The University of the South Pacific was established in 1968. It is one of only two universities in the world that is run as an intergovernmental organisation. The university is jointly owned by the governments of 12 member countries: the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Samoa.
Although the university has campuses in all 12 Pacific Island countries, its main campus is located in Suva, the capital of Fiji. The city lies on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, between the Rewa River to the east and the Suva Harbour to the west. Home to a third of Fiji’s population, Suva is the cultural, economic and political centre of the South Pacific region.
Academically the university is organised into six schools: the school of accounting, finance and economics, school of business and management, school of information technology, engineering, mathematics and physics, school of agriculture, geography, environmental, ocean and natural sciences, school of law and social sciences, and the school of pacific arts, communication and education. Each school is comprised of various departments offering both undergraduate and graduate degree programmes.
The university is also home to the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as the Pacific Technical and Further Education (TAFE) which is divided into the College of Foundation Studies and the College of Continuing Vocational Education and Training.
Throughout the academic year the university carries out research in a range of areas such as oceans, ecosystems and climate resilience, and education, culture, health and wellbeing.
