University of the South Pacific

The Institute of Applied Sciences (IAS) at The University of the South Pacific (USP), interfaces the University's expertise and facilities to the independent island countries of the South Pacific Region. In particular, as a professional scientific service provider, IAS makes its resources available to regional organisations, governments, businesses, and the people of the region. The Institute of Applied Sciences was established in 1977 (under the name of Institute of Natural Resources) at the Suva campus of The University of the South Pacific with a full time staff of one using the facilities and space provided by the science teaching departments at the University. IAS has now grown to have 70 full-time staff and its own office building and laboratories and scientific equipment located on USP's Lower Campus in Laucala Bay Campus by the sea. The various units at IAS are the Laboratory Services Unit, Environment Unit, Biodiversity Centre (incl. the South Pacific Herbarium), Pacific Natural Products Research Centre, and the Quality, Marketing and Communication unit. IAS is the consulting arm of the Faculty of Science, Technology & Environment; it markets the professional scientific expertise to the outside world. The Institute also works with other schools, institutes and individual departments at USP on interdisciplinary projects that require a wider range of skills than those usually found in individual departments or faculties.