SIG SIGNED HISTORIC LAND LEASE WITH USP FOR 4th CAMPUS
USP Vice Chancellor, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare and Dr Derek Sikua pausing for a photo after the meeting. Photo credit: USP.
The Solomon Islands Government has signed a historic land lease agreement with the University of the South Pacific (USP) which will now give way for the construction of the University’s fourth Campus in Honiara.
USP’s Vice Chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra and Solomon Islands Commissioner of Lands signed the transfer agreement yesterday following a one-day tripartite meeting comprising representatives of the Solomon Islands Government, the USP and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The ADB representative Ms Emma Veve confirms ADB’s approval to finance the project through the University of the South Pacific.
“The financing will be through a loan from the Asian Development Bank to the University of the South Pacific. That loan is USD$15 million.”
Meanwhile, the Minister for Education and Human Resources Development, Dr Derek Sikua said the Honiara Campus will be built on a Government leased land adjacent to King George Sixth School.
“Construction of the USP Campus at KGVI here in Solomon Islands. The campus that we are going to build at KGVI is going to focus on Public Health.”
Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor Professor Chandra says the USP is hoping to establish four large clusters to be hosted by the campus.
These will include Public Health, a Faculty of Science, Technology and Environment, a Faculty of Arts, Law and Education and a Faculty of Business and Economics.
Professor Chandra says one of the justifications of developing this campus is to give Solomon Islands students the option of studying in-country for their first degree – a big saving for the Solomon Islands Government.