The Higher Education Commission Fiji (HECF) today marked a significant milestone in Fiji’s higher education sector with the convening of the inaugural Vice-Chancellors’ Forum at the Novotel Lami.
The first-ever Forum brought together Vice-Chancellors and senior university leaders from Fiji’s five universities — the University of the South Pacific, Fiji National University, University of Fiji, Pasifika Communities University, and Fulton Adventist University — for a one-day strategic dialogue focused on the future of higher education in Fiji.
The high-level gathering provided an important platform for collaborative engagement on key issues shaping the sector, including quality assurance, innovation, governance, system strengthening, and emerging developments such as Artificial Intelligence in higher education.
The Minister for Education, Hon Aseri Radrodro, officiated as Chief Guest and highlighted the increasing expectations being placed on universities globally.
“Across the world, universities are facing increasing expectations to deliver quality teaching, relevant research, innovation, and meaningful contributions to national development,” the Minister said.
“At the same time, universities are being called upon to respond to rapid technological change, evolving labour market demands, and the growing need for accountability and efficiency in the use of public resources.”
The Minister also acknowledged the progress of the university review exercise and emphasising the importance of aligning university systems and programmes with the Fiji Qualifications Framework. He stressed the need for effective monitoring of universities — not only for regulatory purposes, but as an essential mechanism for maintaining quality, ensuring consistency, promoting continuous improvement, and strengthening accountability across the higher education sector.
The inaugural Vice-Chancellors’ Forum reflects HECF’s ongoing commitment to strengthening collaboration, strategic leadership, and collective dialogue within Fiji’s higher education landscape.
Participants were encouraged to engage openly, share ideas constructively, and work collectively towards advancing a resilient, innovative, and globally competitive higher education system for Fiji.
