By Aalimah Zahraa
The University of the South Pacific (USP) marked another milestone as 1,881 students graduated on the 10th and 11th of April, 2025.
This event, held at the Vodafone Arena in Suva, included the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, and USP’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Prof. Pal Ahluwalia, who both honoured the achievements of the graduating cohort.
Radrodro extended his congratulations to the graduates and praised them for their determination, effort, and dedication.
He paid tribute to the families, teachers, and the wider USP community for supporting and enabling the graduates to achieve.
“This is not only a celebration of our graduates, but also a celebration for everyone who supported them — their families, their lecturers, and all those who have made USP a lighthouse of hope and excellence in the Pacific.”
USP Vice-Chancellor and President Prof. Ahluwalia reminded all graduands that this ceremony was not an ending, but a new beginning for them.
Drawing inspiration from actress Kerry Washington, he encouraged students to reflect on moments of challenge and growth throughout their academic journeys.
“Your resilience, your willingness to step outside your comfort zones, and your belief in a better future have brought you here,” he said.
“You are the wayfinders of our time — charting new courses for our Blue Pacific.”
Highlighting USP’s unique role in blending traditional Pacific knowledge with modern academic excellence, the Vice-Chancellor emphasised that graduates are now equipped not only with degrees, but with the power to shape the future of their communities and the region.
Prof. Ahluwalia also spoke passionately about the institution’s commitment to addressing urgent regional issues such as climate change through its Centre for Sustainable Futures, and commended the university’s high global rankings and its efforts to support women in academic leadership.
“We all recognise that climate change remains the single greatest existential threat to our region. USP recognises the need and opportunity to leverage its position, complementing other regional initiatives around climate change and oceans management in collaboration with fellow CROP agencies,” he said.
“Given that our institution has produced more female graduates for successive years — an average of 60% of those who graduated over the last six years are female — we want to see more women play leading roles in such spaces,”
Both leaders urged graduates to be bold, visionary, and anchored in Pacific values as they take on new roles in a rapidly changing world.
“Let your education fuel your passion, let your culture ground your vision, and let the Pacific spirit guide your leadership,” the Vice-Chancellor concluded, quoting Epeli Hau‘ofa:
“Just as the sea is an open and ever-flowing reality, so should our oceanic identity transcend all forms of insularity.”
Prof. Ahluwalia challenged the graduates to be the change-makers, to embody the Pacific spirit of working together for the benefit of all, and to shape a better future for the Pacific.
This article was first published in Wansolwara and has been republished here with the kind permission of the editor(s).
Contributing Author: Aalimah Zahraa is a second-year journalism student at The University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Campus.
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