Nauru President Lionel Aingimea

Nauru President named regional magazine’s Pacific ‘leader of the year’ in 2020

A report in the Nauru Bulletin said the Fiji-based publication highlighted that President Aingimea’s leadership and unwavering determination, grit and a burning desire to save the University of the South Pacific earned him respect and accolades in 2020.

The report goes on to say while USP Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia is credited with exposing the rot in the regional institute of learning, it is his incoming chancellor that made sure that the VC kept his job last year.

USP Council meets to decide Thompson's fate

A special council meeting has been convened and is chaired by USP Chancellor and Nauru President Lionel Aingimea.

The FBC reported Fiji's Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Education Minister Rosy Akbar attended the online meeting.

President Aingimea called the meeting last month.

A week later, Sayed-Khaiyum announced Fiji was suspending its grants of more than $US10 million to the university.

“You sir are muddying the process once again," Nauru President tells USP's Thompson

Lionel Aingimea, who is also USP Chancellor, is particularly concerned that the Executive Committee meeting called by Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson, is reviewing the dismissal of the former USP Pacific’s Technical and Further Education chief executive officer, Hasmukh Lal.

Nauru President Aingimea commences chancellorship, wants a strong USP

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.