FIJI: New USP chancellor installed

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By Luisa Tora and Amanda Smith

USP Journalism Programme

SUVA: Niue Premier Sani Elia Lagigietama Lakatani has been installed as the 11th Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific.

The Vice-Chancellor, Esekia Solofa, installed Lakatani as the new chancellor at a ceremony held at the Niue High School Hall.

The ceremony involved the robing of the Premier in the chancellor's robe and his taking his pledge to uphold the charter and the statues of the university.

Lakatani will hold the position of chancellor for three years before it is passed on to the next member country, Tokelau.

The office of chancellor is an honorary one and rotated among the USP 12 member countries. The first chancellor of the University was King Taufa'ahau Tupou of Tonga.

The chancellor is the titular or ceremonial head of the University. The role of the chancellor is essentially to confer the degrees and award the certificates and diplomas of the University of the South Pacific at the graduation ceremonies.

Before the chancellor can confer the degrees of the university, he or she has to be formally installed at an installation ceremony.

The University Council at its meeting held in May at the Emalus Campus in Port Vila, Vanuatu, had appointed the Premier of Niue as the next chancellor of the university.

He succeeds Sir Tulaga Manuella of Tuvalu.

The installation of the chancellor coincided with the official opening of the new USP Centre in Niue.

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