Abstract: This paper contributes to the dialogue regarding a perceived cultural gap in the learning experiences of South Pacific higher education students. The gap is suggested to be the conflict between students. home cultures at one pole, and a combination of globalisation, internalised colonisation, and the transition to tertiary education at the other pole. Culture is defined as a process of understanding, and the implication for interpersonal understanding between teachers and students is presented as a means for bridging the cultural gap in South Pacific higher education.
