Education and Skills Development under the CAREC Program by Asian Development Bank;

Author:Asian Development Bank;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Asian Development Bank Institute
Published: 2019-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

D. University of the South Pacific

59. The Pacific island countries (PICs) face education challenges that have parallels with the more remote CAREC countries. The PICs are spread over a wide area, although they are separated by water rather than large stretches of land; sparsely populated; and at a geographic disadvantage due to their difficulty accessing markets. To build their economies, they need a workforce with good skill levels and managerial competencies. The lack of higher education facilities has made it virtually impossible for the PICs to provide their citizens with equitable access to higher education. Prior to the establishment of USP in 1968, there were no higher education institutions in the PICs. As a result, the PICs were entirely reliant on higher education outside the region, mainly in Australia and New Zealand. This education was not affordable for most students, particularly from low-income groups, and only 5% of students seeking overseas scholarships could be accommodated.40

60. To address their higher education challenges, 12 PICs established the USP.41 Its main campus is in Suva, Fiji, and it currently has 14 campuses spread over its 12 member countries. The largest are in Kiribati and Solomon Islands. In 2011, approximately 22,000 students were enrolled in USP’s pre-degree and degree programs across its member countries, an increase of 10% over the previous year. It is estimated that over 75% of all higher education students in the 12 member countries are enrolled at USP. By offering higher education programs locally, and at significantly lower cost than sending students outside the region, the establishment of USP helped significantly to increase equitable access to higher education in the PICs.

61. Given USP’s successful track record and that it was the sole provider of higher education programs in the PICs, ADB was keen to explore ways of cooperating with USP. In addition to TA grants, given the need to upgrade and expand USP’s various campuses, ADB explored the scope for channelling loan funds to USP. In 2012, ADB approved a $19 million concessional multitranche financing facility for the USP. The first tranche was intended to upgrade the USP campus in Kiribati and to strengthen USP’s management capacity. The second tranche is expected to upgrade the campus in Solomon Islands and finance the construction of a new dormitory building at the main campus in Fiji.42 The model for financing ADB’s project with USP provides valuable lessons and might in due course guide CAREC’s cooperation with regional universities. However, CAREC should first establish a work plan for the higher education subsector and familiarize itself more closely with the potential partner universities.

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