Rajesh Chandra (2007 – 2018) Pal Ahluwalia (2018 – ) Dispute with Fijian government In 2019, Ahluwalia raised concerns about mismanagement and abuse of office at USP under the leadership of the previous Vice-Chancellor, Rajesh Chandra. An investigation by New Zealand accounting firm BDO substantiated the allegations, and the report was subsequently leaked online. In June 2020, a special council meeting led by Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson suspended Ahluwalia for unspecified "misconduct". Staff protesting the suspension were questioned by Fijian police. On 19 June Ahluwalia was reinstated by a full meeting of the USP council, and the allegations against him were dismissed in September 2020. The Fijian government refused to accept Ahluwalia's exoneration, and on 24 September 2020 halted all funding to the university. On 4 February 2021, the Fijian government summarily deported Ahluwalia for being "a person who is or has been conducting himself in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security or good government of the Fiji Islands". In response to Fiji government interference in the regional university, Samoa has proposed moving USP's headquarters to Samoa. Following Ahluwalia's deportation, Dr Giulio Masasso Tu'ikolongahau Paunga was appointed acting Vice-Chancellor by the USP Council, while Ahluwalia remains Vice-Chancellor pending moving his office to Nauru. The Council also established a subcommittee to investigate the deportation. Following Ahluwalia's deportation, Samoan Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi announced that Samoa would be willing to provide a new home for the university. On 25 May the university's council issued a new three-year contract to Ahluwalia and relocate the Vice-Chancellor's office to the Alafua Campus in Apia, Samoa. In August 2021 the Fijian government announced that it would not fund the university as long as Ahluwalia was vice-chancellor. Following the 2022 Fijian general election, the new government led by Sitiveni Rabuka revoked the prohibition order on Ahluwalia and reinstated funding to USP. Rankings The Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked USP in 1000-1200th for 2022. The university claimed that this translated to being ranked in the top 10% of universities in the world, leading to criticism that they were exaggerating their ranking. Campuses Despite its multi-campus nature, the USP is not a university system. It is a single university with several branches across the Pacific Region. USP's Laucala campus in Fiji is the main campus of the University, also serving as its administrative centre. USP's main campus, called