The active participation of the ISM Group demonstrates the excellence of higher education in French-speaking Africa and contributes to promoting the visibility and influence of this region in the global context of higher education. This reinforces the global and enriching character of the convention, thus offering a unique opportunity for exchange and collaboration with key players in the world of education and business on a global scale.
The ISM Group, Ambassador of African Excellence
Organized by the School of Business and Management (SBM) of the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Eduniversal group, the global convention brought together from October 30 to November 2, 2023 an international panel in Fiji, in order to explore areas of collaboration and research that will drive private sector development in the Pacific and around the world.
This four-day international event brought together academics, researchers, specialists and directors of world-renowned business schools, including representatives of the ISM Group. It should be noted that the ISM Group, pioneer and leader in higher education in Senegal, is the only representative of French-speaking Africa to take part in this global convention.
International Discussions on Education Challenges
Delivering the keynote address to the programme, Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, Honorable Professor Biman Prasad, highlighted the importance of research and collaboration, which can also focus on climate change, an existential threat for developing economies in Fiji, the Pacific and around the world.
“Research carried out by business schools in the past has helped countries navigate difficult times and future research, through collaboration with institutions such as Eduniversal, can offer a path to success and prosperity,” said Professor Prasad.
The host of this year’s Convention, Vice-Chancellor and President of USP – University of the South Pacific’s, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, said that a prosperous and knowledgeable region requires an agile and highly knowledgeable economy. productive run by properly educated and qualified people. “Through its regional mandate, USP will have to play a leading role, be wise and be at the forefront of our social and economic transformation.”
He added that a crucial policy issue for the region is to root education in culture, language and identity to support students so that they can develop their existing skills and knowledge to accelerate learning and protect cultural values and traditions.
“The call for greater attention to culture and values is being heard across multiple sectors across the Pacific and will require multi-sector partnerships and coordinated actions to be implemented.”
“We have an increasingly influential and growing body of research and knowledge on what educational success looks like in the Pacific, which draws on a holistic understanding of education to build resilience, well-being and values.”
Similar sentiments were shared by USP – University of the South Pacific’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Head of the School of Business and Management (SBM), Professor Gurmeet Singh, and the Managing Director and Founder of the Eduniversal Group, Martial Guiette.
Professor Singh said Fiji, like other Pacific island countries, often faces limited resources, limited access to quality higher education and a scattered geography that poses logistical challenges.
“We have problems related to brain drain, infrastructure deficiencies, and the most important one is climate change. These challenges impact the overall quality of educational opportunities for our students, and overcoming these obstacles requires a holistic approach,” added Professor Singh. “This Convention provides the opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives with leaders from around the world and provides the valuable opportunity to design innovative solutions that could apply to our country as well.”
“By fostering collaborative dialogue, we can harness the wealth of knowledge accumulated by these global education pioneers and their experiences to overcome obstacles, implement successful strategies, and navigate cultural intricacies, which can serve as a light guide for the educational transformation we see in the South Pacific region.”
The Managing Director and Founder of Eduniversal, Martial Guiette, highlighted that “in Fiji, we found USP – University of the South Pacific’s, a dynamic university which embodies openness to the world and offers us the opportunity to share extraordinary experiences that are often impossible in large regions.”
“During the Convention, we will explore exciting and relevant topics such as distance learning, artificial intelligence and the development of Eduniversal nationally and regionally around the world and through a license-free system.”
The ISM Group has joined these major discussions on the challenges of higher education. Its participation demonstrates the excellence of higher education in French-speaking Africa and contributes to promoting the visibility and influence of the region in the global context of higher education.
