The University of South Pacific Alafua Campus will hold an open day this Friday to showcase its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes to potential students and visitors.

Acting Head of the USP School of Agriculture and Food Technology, Associate Professor Dr. Siaka Diarra, said they offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses and students can get a diploma in agriculture as well as bachelor degrees in business, animal science, crop science and plant science amongst others.

Masters and doctorate degrees in agriculture are also offered by the Alafua Campus with university staff member Seulgee Samuelu indicating that the campus is the second largest in the regional university. 

"Alafua Campus is the second largest campus of the University of the South Pacific and home of agriculture and technology, and Samoa is one of the members of 12 countries who are the owners of the University,"  she said.

Dr. Diarra said the USP Campus was established in 1960 and was initially called South Pacific Regional College Tropical Agricultural, but the name was changed in 1977 to the School of Agriculture.

"The name School of Agriculture and Food Technology came in 2005 when the University decided to added the food and technology course, and since then we have been named School of Agriculture and Food Technology," he said. 

Ms. Samuelu said the University has three faculties: agriculture and food technology; business and economics; arts law and education; and finally science technology and environment. 

Open day committee chair, Leatuavao Ioane Malak, told this newspaper that the University has developed its programmes for 30-40 years and a lot of them are now available online.

Another staff member, Leatuavao Ioane Malaki, said the objective of the open day is to provide an opportunity for Samoa Students and overseas visitors to see what the USP has to offer in terms of study.  

"The open day purpose is to provide the opportunity for the Samoa people and visitors and also guest from other countries to come and see what the University of the South Pacific at Alafua Campus offers for them," he added. 

He said people do not need to go overseas to get a degree or masters degree,  as they can earn a degree from the Campus in Samoa, through the use of online resources or face-to-face classes.

"Important of having this opportunity is to let the people of Samoa know you can study from home and don't have to go overseas to get a masters degree or bachelor and PHD degree, most of this course are available through settle light," he added. 

USP Alafua Campus student representative, Justin Smidth, said entertainment will be provided during the open day by students representing the different Pacific Island nations. The event will be open to the public from 10:30am till 1.00pm. 

"This day there will song and dance performances from the students here at the USP. Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu and Solomon students who attended the USP at Alafua will participate," he said.