Tonga’s first and new national university is set to open its doors to post-secondary students in the kingdom on Friday next week.
Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku said the university will start by delivering new five bachelor programmes including Bachelor of Education (primary and secondary), Bachelor of Computer Science, Bachelor of Tourism and Bachelor of Agriculture.
As Kaniva News reported previously, the university is expected to unite various existing institutes including the Tonga Institute of Education, Tonga Institute of Higher Education, Tonga Institute of Science and Technology, Tonga Maritime Polytech Institute, Queen Salote Institute of Nursing and Allied Health, as well as the Tonga Police College.
An open day on January 27 will allow students to visit the campus at Pahu and explore their study options, catch a sample lecture, and talk to staff.
READ MORE:
- Tonga announces plans for national university – Kaniva Tonga News
- University of Fiji academic chief rejects allegations of corruption, nepotism – Kaniva Tonga News
It will offer academic, technical, and vocational programmes and qualifications from certificate to post-doctorate level.
Tonga is a member of Fiji-based University of the South Pacific (USP), a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania.
USP is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment, with almost 30,000 students in 2017.
It has campus on the main island of Tongatapu and sister centres on Tonga’s Ha’apai and Vava’u islands.
The first university to have been established in Tonga was ‘Atenisi University, a private institute which was founded by late Professor Futa Helu in 1975.
