Chapter 6: Distance and Flexible Learning At The University of The South Pacific: Computer Science Challenges

The University of the South Pacific (USP) has a unique and complex composition, as a university owned by 12 different countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Samoa). Fiji houses USP’s main campus in Suva, and an additional two campuses in the west and north. There are another 11 campuses, one in each of the member countries, plus a number of smaller centers where there is student demand (see map of USP region in the Appendix).

USP’s member countries are small island states, the smallest being Tokelau, with a population of about 1000, and the largest being Fiji, with a population of approximately 800,000. Socio-economic bases and resources vary from country to country, but all are challenged by development issues such as poverty, governance, environmental degradation, gender disparity, and unsatisfactory health status. Cultures are diverse and encompass 180 languages. Populations are widely dispersed over millions of kilometers of ocean. Telecommunications development and provision is inconsistent and often expensive. Migration of skilled and educated Pacific Islanders to Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., and beyond seriously affects the region’s ability to build professional capacity and a skilled labor force. Providing quality, cost-effective education in this context is indeed a huge challenge. Distance and flexible learning is the most obvious solution.