This book contains the results of a study examining post-secondary education in the South Pacific by surveying the number of educational opportunities currently offered, by analyzing key trends, and by comparing developments in the Cook Islands and the Solomon Islands. Following an introductory section on terminology and the region, the first main section describes current post-secondary educational opportunities in detail including sources, courses, qualifications, and access. This section concludes that increased demand for education has pressured governments to allocate resources at all levels and has encouraged diversification among sources of post-secondary education. The next section compares the Cook and Solomon Islands, the latter one of the area's largest nations and the former one of the smallest. The chapter on trends and policy options discusses a culture of continuous learning, curriculum issues, qualifications, educational quality, student and staff mobility, management, equity issues, finance, and economic development. A final section looks toward the next century and recommends extending choice, increased self-financing, accepting new national contexts, strengthening institutions, internationalizing education, encouraging science and technology, encouraging lifelong learning, strengthening curricula, acknowledging mobility, ensuring personal development, and developing personal and social values. An index is included. (Contains over 80 references.) (JB)