President Aingimea commence chancellorship, wants a strong USP
REPUBLIC OF NAURU
Government Information Office
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release
Thursday, 2 July 2020
President Aingimea commence
chancellorship, wants a strong USP
His Excellency President Lionel Aingimea is the third president
of Nauru to hold the position of chancellor at the region's premier
institution, the University of the South Pacific.
The chancellor is the titular head of the University in which
President Aingimea is the 28th head of state or
government to hold the title.
President Aingimea says the chancellorship means "it brings what
Nauru can contribute to USP" and a chance for Nauru to "put our
stamp in how we think USP should be governed."
"It is my intention that as chancellor it is not just a figure
head, that as chancellor I will get really involved in improving
and pushing USP that will make USP proud. That will make people
want to go to USP.
"The USP needs to have strong staff, strong students and
supported by a strong council.
"The vision I see is one where staff can work in an environment
without fear and without intimidation, where they can deliver what
is needed either in business houses or what is needed in
industries.
"I want us (USP) to be at the level of excellence that is on par
with the best universities in the world and I believe we are one of
the premier universities in the world," President Aingimea said,
adding however, that the governance of the university needs to
improve.
"If the governance element of USP doesn't improve then it gives
way to corruption, it gives way to nepotism, and it gives way to an
environment where people are too frightened to speak and you'll
have basically low morale and a code of ethics that is thrown out
the door."
While the term of chancellor commences 1 July, President
Aingimea will be officially installed at the USP's main campus in
Laucala, Suva, Fiji. With strict border closures and travel
restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19 measures, the date for
the ceremony is yet to be confirmed.
H.E Aingimea is serving his first term as Nauru's
15th president. He represents the constituency of Meneñ.
Prior to becoming president, he served as secretary for justice and
border control under the Ministry for Justice and Border
Control.
Former presidents of Nauru that have held the title are the late
Hammer DeRoburt from 1974 to 1976 and Marcus Stephen from 2009 to
2010.
The main role of the position is to confer degrees at the
graduation ceremony and chancellors are appointed by the USP
Council from heads of states or heads of governments in
alphabetical rotation amongst the 12 member countries of the
USP.
The term for chancellor was for three years until the change in
the University Charter and Statutes altered the term to one year
appointments.
ENDS///
Issued by:
Nauru Government Information Office,
Republic of NAURU
Ph: +(674) 557 3009 E: gio.nauru@gmail.com / naurugovinfo@gmail.com / www.naurugov.nr