John Coleridge Patteson University Plans Coming to Fruition

The Anglican Church of Melanesia is pleased to report that the opening of new John Coleridge Patteson University (JCPU) is getting much closer. The land has been purchased, partnerships with SICHE and USP are being finalized, and classes in the new education faculty are being planned for early 2013.

Over the last week, business leaders, educators, administrators, church leaders, and students have been meeting towards the next strategic steps towards opening. The Anglican Church of Melanesia organized the meetings, working with a Canadian facilitator, The Rev. Alisdair Smith.

Rev. Smith said, "it is really very exciting to have had a small part to play in this ambitious and important project for all Solomon Islanders”.

The impact of tertiary education on the economy as a whole cannot be minimized.

The results of the meetings were two-fold; first a compelling story that will provide the back bone of fund raising appeals both here in Solomon Islands and internationally, and secondly, some clear next steps towards opening the university.

JCPU will focus in it's earliest days on two main faculties; education and theology. The education faculty will work in partnership with SICHE, and provide more spaces for teacher training, education and development. The theology faculty will build on the strengths of the existing Anglican Theological College at Kohimarama. By focusing on these two areas to start, JCPU will provide high quality graduates to teach at the primary and secondary level and high quality clergy to work in churches, schools and social services across the country.