assistance to Tonga The University, at the request from the Government of Tonga discussed how USP can assist with the improvement of both the education system and school data network in Tonga.

Following several meetings with stakeholder ministries, a presentation was made to the Cabinet.
This was successful, and the Government of Tonga has approved the University’s proposal to allocate some dedicated bandwidth for Government usage, with a particular focus on e-Education and e-Health.

Network Access Control (NAC) and Wide Area Application Services (WAAS) Deployment USP completed the deployment of NAC to Solomon Islands, Kiribati, and Marshall Islands in 2017 which completes 7 Campuses (Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Labasa, and Lautoka) with NAC.
USP also upgraded WAAS Optimisation systems in Vanuatu and deployed WAAS Optimisation systems in Lautoka, Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau-Atafu, this brings a total of 8 Campuses (Cook Islands, Lautoka, Kiribati, Niue, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Samoa, and Tokelau-Atafu) with WAAS.
WAAS Optimisation allows information to be stored locally, therefore if anyone wants to access that information, they do not need to access it from internet, it will be provided from the information already stored in the WAAS Optimisation.

The deployment of NAC signiﬁcantly improved the level of secure access to the University’s network.

The deployment of WAAS Optimisation systems to regional campuses maximised the efﬁciency of data ﬂow, particularly on the University’s Wide Area Network (WAN).
As a result, the performance and speed of access to critical applications and information has improved.

AUTOMATION, BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE, AND ENTREPRENEURIALISM SMT resolved that the full re-engineering of USP business processes and data issues with Banner should be resolved with priority before any new investment is made in software or platforms.

In 2017, the University increased report development using Cognos (Business Intelligence and Performance Management software) to generate analytical reports.
There are plans to partner with Finance section and Ellucian in 2018 to develop a USP Multi-Currency Solution.

It will also be important for ITS to work with Student Administrative Services (SAS) to re-engineer the business process and makes its services more automated and student-oriented.
MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 USP will focus on achieving excellence in network and bandwidth management, make available Business Intelligence and Enterprise Reporting Services, and further improve student satisfaction rates from that of 2017, which was 85%.

2017 | USP Annual Report 59 The USPNet infrastructure will be improved through the New Zealand-funded USPNet Infrastructure Upgrade Project, the success of which is extremely important for USP in its 50th Anniversary year.
The University will also explore opportunities that will further improve the efﬁcient performance of its Internet Gateway.

Currently, AARNet is the University’s main gateway for all internet trafﬁc on Commodity and Research, as well as Education.

The University will undertake a project related to USP’s connection to the Fiji Internet Exchange Point (IXP).

This project will see local internet trafﬁc routed internally within Fiji, thereby improving routing efﬁciency and fault tolerance.
Further to this, the University will also explore alternative link options with University of Hawaii to improve efﬁciency.

The Uniﬁed Telecommunication Voice over IP Project is one of the major projects planned for 2018.

The successful implementation of this project will enhance the Laucala Campus’ Main Telephony services, which are already 10 years old.

This Project will also signiﬁcantly improve the quality of voice communication and new features (such as data capture) at the regional campuses.
As telecommunication evolves, Private Automatic Board Exchange (PABX), which provides telephony services has changed and the new telecommunication technology has more features for both voice and data.

The year 2018 has been earmarked for the Alafua Campus to connect to the TUI Samoa Submarine Cable.

The University is working closely with the Government of Samoa to connect the Alafua Campus before the start of Semester 2, 2018.
In terms of reporting, the focus will be to improve the number of reports generated using Cognos against Banner Operational Data Store (ODS) and Banner Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), with particular attention to Finance, Human Resources and SAS reports.

It will also support relevant sections to develop strategies that will improve student learning outcomes and will further explore the use of mobile technology as a learning tool.
Presentation at the Japan-Paciﬁc ICT Centre Video Conference facility 60 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 | USP Annual Report 61 The regional campuses demonstrate USP’s Paciﬁc regional character and ensure that all members of the University community are aware of their shared Paciﬁc Island identity.
They play a crucial role in delivering the University’s SP 2013-2018 objectives in the region and foster close relations with member governments and local stakeholders.

The growth and development of the regional campuses have been an important pursuit for the past several years, and 2017 saw major progress in this regard.
The implementation of the recommendations from the Review of the Administration, Management, and Governance of the Regional Campuses made good progress, and all recommendations should be implemented by late 2018.

Signiﬁcant investments in regional campus development has actually exceeded SP targets.

The Marshall Islands Campus was opened in May as one of the highlights of the 84th USP Council Meeting.
The groundbreaking for the new Solomon Islands Campus took place in August, the Nauru Campus is near completion, the Concept Plans for the Tonga Campus have been ﬁnalised, land has been secured from the Tuvalu Government for a larger campus, and other campuses have been upgraded and renovated.
The increased enrolment at the regional campuses in 2017 indicates that the investment in technology, learning spaces, and staff has paid dividends and is appreciated by prospective students and those who invest in their education.

The regional campuses are just one way that USP delivers on its mission to provide education, training, and research for the Paciﬁc Islands.
USP also sees its extensive engagement in the region via the Council of Regional Organisations of the Paciﬁc (CROP) mechanism and with the Paciﬁc Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS), Paciﬁc Community (SPC), Secretariat of the Paciﬁc Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and others as essential services to member countries.

Enhanced regional and community engagement is a key pillar of the University’s transformation.
REGIONAL CAMPUS GROWTH The regional campuses continued to attract increasing numbers of students, despite increased competition from national institutions and other tertiary providers.

In 2017, the equivalent of full-time students (EFTS) registered at the regional campuses reached 7,142, a 10% increase from the 6,520 that were registered in 2016.

USP awarded 4,256 qualiﬁcations in 2017 and, of this number, 1,278 graduated from the regional campuses.
Two (2) of 2017’s Gold Medalists (students with the highest GPAs in their respective ﬁelds of study) were Alafua Campus students.

The variety of quality programmes and the number of courses accessible to students at the regional campuses contributed 62 2017 | USP Annual Report positively to the favourable trend in enrolment.
Self- funded cohort programmes, such as STAP, Paciﬁc TAFE programmes, MBA programmes, Certiﬁcate in Law and other Flexi-School courses, Paciﬁc Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development (PaCE-SD) Community Outreach Programmes, and Institute of Education (IOE) Leadership Programmes, all of which are designed and delivered to respond to member country needs, attracted a great deal of interest.
Student Learning Support (SLS) Services at the regional campuses contributed to an increase in student retention, pass rates and completion rates in 2017.

Full-time SLS staff were added to 5 campuses, bringing the total number of regional campuses with SLS staff to 8.

Staff provided counselling to ﬁrst-year students and trialed the Your-Tutor programme, which makes extra help available 24/7.

That programme worked well for the few students who used it.
The lecture capture system and distribution of tablet computers also made academic programmes more accessible.

REGIONAL CAMPUS LEADERSHIP The leadership arrangements for the regional campuses were changed in 2017.

First, the Council approved the recruitment of 3 Pro Vice-Chancellor (PVC) positions for the Solomon Islands, Emalus, and Alafua Campuses.

These positions were advertised twice during 2017, with recruitment to be completed in early 2018.
All of the regional Campus Directors met twice during the year at Campus Directors’ Forums to share ideas and information on the practical implications of University policies on the regional campuses.

They also participated and contributed to the discussion on the development of the new SP.

REGIONAL CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT Improvements to the study environment and facilities at the regional campuses continued to be a development priority.
Signiﬁcant progress, as detailed below, was recorded in 2017: Cook Islands Campus The Cook Islands Campus renovated an unused space to create a postgraduate study space.

This space will be useful as demand for in-country postgraduate studies has increased, the Ministry of Education has expressed its intention to provide scholarships for Masters by Research programmes, and the Campus has 2 in-country PhD candidates who need a study area.
The Cook Islands Confucius Classroom was one of ﬁve Confucius Classrooms, out of 1,113, to receive the Confucius Classroom of the Year Award (in the Advanced Class category) at the 12th Global Confucius Institute Conference in Xi’an, China from 12-13 December.
Solomon Islands Campus The Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided USP with a loan of USD 15.4 million, guaranteed by the Solomon Islands Government, for the development of the new Solomon Islands Campus in Honiara, the construction of which is one of the University’s main priorities for 2018.

The ground breaking ceremony took place on 24 August, in the presence of Mr Takehiko Nakao, President of ADB and Honourable Manasseh Sogavare, Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.
In addition to the ADB Loan for the new Campus, a USD 1.5 million grant was provided by the ADB’s Clean Energy Financing Partnership Facility (CEFPF) for the construction of a Solar Panel Photovoltaic System, which will meet 75% of the energy needs of the Campus.

The Tender Bid Documents (TBDs) for the construction were ﬁnalised with assistance from USP’s Consultant, Kramer Ausenco (KA).
After ADB’s clearance was obtained, the tender process began, but after the Bid-Evaluation Report (BER), ADB ofﬁcially recommended that a re-bid be conducted, pursuant to some anomalies.

The rebidding process was initiated for the consultant to address the identiﬁed deﬁciencies in the TBDs.

The rebidding and commencing construction will be a major priority in 2018.
While the new Campus is being developed, the Ministry of Education has provided USP with a rental space in Honiara, to overcome space constraints at Lawson Tama Campus for which the University is most grateful.

Marshall Islands Campus The ﬁrst phase of the renovation works to the Long Island Hotel, purchased by the Marshall Islands Government with assistance from the Government of Taiwan, for USP’s new Marshall Islands Campus was completed in 2017.

The Campus was ofﬁcially opened in May.


Renovations to Buildings 2 and 3 of the new Campus will be carried out as Phase 2 of the project, which will be implemented when funding or development assistance is secured.

The new Campus is supporting growing USP enrolments and will cater for students who study under the Partnership Agreement between the RMI Public School System (PSS) and USP.

It also houses the headquarters of the Micronesian Centre for Sustainable Sea Transportation.
Nauru Campus The new Nauru Campus development commenced in August 2016 and is scheduled for completion in early 2018.

The ofﬁcial opening of the Campus is planned for May 2018 to coincide with the Meeting of the 86th USP Council in Nauru.

Tonga Campus The ﬁnal Master Plan for the Tonga Campus was developed and submitted to the Cabinet, through the Ministry of Education, for its consideration and the identiﬁcation of potential funding sources.
The Tonga Campus Science Lab was also renovated and equipped so that, for the ﬁrst time, students were able to undertake in-country full science programmes, including the Bachelor of Science (Marine Science), Bachelor of Science (Environmental Science), and Bachelor of Science from (Biology/Chemistry) Semester 1, 2017.

The upgraded science lab also enabled the replication of the STAP programme that was successfully delivered in Samoa.
face-to-face mode in the Kiribati Campus The impact of the new Campus has increased enrolments in Kiribati; EFTS numbered 880 in 2017, as compared to 591 in 2016.

The Campus offered a new cohort of the MBA programme, as well as the Bachelor of Education, Diploma in Accounting, Certiﬁcate in Early Childhood Education and Certiﬁcate in Project Management.

New classrooms were created on what was the open ground ﬂoor of the new building to cater for the increasing demand for study space.
Work is underway to upgrade other existing buildings at the Campus into suitable teaching and learning spaces.

The Campus was designed in such a way that it could be easily enlarged as needed.

More in-country programmes are planned for 2018 and beyond.

Tuvalu Campus The Government of Tuvalu conﬁrmed that it would make more land available for the Funafuti Campus.
Once the Concept Plan is approved, USP will discuss the funding of the expansion with the Government of Tuvalu and consultations will be held between the Campus and the Ministry of Education on an expanded academic focus for the Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute, to include vocational and trade certiﬁcate-level courses.

Emalus Campus The academic spaces at the Emalus Campus were improved and enhancements to staff and student accommodation were planned.
An audit of the residences was undertaken and the Scope of Work for renovations and repairs was prepared.

A major part of this exercise was OHS training to familiarise staff and students with the implementation of the new Disaster Management Plan and Policy.

The fencing work with ﬁnancing support from Government of Vanuatu commenced in 2017 and is expected to be completed by mid 2018.
The Energy Efﬁciency Committee, based at Laucala, assisted Emalus with the installation of energy saving lights that increased energy efﬁciency and improved safety and security.

2017 | USP Annual Report 63 REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT The University continued to play a vital role in the region through its participation in meetings of the Paciﬁc Islands Forum (PIF), Regional Ministers, CROP, and all the related Working Groups.
USP attended the 48th PIF Leaders Meeting in Apia, Samoa with the theme The Blue Paciﬁc: our sea of islands – our security through sustainable development, management and conservation.

USP and other CROP agencies briefed the Leaders and engaged in dialogue.

This opportunity to bring key issues and challenges to the Leaders’ notice and to impact their agenda was a valuable one.
The University briefed the Leaders on the regional ICT initiative and provided speciﬁc information on cybersecurity, making reference to both 2015 and 2016 speciﬁc decisions on the issues by Forum Leaders.

The progress that USP has made, through the strengthened CROP ICT Working Group, was positively noted.

PIF Leaders also discussed the Review of the 2012 CROP Charter, which was commissioned in October 2016 to strengthen CROP arrangements in support of the Framework for Paciﬁc Regionalism (FPR).
USP had provided input to that Review.

The University has committed itself to work through the relevant CROP mechanism to make contributions in the FPR; the new Regional SIS Strategy; the Framework for Resilient Development in the Paciﬁc; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and regional priorities identiﬁed by the Leaders and other regional and international agendas.

USP continues to chair the CROP Human Resource Development (HRD) and the CROP ICT Working Groups.
The HRD Working Group worked on the draft Regional Education Framework (REF), which should be presented to the Forum Education Ministers Meeting (FEdMM) in 2018.

It also discussed the agenda and work procedures for the FEdMM.

The CROP ICT Working Group made progress on the regional ICT initiative and priorities of the Paciﬁc Regional ICT Strategic Action Plan.
In addition to these engagement through various CROP mechanisms, visits to member countries by USP’s senior management supported the deepening of meaningful ties.

As USP’s representatives interact with members, they discover how the University can best assist them to address development challenges, the most urgent of which are Climate Change and Oceans.
Climate Change And Oceans USP supported its member countries at the United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (UN Ocean Conference), which was co-hosted by Fiji and 64 2017 | USP Annual Report Sweden and convened at the UN Headquarters in New York from 5-9 June.
USP also supported its members at the ﬁrst “Paciﬁc” Conference of Parties (COP), known as “COP 23”, which was led by Fiji and held in Bonn, Germany from 6-17 November.

For the UN Ocean Conference, USP and other CROP agencies supported the Paciﬁc delegations and hosted a number of side events.

The University’s engagement showcased examples of its leadership in innovation, research and capacity building in the region’s marine sector.
USP also explored how it might conduct more research and capacity building in ocean management.

USP provided technical, legal and scientiﬁc support to the Paciﬁc delegations during COP 23.

The support team from USP covered several negotiation tracks, including research and science, at the 45th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientiﬁc and Technological Advice (SBSTA 45).
USP assisted the Paciﬁc delegations in various negotiations, including the Global Stocktake, Finance, Capacity Building, and Nationally-Determined Adaptation, Mitigation Contributions.

A USP student was also notably one of ten journalists from the Paciﬁc that covered COP 23.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT USP’s PaCE-SD successfully completed 2 major community engagement projects in 2017, namely the EU-funded Global Climate Change Alliance (EU-GCCA) and the USAID-funded Coastal-Community Adaptation Projects (C-CAP).
The School of Engineering and Physics (SEP) also continued its programme of assistance to communities which, for several years, has been funded by the Government of France.

C-CAP implemented 68 projects, with 1 at the national level and 67 at the community level in 9 Paciﬁc Island Countries.

Through C-CAP interventions, community water supply infrastructure and increased storage capacity was increased by more than 2 million litres, which beneﬁtted just over 34,000 people across the Paciﬁc.
Interventions included complete rainwater catchment systems, water tanks, public water supply rehabilitation and support, evacuation centres, climate-proof health clinics, housing reinforcement, and ﬂooding protection.

The EU-GCCA Project developed and implemented Climate Action Plans in 59 communities in 15 Paciﬁc Africa, Caribbean, and Paciﬁc (ACP) countries in the Paciﬁc region.

The Project targeted water, coastal protection, Disaster Risk Management and food security and beneﬁted over 19,997 people.
Each country also established a Locally Managed Community Climate Action (LMCCA).

The project had a signiﬁcant impact, as it enhanced water security in communities through the installation of over 40 kilometres of reticulated water systems and 300 water tanks.

This provides over 1.5 million liters of water storage capacity.
Community-based Vulnerability Assessment Reports, Loss and Damage Assessment Reports, Spatial Risk Mapping and Climate Action Toolkits, and Best Practices Reports for community practitioners on Water Security, Food Security and Coastal Protection were produced.

These resources, which can be reused, were used to train 2,860 Community Climate Ambassadors.

SEP, backed by the French Embassy in Suva, continued its assistance to a number of communities in Fiji.
These isolated communities were equipped with solar-refrigeration systems, which help to generate income, improve food conservation methods, and support an enhanced livelihood.

A water desalination system was also installed in Yanuca Island.

The solar thermal plant is capable of producing about 200 liters of drinking water for the community which does not have any clean water resource besides rainwater harvesting.
A small solar PV system was installed at the local primary school to provide basic electricity services.

MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 The leadership and governance of the regional campuses will be further enhanced in 2018, by ensuring that all regional campuses will be led by full-time Pro Vice-Chancellors (Solomon Islands, Emalus and Alafua Campuses) and Campus Directors, respectively.
They will, in their dual roles as academics and administrators, work closely with stakeholders to create cohort-based programmes to meet the demands of labour market forces in each country.

Student Learning Support staff will be established at all regional campuses that do not already have them.

This will improve pass and retention rates by focusing on the ﬁrst-year experience, and will ensure that all students have access to counselling and have good ICT skills.
The completion of the Nauru Campus, the commencement of civil works of the Solomon Islands Campus, and further development of the Tuvalu and Tonga Campuses is planned for 2018.

Additional work at the campuses will be carried out as required by enrolments, with a view to ensuring an equitable learning experience for all students, regardless of their chosen campus.
The University will continue to support the Paciﬁc Island Leaders’ vision under the Framework for Paciﬁc Regionalism by participating in relevant regional and international meetings, assisting with the implementation of Leaders’ decisions, and providing technical advice on regional policy.

The University will demonstrate continued leadership on the regional ICT initiative and in Human Resource Development.

It will continue to work in the area of Climate Change and Oceans.
New areas for community engagement, and innovative and inclusive ways to work with diverse local communities, will be further explored.

CROP Heads and staff during the 42nd CROP Meeting at the Forum Fisheries Agency Headquarters 2017 | USP Annual Report 65 Our People 66 2017 | USP Annual Report USP’s staff members have worked tirelessly to create the excellent university that will celebrate 50 years of service to the region in 2018.
Those staff members are supported, from an institutional standpoint, by the Human Resources (HR) section.

This essential support team has, over the past several years, faced considerable challenges, and was not operating to the excellent standards that were expected, particularly given the institution-wide push to transform USP into a university that is outstanding in all respects.
Fortunately, the year 2017 brought much needed stability to the HR section and set the groundwork for a positive and productive future.

The year 2017 was very much devoted to capacity-building and was, essentially, a fresh start.

Once the leadership and organisation of the Section itself was sorted out, some notable strides were made in terms of performance.

NEW HR SECTION LEADERSHIP AND PRIORITIES HR section has long been identiﬁed as a risk and a challenge.
Leadership, both at Director and Manager levels, changed frequently, which was a source of great concern, as the University needed conﬁdent direction and expert human resources to successfully achieve the institutional transformation to which it aspires.

The high turnover of intermediate and junior staff also contributed to a loss of institutional knowledge.
This situation was stabilised by the appointment of an Interim Director of HR, on secondment from within the University from 1 June 2017. to produce The University management emphasised the importance of HR reform and re-engineering.

HR section staff worked diligently important evidence-based and benchmarked improvements to HR outcomes, in relation to quality, efﬁciency and effectiveness of service.
These improvements included: (1) enhancement of the capability of HR staff to meet existing and future needs through enhanced skills, consistency of systems and processes, and knowledge of policy and processes; (2) proactive engagement with, and support of, the client-base and other stakeholders; and (3) enhanced relationships, communication and alignment between HR and Finance sections.

The University ensured that all HR section staff were deeply familiar with HR Policies and Processes.
The capacity of staff to meet the needs of both the institution and other staff members was bolstered by meetings, workshops, and mentoring.

Staff were instructed to be more approachable, and to interact more with all levels of USP employees, to better anticipate needs and also provide faster resolution of issues.
All HR staff were instructed to interact more with the Finance section; as 2 of USP’s most important support teams, they must work seamlessly and efﬁciently to deliver the best outcomes in support of USP’s transformation to excellence.

The strengthened HR section identiﬁed speciﬁc areas and indicators of improvement, which were used to inform work plans with timelines and milestones.
A snapshot of USP’s staff cohort, who are the “clients” of HR section, is a reminder of the important task of the Section, which is to create, nurture, and satisfy the human resource base of the institution to achieve the University's strategic and operational goals.
Priority areas for the HR team include Employee/Labour Relations; Recruitment, Selection, On-Boarding, and Vacancy Management; Performance Management, Rewards and Beneﬁts; Human Resource Information Systems; Organisational Development; HR Services to Regional Campuses; and HR Policy Framework and Delegations.

USP STAFF COHORT The University employs approximately 1,500 staff, from 45 countries.
Academic staff have earned degrees from institutions all over the world, and bring new perspectives and diverse experiences to the classroom.

The University also deeply appreciates its alumni members of staff, including the Vice-Chancellor and President.

USP prides itself on having a highly-qualiﬁed and experienced work force, all of whom are committed to delivering value and the best possible educational experience to students.
As an institution, the University aims to ensure that its staff are clearly aware of the expectations of the University, feel appreciated and encouraged by offering favourable terms and conditions, a modern and comfortable work environment, many opportunities for advancement, and a positive and healthy atmosphere.

Approximately 370 new staff joined the University in 2017.

They included a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Directors, senior Academics and Professional staff.
Some of the many staff achievements of 2017 include the fact that almost 76% of academic staff have earned their Postgraduate Certiﬁcate in Tertiary Teaching (PGCTT), 52 staff were awarded external funding worth FJD 700,000 for research projects with educational institutions and businesses around the world.

Staff have provided research, policy advice, and negotiation support to USP’s member countries as well.
Staff Satisfaction The VOICE Staff Engagement Survey conducted in the third quarter of 2017 provided internal benchmarks.

The survey ﬁndings will be combined with the external benchmarks from the 2014 evaluation period and used to effectively strengthen staff engagement at USP, particularly at the School and section levels.

The survey results will be announced in early 2018.
2017 | USP Annual Report 67 All managers are asked to maintain clear and open communication with their subordinates and colleagues about the strategic direction of the University, the speciﬁc plans of SMT, and the decisions, including those taken in terms of labour relations that are made on an institutional level.

EMPLOYEE RELATIONS The Professional staff “Job Evaluation” negotiations on the delinking of Academic and Professional staff salaries were successfully concluded in 2017.
A Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Association of The University of the South Paciﬁc Staff (AUSPS) was signed which sets the new salary structure for Professional staff and implements the Job Evaluation exercise.

The new salary structure, including all necessary salary adjustments, brings the ﬁve-year exercise that delinked Professional and Academic staff to a close.

The University also signed a MOA with AUSPS to set a new salary structure for Teaching Assistants (TAs).
This saw the introduction of a new salary band for high-calibre TAs with Master’s qualiﬁcations and plans to progress to the PGCTT.

The agreement also raised the minimum qualiﬁcation requirements of Assistant Lecturers to a PhD, which was done to set and preserve high academic standards.

With the introduction of the new TA Band 2, 30% of our current TAs moved or began the transition to the higher salary bracket.
In addition, all University contract templates were reviewed to ensure that probation requirements were included as a core part of all new contracts.

A system was also established by HR through Banner for recording and monitoring the completion of all staff probation periods.

Reporting, reminders, and monitoring systems are now being built in order to monitor the actual compliance of probation procedures by Schools and departments.
The revision of the Staff Ordinance was conducted in partnership with the AUSPS and the Council and Senate Secretariate (CSS) before seeking legal advice to be presented to Council for approval.

At the May 2017 Council Meeting, the Council approved the Management’s proposal for offering ﬁve-year contract to Academic and Professional staff.
This enabled HR section to address a number of problematic and inconsistent areas in relation to staff contracts as well as move forward with the introduction of ﬁve-year contracts.

The new Ordinance will ensure standard and equitable terms and conditions for senior staff linked to performance criteria.

This will both create a more stable stafﬁng environment and enhance the University’s performance management systems.
RECRUITMENT AND ON-BOARDING HR introduced psychometric testing for all appointees prior to conﬁrmation of appointment.

This is a standard and scientiﬁc method used to measure individuals’ attitude, personality and behavioural styles, as well as ﬁt to both 68 2017 | USP Annual Report the role and the organisation.

Since this was introduced, applicants for 60 staff positions have been assessed and the results fed into the selection process.
The revitalisation of the on-boarding process also involved the introduction of enhanced information dissemination to potential staff on family support initiatives, such as housing options, school options for children, and living in the Paciﬁc.

A structured induction programme for all new staff was introduced and delivered once per semester (thus capturing the principal recruitment periods for the University).

While the programme was run by HR, it featured input from all sections of the University.
The intention was not only to provide information on University systems and processes but also to provide opportunities to build relationships with peers and develop “cultural competence”.

An evaluation of this programme indicated that 51 out of 70 staff believed that the University was both accommodative and highly interactive.
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT In 2017, the HR section, with the assistance of ITS and FSTE, carried out a major revision and overhaul of the University’s Performance Management Framework (iPerform) to facilitate a high-performing culture and a staff review process that is more closely aligned with SP objectives and Annual Plan achievements.
The Framework will be piloted in the ﬁrst quarter of 2018 and will include better and deeper integration of the Quality of Research (QoR) and Quality of Teaching (QoT) elements into staff assessments.

It will further align the Performance Management System to the Staff Review processes, rewards and recognition.

Data from the Probation System will also be integrated into the iPerform Framework to ensure effective performance management.
Staff Turnover The turnover rate of academic staff puts USP in the middle of the second quartile range of 8% to 10%, which is the average for benchmark partners that include Australian National University, Monash University, University of Sydney, and Victoria University of Wellington to name a few.

There are some differences in the turnover rate between senior academic staff compared to junior academics.
The turnover of Assistant Lecturers and Lecturers is well below the turnover rate of our benchmark partners.

In contrast, the turnover rate of Professors lies in the top range of the fourth quartile range of 14% to 17%, which indicates a higher turnover rate than that recorded by our benchmark partners.

Some of the factors which contribute to this is that there is a big gap between moving to the Paciﬁc from a more developed environment and the expectation of systems in the Paciﬁc.
With the strengthening of USP’s induction system and further reﬁning the job expectation of Professors which includes research output levels, it is envisaged this will provide the much needed support for a smooth transition into the role.

An online system will be developed to log issues, and the system is planned to be trialed from late March 2018.
HR Information Systems MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 HR section must have the systems and capacity to ensure baseline data and information are routinely collected and used for evidence-based decision-making and monitoring.

Position Control came into effect in the fourth quarter of 2017 to align staff hiring with the strategic needs and ﬁnancial resources of all campuses and to exercise effective ﬁnancial controls.
Position Control also adds a level of central review to ensure a strategic approach to workforce management, as all new and replacement staff positions required advance approval from the Vice-Chancellor and President.

A software-based Helpdesk system was implemented as this was one of the recommendation from EQUIBT Group who carried out the review on HR services.

This provides a single point of contact for staff members so that their questions can be answered and issues addressed much more rapidly.
The efﬁcient and fair management of complaints and grievances is critical to the development of a culture of transparency and fairness in the University.

An online Grievance Management System was developed in 2017 and will be implemented in 2018.

This will support a more rigorous approach, allowing more efﬁcient capture of data to enable regular reporting and analysis of complaints, their management and outcome.
In turn, this will feed into a cycle of evaluation and improvement, as well as enhancing accountability systems for those tasked with grievance management.

Policy Framework and Delegations A major review of University HR policies started in 2017 and is in progress.

The review is being undertaken in collaboration with the Policy Unit in the CSS, with a view to consolidation and addressing inconsistencies between our current policies.
While the work is ongoing, an internal review process has been established with a schedule and timelines.

As of at the end of 2017, there were 59 HR policies under review, with 8 policies already updated.

The programme will see the remaining policy reviews completed by the end of 2018.

A Whistleblowing Policy, approved at the November 2017 Meeting of the Council, will become effective as of 1 January 2018.
The policy will be available through the Policy Library and various roadshows are planned in 2018 jointly by HR and the Assurance and Compliance section.

The individual achievements of USP’s academic, professional, and support staff, outlined elsewhere in this Annual Report, promise an exciting future for the University.

Working together, USP’s staff have accomplished great things, and these will be celebrated at the many 50th Anniversary year functions.
HR section will seek to ensure that all USP staff understand that their efforts are deeply appreciated, and that all staff have contributed to making the University the success that it is today.

The year 2017 was a turning point for the HR section.

New leadership and the rebuilding of morale were essential pre-requisites to the Section functioning as per its remit.
It is expected that HR section will become much more productive and a great asset to the institution now that it has clear direction and ﬁrm plans for improvement.

Some exciting plans for 2018 include leadership and management development courses for middle managers, a key driving force at the University.

Extensive programme of skill-based workshops will continue to be delivered and enhanced through Paciﬁc TAFE.
In addition to professionalising its services and making progress against its performance indicators in the areas of recruitment, performance management, contractual matters and labour relations, HR information systems, regional campus development, and HR policy, the HR section will also provide dependable and insightful support to the Vice-Chancellor and President and the SMT as they consider the future growth of USP.
Most of the regional campuses' collective agreements came to an end in 2017 and due to the challenges HR section faced in 2017, it was unable to review and renew these agreements.

One of the main focus in 2018 will be to start the process of developing the new collective agreements and get most if not all renewed and signed-off.
The implementation of the VOICE Survey has ﬁrmly established the importance of an organisational work culture linked to USP Values and Staff Attributes, which has helped to strengthen cohesion and constructive goal- focused behaviours.

Major initiatives are planned for 2018 to create and implement a robust Action Plan to develop and enhance a high-performing and productive work environment.
These initiatives also intend to eliminate silos and promote consolidation and collaboration of efforts in the achievement of the SP objectives.
2017 | USP Annual Report 69 Leadership and Continuous Improvement 70 2017 | USP Annual Report USP is a large and diverse university responsible for delivering results to 12 member countries.
Although these members share a strong regional bond and many common priorities, the sheer scope of USP’s activities and its commitment to addressing the needs of all its members add a layer of complexity to its operations that necessitates strong governance, effective management, engaged leadership and continuous improvement.
The USP Council and its Committees, and the Senate and its Committees comprise a robust governance structure that supports responsible management and enables the University to deliver on this commitment.

The year 2017 was very important to the USP’s goals.

It marked the point at which most of the SP 2013-2018 should have been completed, it featured intensive planning for the 50th Anniversary Year of 2018, and included preliminary work on the new SP 2019-2024.
This took place at a time when funding from the major donors of Australia and New Zealand was being renegotiated and regional campus development was in full swing.

All staff were under considerable pressure to meet the ambitious KPIs that were designed to transform the institution, and to make progress in their core areas of work, and so the guidance and reassurance of USP’s most senior leadership was crucial for morale.
Some KPIs were met by the end of 2017, which was almost a year ahead of schedule, and most were on track to be exceeded by the end of the SP period.

Achievements in few areas lagged behind expectations, though this was not due to lack of effort, but to the very ambitious nature of the targets without assured funding.

th MEETING OF THE USP COUNCIL The 84th USP Council Meeting was held at the Marshall Islands Campus from 24-25 May 2017.
The opening of the new Marshall Islands Campus, the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Republic of Marshall Islands Government and USP on the Joint Education Programme, and the Marshall Islands Campus Graduation were part of the Council meeting.

The Council instituted 6 new Diploma and Certiﬁcate programmes, endorsed the 50th Anniversary Logo and Theme, approved the broad features of 50th Anniversary plans, and endorsed the process for the development of a new SP.
The Council further considered a submission of the USPSA Federal Body on issues such as internet connectivity, fees, and space congestion.

A 12m x 90m piece of land at the Laucala Campus was released to the Fiji Sports Council for the construction of the Oceania Regional Training Centre for Yachting.
The conversion of the Paciﬁc Islands Centre for Public Administration (PICPA) into a trading activity of the FBE was approved, and the Council extended the appointments of 4 of its members, including the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, for another 2 years.

The Council also set up 2 Joint Committees to oversee the appointments of the new Vice-Chancellor and President and the Vice-President (Planning, Quality and Digital Services).
The ﬁnal recommendations from the Joint Committees will be considered in May 2018 Council for decision.

USP Convention The Council also formally opened the signing of the USP Convention.

Eight (8) member countries, namely Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, Samoa, Marshall Islands, and Tokelau, signed the USP Convention during the Council meeting, with Samoa also ratifying it.

The remaining members were informed that the signing window would be open for a period of 24 months.
All legal representatives from member countries, who engaged with USP on this topic from November 2016-March 2017, conﬁrmed that the process of ratiﬁcation and enactment in their respective countries would be possible within the 24-month period from May 2017.

By the end of 2017, 11 of the 12 member countries of the University had signed the University Convention.

Niue is the only country yet to sign the Convention and expects to do so at the May 2018 Council.
Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Samoa, and Cook Islands have already ratiﬁed the USP Convention.

In addition, Nauru and Vanuatu Parliament gave approval for ratiﬁcation in December 2017.

85th MEETING OF THE USP COUNCIL The 85th Council met in Nadi from 24-25 October to receive progress updates and make key decisions on USP’s path forward.

The Council acknowledged the good progress made on the implementation SP and noted the progress on the development of a new SP.
The proposed Vision, Mission, Core Values, Priority Areas and Objectives for the SP 2019- 2024, developed through discussions over several months from May and at a “Visioning Workshop” in October, were accepted.

The Council directed SMT to progress the draft further, and agreed to hold a workshop prior to the May 2018 Council Meeting to renew and approve the additional elements of the new SP.
The Council approved the Annual Plan for 2018, with forecast total income of FJD 204.5 million, total expenditure of FJD 196.7 million, and an operating surplus of FJD 7.8 million.

The Council also approved the proposal for one- off additional contributions of FJD 3 million from member countries to fund the increased activity and key priorities during 2018.

Two (2) new Diploma programmes were instituted.


The Council received a comprehensive update on 50th Anniversary plans and launched the 50th Anniversary 2017 | USP Annual Report 71 website.

The Council also noted the appointment of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) as a joint venture partner for commercial developments at the Laucala Campus.
The USPSA Federal Body Report was considered, with its main issues being space congestion, connectivity, and the interest in opportunities for regional students to work part-time.

As part of the Council’s efforts to improve ﬁnancial management and oversight, the Whistleblowing and the Reporting and Investigating Fraud and Financial Irregularities Policies were approved.
In addition, the Council approved the appointment of Ms Aloma Johansson of Tonga as the Deputy Pro-Chancellor and Deputy Chair of the USP Council.

Ms Johansson is also the Chair of the Finance and Investments Committee (FIC).

COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL Finance and Investments Committee (FIC) FIC met 4 times during 2017 to consider key ﬁnancial governance and management related activities.
In these meetings the Committee approved the Audited Financial Statements of the University for the half year ended 30 June 2017 and considered the Proposed 2018 Annual Plan.

The Committee also monitored the University’s actual ﬁnancial performance against the approved budget and reviewed the borrowing commitments of the University from 2017 to 2026.

The University exceeded its ﬁnancial performance targets during the year.
It also achieved its savings target of FJD 2.5 million planned during the year as part of its commitment in the SP to reallocate resources.

These savings are now institutionalised and part of the normal operating budget of the University going forward.

The University will continue to consider various models of operations to ensure it is efﬁcient and sustainable in the provision of learning and teaching.
While 2017 saw more of a focus than ever on the need to generate income at the University, identify areas of potential cost-savings, and tap into alumni as a source of income, this area still needs work, which will be guided by the Council and operationalised by the Vice-Chancellor and President.

The past few years have seen an increase in income generation, and it is imperative that all sections consider how they can harness their potential to earn revenue to offset their expenditures.
While not all areas of the University have technical expertise that can be hired out, sections can work together to come up with creative solutions.

It is important that USP becomes more ﬁnancially sustainable.
Financial backing from aid agencies and foreign governments remains a main source of funding for the University; USP in its pursuit of excellence, will continue in its efforts to guarantee its long-term sustainability to member countries, through well managed ﬁnancial systems and the ability to provide 72 2017 | USP Annual Report an enabling environment where learning and teaching is optimised.
Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) The Audit and Risk Committee (ARC) is responsible for the maintenance of the internal and management controls of the University and also the maintenance and monitoring of the Risk Management of the University.
In carrying out its responsibilities the Committee works closely with the independent internal and external auditors and also with the Assurance and Compliance section of the University that is responsible for developing the University’s risk management and compliance frameworks.

During 2017, ARC met a total of 8 times.


It discussed 7 internal audit reports from KPMG on the following: Emalus Campus Report; Book Centre Report; Information Technology Systems Report; Integrity of Financial Systems – Revenue and Receivables Report; Procurement and Tender Cycle Report; Sick Leave Management, Credit Card Usage and Low Value Purchase Order Report; and Payroll Cycle Report.
In addition, the Committee reviewed the ﬁnancial statements of the University for the year ended 31 December 2016 before forwarding the report to the FIC for ﬁnal endorsement.

ARC approved the award for the internal and external auditors of the University for 2018-2020.

The Policy on Reporting and Investigating Fraud and Financial Irregularities and the Policy on Whistleblowing were ﬁnalised and presented for approval at the 85th Meeting of the Council.
ARC also participated at the Risk Focus Workshop of the University held in November.

Regular review and monitoring process is in place to further strengthen the Risk Register to minimise the exposed risks of the University.

PLANNING FOR THE 50th ANNIVERSARY YEAR The 50th Anniversary Steering Committee (ASC) formally commenced its work at the beginning of 2017.

A logo and theme was endorsed at the 84th Council Meeting and the 50th Anniversary website was launched at the 85th Council Meeting.
The 3 key objectives for the 50th Anniversary are celebrating the accomplishments of the past, showcasing what USP has become today, and to develop and strengthen partnerships to help take the University into the future.

The calendar planned for 2018 includes 50 exciting celebratory events.

Each campus will have its “Moment to Shine”, during which they will celebrate the achievements of their campus alumni and highlight the research that has been undertaken over the past 5 decades.
A comprehensive Arts and Culture Programme will be part of the ofﬁcial launch, which will also see the placement of a time capsule, the unveiling of a plaque to commemorate the 5 Squadron of RNZAF, and launch of the Souvenir Book.

Other signiﬁcant events will be a major International Conference on Climate Change and Oceans planned for December, and the Vice-Chancellor’s Closing Dinner.
There will also be monthly research seminars and a Research Week that will focus attention on the impact of USP’s research in the region.

Fundraising for all of these celebrations and festivities commenced in 2017, with a multi-pronged approach being made to member countries, donors, and corporates.

It is intended that corporate relationships resulting from the 50th Anniversary will be developed and continued beyond 2018.
LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT USP’s 24th Chancellor The 24th Chancellor of the University, the President of Fiji, H.E.

Major General (Ret’d) Jioji Konusi Konrote was appointed to serve from 1 July 2017 for a term of 1 year.

H.E.

Konrote was formally installed during USP’s Laucala graduation ceremony on 22 September.

Prior to this, Honourable Henry Puna, Prime Minister of Cook Islands was the Chancellor.

The Chancellor is the titular head of USP, who confers the qualiﬁcations of the University.
Management Changes Management changes were made in 2017 that affect USP’s operations.

These were not changes in personnel, but changes in the way that various sections of USP operate.

SMT positions for Dean of FBE, and Vice-President Administration (VPA) were still vacant in 2017.

The Head of School of Accounting and Finance acted as Dean FBE whilst 3 SMT and a Director continued to efﬁciently implement the responsibilities under the VPA portfolio in 2017.
The responsibilities of the VPA were re-structured and position was advertised as Vice-President (Planning, Quality and Digital Services).

The later part of 2017, Director Paciﬁc TAFE position was elevated to the position of Executive Director and became part of SMT.

Funding for PICPA project from Australia ceased in June but as per the decision of the Council, the capacity building and advisory services responsibilities of PICPA to the Public Services of the Paciﬁc region became part of FBE.
Another Australian funded project, Paciﬁc Islands Legal Information Institute (PacLII) became an Institute of the University.

The project ended in June 2016 but Australia provided AUD 500,000 for the transition of the project to an Institute until 30 June 2018.

The Government of Vanuatu committed VUV 22 million toward the continuation of the PacLII, which is based at the Emalus Campus in Vanuatu and provided their ﬁrst instalment of VUV 5 million in September.
The University also signed a MOU in September with the Supreme and National Courts of Justice of PNG to support PacLII by providing recurrent annual funding of AUD 150,000.

COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS The objective of Commercial Operations is to generate income and thus contribute to the ﬁnancial and resilience, and sustainability of the University.
Commercial Operations include USP Book Shop; Computer Shop; Staff Residences; USP Lodges (comprising Waqavuka Flats for international student accommodation, Marine Lodge, and Upper Lodge); and the leased-out properties (including Statham Campus buildings, Marine Sea Point Bistro, former USP Dining Hall premises, the Southern Cross café and Coffee Central café, and a convenience store), all of which are located at the Laucala Campus.
Furthermore, the Student Halls of Residence; Community Recreation Centre (including the gymnasium, swimming pool, and other sports facilities); and student lockers are also part of Commercial Operations.

The Commercial Operations section earned total revenue of FJD 11,157,049 in 2017, as compared to FJD 14,925,846 in 2016.

A net surplus of FJD 3,594,051 was recorded compared to FJD 4,349,242 in 2016.
The Book Centre generated deﬁcit of FJD 582,689 below the annual budget due to decrease in the sale of course materials and books.

Computer Shop made savings in personnel and non-personnel expenses and this was offset by decrease in computer sales income.

Residential Halls for Laucala Campus achieved a surplus of FJD 2 million due to timing difference of maintenance works.
Accommodation The Residential Halls at Laucala continued to maintain full (100%) occupancy of 31 student Married Quarters (MQ) and 1,030 beds in single and dual occupancy rooms.

During the year, 48 beds were added as part of the 11th Hall, thus increasing number of beds to 1,061.

The new 11th Hall addition comprises single rooms, which cost FJD 2,475 per semester.
Marshall Islands Campus also added 8 standard, 4 deluxe and 1 suite in the new Campus for visitors, which are available at a cost of USD 60, USD 90 and USD 120 per night, respectively.

In Alafua, there are 50 single, 18 double and 4 married quarters, costing WST 2,100, WST 1,400 and WST 3,000 per semester, respectively.

In Vanuatu, we have 138 single and 12 married quarters, costing VUV 1,042.50 and VUV 1,545 per night.

A major residence hall project, known as the 12th Hall was also initiated in 2017.
The 12th Hall project is expected to add 400 beds in mixed categories, including single, twin, married and higher end rooms.

The construction is expected to begin in late 2018.

Fitness Centre and Community Recreation Centre The Fitness Centre had a successful year that saw a substantial increase in membership to 5,720 members compared to 4,787 in 2016.

External members were 900 whilst internal members were 3,920, compared to 1,538 and 3,249 for 2016 respectively.
The total income derived from 2017 | USP Annual Report 73 Fitness Centre and Community Recreation Centre (CRC) operations was FJD 859,374 compared to FJD 709,428 for 2016.

Book Centre and Computer Shop The consolidated income for the Book Centre and Computer Shop as at 31 December 2017 stood at FJD 5,212,353 compared to FJD 8,424,234 in 2016.

This decrease in income was mainly due to more sales through online of text materials by publishers and due to loss of contracts to sell computers to USP.
The Bookshop has managed to reduce the impact on proﬁts by downsising staff and controlling expenses.

The year-end ﬁnancials posted a net proﬁt of FJD 0.9 million, as compared to FJD 2.1 million for 2016.

Decline in net proﬁts includes the new 10% levy now paid to USP as royalty fees.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT By all accounts, USP continues to grow and improve on its results, year after year.
USP’s growth trajectory was maintained in 2017, with a record high number of enrolments and accreditations, as well as a high number of publications.

By the end of the year, USP had 26 programmes that are internationally accredited and 10 that are recognised.

Together with programme accreditations, USP is also embarking on institutional accreditation through WSCUC.

Enrolment in 2017 reached 29,918 students.


The University had also exceeded its target for the number of ranked publications and A and A* publications.

One of the outstanding achievements of the University in recent years has been that it has registered 5 innovation patents with the Australian Patent Ofﬁce.

Three (3) of these were obtained in 2017, while 2 others were registered in 2016.
The successful development and registration of these innovation patents mark an unprecedented maturing of our research and development efforts and plans.

This is a good example of a measure for the University’s continuous improvement.

The University over the years has been systematically gathering feedback from stakeholders and in particular from students as well as employers and make assessments on their satisfaction and perception of quality.
The University recognises the importance of evidence-based decision making that are based on information gathered from institutional surveys that it administers such as Total Experience Survey, Graduate Destination Survey and Student Evaluation of Courses.

These surveys have enabled the University to improve services and student experience.

USP continues to expand its online courses and programmes and upgrade and equip its campuses and facilities throughout the region.
A number of transformative initiatives that should fundamentally change the nature of learning, the use of new pedagogies, and increase accessibility for our regional 74 2017 | USP Annual Report students dramatically were initiated in 2017.

These initiatives involve a general move towards a mobile learning platform, the distribution of tablet free of charge to all new ﬁrst-year degree students who pay their fees, and lecture capture system.
All student support measures that are available at Laucala Campus are being made available throughout the regional campuses.

The University will continue to improve equity across its operations.

In order for the University to build on these achievements, it must continue to use strategic planning to identify priorities and the activities that are required to achieve its goals.
While member country contributions form an integral part of the University’s budget, it must also generate its own income and continue to secure favourable agreements with key development partners in order to have access to the funds required to maintain its continuous improvement.

The year 2017 saw important discussions with Australia and New Zealand on the future of those development partnerships.
Both Australia and New Zealand gave positive indications as to their probable funding of the SP 2019-2024 and were supportive of the timeline for the development of the new Partnership Arrangement.

New Zealand’s support to the USPNet project worth NZD 5.68 million makes it the ﬁrst amongst USP’s development partners to conﬁrm its contributions to mark the University’s 50th Anniversary in 2018.
Progress was also made in 2017 in terms of development the 11th European assistance programming under Development Fund (EDF 11) Paciﬁc Regional Indicative Programme (PRIP).

There may also be assistance forthcoming from JICA on the funding of new Hub at Laucala and a second Hub in Samoa as part of upgrade of USPNet.
A Renewable Energy proposal that was submitted to ADB for greening of USP’s Campuses, including Laucala, Emalus, Alafua, Tonga, Kiribati and the Marshall Islands, was and is still, being discussed to ascertain the levels and combination of grants, soft loans, and funding from external parties.

This project is worth approximately USD 24.73 million.

Assistance from the People’s Republic China to USP in the form of the Confucius Institute has been greatly appreciated for the past several years.
The ground-breaking ceremony of the model Confucius Institute-USP (CI-USP) project at the Laucala Campus was held in October.

CI-USP won a competition among all the Confucius Institutes in the world to be supported to become a Model Confucius Institute with a grant of USD 1.77 million.

USP increased its activities in 2017, laying the groundwork for USP’s alumni to engage with the University meaningfully in the 50th Anniversary Year of 2018.
All USP alumni records prior to 1992 were digitised, which means that the University now has ready access to detailed information on USP alumni.

Electronic newsletters were published on a quarterly basis throughout the year, enabling alumni to keep in touch with the latest news, their classmates, and alumni from other graduation years.

Social media reach was also increased.

A group of alumni gathered in Tuvalu twice in March, and successfully formed the USP Alumni Network (USPAN) Tuvalu Group.
The Alumni Champion in Wellington organised meetings on 17 March and 7 April to discuss the possibility of making the Wellington Group more active.

An Alumni Tracer Survey was run which had 462 respondents.

This resulted in the Alumni unit obtaining about 300 new contact details in addition to drawing the conclusion that alumni value programmes of USP; are willing to recommend USP to others; and engage with the University in volunteering their time.
The Alumni unit also worked closely with the 50th ASC in 2017 to ensure that alumni have a prominent role in the 2018 celebrations.

Records indicate a total of 43,642 individual alumni, and 64,632 awards (or qualiﬁcations) at the end of 2017.
This Annual Report, in its entirety, illustrates USP’s strong focus on continuous improvement whether it be through implementation of new approaches to challenges; increasing regional relevance, or the sustainable social, economic, and environmental impacts of USP’s activities.

MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 The year 2018 marks a signiﬁcant milestone for the region, as USP celebrates 50 years of providing higher education and research to the Paciﬁc Islands.
The Council, together with SMT and the 50th ASC, has planned numerous events, publications, and activities that will take place throughout the year.

This will all be taking place while the University continues to deliver ﬁrst-rate education, research, and policy advice to member countries.
It will indeed be a very busy time, with main priorities for all USP community members being; (1) delivery of outstanding teaching, support, research, and assistance to students, member countries, and key stakeholders; (2) contribution to and participation in 50th Anniversary activities throughout the year; (3) wrapping up of the 2013-2018 SP activities and deliverables, as well as reﬂection on its results; and (4) input to the development of a new 2019-2024 SP and related implementation and work plans.
It is imperative that the current SP is brought to a conclusion in a successful manner, with all Priority Areas recording a high degree of achievements.

There will be many opportunities for USP’s governing bodies, management and staff to reﬂect on their contributions to SP implementation, and to consider the extent to which USP has achieved its stated goal of transformation and excellence across its operations.
It is also anticipated that the University Convention will be signed by the remaining member country Niue and 6 or more ratiﬁcations will be deposited with Fiji Government that will enable the Convention to come into force by mid- 2018.
Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council, and Vice-Chancellor & President with Education Ministers following the signing of the USP Convention 2017 | USP Annual Report 75 Quality Matters 76 2017 | USP Annual Report The University is delivering on its mission to provide its member countries with education that meets or exceeds the standards of its comparator universities globally.
To exemplify this claim, USP has attained international accreditations in a number of programmes and courses, and is very proud that Paciﬁc Island students are able to access high-quality and accredited university education.

The University continues to drive the delivery of its core business on a student centred approach that ensures student learning and success.
To demonstrate its commitment to high standards of quality, the University has directed resources to provide more learning support, pastoral care, varied extra–curricular activities, modern facilities and access to the latest technology and enhanced learning experiences.

REGIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSIONS The University ensures that it maintains its professional relationships with regional countries that have established national regulators of higher education.
Engagement revolve around the recognition and registration of the University and its programmes in the countries.

In 2017, the Vanuatu Qualiﬁcations Authority (VQA) approved the registration of the University to be a higher education provider in Vanuatu for 5 years until 2022.

For the registration process, VQA considered and accepted the report and decision of the Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC) on USP registration.
The University renewed its registration with Samoa Qualiﬁcations Authority (SQA) for another year in April.

SQA commenced communication with USP regarding the accreditation of programmes offered by the School of Agriculture and Food Technology (SAFT) located in the Alafua Campus.

Once accredited, the programmes will be registered on the Samoa Qualiﬁcations Framework (SQF).

In December, a workshop facilitated by SQA at the Alafua Campus explained the programme accreditation process.
FHEC conducted a consultation process at USP in July for the University staff to familiarise with the process of recording of qualiﬁcations for levels 7 – 10 on the Fiji Qualiﬁcations Framework (FQF).

In accordance with Section 15 (3) of the Higher Education (Qualiﬁcations) Regulations 2010, the objective of the exercise is to ‘record qualiﬁcations’ of institutions established under their own Act or Charter.
The process to record programmes information and to register these on the FQF is in recognition of the internal quality assurance process of the University given its status as a self- accrediting institution (SAI).
ACCREDITATION WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) In 2017, the University made considerable progress in its pursuit of institutional-level accreditation from the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which is a US-based, not-for-proﬁt NGO that provides institutional accreditation for US senior colleges and universities, and selected outside universities.
While accreditation with this organisation is the end-goal for the University, as this will boost USP’s global reputation, assist alumni in securing employment, and make it easier for US citizens seeking ﬁnancial assistance to attend USP, the journey through the accreditation process itself is a valuable opportunity.

The WSCUC accreditation process has supported continuous improvement at the University.
In terms of speciﬁc progress, the University conducted a Mock Seeking Accreditation Visit (SAV1) in November 2017 to reﬁne and enhance preparations for the actual SAV1.

The Mock Accreditation Panel was positive about the University and made a number of recommendations.
Following the Mock visit, the University revised the Institutional Report, which will be formally submitted in late January 2018. International Programme Accreditation One of the initiatives of the current SP is to achieve international accreditation of programmes.
During 2017, the University attained 7 international accreditations and 5 international recognitions for programmes: • Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Education and Care) and Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care received accreditation from Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA); • Bachelor of Arts (Social Work) and Diploma of Counselling received accreditation from Australian Community Workers Association (ACWA); • Diploma of Library and Information Services received accreditation from Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA); • Certiﬁcate IV in Commercial Cookery and Certiﬁcate III in Patisserie received accreditation from International Centre of Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education (THE-ICE); • Diploma in Accounting (Level 5), Certiﬁcate IV in Accounting, Diploma in Ofﬁce Management (Level 5) and Certiﬁcate IV in Ofﬁce Management received recognition from Skills International New Zealand; and 2017 | USP Annual Report 77 • Certiﬁcate III in Small Business Development and from Small Management received recognition Business Association of Australia (SBAA).
on the University quality assurance system as a result of taking actions to address the 30 Recommendations and 7 Afﬁrmations of the audit report.

The University currently has a total of 26 internationally accredited and 10 internationally recognised programmes.

Fiji Higher Education Commission (FHEC) Accreditation Achieving accreditation of programmes is an evidence of meeting quality criteria stipulated by agencies.

FHEC accredits programmes below level 7 on the FQF.
In 2017, University’s Paciﬁc TAFE attained FHEC accreditation for the following programmes, (1) Diploma in Human Resource Management (Level 5); (2) Certiﬁcate IV in Commercial Cookery; (3) Certiﬁcate IV in Fisheries Enforcement and Compliance; (4) Certiﬁcate IV in Library/Information Studies; (5) Certiﬁcate IV in Training Assessment and Evaluation; and (6) Certiﬁcate IV in Early Childhood Education and Care.
Altogether, Paciﬁc TAFE has 16 FHEC accredited programmes that have accreditation validity of 5 years.

Paciﬁc Register of Qualiﬁcations and Standards (PRQS) A programme that has been accredited by an agency both at national and international level can be registered on the Paciﬁc Register of Qualiﬁcations and Standards (PRQS).
The following 16 Paciﬁc TAFE programmes were registered on PRQS in 2017, (1) Diploma in IT-Support (Level 5); (2) Certiﬁcate IV in IT (Support); (3) Diploma in Ofﬁce Management (Level 5); (4) Certiﬁcate IV in Ofﬁce Management; (5) Certiﬁcate IV in Human Resources Management; (6) Certiﬁcate IV in Project Management Practice; (7) Certiﬁcate III in Commercial Cookery; (8) Certiﬁcate IV in Hospitality Operations; (9) Diploma in Accounting (Level 5); (10) Certiﬁcate IV in Accounting; (11) Certiﬁcate IV in Library and Information Studies; (12) Certiﬁcate IV in Commercial Cookery; (13) Certiﬁcate IV in Fisheries Enforcement and Compliance; (14) Diploma of Human Resources Management (Level 5); (15) Certiﬁcate IV in Training Assessment and Evaluation; and (16) Certiﬁcate IV in Early Childhood Education and Care.
In 2017, the University completed actions that were planned to address the remaining 3 recommendations from the 2013 (AQA) External Audit.

The 2013 audit was part of the Cycle 5 of audits normally administered for New Zealand universities by AQA.

For USP there were 30 Recommendations and 7 Afﬁrmations.
A closure report on the audit was submitted to AQA in December 2017.
The closure report detailed what the outcomes and impact were 78 2017 | USP Annual Report Key recommendations that were closed in 2017 included: a) Development and approval of an Academic Advice Framework that now provides guidelines on Faculty staff responsible for providing advice to students during enrolment; b) Development and approval of the Learning and Teaching (L&T) Plan 2017-2018 for the operationalisation of Priority Area 1 Learning and Teaching of USP’s SP; and c) Teaching staff training on developing learning outcomes and assessment processes and outcomes most appropriate for different modes of learning, where the University engaged a consultant to provide the training.
INTERNATIONAL BENCHMARKING PROJECT A collaborative international benchmarking project on Higher Education Paciﬁc Quality (HEPQ), led by the University of Tasmania in partnership with Ako Aotearoa (New Zealand) was undertaken in 2017.

USP was one of the participating Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) in this project together with the University of Waikato (New Zealand), Manukau Institute of Technology (New Zealand) and National University of Samoa.
AQA supported the initiative as an example of an internationally referenced, peer review model of external quality assurance.

In particular, the project aligned with the AQA Cycle 5 academic audit on programme review; benchmarking programmes; equivalence of learning outcomes and teaching quality.
The key outcomes from the HEPQ benchmarking project included; (a) Peer Review Workshop, Self-Assessment and Sharing of Best Practices; and (b) identiﬁcation of 4 Improvement Projects for USP, namely: i) Professional development for teaching staff on the development and alignment of learning outcomes; ii) Expansion in Reward and recognition of teaching staff with various categories of awards; iii) Evidences and improvement that the University is listening to student voices; and iv) Training of Student Representatives for their different roles at the University.
ACADEMIC PROGRAMME REVIEWS In March, the University’s Senate approved a revised External Academic Programme Reviews Policy.

The revised policy consolidates the requirements of internal and external reviews of academic programmes/disciplines at the University.

The policy also includes a comprehensive self- review and the guidelines for developing the self-review report that are aligned explicitly to the requirements for institutional accreditation by WSCUC.
The following external reviews were undertaken in 2017 and the academic disciplines and programme owners have developed action plans to address recommendations made in the review reports.

Sociology The onsite visit by the external reviewers of the Sociology discipline was undertaken between 31 July and 3 August.
The review was carried out by a panel comprising Professor Karolyn Tyson (Chair) from the University of North Carolina, Dr Steve Matthewman and Professor Tracey McIntosh from the University of Auckland.

Professional Certiﬁcate in Education Policy and Planning (PCEPP) The onsite visit by the external reviewers of PCEPP took place from 18-20 September.
The review programme was undertaken by Dr Evelyn Coxon (Chair) from the University of Auckland, Ms Katalina Taloka (Ministry of Education) from Tuvalu and Ms Sharyn Paio (former Secretary of Education) from the Cook Islands.

Accounting Accounting courses were reviewed by the Fiji Institute of Accountants through the services of an independent academic advisor.

The onsite visits took place on 13-14 September.


INSTITUTIONAL SURVEYS: FEEDBACK ON USP administers a number of surveys in order to receive feedback from students, staff and external stakeholders of the University.

The University acknowledges the importance of evidence-based decision making that are based on information gathered from institutional surveys.
Total Experience Survey (TES) The Total Experience Survey (TES) is a new merged version of the First Year Students Survey (EES), Second Year Students Survey (SYSS) and the Programme Experience Survey (PES) component of the Graduate Destination Survey.

It is aligned to the Student Experience Survey (SES) administered to all Australian universities by the Social Research Centre (SRC) on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Education and Training (DET).
The TES 2017 was administered online for undergraduate student from 5 September–30 October.

The response rate was 23%.

At the institutional level, the 2017 preliminary TES survey results indicated the First Year Students Engagement and Inclusion satisfaction rating was 87% (88%, 2016).

Further, the undergraduate students (inclusive of all First Year, Continuing and Final Year students) satisfaction rating on overall educational experience was 81% which was the same as 2016 result.
This overall educational experience rating was highly comparable to Australian universities rating of overall educational experience of 80% as indicated in the Australian Student Experience National Report 2016.

Efforts in 2017 also focused on implementing online reporting system for TES.

The reporting system now generates 10 stratiﬁed online (printable) reports.

These reports include 5 TES Institutional Reports (which aggregates all campuses results) and 5 Campus Speciﬁc Reports.
The reports are accessible to all staff.

Graduate Destination Survey (GDS) The Graduate Destination Survey (GDS) provides information on graduate employment and offers indication of the extent to which University graduates are employed after completing their studies.

The 2016 GDS for the Laucala Campus revealed that 72% respondents were in full or part-time employment 2 weeks prior to graduation.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of graduates were already in paid employment during their study.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of the respondents were in Government/Public sector, 43% in the Private Sector and 4% were in the Not for Proﬁt sector.

that indicated Furthermore, most graduates their qualiﬁcation, major ﬁeld of education and other skills and knowledge acquired during their study were important and highly relevant to their work.

The survey also revealed a high level of positive perception of graduates on the University programme experience, evidenced by overall satisfaction rating of 95%.
In late 2017, work commenced for GDS online reporting system.

The project is near completion and all staff will be able to access GDS reports online.

Student Evaluation of Courses (SEC) Student Evaluation of Courses (SEC) continues to be administered at the end of each semester.

The Semester 2, 2017 SEC response was 23% with an overall satisfaction rating of 88% (89% Semester 1, 2017).

The survey reports are available online for staff.


MAJOR FOCUS IN 2018 In 2018 more focus will be on strengthening the communication and access channels to information collated from student surveys and forum as well as the data sharing within and between Faculties and support services.

Work will continue to increase the number of accreditations, 2017 | USP Annual Report 79 awards, and testimonials from peer institutions at regional and international level.
Faculties and Paciﬁc TAFE will be supported to acquire regional and international accreditation for those programmes which are yet to be accredited.

The External Programme Reviews Schedule 2017-2021 will continue to be implemented.

All programmes that are not seeking international accreditation will be externally reviewed.

Academic disciplines planned for external review in 2018 include Psychology, Education, Management, Biology and Information Systems.
The University will submit accreditations applications to SQA in 2018 for programmes offered at SAFT, Alafua Campus.

The registration of the internationally accredited programmes on the PQRS will continue.

The approval, piloting and implementation of the revised Student Evaluation of Courses will be done in 2018.

Finally, USP also expects to achieve Initial Accreditation from the WSCUC in 2018.
USP attained 7 international accreditations and 5 international recognitions for its programmes in 2017 A student completing the Graduation Destination Survey 80 2017 | USP Annual Report Corporate Social Responsibility 2017 | USP Annual Report 81 The University carried out its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda in 2017 by promoting the responsible handling of important issues through its institutional actions and by supporting and facilitating the community service efforts of its staff and students.
The volunteer efforts and service of USP staff and students have enriched both the University community and the recipients of assistance, and the University’s advocacy work on signiﬁcant issues strengthens the region’s voice.

The idea of helping others and doing well is also an organic feeling and desire amongst USP’s staff and students.
The University community has proven itself to be a driving force for good in the Paciﬁc Island region, and we are very pleased to be able to contribute to many good causes and worthwhile activities.

During 2017, USP aimed to incorporate the notion of “community beneﬁts” into its activities, usually at the planning or review stages, by examining how each project or academic programme could result in a positive impact on the community.
Additionally, in all its campuses and centres, USP prioritised social and environmental concerns with the end goal of contributing positively to society.

The University believes that “doing well” is simply the right thing to do and is a way of thanking the public for its support; “doing well” is simply consistent with USP’s values as an institution.
The main areas in which USP’s CSR worked during 2017 included disability advocacy; promotion of ICT; Climate Change adaptation and mitigation; and the promotion of renewable energy for sustainable economic development.
The main foci of social responsibility efforts, namely disability issues and Climate Change, represent the trend at USP over the past few years in looking at diversity and accessibility, an acknowledgement of Climate Change as the gravest threat facing our island countries, and the fact that the year 2017 featured the UN Ocean Conference as well as the 23rd session of Conference of the Parties (COP 23), both being historic events for Paciﬁc Island Countries.
DISABILITY ACCESS AND ADVOCACY USP is a strong advocate for the rights of people with disabilities, and encourages all its students to embrace the concept of inclusivity and the importance of accessibility and equity.

This message has clearly got to students, as student- driven initiatives in this area were very successful in 2017.

Just a few years ago, the rights of people with disabilities, and the need to enable their full participation in all aspects of society was scarcely recognised.
USP has played a lead role in educating the next generation of Paciﬁc leaders to value and celebrate all Paciﬁc people, able-bodied or not.

USP prioritises disability access at all its campuses, and is a strong voice for the needs of people with disabilities in the 82 2017 | USP Annual Report community.

The year 2017 saw 2 USP engineering students invent a low-cost, easy-to-use device to assist people with vision impairments.
The Braille Eye Slate was developed by Nikhil Singh and Vinaal Prakash, under the supervision of Senior Lecturer Dr Utkal Mehta.

It costs only FJD 150 to manufacture and was patented by Intellectual Property Australia.

USP donated several of these Braille Eye Slates to member countries.

First, a donation was made to 3 special schools in Fiji in May.
A Braille Eye Slate was given to the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training in early June, and additional slates were donated to the Solomon Islands in August.

The Engineering team at USP believes that they will impact the lives of people with disabilities and intend to develop more technologies locally to elevate the standard of living of these people and communities.
Donations have been planned for Samoa and Tonga, and it is anticipated that more devices will be distributed in Fiji, Vanuatu, and Solomon Islands.

Not only will the slates assist people with visual impairments, especially children, due to the child-friendly features, the donations also encourage the development of disability- inclusive education.
A group of senior ofﬁcials from the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Kiribati visited the Laucala Campus in May to learn about the disability inclusive education processes in Fiji, including tertiary transition pathways and support for students with disabilities.

The visit should result in more students with disabilities from Kiribati being able to access USP.
The University is committed to working with member countries on such issues, drawing on its own experience with disability inclusion and its existing education and teacher training programmes.

USP’s Disability Resource Centre (DRC) stands ready to provide assistance.

The International ofﬁce facilitated students’ desire to carry out community work when a group of international students visited the Fiji School of the Blind in Suva as part of their Volunteer Day on 20 May.
The International ofﬁce organises a day each semester, open to both staff and students who are dedicated to community engagement.

USP’s international students played, sang, and read with the students of the Fiji School for the Blind, and then shared an afternoon tea with them.

This has now become a regular feature.


In addition, the DRC at the Laucala Campus opened a new Common Room in October, providing people with disabilities more dedicated space for socialising, with a lounge area, kitchen, and washroom facilities.

USP also launched the Regional Disability Scholarship in 2017, and has continued to make improvements throughout the Laucala Campus, such as the installation of additional lifts and ramps.

The plans for the renovation of the Library will make it fully accessible.
PROMOTION OF ICT USP is renowned for its achievements in the area of ICT for Education.

Part of the University’s mission is to go out into the community to raise awareness of ICT tools and also to provide access to ICT tools that might be out of reach to member countries for ﬁnancial reasons.

The Emalus Campus was involved with Paciﬁc ICT Day in Port Vila, Vanuatu, in May, which had the theme “Big Data, Big Impact”.
Staff from the SAS promoted USP’s programmes to potential students, and the ITS staff conducted fun quizzes and demonstrated how ICT technologies assist students in their studies at USP.

The Paciﬁc Internet Governance Forum was also streamed live online.

Community members and prospective students were given a good idea of how ICT is used to make education better and more accessible.

USP also made its ICT tools available to member countries in 2017.
PaCE-SD conducted a free two-week Satellite Remote Sensing Training Course at the Laucala Campus from 9-20 January.

The course developed the Python Programming skills that are needed to effectively make use of satellite image data to answer important oceanographic questions.

This relates to maritime navigation and safety, disaster planning for tsunamis, ﬂooding and tropical cyclones, and the implementation of climate adaptation plans.
Fiji, for example, needs the ICT tools and data to better protect coral reefs from ocean acidiﬁcation.

According to PaCE-SD, the course that it offered, and similar courses, would each normally cost around FJD 25,000 per Paciﬁc participant in the US; it was extremely convenient and cost-effective for the Paciﬁc participants to be able to access it freely at the Laucala Campus.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS The University is committed to the reduction of its carbon footprint and to becoming one of the world’s most environmentally-friendly universities.

Environmentally- friendly policies on campus, the efﬁcient use of resources, and a focus on renewable sources of power, such as solar, will help USP achieve its goals in this area.
During 2017, the University successfully lessened its own environmental impact through increased recycling and a reduction in energy usage.

The University piloted paired colour coded wheelie bins for waste sorting and recycling.

Eighteen (18) red wheelie bins were dedicated for PET bottle recycling.

These were customised to appeal to students, staff and visitors.

During the semester recycling rates recorded highs of 177 kg for April and a lows of 129 kg for December.
The University’s waste paper recovery and recycling plan now expands to 30 collection points.

Collections for 2017 amount to 92 tonnes of waste paper with August and November collectively surpassing the 15 tonnes mark ﬁgure.

The University’s large size and its global reputation also enabled it to represent the interests of Paciﬁc Islanders internationally as a Climate Change awareness advocate, with the full weight of its inﬂuence as an institution.
The UN Ocean Conference, held in June, was an important event that focused the world’s attention on the sea and the importance of safeguarding that environment.

USP was involved in this Conference in 2 ways, namely by holding a supplementary conference at the Laucala Campus, and secondly, by hosting side events in New York during the Conference proper.

USP provided information, dispensed advice, and raised awareness about the health of our oceans and environment.
France and USP, in collaboration with the Government of Fiji, jointly organised a two-day Paciﬁc Voices for a Global Ocean Challenge conference from 8-9 June at the Laucala Campus.

The Conference featured success stories of sustainable marine resources management projects in the Paciﬁc, which can serve as the basis for policies focused on sustainable management and environment protection.
Attendees beneﬁtted from latest scientiﬁc discoveries and received information in a variety of formats, including through lectures, discussions, a photographic and art exhibition, poetry recitations, and documentary screenings.

At the UN Ocean Conference, the Vice-Chancellor and President announced some new actions through which the University will help strengthen the marine capacity in USP as well as provide additional support to member countries in sustainable management of the vast Paciﬁc Oceanscape.
USP has established a Joint Chair of Ocean Studies and Climate Change with the University of Bergen, Norway, to provide research leadership and capacity building.

The University has also established a new USP Research and Development Centre in the Marshall Islands, known as the Micronesian Centre for Sustainable Transport, to focus on sustainable shipping solutions for the Paciﬁc.
In addition to these, the University has made (i) a special appointment in its Institute of Marine Resources and 2 new Master-level studentships in coastal ecosystem and pollution; (ii) committed to offer a new postgraduate course in physical oceanography within the existing climate change postgraduate curriculum and deliver one open-access MOOC on a key topic related to SDG14 for the Paciﬁc; and (iii) committed to deliver scientiﬁc baseline data for on coastal ecosystems and pollution in 2 areas of Fiji and Marshall Islands.
These voluntary commitments will help strengthen marine capacity at USP as well as provide additional support to member countries in terms of the sustainable management 2017 | USP Annual Report 83 of the Paciﬁc Ocean.

USP was also represented in New York by the artists of the Oceania Dance Theatre and the Pasiﬁka Voices choir.

Their performance art left Conference attendees deeply impressed and very effectively presented the great beauty of the Paciﬁc Ocean and its people.
In July, students and staff of the Emalus Campus participated in a Marine Litter project survey at Eton Beach in the South of Efate Island, Port Vila, Vanuatu.

The activity was part of a MOU signed in 2016 between USP and the London- based Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) under the Commonwealth Marine Economics (CME).
Participating FSTE students, mainly pursuing majors in Chemistry and Biology, gained practical experience and skills-based knowledge that could be taken back to communities and ultimately enlighten the public on the responsible usage of plastic.

USP will continue to provide its staff and students with opportunities to better understand Climate Change and engage with adaptation efforts.
There are numerous academic events in which students and staff can play a role, or at least gain knowledge that will empower them.

Students can network with participants and better understand how these issues impact their world.

For example, USP began to collaborate with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (USA) for their research projects, including one on South Paciﬁc cyclones.

Ten (10) students and 2 staff technicians from FSTE at the Emalus Campus are involved with the ﬁeld-based studies.
In November, PaCE-SD hosted 3 workshops in Suva on the subject of Ocean Acidiﬁcation, which were attended by 33 participants from 11 nations in the Paciﬁc region.

This event is an example of USP’s active engagement with the issue of Climate Change; students and staff have many opportunities to interact with researchers, decision-makers, scientists, and community members on this deﬁning issue of our times.
SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC USP’s work in this area was focused on the promotion of renewable energy use in the region.

Two (2) projects, both funded by France, are good examples of how USP seeks donor funds to implement pilot projects that promote renewable energy and make signiﬁcant impacts on the lives of rural people.

It is hoped that these kind of projects inspire other similar interventions.
Dr Atul Raturi led a project which provided renewable energy- based refrigeration systems to remote ﬁshing communities in Fiji.

This activity, ﬁnanced by the French Paciﬁc Fund and run as the Sustainable Energy for Sustainable Development Project, resulted in income generation potential and an improved standard of living for the villagers.
Prior to the 84 2017 | USP Annual Report installation of the refrigeration systems, villagers had no means to store their ﬁshing catch for long periods, and so much of it was discarded as it failed to reach the market on time.

The overall impact of these small interventions is signiﬁcant in terms of improved livelihoods.

A water desalination system was also installed in Yanuca Island as part of French funded project.
The solar thermal plant is capable of producing about 200 liters of drinking water for the community which does not have any clean water resource besides rain water harvesting.

A small standalone solar PV system was also installed at the local primary school for providing basic electricity services.

In October, USP hosted a Paciﬁc Training Programme on renewable energy projects in 11 Paciﬁc Island Countries.
CONCLUSION The notion of CSR at USP recognises that the University is a strong and respected voice, and therefore has an obligation to proactively act as an exemplar and positive inﬂuence.

It should be noted that in each of the chapters more of the CSR activities that have been undertaken by the University are also mentioned.
Through its contributions of both knowledge and resources to the many communities in the region, USP models the civic-minded behavior and generosity of time and talent that it aims to develop in its students.

Socially responsible actions on the part of the University and its staff and students made a real impact on communities in 2017, and we expect the amount of volunteer work and number of community projects will increase in 2018, as part of USP’s 50th Anniversary Year.
USP is committed to good corporate citizenship, and this dedication will continue to inﬂuence the University’s activities in all its campuses in the region.

Community participation during mangrove reforestation at Nasau Village, Navitilevu, Ra 2017 FINANCIAL OVERVIEW The University recorded positive ﬁnancial results for the year, achieving an operating surplus of $9.4m, compared to $5.9m projected in the budget and compared to $9.0m in 2016.
During the year the net assets grew by $9.5m from $135.7m in 2016 to $145.2m in 2017, while net cash and cash equivalents decreased by $4.4m, from $69.7m at the beginning of the year to $65.3m as at 31 December 2017.
• Total income was almost at the same level as last year at $190.9m.
• Total expenditure (including other comprehensive expense) decreased slightly by 0.2% to $181.5m.

• Operating surplus increased slightly to $9.4m representing 4.9% of total income.

• Cash and cash equivalent decreased by $4.4m to $65.3m.

• Borrowing increased by $2.4m to $11.3m.

• Capital investment in the year totalled $18.7m.

• Net assets increased by $9.5m to $145.2m.

INCOME Income for 2017 was $190.9m and was almost at the same level as in 2016.
The performance of each income source is as follows: • Government contributions increased slightly by 0.8% due to additional contributions from Fiji.

• Tuition fees increased by 9.8% to $72.5m, largely driven by enrolment growth of 9% during the year, combined with a 2% general fee increase.

There were growths in enrolments across all Faculties and Paciﬁc TAFE, offset with a drop in enrolments for the MBA programme.
• Development Assistance decreased by 8% to $48.4m from $52.6m in 2016, reﬂecting decrease in development assistance project funding received during the year.

• Other income - comprising components of commercial revenue, consultancy, interest income, deferred revenue and exchange gain, decreased by 8% to $31.1m from $33.8m in 2016.
The decrease was driven by drop in revenue for Book Centre and Computer shop due to the change in consumer demands towards online materials, cheaper devices and other reliable computer brands.

The reduction in commercial revenue was matched by reduction in costs of sales.

Income from tuition fees continues to be the largest source of revenue for the University.
Tuition fees income increased to 38.0% in 2017 from 34.5% in 2016, compared to development assistance which decreased from 27.4% in 2016 to 25.4% in 2017.

Government contributions (20.3%), commercial incomes (6.7%) and other incomes (9.7%) make the other funding sources during the year.
FJD Millions 200.0 150.0 100.0 50.0 - 34.4 51.1 50.2 36.8 35.5 51.3 55.0 38.5 34.5 50.4 33.9 52.6 31.3 48.4 65.1 66.1 72.5 38.4 38.4 38.8 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Government Grants Tuition Fees Development Assistance Others EXPENDITURE Total expenditure (including other comprehensive expense) decreased slightly by 0.2% to $181.5m.

Staff costs decreased by $0.8m or 1% to $81.7m.


The decrease in staff costs was due to the high staff turnover recorded during the year and savings from redundancy from the restructure of a major support section.

2017 | USP Annual Report 85 FJD Millions 200.0 150.0 100.0 50.0 - 11.1 12.8 16.0 14.1 14.5 84.9 80.9 82.2 85.4 85.3 78.5 82.2 82.6 82.5 81.7 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Staff Costs Operating costs Provisions Note: provisions made out of depreciation, amortisation and doubtful debts.
Operating costs of $85.3m (including exchange losses) was slightly lower by $0.1m.

There was large reduction in costs due to decrease in project expenditures (matched by decrease in project revenue), lower cost of sales (matched by drop in commercial revenue), various savings initiatives implemented during the year and slower spending of deferred maintenance costs.

The above were offset by increase in student support costs, outsourcing costs for the maintenance function and increase in licensing costs.
CASH FLOW AND FINANCING The University generated $11.6m of net cash ﬂow from operating activities, compared to $31.4m in 2016.

The decrease is largely attributed to slow receipt of member contributions from Fiji and settlement of accruals and creditors from last year.

The University spent $18.4m on capital expenditure, including a drawdown of $2.4m from ADB loan for the Solomon Islands project.
Overall, the cash and cash equivalents position showed a net decrease of $4.4m, compared to a net increase of $21.4m achieved in 2016.

The cash reserve at the end of the year was adequate to operate the University for 2.6 months, slightly above the required period of 2 months.

This is, however, masked by a backlog of capital expenditure approved but not yet spent which will be now be spent in 2018.
The University aims to generate more cash in the coming years in order to exceed the cash reserve level and generate more cash to invest in infrastructure and long term strategy.

FINANCIAL POSITION The University’s net assets totalled $145.2m, an increase of $9.5m or 7% higher than 2016.

Capital assets of $226.4m include net investments in land, buildings and equipment and represent 71% of the University’s total assets.
The increase in total assets was driven primarily by growth in receivables and capital assets due renovation costs of new Marshall Islands Campus building and works in progress at new Solomon Islands Campus.

Overall debtors grew due to outstanding grant contributions from Fiji and sponsored student fees from Solomon Islands.

Without above, the receivables would have improved by $1.8m due to better collections of private student fees.
Creditors increased due to additional provisions for salary adjustments, increase in research commitments, offset by drop in trade creditors.

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE OUTLOOK The 2017 ﬁnancial results show that the University continues to maintain its strong ﬁnancial position and will continue to exist as a going concern.

It is considered sustainable over the long term based on its current funding sources and expenditure commitments.
This position might change in the future should there be signiﬁcant changes to its main revenue sources and expenditure patterns.

The University is forecast to end 2018 within its budget.

It is now preparing a three-year funding plan for the next triennium and will continue to ensure that it builds a ﬁnancial plan that moves towards achieving the ﬁnancial benchmarks to ensure the long term ﬁnancial sustainability of the University.
It remains positive of the continuous support from member countries and development partners.
Kolinio Boila Executive Director Finance 86 2017 | USP Annual Report THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2017 88 89-90 91 92 93 94 95-123 2017 | USP Annual Report 87 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31
 DECEMBER 2017 STATEMENT BY APPOINTED OFFICERS In our opinion the accompanying Financial Statements give a true and fair view of the ﬁnancial position of The University of the South Paciﬁc as at 31 December 2017 and of its ﬁnancial performance, its changes in funds and reserves and its cash ﬂows for the year then ended.
We are not aware of any circumstances which would render any particulars included in the Financial Statements misleading or inaccurate.
PROFESSOR RAJESH CHANDRA MS LORNA ALOMA JOHANSSON KOLINIO BOILA Vice-Chancellor & President Chair - Finance and Investments Committee Executive Director Finance 88 2017 | USP Annual Report INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Opinion We have audited the accompanying ﬁnancial statements of The University of the South Paciﬁc (the ‘University’), which comprise the statement of ﬁnancial position as at 31 December 2017, and the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in funds and reserves and statement of cash ﬂows for the year then ended, and notes to the ﬁnancial statements, including a summary of signiﬁcant accounting policies.
In our opinion, the accompanying ﬁnancial statements give a true and fair view of the ﬁnancial position of the University as at 31 December 2017, and of its ﬁnancial performance and its cash ﬂows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards.

Basis for Opinion We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs).
Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufﬁcient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Independence We are independent of the University in accordance with the ethical requirements of the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountant’s Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (IESBA Code) that are relevant to our audit of the ﬁnancial statements in Fiji, and we have fulﬁlled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements and the IESBA Code.
Responsibilities of the University Council for the Financial Statements The University Council is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the ﬁnancial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards and the University’s Royal Charter, and for such internal control as the University Council determine is necessary to enable the preparation of ﬁnancial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the ﬁnancial statements, the University Council is responsible for assessing the University’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the University Council either intend to liquidate the University or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.

The University Council is responsible for overseeing the University’s ﬁnancial reporting process.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the ﬁnancial statements as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion.

Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists.
Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to inﬂuence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the ﬁnancial statements.

As part of an audit in accordance with the ISAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit.
We also: • Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the ﬁnancial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufﬁcient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
2017 | USP Annual Report 89 INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE COUNCIL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC REPORT ON THE AUDIT OF THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (CONTINUED) • Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the University’s internal control.
• Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the University’s Council.

• Conclude on the appropriateness of the University Council’s use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast signiﬁcant doubt on the University’s ability to continue as a going concern.
If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the ﬁnancial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion.

Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report.

However, future events or conditions may cause the University to cease to continue as a going concern.
• Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the ﬁnancial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the ﬁnancial statements represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.

We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and signiﬁcant audit ﬁndings, including any signiﬁcant deﬁciencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
Restriction on Distribution or Use This report is made solely to the University’s Council, as a body.

Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the University’s Council those matters we are required to state to them in an auditor’s report and for no other purpose.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the University and the University’s Council as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.

PricewaterhouseCoopers Chartered Accountants Grant Burns 19 April 2018 Suva, Fiji PricewaterhouseCoopers, Level 8 Civic Tower, 272 Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji.

GPO Box 200, Suva, Fiji.


T: (679)3313955 / 3315199, F: (679) 3300947 PricewaterhouseCoopers is a member ﬁrm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member ﬁrm of which is a separate legal entity.
90 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 Income Government contributions Student tuition fees Development assistance Trading activities Consultancy income Other income Release of deferred revenue Interest income Realised exchange gain Notes 3 4 5 6 6a 7 8 2017 $ 38,781,324 72,506,648 48,421,230 12,790,318 2,356,115 9,630,900 4,924,277 1,131,093 428,783 2016 $ 38,420,176 66,079,842 52,575,183 17,208,354 2,422,647 8,370,665 5,146,007 709,091 8,830 Total income from continuing operations 190,970,688 190,940,795 Expenditure Staff costs Operating costs Depreciation and amortisation Movement in impairment provision Write down/ (up) in value of inventories Unrealised exchange loss 9 10 16, 17 12g 81,715,947 84,030,217 14,032,413 476,463 38,422 1,059,372 82,489,804 85,182,150 12,466,640 1,646,103 82,157 (812,968) Total expenditure from continuing operations 181,352,834 181,053,886 Surplus for the year 9,617,854 9,886,909 Other Comprehensive expense Foreign operations – foreign currency translation differences (196,074) (923,762) Total comprehensive income for the year 9,421,780 8,963,147 The accompanying notes from pages 95 to 123 form an integral part of these ﬁnancial statements.
2017 | USP Annual Report 91 The University of the South Paciﬁc STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION As at 31 December 2017 Notes Current assets Cash and cash equivalents Trade and other receivables Inventories Prepayments Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment Intangible assets Total assets Current liabilities Creditors and accruals Development assistance (projects) unexpended Provisions Deferred income Borrowings Non-current liabilities Provisions Deferred income Borrowings Total Liabilities Net assets Represented by: Funds and reserves Other contributed equity Endowment capital Retained earnings Foreign currency translation reserve 14 14a 12 11 13 16 17 20 20a 20b 20c 19 20b 20c 19 21a 21b 2017 $ 43,513,180 21,858,570 23,522,466 3,849,960 889,633 93,633,809 225,700,244 746,098 226,446,342 320,080,151 25,580,281 24,788,146 5,216,866 4,924,277 204,165 60,713,735 879,725 102,153,012 11,167,855 114,200,592 2016 $ 55,538,669 14,195,071 13,684,652 4,189,366 203,058 87,810,816 220,715,360 1,053,926 221,769,286 309,580,102 22,342,843 24,441,485 5,455,264 5,146,007 191,734 57,577,333 975,087 106,606,814 8,740,063 116,321,964 174,914,327 173,899,297 145,165,824 135,680,805 17,863,755 5,878,368 125,989,592 (4,565,891) 17,863,755 5,815,129 116,371,738 (4,369,817) 145,165,824 135,680,805 The accompanying notes from pages 95 to 123 form an integral part of these ﬁnancial statements.
92 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN FUNDS AND RESERVES For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 Notes 2017 $ Retained earnings Balance as at 1 January Surplus for the year Balance at year end Endowment capital Balance at 1 January Foreign exchange gain for the year Balance at year end Analysed as: Endowments – general Total endowment capital Other contributed equity Balance at 1 January Movement during the year Balance at year end Foreign currency translation reserve Balance at 1 January Other comprehensive income Balance at year end 116,371,738 9,617,854 125,989,592 5,815,129 63,239 5,878,368 94,133 5,784,235 5,878,368 21 17,863,755 - 2016 $ 106,484,829 9,886,909 116,371,738 5,648,001 167,128 5,815,129 94,133 5,720,996 5,815,129 8,173,810 9,689,945 17,863,755 17,863,755 (4,369,817) (196,074) (4,565,891) (3,446,055) (923,762) (4,369,817) The accompanying notes from pages 95 to 123 form an integral part of these ﬁnancial statements.
2017 | USP Annual Report 93 The University of the South Paciﬁc STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 Operating activities Recurrent activities Development assistance (recurrent) Government contributions Interest received Student tuition fees Trading activities Other receipts Staff costs Other operating costs Project activities Receipts from development assistance Staff costs Other operating costs Notes 2017 $ 2016 $ 29,003,580 30,597,574 1,438,084 71,545,210 14,598,504 7,375,410 28,324,618 40,384,742 564,188 66,578,514 17,282,938 14,028,827 154,558,362 167,163,827 (78,879,703) (62,847,155) (141,726,858) 12,831,504 20,552,920 (4,010,051) (17,715,861) (21,725,912) (1,172,992) (76,809,748) (59,000,275) (135,810,023) 31,353,804 25,101,007 (5,074,680) (19,988,598) (25,063,278) 37,729 Net cash provided by operating activities 15 11,658,512 31,391,533 Investing activities Payment for property plant and equipment - General Payment for property plant and equipment - Projects Net transfers to term deposits (18,211,979) (248,745) (7,663,500) (9,450,590) (592,640) 3,460,702 Net cash used in investing activities (26,124,224) (6,582,528) Financing Activities Proceeds from term loan, net
 Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents at 1 January Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 2,440,223 2,440,223 25,039 25,039 (12,025,489) 24,834,044 55,538,669 (11,394,900) (630,589) 30,704,625 24,012,247 821,797 Cash and cash equivalents at 31 December 14 43,513,180 55,538,669 The accompanying notes from pages 95 to 123 form an integral part of these ﬁnancial statements.
94 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 REPORTING ENTITY The University of the South Paciﬁc was established by Royal Charter of the University in 1970.

It is a non-proﬁt educational institution providing higher education to member regional countries, with its main operations domiciled in Fiji.

The registered ofﬁce is at Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji.
The University is the provider of tertiary education in the Paciﬁc region and an international centre of excellence for teaching, research and consulting on all aspects of Paciﬁc life.

These ﬁnancial statements were authorised for issue by the Finance and Investments Committee on 09 April 2018.

1.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The summary of signiﬁcant accounting policies adopted in the preparation of the ﬁnancial statements are set out below.
These policies have been consistently applied to the periods presented unless otherwise stated.

(a) Reporting period The ﬁnancial statements are reported for the year from 1 January to 31 December 2017.

(b) Basis of measurement The ﬁnancial statements are prepared on the basis of historical costs and do not take into account changing money values or current valuation of non-current assets.

The concept of accrual method and going concern basis of accounting are applied.
The Finance and Investments Committee and ofﬁcers of the University believe that the basis for preparation of the accounts is appropriate and that the University will be able to continue its normal operations in the next 12 months.

The Committee and the ofﬁcers resolved that the classiﬁcation and carrying amounts of assets and liabilities included in these accounts are appropriate.
(c) Functional and presentation currency The ﬁnancial statements are presented in Fiji dollars which is the University's functional currency and rounded to the nearest dollar.

Foreign currency amounts in respect of all overseas regional campuses of the University have been converted to Fiji dollars based on note 1 (m).
(d) Statement of compliance The ﬁnancial statements have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and their interpretations issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”).

New standards and interpretations not yet adopted.

A number of new standards, amendments to standards and interpretations are effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018, and have not been applied in preparing these ﬁnancial statements.
These standards include IFRS 9 Financial Instruments, IFRS 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers and IFRS 16 Leases.

The University has yet to fully assess the impact of these standards, and intends to adopt the standards no later than the accounting period in which they become effective.

The University has complied with all standards effective as at 31 December 2017.
(e) Basis of aggregation The ﬁnancial statements of the overseas regional campuses and the Book centre are aggregated in the University's ﬁnancial statements.

Inter-entity transactions, balances and gains/losses on the transactions between the University entities are eliminated.
(f) Use of estimates and judgments The preparation of the ﬁnancial statements in conformity with IFRS require management to make judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the application of accounting policies and the reported assets, liabilities, income and expenses.

Actual results may differ from these estimates.

2017 | USP Annual Report 95 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 1.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued) (f) Use of estimates and judgments (continued) Estimates and underlying assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Revisions to accounting estimates are recognised in the period in which the estimates are revised and in any future periods affected.

In particular signiﬁcant areas of estimation uncertainty and critical judgments relate to impairment provisions for accounts receivable and inventories.
(g) Property, plant and equipment The policy of the University is not to revalue its property, plant and equipment.

In view of the specialised nature and wide geographical distribution of much of the University’s property and equipment, it is considered that the costs of any revaluation to reﬂect current values would outweigh the beneﬁts to the users of these ﬁnancial statements.
The value of its property, plant and equipment is therefore either their value when originally incorporated within the University’s statement of ﬁnancial position, or historical cost if acquired at a later date, less depreciation and impairment.

Items of property, plant and equipment, costing $1,000 or more are recognised as assets.
Items of property, plant and equipment costing less than $1,000 are expensed directly to proﬁt or loss (other than where they form part of a group of similar items which are signiﬁcant in total).

(i) Depreciation Property, plant and equipment, including buildings are recorded at cost and depreciated on a straight line basis over their estimated useful lives commencing from the time the asset is held and ready for use.

The estimated useful lives are as follows: - Motor vehicles and vessels 5 years.
- Buildings 50 years.

- Equipment, furniture and ﬁttings 5 years.

- Freehold land not depreciated.

The depreciation applicable to donated assets is offset by a transfer from deferred income to proﬁt or loss.

(ii) Impairment Property, plant and equipment are inspected by a Board of Survey when required.

If the inspection identiﬁes that the carrying amount of the ﬁxed asset is overstated, a provision is made for the impairment.

No such provisions have been found necessary at balance date.
(iii) Deferred income Property, plant and equipment acquired with the aid of speciﬁc grants are capitalised and depreciated in accordance with the above policy, with the related grant being credited to deferred income as a liability and released to proﬁt or loss over the expected useful economic life of the related property, plant and equipment.
The exception to this is when the acquisition of property, plant and equipment is ﬁnanced either through the University’s own funds, donated by member countries or a loan or ﬁnance lease.

(iv) Leased assets The University leases some property and equipment under operating leases.

The rentals are charged as an expense on a straight line basis over the term of the lease to proﬁt or loss.
Assets held under leasing agreements which transfer to the University substantially all the beneﬁts and risks of ownership of an asset are treated as if the asset had been purchased outright.

These are capitalised at their fair value at the inception of the lease and depreciated over the shorter of the lease term and the useful economic life of the assets.

The capital element outstanding is shown as obligations under ﬁnance leases.
The interest element of the lease payments is charged to proﬁt or loss over the term of the lease.

96 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 1.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued) (h) Intangible assets IT software IT software which is purchased, developed, or implemented, is recorded at historical cost and is amortised over its estimated useful life as follows: - Computer software 5 years.
(i) Inventories Inventories are valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value.

Cost is determined on the ﬁrst-in, ﬁrst-out basis of valuation.

Only inventories which are purchased and controlled centrally have been reported within the ﬁnancial statements.

Consumables purchased by the University for departmental use and held under the control of individual departments have been expensed in proﬁt or loss at the time of purchase.
(j) Accounts receivable Accounts receivable are measured initially at fair value and subsequent measurement is at amortised cost less any impairment losses.

The impairment provision is made as follows: (i) Government debtors No impairment provision is made for sovereign debts on the premise that, despite the age of the debt, all such debts will eventually be paid.
(ii) Trade debtors Trade debtors greater than 91 days and less than 180 days are provided for at 50%, while all debts greater than 180 days are fully provided for.

(iii) Student debtors Student debtors greater than 91 days and less than 180 days are provided for at 50%, while all debts greater than 180 days are fully provided for.

(iv) Refunds due for Value Added Tax/Goods and Services Tax All VAT receivable for Laucala Book Centre prior to 14 May 2012 have been fully provided for.
The impairment provision is charged to proﬁt or loss.

Bad debts are generally written off against the provision when identiﬁed.
(k) Statement of cash ﬂows The following are the deﬁnitions of the terms used in the statement of cash ﬂows: Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents comprise cash on hand, deposits held with banks, deposits held at call with banks, other short- term deposits with original terms of three months or less and are subject to an insigniﬁcant risk of change in value, and bank overdrafts.
(i) Operating activities Operating activities include all transactions and other events that are not investing or ﬁnancing activities.

(ii) Investing activities Investing activities are those relating to the acquisition, holding and disposal of property, plant and equipment and investments.

Investments can include securities not falling within the deﬁnition of cash and cash equivalents.
(iii) Financing activities Financing activities are those that result in changes in the size and composition of the capital structure.

This includes both equity and debt not falling within the deﬁnition of cash and cash equivalents.

2017 | USP Annual Report 97 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 1.
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued) (l) Employee beneﬁts (i) Short term beneﬁts Provision is made for employee entitlements in respect of salaries and wages, annual leave, severance allowance and superannuation where the University has a legal or contractual obligation and is calculated as the amount unpaid as at reporting date at future expected pay rates.
All employee beneﬁt related provisions, except for severance allowance, long service leave and gratuity of selected senior managers, are classiﬁed as a current liability.

Accrued leave is expected to be utilised in the following period.

(ii) Superannuation beneﬁts The University contributes to a number of deﬁned contribution superannuation schemes.

Contributions are made by employees and by the University as a percentage of salary or speciﬁed amounts as required by relevant agreements.
The cost to the University is charged as an expense to proﬁt or loss.

The University's obligation is limited to these contributions.

(iii) Termination beneﬁts Termination beneﬁts are employee beneﬁts that are payable as a result of an employee’s decision to accept voluntary redundancy in exchange for those beneﬁts.

This is recognised as an expense in proﬁt or loss as the obligation arises.
(m) Foreign currency transactions All foreign currency transactions during the period have been translated to Fijian currency using the exchange rate in effect at the dates of the transactions.

Foreign currency monetary assets and liabilities in foreign currencies at balance date are translated at the exchange rate existing at that date.
Foreign exchange gains and losses resulting from the settlement of such transactions and from the translation at period end exchange rates of monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are recognised in proﬁt or loss in the ﬁnancial period in which they arise.

Regional campuses The assets and liabilities of regional campuses are translated to Fijian dollars using the exchange rate as at year end.
The income and expenses of regional campuses are translated to Fijian dollars at average exchange rates.

Foreign currency differences are recognised directly in equity in the foreign currency translation reserve.

The functional currencies of the regional campuses are those of their respective countries.

(n) Income tax The University is exempt from income tax in accordance with the provision of Section 17 of the Fiji Income Tax Act.
(o) Revenue recognition Revenue comprises the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for the sale of goods and services in the ordinary course of the University’s activities.

Revenue is shown net of value added tax, rebates and discounts.
The University recognises revenue when the amount of revenue can be reliably measured, it is probable that future economic beneﬁts will ﬂow to the University and when speciﬁc criteria have been met for each of the University’s activities as described below.

The amount of revenue is not considered to be reliably measurable until all contingencies relating to the sale have been resolved.
The University bases its estimates on historical results, taking into consideration the type of customer, the type of transaction and the speciﬁcs of each arrangement.

Revenue is recognised in the ﬁnancial statements for the major activities as follows: (i) Government grants The University treats operating grants received from government contributions as income in the year of receipt or when entitlement to the grant is established.
Government grants in respect of capex are recognised initially as deferred income when there is reasonable assurance that it will be received and the University will comply with the 98 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 1.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued) (o) Revenue recognition (continued) (i) Government grants (continued) conditions associated with the grant.
It is then recognised in proﬁt or loss as income on a systematic basis over the useful life of the acquired asset.

(ii) Student tuition fees The University recognises all student tuition fees on enrolment of the courses.

(iii) Development assistance Development assistance received for recurrent funding is recognised on the due date while development assistance received with speciﬁc end purposes is recognised as revenue when the conditions attached to the assistance have been met.
Until those conditions are met, receipt of development assistance funds in advance is accounted for as deferred revenue and recognised as a liability.

(iv) Trading activities Revenue from trading operations is recognised at the point of sale for goods, or as the service is performed.

(v) Consultancy revenue Consultancy revenue is recognised as revenue when it is earned.
(vi) Other income Other income is recognised on receipt except where a department of the University has arranged for a University invoice to be raised to a third party; the revenue associated with these invoices is recognised when the goods/ services have been provided.

(vii) Rental income Rental income is recognised in proﬁt or loss on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease for the various properties held by the University.

(viii) Interest revenue Interest revenue is recognised as it accrues.
(p) Endowment funds The University has established endowment funds for speciﬁc purposes.

The capital amount of such funds is maintained at its original nominal value.

The revenue generated through the investment of the capital is used in accordance with any conditions imposed by the Council, deed, gift or by the terms of the endowments or bequests.

Endowment funds are transferred to proﬁt or loss only when it is no longer required for the purpose for which the fund was originally established.
(q) Commitment accounting The University operates a system of commitment accounting for its non-salary expenditure.

Expenditure is recognised when purchase orders are placed and charged against the appropriate cost centre.

At period end all expenditure in respect of goods and services not yet rendered is reversed.
(r) Trade creditors and accruals Liabilities for trade payables and other amounts are carried at amortised cost (inclusive of VAT/GST where applicable) which is the fair value of the consideration to be paid in the future for goods and services received whether or not billed to the University.

The University’s term in respect of its creditors is 30 days.

(s) Borrowings The University classiﬁes non-derivative ﬁnancial liabilities into borrowings.
Such ﬁnancial liabilities are recognised initially at fair value less any direct attributable transaction costs.

Subsequent to initial recognition, these ﬁnancial 2017 | USP Annual Report 99 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 1.

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued) (s) Borrowings (continued) liabilities are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
Other ﬁnancial liabilities comprise loans and borrowings, bank overdrafts, and trade and other payables.

Finance cost comprise interest expense on borrowings.

Borrowing costs that are not directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of a qualifying asset are recognised in proﬁt or loss using the effective interest method.
(t)Value Added Tax (VAT)/Goods and Services Tax (GST) Revenue, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of associated VAT/GST, unless VAT/GST incurred is not recoverable from the tax authority.

In this case it is recognised as part of the cost of acquisition of the asset or part of the expense.

Receivables and payables are stated inclusive of the amount of VAT/GST, receivable or payable.
The net amount of VAT/GST recoverable from, or payable to, the tax authority is included in other receivables or payables in the statement of ﬁnancial position.

Amounts charged to the provision account are written off when there is no expectation of recovery.
(u) Held-to-maturity ﬁnancials assets Non-derivative ﬁnancial assets with ﬁxed or determinable payments and ﬁxed maturities of more than three months are classiﬁed as held-to-maturity ﬁnancial assets when the University has the positive intention and ability to hold it to maturity.

After initial measurement, these assets are measured at amortised cost.

Interest earned from these assets is recognised on an accrual basis.
(v) Comparative amounts Where the presentation or classiﬁcation of items in the ﬁnancial statements is amended / reclassiﬁed, comparable amounts shall also be reclassiﬁed unless reclassiﬁcation is impracticable.

2.

FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT The University has exposure to the following risks: (i) Credit risk; (ii) Liquidity risk; and (iii) Market risk.
The overarching policies and objectives of the University's treasury management activities are deﬁned as being the "management and control of its cash ﬂows, banking, and investment transactions; the effective control of risks associated with those activities; and the pursuit of optimum performance consistent with those risks".

The Finance and Investments Committee reviews and approves policies for managing each of these risks, which are summarised below.
(i) Credit risk The maximum exposure to credit risk at balance date to recognised ﬁnancial assets, is the carrying amount, net of any provisions for impairment of these assets, as disclosed in the statement of ﬁnancial position and notes to the ﬁnancial statements.

The movement in the allowance for impairment in respect of trade and other receivables is included in Note 12 (g).
(ii) Liquidity Risk Liquidity risk refers to the risk of ﬁnancial loss to the University as a result of insufﬁcient funds being available to meet its short and long term liabilities.

The University has creditors and accruals which are all short term and hence have been classiﬁed as current liabilities in the statement of ﬁnancial position.

100 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 2.
Financial Risk Management (Continued) (ii) Liquidity Risk (continued) The University manages liquidity risk by maintaining adequate cash and cash equivalent balances and borrowing facilities by continuously monitoring forecast and actual cash ﬂows and matching the maturity proﬁles of ﬁnancial assets and liabilities.
Subventions within campuses or from the main Laucala campus to other campuses are carried out in order to maintain sufﬁcient cash balances in all campuses for the funding of day-to-day operations.

The table below summarises the maturity proﬁle of the University's ﬁnancial liabilities based on contractual undiscounted payments.
Year ended 31 December 2017 Creditors and accruals Borrowings Year ended 31 December 2016 Creditors and accruals Borrowings (iii) Market risk Foreign currency risk On Demand $ - - On Demand $ - - 3 to 12 months $ 25,580,281 1 to 5 years $ - > 5 years $ Total $ - 25,580,281 204,165 3,044,554 8,607,153 11,855,872 3 to 12 months $ 22,342,843 1 to 5 years $ - > 5 years $ Total $ - 22,342,843 191,734 3,288,917 5,969,541 9,450,192 Foreign currency risk refers to risk that the value of a ﬁnancial commitment, recognised asset or liability will ﬂuctuate due to changes in foreign currency rates.
The University's foreign currency exchange risk arises primarily from term deposits and trade receivables balances denominated in foreign currencies and transactions for receipts and payments settled in foreign currencies or with prices dependent on foreign currencies as well as transactions for regional campuses in various currency denominations.

The University manages this risk by maintaining off-shore bank accounts in its efforts to provide a natural hedge against currency exposures.
The following table demonstrates the sensitivity analysis to a reasonably possible change in the Australian dollar (AUD), New Zealand dollar (NZD), Solomon Island dollar (SBD), Japanese Yen (JPY) and Vanuatu Vatu (VUV) exchange rate on the University’s surplus, with all other variables held constant: Increase / (decrease) 10% -10% 10% -10% 31-Dec-17 31-Dec-16 Interest Rate risk AUD NZD VUV JPY USD Effect on surplus($) 1,801,681 1,835,759 19,919 (1,801,681) (1,835,759) (19,919) 2,958 (2,958) 403,307 (403,307) 2,169,577 744,782 (2,169,577) (744,782) 18,809 (18,809) 593,321 322,027 (593,321) (322,027) Interest rate risk refers to the risk that the value of a ﬁnancial instrument or cash ﬂows associated with the instrument will ﬂuctuate due to changes in market interest rates.
The University’s exposure to the changes in market interest rates relates primarily to the investment of surplus cash into at call or short term deposits as well as through ﬁnance lease, utilisation of bank overdrafts and borrowings.

Short-term investments are either rolled over at maturity at interest rates applicable on roll-over dates, or converted to operational use if the need arises at the time of maturity.
Interest on bank overdrafts is subject to changes in market interest 2017 | USP Annual Report 101 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 2.

Financial Risk Management (Continued) Interest Rate risk (continued) rates.

The University does not have any ﬁxed interest instruments at fair value through proﬁt and loss and as such is not exposed to fair value movements due to change in interest rates.
Long-term investments are not feasible due to the nature of operations within the University, therefore, avoiding the risk of a cash ﬂow mismatch or a liquidity shortfall.
Lending Facilities - Debt, Reﬁnancing and Granting Security The University ensures that its borrowing, private ﬁnancing and partnership arrangements are negotiated, structured, documented and the maturity proﬁle of the raised monies managed, with a view to obtaining competitive and favourable terms in light of market conditions prevailing at the time.
Prior to entering into or negotiating for any agreement to increase lending facilities (including leases) or re-ﬁnance the University's current borrowing arrangements, approval from the Finance and Investments Committee (FIC) must be obtained.
In raising capital ﬁnance, those with delegated authority will take account of: (i) the University's powers and rules and, in particular the University's Charter, Statutes, Regulations and Scheme of Financial Delegations; (ii) any legal or ﬁscal statutory restrictions; and (iii) the terms and covenants of borrowing.

All the borrowings of the University are at ﬁxed rates of interest.

Financial assets Term deposits Financial liabilities Borrowings 3.
GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS Increase / (decrease) 1% -1% 1% -1% Cook Islands Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Effect on surplus($) 2017 $ 12,452 (12,452) (1,828) 1,828 2017 $ 147,917 30,217,468 778,009 265,099 69,156 48,025 1,256,340 2,739,358 28,815 979,715 307,361 1,944,061 2016 $ 12,144 (12,144) (1,634) 1,634 2016 $ 157,522 30,217,469 729,984 205,547 71,077 55,709 1,050,792 2,677,887 21,131 1,014,293 305,440 1,913,325 102 2017 | USP Annual Report 38,781,324 38,420,176 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 3.
Government Contributions (Continued) GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS BY CATEGORY Cook Islands Fiji Kiribati Marshall Islands Nauru Niue Samoa Solomon Islands Tokelau Tonga Tuvalu Vanuatu Student Grant $ 76,840 13,502,770 655,064 88,366 17,289 5,763 555,172 2,431,997 28,815 743,431 261,257 1,023,898 2017 2016 Campus Grant $ 71,077 16,714,698 Student Grant $ 84,524 Campus Grant $ 72,998 13,358,695 16,858,774 122,945 176,733 51,867 42,262 701,168 307,361 - 236,284 46,104 920,163 603,197 97,971 21,131 9,605 453,358 2,518,443 21,131 789,535 251,652 1,000,846 126,787 107,576 49,946 46,104 597,434 159,444 - 224,758 53,788 912,479 19,390,662 19,390,662 19,210,088 19,210,088 4.
STUDENT TUITION FEES Regional students International students Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) Others 4A.
STUDENT TUITION FEES BY SPONSOR Private students Private Sponsored Government Sponsored USP Sponsored 2017 $ 53,834,625 2,231,374 56,065,999 12,861,938 453,495 1,216,921 1,908,295 2016 $ 48,388,490 1,947,564 50,336,054 9,534,251 791,884 1,679,013 3,738,640 72,506,648 66,079,842 31,253,891 1,653,054 39,521,740 77,963 33,464,019 1,527,936 30,950,620 137,267 72,506,648 66,079,842 2017 | USP Annual Report 103 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 5.
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE Australia - Recurrent - Projects New Zealand - Recurrent - Projects European Union Japan Other Partners 6.

TRADING ACTIVITIES Book centre Computer shop Residential/Housing rental income -Laucala -Emalus Gymnasium and Community Recreation Centre ICT Park rentals Other rental Others 6A.
CONSULTANCY INCOME Professional services and project consultancies - IAS - Other Training and teaching Other 104 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 $ 21,767,167 6,253,187 7,236,414 272,079 3,235,500 5,008,533 4,648,350 2016 $ The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 7.
OTHER INCOME Administration cost recovery Course material and text book sales Faculty and support units' income ITS domain name registration Laboratory income Miscellaneous student activities Other income 8.

RELEASE OF DEFERRED REVENUE Depreciation and amortisation charge for the year Less: charge on items acquired through normal operating activities Release of deferred revenue liability - depreciation 9.
STAFF COSTS Academic and comparable staff Intermediate and junior staff Hourly paid staff Provision for leave entitlement Senior management 2017 $ 446,960 1,081,323 1,249,735 190,771 1,499,308 1,559,890 3,602,913 2016 $ 98,566 2,200,794 506,728 171,301 1,038,890 2,008,248 2,346,138 9,630,900 8,370,665 14,032,413 (9,108,136) 12,466,640 (7,320,633) 4,924,277 5,146,007 56,931,482 16,082,429 6,158,523 (238,398) 2,781,911 55,162,993 18,278,630 7,423,715 (998,064) 2,622,530 81,715,947 82,489,804 Staff numbers (including part-time staff) by category Academic and comparable staff Intermediate and junior staff Hourly paid staff Senior management Total staff numbers Annualised taxable emoluments for staff paid $100,000 or more $100,000 - $119,999 $120,000 - $139,999 $140,000 - $159,999 $160,000 - $179,999 616 639 249 9 1,513 72 31 12 6 2017 | USP Annual Report 659 657 289 8 1,613 42 28 10 6 105 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 9.
STAFF COSTS (continued) Annualised taxable emoluments for staff paid $100,000 or more (continued) $180,000 - $199,999 $200,000 - $219,999 $220,000 - $239,999 $240,000 - $259,999 $260,000 - $279,000 $280,000 - $299,000 Above $300,000 10.
OPERATING COSTS Cost of sales Travel and related expenses – University related Travel and related expenses – Projects related Student – research related expenses Student – support related expenses Grounds and maintenance Consultancy expenses Utilities Telecommunications Library resources Staff recruitment and passages Printing and stationery Insurance premiums Computer software and hardware Workshop expenses Advertising Hospitality / expenditure on meetings Teaching materials 106 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 $ 2016 $ 6 7 2 4 1 - 5 2 9 2 4 - - The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 10.
OPERATING COSTS (continued) Medical expenses Rental expense Equipment purchase Freight and courier charges Operating costs - strategic plan Sub-total Other items of expenditure Fees paid to auditors: Audit of projects Internal audit Honorarium: Council Audit and risk committee Finance and investments committee 2017 $ 1,823,191 2,035,834 1,132,892 827,345 3,624,030 74,827,810 8,848,977 52,277 47,436 191,224 21,500 23,500 17,491 2016 $ 1,882,235 2,087,194 1,097,482 704,908 3,136,349 78,535,368 6,245,475 58,500 35,445 220,237 37,625 29,000 20,500 Total operating costs 84,030,217 85,182,150 11.
INVENTORIES Goods and Publications Academic Gowns Maintenance Catering and Domestic Total $ $ $ $ $ Balance at 1 January 2016 4,137,945 1,011,525 Additions Expensed 5,274,579 - (6,100,664) (106,088) Impairment reversal (78,496) (3,661) 35,169 109,016 (93,028) - 1,614 5,186,253 52,534 5,436,129 (51,079) (6,350,859) - (82,157) Cost or valuation at 31 December 2016 3,233,364 901,776 51,157 3,069 4,189,366 2017 | USP Annual Report 107 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 11.
INVENTORIES (continued) Goods and Publications Academic Gowns Maintenance Catering and Domestic Total $ $ 3,233,364 3,436,652 901,776 316,471 $ 51,157 12,592 $ $ 3,069 4,189,366 20,085 3,785,800 (3,807,532) (212,745) (63,438) (3,069) (4,086,784) Balance at 1 January 2017 Additions Expensed Impairment charge (31,087) (7,335) - - (38,422) Cost or valuation at 31 December 2017 2,831,397 998,167 311 20,085 3,849,960 Analysis of value of inventories Total cost of inventories Less: provision for obsolescence Cost or valuation at year end Analysis of goods and publications: Book centre - inventory Book centre - goods in transit Regional campuses - books Regional campuses - course materials Institute of Education Institute of Research Extension & Training Agriculture Less: provision for obsolescence Cost or valuation at year end 2017 $ 4,205,332 (355,372) 3,849,960 1,445,088 352,393 710,154 243,425 77,770 329,818 3,158,648 (327,251) 2,831,397 2016 $ 4,506,316 (316,950) 4,189,366 1,732,285 -- 1,011,657 428,468 26,297 330,821 3,529,528 (296,164) 3,233,364 108 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 Notes 2017 $ 2016 $ 12.
TRADE AND OTHER RECEIVABLES Government contributions Trade debtors Student debtors Staff debtors VAT / GST receivable Other debtors Less: provision for doubtful debts 12a 12b 12c 12d 12e 12f 12g 12A.

CONTRIBUTION DUE FROM GOVERNMENTS: Fiji Marshall Islands Vanuatu Nauru Niue Ageing of government contributions due: 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days Overpayments by member countries are classiﬁed as creditors and accruals.

12B.
TRADE DEBTORS Alafua Campus Emalus Campus and Book centre Tonga Campus (IOE) Laucala Campus - Commercial Laucala Campus - Others Less: Impairment provision 8,286,977 1,835,282 16,255,579 17,057 3,725,197 8,674,836 38,794,928 (15,272,462) 23,522,466 8,194,193 92,784 - - - 8,286,977 7,636,365 650,612 8,286,977 239,406 374,640 16,379 41,328 1,163,529 1,835,282 (1,195,471) 639,811 102,082 3,643,468 15,032,172 21,854 3,632,186 8,018,061 30,449,823 (16,765,171) 13,684,652 - - 47,357 40,091 14,634 102,082 102,082 - 102,082 235,020 99,358 15,537 340,547 2,953,006 3,643,468 (1,738,245) 1,905,223 2017 | USP Annual Report 109 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 12B.
TRADE DEBTORS (continued) Ageing of trade debtors due: 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days 181 to 365 days Between 1 and 2 years old Between 2 and 3 years old More than 3 years old 12C.
STUDENT DEBTORS Alafua Emalus Laucala Other regional campuses Less: Impairment provision Write off student debts 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days 181 to 365 days Between 1 and 2 years old Between 2 and 3 years old More than 3 years old 12D.
STAFF DEBTORS Laucala Other regional campuses Less: Impairment provision 110 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 $ 583,906 111,810 227,792 188,191 265,219 458,364 2016 $ 1,794,465 221,516 140,617 977,577 208,227 301,066 1,835,282 3,643,468 891,258 3,661,322 4,945,769 6,757,230 16,255,579 (8,963,153) (1,969,172) 5,323,254 1,039,519 4,624,577 2,706,227 2,031,258 1,321,463 4,532,535 1,310,645 3,392,387 4,573,725 5,755,415 15,032,172 (11,359,000) (232,352) 3,440,820 1,661,716 2,877,768 2,156,855 2,545,261 1,798,501 3,992,071 16,255,579 15,032,172 - 17,057 17,057 (13,951) 3,106 6,881 14,973 21,854 (21,273) 581 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 12D.
STAFF DEBTORS (continued) 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days 181 to 365 days Between 1 and 2 years old Between 2 and 3 years old More than 3 years old 12E.
VAT/GST RECEIVABLE Alafua Book centre Laucala Book centre Less: Impairment provision Ageing of VAT/GST due: 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days 181 to 365 days Between 1 and 2 years old Between 2 and 3 years old More than 3 years old 12F.
OTHER DEBTORS Development assistance partners (projects) Interest receivable Other debtors Less: Impairment provision 2017 $ 872 4,469 497 1,848 4,434 4,937 2016 $ 423 317 1,313 7,618 9,433 2,750 17,057 21,854 837,916 2,887,281 3,725,197 (2,727,831) 997,366 47,710 70,597 104,685 188,080 - 3,314,125 3,725,197 6,529,774 408,389 1,736,673 8,674,836 (402,884) 8,271,952 640,879 2,991,307 3,632,186 (2,727,831) 904,355 - - 259,144 - 24,249 3,348,793 3,632,186 7,451,219 306,991 259,851 8,018,061 (686,470) 7,331,591 2017 | USP Annual Report 111 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 12F.
OTHER DEBTORS (continued) Ageing of other debtors due: 0 to 90 days 91 to 180 days 181 to 365 days Between 1 and 2 years old Between 2 and 3 years old More than 3 years old 12G.
MOVEMENT IN PROVISION FOR DOUBTFUL DEBTS Balance at 1 January Write offs Additional provision made during the year Balance at 31 December 2017 $ 2016 $ 4,482,441 118,811 1,439,305 1,057,426 1,166,084 410,770 2,238,220 1,624,377 1,356,732 1,177,387 856,368 764,977 8,674,836 8,018,061 16,765,171 (1,969,172) 476,463 15,272,462 15,351,420 (232,352) 1,646,103 16,765,171 The creation and release of provision for doubtful debts is shown under movement in provision for doubtful debts in the statement of comprehensive income.
Amounts charged to the provision account are written off when there is no expectation of recovery.

13.

PREPAYMENTS Alafua Laucala Laucala Book centre Solomon Islands 14.
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and short – term deposits - Current Accounts - Term deposits (3 months or less) - Cash on hand and petty cash Cash and cash equivalents 112 2017 | USP Annual Report - 848,411 29,999 11,223 889,633 20,467,785 22,989,766 55,629 681 171,292 31,085 - 203,058 21,459,768 34,037,551 41,350 43,513,180 55,538,669 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 2017 $ 2016 $ 14.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS (continued) 14A.
HELD-TO-MATURITY FINANCIAL ASSETS 21,858,570 14,195,071 Total cash and cash equivalents and held-to- 65,371,750 69,733,740 Where held: In Fiji With other regional banks In other overseas accounts 22,245,613 17,305,354 25,820,783 41,662,411 14,954,614 13,116,715 65,371,750 69,733,740 Held-to-maturity ﬁnancial assets comprise term deposits maturing between 3 and 12 months at 31 December 2017.
14B.

THE TERM DEPOSITS ARE DENOMINATED IN THE FOLLOWING CURRENCIES BUT STATED IN FIJIAN DOLLARS Fijian dollars Australian dollars New Zealand dollars Japanese yen United States Dollars Vanuatu Vatu 4,212,072 18,016,813 18,357,618 29,577 4,033,071 199,185 9,747,459 21,695,762 7,447,838 5,933,214 3,220,257 188,092 44,848,336 48,232,622 Cash and cash equivalents denominated in other currencies are exposed to foreign currency risk.

14C.
14C.

COMPRISING University funds Development assistance (projects) Endowment funds 34,705,236 24,788,146 5,878,368 39,477,126 24,441,485 5,815,129 65,371,750 69,733,740 Development assistance (projects) and Endowment funds are restricted and are not available for the University’s recurrent expenditure.

2017 | USP Annual Report 113 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 2017 $ 2016 $ 15.
RECONCILIATION OF NET CASH FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES TO STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME Surplus for the year 9,617,854 9,886,909 Release of deferred revenue (4,924,277) (5,146,007) Depreciation and amortisation Movement in provision for doubtful debts Write-off student debts Provision for leave entitlement Write down/(reversal) in value of inventories Net cash from operating activities before changes in assets and liabilities Decrease/(increase) in inventories Decrease /(increase) in accounts receivable Increase in prepayments Increase/(decrease) in development assistance (projects) Increase/(decrease) in creditors Decrease in foreign currency translation reserve Net cash provided by normal activities 14,032,413 476,463 (1,969,172) (238,398) 38,422 12,466,640 1,646,103 (232,352) (998,064) 82,157 17,033,305 17,705,386 300,984 (8,345,105) (686,575) 346,661 3,205,316 (196,074) 914,730 4,358,649 (135,328) (826,610) 8,621,416 (923,762) 11,658,512 31,391,533 114 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 Property $ Equipment and Furniture $ Vehicles and Vessels $ Work in Progress Total $ $ 16.
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT Cost Deemed cost at 1 January 2016 Additions Disposals Transfers between asset classes Deemed cost at 31 December 2016 Additions Disposals Transfers between asset classes Deemed cost at 31 December 2017 Accumulated depreciation 1 January 2016 236,788,028 45,509,644 3,703,990 5,430,428 291,432,090 9,256,299 5,940,210 200,592 4,890,318 20,287,419 - 132,234 - - - - - (132,234) - - 246,176,561 51,449,854 3,904,582 10,188,512 311,719,509 4,830,428 7,712,570 227,123 5,921,711 18,691,832 - - (377,851) - (377,851) 1,375,332 1,166,652 - (2,541,984) - 252,382,321 60,329,076 3,753,854 13,568,239 330,033,490 46,147,729 30,369,756 2,400,287 Charge for the year 5,122,034 6,539,916 424,427 Disposals - - - 31 December 2016 51,269,763 36,909,672 2,824,714 Charge for the year 5,776,166 7,547,207 Disposals - - 383,575 (377,851) Accumulated depreciation at 31 December 2017 57,045,929 44,456,879 2,830,438 - - - - - - - 78,917,772 12,086,377 - 91,004,149 13,706,948 (377,851) 104,333,246 Net carrying amount at 1 January 2016 Net carrying amount at 31 December 2016 Net carrying amount at 31 December 2017 Work in progress 190,640,299 15,139,888 1,303,703 5,430,428 212,514,318 194,906,798 14,540,182 1,079,868 10,188,512 220,715,360 195,336,392 15,872,197 923,416 13,568,239 225,700,244 Work in progress relates to costs for property-related projects where the project has not been completed.
The costs will be capitalised once all major items of expenditure, other than the payment of retention monies, have been incurred and the asset is put into service.

2017 | USP Annual Report 115 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 16.
PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT (continued) Carrying amount of work in progress projects Continuing from 2016 Improve campus infrastructure and developments IT equipment installation Lab equipment installation Improve recreational space and campus life Lautoka Campus Pony Club Road Construction Marshall Islands Campus Solomon Islands Campus 11th Hall 12th Hall Road Upgrade New Projects in 2017 GIS Lab Lecture Capture Carrying amount of property, plant and equipment at 31 December This is represented by: Deferred income Other contributed equity Carrying amount of properties acquired directly or through loans: Statham street Campus Services complex Residential block Student Accommodation Kiribati Campus Solomon Islands Campus - WIP Lautoka Campus – WIP Carrying amount of assets funded from operating activities 116 2017 | USP Annual Report 2017 $ 2016 $ 4,862,212 3,239,460 850,583 52,304 16,933 123,677 789,520 2,016,052 3,049,637 4,406,113 309,740 95,392 12,535 53,448 436,425 136,003 - 1,312,411 451,283 - 556,000 269,168 341,047 38,077 19,832 318,899 - - 13,568,239 10,188,512 225,700,244 220,715,360 107,077,289 111,752,821 17,863,755 17,863,755 3,606,009 89,280 664,000 7,597,214 8,137,819 2,016,052 16,933 3,689,909 93,600 688,000 4,944,149 8,242,126 136,003 12,535 78,631,893 73,292,462 225,700,244 220,715,360 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 17.
INTANGIBLE ASSETS Deemed cost at 1 January 2016 Additions Deemed cost at 31 December 2016 Additions Deemed cost at 31 December 2017 Amortisation and impairment At 1 January 2016 Amortisation Amortisation at 31 December 2016 Amortisation Amortisation at 31 December 2017 Net carrying amount at 1 January 2016 Net carrying amount at 31 December 2016 Net carrying amount at 31 December 2017 This comprises IT Software costs.
18. FINANCING FACILITIES 2,290,897 38,395 2,329,292 17,637 2,346,929 895,103 380,263 1,275,366 325,465 1,600,831 1,395,794 1,053,926 746,098 The University has access to overdraft facilities of $5,000,000 (December 2016: $5,000,000) with various banks across the region for which all conditions precedent have been met.

As at 31 December 2017: nil (December 2016: nil) was utilised.

Cash at bank earns interest at ﬂoating rates based on daily bank deposit rates.
The carrying amount of cash and cash equivalents as at 31 December 2017 is $43,513,180 (December 2016: $55,538,669).

Held-to-maturity ﬁnancial assets as at 31 December 2017 is $21,858,570 (December 2016: $14,195,071).

19.
BORROWINGS Fiji National Provident Fund Loan (FNPF) 2,764,867 2,962,256 2017 $ 2016 $ Asian Development Bank Loan (ADB) Current Non-current 8,607,153 11,372,020 204,165 11,167,855 11,372,020 5,969,541 8,931,797 191,734 8,740,063 8,931,797 2017 | USP Annual Report 117 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 19A.
FIJI NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND LOAN The University entered into a loan agreement of $3.6m with FNPF to construct the 11th Hall for student accommodation at the Laucala Campus.

The loan is to be repaid within 15 years of the ﬁrst drawdown with the interest rate being ﬁxed at 3.5% for 5 years.

The interest rate at each of the next lot of 5-year intervals will be 0.5% less than the 5-year Fiji Infrastructure Bond rate applicable at that time.

19B.
19B.

ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK LOAN The University entered into a loan agreement with ADB of SDR 2,336,000 to construct the Kiribati Campus.

The loan is to be paid off between December 2020 and May 2046 with the applicable interest rate being 1% during the grace period and 1.5% thereafter.

The University entered into another loan agreement with ADB of SDR 10,973,000 to construct the Solomon Islands Campus.
The loan is to be paid off between December 2024 and June 2048 with the applicable interest rate being 1% during the grace period and 1.5% thereafter.

20.

CREDITORS AND ACCRUALS Member countries' contributions received in advance Other creditors and accruals Research funds Payroll creditors Student creditors Student fees received in advance Trade creditors 20A.
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE (PROJECTS) UNEXPENDED AusAID NZ EU Japan Others 2017 $ 1,025,013 9,707,774 5,531,468 3,091,487 488,279 1,429,842 4,306,418 2016 $ 1,023,869 6,220,384 4,284,284 3,931,535 429,469 1,226,681 5,226,621 25,580,281 22,342,843 6,309,471 2,801,987 883,733 480,645 14,312,310 24,788,146 8,318,249 169,268 3,513,029 2,891,178 9,549,761 24,441,485 Development assistance (projects) funds are from development partners and are appropriated for a variety of purposes ranging from research, scholarship, community outreach and capital developments.
118 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 20B.

PROVISIONS Current Provision for annual leave Balance at 1 January Movement during the year Balance at 31 December 2017 $ 2016 $ 5,455,264 (238,398) 5,216,866 6,453,328 (998,064) 5,455,264 Annual leave liabilities have been classiﬁed as current as there is no unconditional right to defer settlement for at least 12 months after reporting date.
Non-current Provision for severance allowance Balance at 1 January Additional provision during the year Paid during the year Balance at 31 December 20C.
DEFERRED INCOME Balance at 1 January Additions during the year Release during the year–depreciation Balance at year end Current Non-current 21.
CAPITAL AND RESERVES (a) Other contributed equity 975,085 38,441 (133,801) 879,725 931,111 68,980 (25,004) 975,087 111,752,821 116,306,188 248,745 (4,924,277) 592,640 (5,146,007) 107,077,289 111,752,821 4,924,277 102,153,012 5,146,007 106,606,814 107,077,289 111,752,821 The amount reﬂects the cost of assets donated by member countries in its capacity as the owners of the University.

No contributions were received during the year.


(b) Foreign currency translation reserve This reserve represents the resultant exchange gain/loss arising from the translation of all overseas campus balances on aggregation.

2017 | USP Annual Report 119 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 22.

COMMITMENTS 22A.
OPERATING LEASE COMMITMENTS The commitments in respect of leased assets are as follows: Not later than one year 2017 $ 2016 $ 847,766 237,505 1,085,271 884,426 1,085,271 1,969,697 The University has an operating lease with Fuji Xerox Fiji for the provision of managed multi-function device services.
The minimum monthly lease payments of $77,759 for ﬁve years are subject to adjustments based on actual utilisation.

22B.

CAPITAL COMMITMENTS In additional to the amounts reported in the ﬁnancial statements, the University has a capital commitment of $5,368,516 for various projects not yet started and asset purchases for which the items had not been received or paid for.

This balance was not been recognised as a liability at balance date.

23.
CONTINGENT ASSETS AND LIABILITIES Contingent liabilities The University's contingent liabilities are estimated to be: Fiji Electricity Authority - guarantees given 158,857 158,857 FRCA - customs bond - guarantees given 31,000 31,000 Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport - guarantees given Ministry of Fisheries and Forest - guarantees given VAT on contributions received from Fijian Government (1992 - 2007) Contingent assets 743,963 151,956 743,963 151,956 39,802,087 39,802,087 40,887,863 40,887,863 VAT on Fijian Government contributions (1992 - 2007) 39,802,087 39,802,087 The Fiji Revenue Customs Authority (FRCA) advised in a letter dated June 2007 that the University may be liable to pay VAT on contributions received from the Government of Fiji since 1992.
The University had made an effort in 2009 to close the matter with FRCA, but no reply or any formal assessment has been issued by FRCA since the University’s last communication dated 20 October 2009.

Accordingly, no provision for liability has been made in the ﬁnancial statements.

Agreements with the Government of Fiji subsequent to 2007 specify that contribution amounts are exclusive of VAT.

The University claims Government contributions on a VAT exclusive basis.
In the event that the tax liability is considered probable, the University would make a claim for the short fall in payment of contributions and recognise a receivable amount to the value of the potential tax liability.

Legal claim contingency There are various legal claims and trade disputes pending against the University as at balance date.

The University considers these claims, arising in the normal course of business, to be immaterial and mostly spurious.
No amounts have been provided in relation to any of these matters.

120 2017 | USP Annual Report The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 24.

RELATED PARTIES The University is controlled by 12 member countries comprising Fiji, Tuvalu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Republic of Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tokelau.
During the period the University received grants of $38,781,324 (refer to note 3), amounts receivable amounted to $8,286,977 (2016: $102,082) and contributions received in advance amounted to $1,025,013 (2016: $1,023,869).

Key management personnel disclosures (a) Names of responsible persons and Senior Management Team The following persons were responsible persons and Senior Management Team of the University during the period.
All members of the University Council were appointed or elected under the provisions of the University Charter.

Council members include the University employees who may be ex-ofﬁcial members or elected staff members.

(i) University Council Members Mr Winston Thompson, Pro-Chancellor & Chair of Council Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor & President Ms Gail Townsend, Secretary for Education, Cook Islands Hon.

Wilbur Heine, Minister for Education, Marshall Islands Hon.
Charmaine Scotty, Minister for Education, Nauru Hon.

Pokotoa Sipeli, Minister for Education, Niue Hon.

John Deane Kuku, Minister for Education, Solomon Islands Hon.

Fauoa Maani, Minister for Education, Tuvalu Hon.

Penisimani ‘Epenisa Fiﬁta, Minister for Education, Tonga Hon.

Jean Pierre Nirua, Minister for Education, Vanuatu Hon.

David Collins, Minister for Education, Kiribati Hon.

Fano Mativa, Minister for Education, Tokelau Hon.


Loau Keneti Sio, Minister for Education, Samoa Mr Iulai Lavea, Chief Executive Ofﬁcer, Ministry of Finance, Samoa Hon.
Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Minister for Education, Heritage & Arts, Fiji Mr Iowane Tiko, Permanent Secretary for Education, National Heritage, Culture and Arts, Fiji Ms Makereta Konrote, Permanent Secretary for Economy, Fiji Ms Fay Yee, Fiji Mr Iowane Naiveli, Fiji Professor Janice Reid, Government of Australia Mr Steve Maharey, Government of New Zealand Ms Cristelle Pratt, Deputy Secretary General, Paciﬁc Island Forum Secretariat Professor Konai Helu Thaman, Senate rep Professor Sushil Kumar, Senate Rep Mr. Emosi Vakarua USPSA (student rep) Ms Angela Charlie, USPSA (student rep) Professor Govinda Lingam, Staff rep [up to April 2017]; Replaced by Dr Morgan Tuimaleali’fano [12 June 2017 following election] 2017 | USP Annual Report 121 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 24.
Related Parties (Continued) (i) University Council Members (continued) Mr Dhiraj Bhartu, Staff rep [up to September 2017]; Replaced by Dr Krishna Raghuwaiya, [12 December 2017 following election] Dr Kabini Sanga Mr Digby Bossley Ms Kate Vusoniwailala Ms Lorna A. Johansson Ms Petunia Tupou Ms Martha Henry Mr Semi Tukana [appointed 23 October 2017] (ii) Senior Management Team Professor Rajesh Chandra, Vice-Chancellor and President Dr Giulio Paunga, Vice President (Regional Campuses and Estates & Infrastructure) Professor Richard Coll, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning, Teaching & Student Services) Professor Derrick Armstrong, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and International) Dr Akanisi Kedrayate, Dean, Faculty of Arts, Law and Education Dr Anjeela Jokhan, Dean, Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment Professor Arvind Patel, Acting Dean, Faculty of Business and Economics Hasmukh Lal, Executive Director Paciﬁc TAFE Kolinio Boila, Executive Director Finance (b) Remuneration of Council Members and Senior Management Team 2017 2016 Remuneration of Council members $10,000 - $19,999 $20,000 - $29,999 3 1 Refer to note 9 and 10 for details of Council members and Senior Management Team remuneration.
Remuneration of Senior Management Team $160,000 - $179,999 $180,000 - $199,999 $200,000 - $219,999 $220,000 - $239,999 $240,000 - $259,999 $260,000 - $279,999 Above $300,000 122 2017 | USP Annual Report - 1 1 1 1 1 4 9 3 1 - 1 2 1 1 - 3 8 The University of the South Paciﬁc NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS For the Year Ended 31 December 2017 24.

Related Parties (Continued) The University is not aware of any material transactions that may have been conducted with Council members of the University.
Transactions are at arm's length and on terms and conditions no more favorable than those which it is expected the University would have adopted for a normal employee, customer or supplier relationship.
(c) Key management personnel compensation 2017 $ 2,781,911 - 2016 $ 2,622,530 - 2,781,911 2,622,530 25.
EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO YEAR END There has not arisen in the interval between the end of the year and the date of this report any item, transaction or event of a material and unusual nature likely to affect signiﬁcantly the operations of the University, the results of those operations or the state of affairs of the University in subsequent periods.

2017 | USP Annual Report 123 Notes 124 2017 | USP Annual Report Sustainability, Innovation, Excellence.
Sustainability, Innovation and Excellence
th
www.usp.ac.fj