So'o le fau i le fau

Weaving relationships is central to Samoan culture.

VUWSA president and welfare officer, with Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Winnie Laban and Samoan student president Andrew Tuigamala

The first thing the visiting student association president from Samoa noticed when he arrived at Victoria’s Kelburn campus was the sheer amount of space. The second thing he noticed was the extent of resources available for students.

“Victoria is a big university. My university, the National University of Samoa (NUS), has just over 2000 students,” says NUS Student Association president Andrew Tuigamala.

“I also noticed that the students have comfortable places to study, a kitchen and fridge and computer labs. We don’t have so many opportunities in Samoa,” he says.

Andrew’s week-long trip was organised by Victoria’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Office in conjunction with NUS, so he could see first-hand how Victoria’s student-led groups operate, their role, structure and how they overcome challenges.

Andrew says meeting student leaders from groups like VUWSA, Pasifika Students’ Council, UniQ and the Salient editor has been invaluable.

He was also interviewed by Wellington’s Samoa Capital Radio, attended sport, cultural and business events, including the Wellington Pasifika Business Network, and each time carried a notebook and camera to record ideas.

“Our association will benefit from this trip. I’ve got more ideas of how to get funds and do activities, and how to deal with our issues around studying.”

Andrew says NUS has limited study space and student access to computers. “Our main project this year is to turn our small office into a study centre with computers. We also brought a printer so students can print their assignments for free. It’s important because a lot of our students are from low-income families.”

Despite the differences, Andrew has found that the two student associations face similar challenges, such as improving student participation.

Andrew will complete his Bachelor of Education degree next year, and is planning to be a secondary school teacher.

Victoria’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) Luamanuvao Winnie Laban says Andrew’s trip, which is a first for Victoria, is a great opportunity for both universities.

“We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the National University of Samoa. This learning exchange shows we’re not just building links with academics, central service units, but also between our students who will be the future entrepreneurs and decision-makers for New Zealand, Samoa and our Pacific region.”