Going for global : youth transition in the South Pacific

In a globalised marketplace, youth in developing countries face problems similar to youth in developed countries. Issues relating to university access and opportunity remain as major themes for youth in developing countries. This chapter looks at the University of The South Pacific (USP) as an important conduit of youth transition in the Pacific region. The USP has provided a structure for the transition of youth into not only a workplace in the region, but also in an international and global marketplace. Youth in the South Pacific region, therefore, have access to an educational qualification that can be actively traded for work in a global marketplace. Adopting a qualitative historical approach, it begins by briefly reviewing the underlying context for the development of the USP and the nature of globalisation in the South Pacific. The final section of the chapter addresses current issues in youth transition in the South Pacific, the student composition of the USP and how these issues compare to factors affecting youth in industrial nations. [Author abstract, ed]