Bula Vinaka, Namaste and greetings to all members of the FNU family.
I hope everyone is keeping safe and well, and observing the public health advice and restrictions which are there to protect us, our communities and our loved ones. As we head into the final month of December and plan for Christmas Holidays with family and friends, the university management has been busy rounding up its affairs for the year and also holding important discussions strengthening relations with stakeholders so together we can achieve the desired objectives.
Last week, the Fiji National University with our education partners Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC), hosted the Australian Government’s Minister for International Development and the Pacific Senator the Honourable Zed Seselja for a short visit to our Derrick Campus in Samabula, Suva. As you may be aware APTC has a partnership arrangement with the FNU where the APTC run 4 courses within FNU’s campuses. These courses are namely Painting and Decorating; Fashion; Refrigeration and Air Conditioning; and Electrical. APTC is working with FNU to prepare the institution to take over the delivery of the quality assured courses and accredited trainers over time. And so the transitioning these courses over to FNU is a shared goal with APTC. We are also working on projects with APTC to strengthen and enhance programme delivery and are happy to note the ongoing progress being made. We are also thankful to the Australian Government for its support through DFAT which has enabled us to undertake various projects across the university.
To strengthen and develop new collaborations, we have been engaging in meaningful discussions with representatives from the industry and the subsequent launch of TVET Pasifika brand to our important partners. The TVET Pasifika brand as you know provides opportunities for prospective students, those in the workforce intending to upgrade their trade qualifications or those currently unemployed and looking at learning lifelong skills experience and competencies demanded by employers or required by entrepreneurs, in a fast-changing global economy. We are happy with the continued strong support from the Fijian Government and relevant education partners as we work together to provide quality learning and teaching to all our students. At FNU, our primary focus is on education for employability, providing our students with the skills, experience and competencies to enjoy fulfilling careers. We are committed to ensuring that our students are highly employable and ‘work ready’ the day after graduation. At our recent launch of the TVET Pasifika brand to the industry, there were many interesting observations and important points raised by participants and as a university, we have taken notes of these and will discuss further within our Colleges and see how and where we need to strengthen our services. As I had stated earlier, we are in an educational partnership and we need to listen and embrace suggestions to make our learning and teaching current and as demanded by the job market.
Finally, I would like to wish all our students who are sitting for final examinations and or submitting their assignments and assessments all the best. Study hard and be sure to get adequate rest before your exams. Also, I would like to remind everyone to keep washing your hands regularly with soap and water, wear face-covering when going out, keep your 2-metre distance and use alcohol-based sanitiser when wiping your hands.
Have a productive week and keep safe. Thank you.
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Dr. William May
Acting Vice-Chancellor
Fiji National University