First batch of regional nursing students from Vanuatu due in Honiara today as part of an arrangement between Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health and SINU
FIRST lot of regional students from Vanuatu to undergo nursing studies at the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) will arrive today.
About 30 of them are expected to arrive this evening. Earlier, SINU Chancellor, Sir Dr Nathan Kere, announced that 70 Ni Vanuatuan nursing students will arrive in the country.
A committee from SINU is preparing to welcome the students on their arrival.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Transform Aqorau, in interview with Solomon Star said SINU is prepared to accommodate regional students if they apply.
“They will not be turned back,” he said.
Dr Aqorau said this achievement is an outcome of an arrangement between Vanuatu’s Ministry of Health and SINU to train Ni Vanuatuan nurses.
He said majority of students are sponsored by the government of Vanuatu, while a few of them are privately-sponsored.
When asked what are some of the courses SINU plans to offer to regional students, the new SINU Vice Chancellor said at the moment it is just nursing.
He said SINU needs to get registered with Solomon Islands Tertiary Education and Skills Authority (SITESA) first as an Educational Service Provider and then get accreditation of programmes.
“We need to get registered with SITESA first as an Educational Service Provider and then get accreditation of our programmes with SITESA, then eventually develop more postgraduate programmes to help our research portfolio,” Dr Aqorau said.
In 1970s -1990s, SINU in its early stage as a technical institution – Honiara Technical Institution (HTI) – used to enroll pacific students.
The revival of such programme is a welcome news as SINU under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Aqorau sets to transform SINU as top tertiary institution for learning, inquiry and research.
BY CHARLES KADAMANA
