Mr Jean-Pierre Nirua took office as President of the new National University of Vanuatu on 1 September 2020.
Mr Nirua brings to the emerging National University of Vanuatu 30 solid years of well-invested professional experience with proven qualities in university governance and administration, and top-level management skills in government and regional corporate entities. He has in-depth knowledge of education and training development locally and internationally, and a good vision for the development of Higher Education in Vanuatu, having served the University of the South Pacific for 15 years as the first indigenous Ni-Vanuatu Distance and Flexible Learning Centre Director and later Emalus Campus Director in Port Vila. In addition to serving the University of South Pacific, Mr Nirua has served the Government of Vanuatu for nine years, the final four years of which as Director of the National Planning and Statistics Office. He also served the Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat in Port-Vila for six years as Director of Operations and Corporate Services. Elected in Parliament in 2016, he was appointed Minister of Education and Training in the 11th Legislature of the Republic of Vanuatu.
Amongst the many achievements realised in the four years he served as Minister of Education and Training, one of the most noble national legacies former Hon. Minister Nirua will be recognised and acknowledged for, was to personally spearhead and meticulously lead and guide a team of MoET officials with international consultants to collaborate with the State Law Office in fast-tracking and finalising the process of legislating the Act establishing the National University of Vanuatu in a time record, which was unanimously adopted by the Vanuatu Parliament on the 17 December 2019.
