THE Solomon Islands National University (SINU) currently offers certificate, diploma, bachelor and post-graduate courses in various fields and it strives to ensure that its students graduate with the qualifications they pursue.
The university has expanded both in infrastructure development and academic programmes and continues to strives to offer higher qualifications in cooperation with the Japanese Government.
This was highlighted by the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Pro Vice-Chancellor Dr Jack Maebuta.
Emphasising the university’s academic development to the Japanese Ambassador Miwa Yoshiaki during a visit by the diplomat to the tertiary institution, Dr Maebuta said: “SINU has grown and expanded in terms of the mix, number and level of programmes it offers.
“It offers certificate, diploma, bachelor, and post-graduate courses.”
Dr Maebuta said these qualifications range from academicl and skills training in various trades and maritime courses to teacher training, accounting and banking, administration and management, nursing and health, forestry, agriculture, fisheries and environment.
He told the ambassador that SINU is located on three campuses in Honiara and one in the Western Province. The Honiara campuses are at Kukum, Panatina and Ranadi. The Western Province campus is in Poitete.
The Kukum Campus is the university’s main campus which hosts the faculties of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (FAFF); Business and Tourism; Nursing, Medicine and Health Sciences as well as Science and Technology.
The Kukum Campus also accommodates the Vice Chancellor and all other administrative and support services departments of the university.
The Panatina Campus hosts the faculty of Education and Humanities whilst the Ranadi Campus hosts the Institute of Maritime Studies and the School of Fisheries.
The Poitete Campus, which the Japanese ambassador is yet to visit, hosts Forestry training.
Dr Maebuta also told Ambassador Yoshiaki that SINU has also established centres in the provinces to descentralise its services to four provinces.
The provincial centres are located in Auki in Malaita, Buala in Isabel, Gizo and Munda in Western Province and Lata in Temotu.
Unfortunately for the other provinces without a SINU centre, students in these provinces have to travel all the way to Honiara to access SINU services.
The Japanese Ambassador told the SINU Acting Vice-Chancellor and Pro-Chancellor that his visit to SINU is important for the national tertiary institute’s cooperation with his office and also universities in Japan.
By LACHLAN EDDIE
Newsroom, Honiara
