Author: aniket

Jun 01

University of Fiji Strengthens India-Fiji Educational Ties Through Donation of Hindi and Vedic Books

The University of Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to leadership development and inclusive democratic participation through the contribution of one of its academics to a national training programme aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and media engagement.

University of Fiji Law Lecturer and Director of Special Projects, Mrs. Sainiana Waqainabete Radrodro, was invited by Balance of Power (BOP) as one of several facilitators for a training programme on “Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Media Engagement for Inclusive Elections” held at the BOP Office in Flagstaff, Suva.

The training brought together women community leaders from across Fiji, identified through the Fiji Council of Social Services, and featured a range of facilitators and resource persons from government, media and civil society organizations.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said the expertise of our staff means the University is often invited by stakeholders to provide deep insights into significant areas of public life, in this case about women’s leadership due to upcoming local and national elections in Fiji.

“Our emphasis is values, because of the human values foundation of the University. This workshop gave an opportunity to our colleague, Ms Radrodro, to underscore women’s leadership from that holistic perspective.”

During her two sessions, Mrs. Radrodro focused on developing clear, values-based messages aligned with community priorities and the importance of ethical leadership in public life.

In her opening session on “Developing clear, values-based messages aligned with community priorities”, Mrs. Radrodro reminded participants that leadership is not about gender but about values.

“In a male-dominated society, women must frame leadership around values, not gender. When women lead with respect and resilience, they redefine strength.”

She urged participants to see national service as a calling at the highest level of governance, stressing that campaign messages must speak directly to Fiji’s deepest challenges.

Mrs. Radrodro noted that voters often feel abandoned after elections when politicians disappear from communities. She emphasized that ethical leadership demands listening, understanding and addressing the real needs of the people.

“Leadership means being seen, questioned, and sometimes criticized. This is not weakness, it is the weight of responsibility. True leaders meet scrutiny with confidence, courage, and hard work, leaving little room for doubt.”

Mrs. Radrodro also encouraged women to embrace public scrutiny as proof that people are paying attention.

“Respond with facts. Stay calm. Use criticism as feedback. Transparency builds trust and strengthens leadership. Values are your compass, they steady you under pressure and remind voters why they can trust you.”

She further highlighted the importance of values-driven leadership in Fiji’s democratic future.

“Unity, integrity, and resilience are not just ideals, they are the heartbeat of Fiji. Integrity fights corruption, fairness champions education, unity celebrates our diversity, and resilience honors our survival through hardship. These values define us, and they must define our leaders.”

The training was delivered in collaboration with Women in Media and BBC Media Action.

The University of Fiji extends its best wishes to all women candidates in the upcoming elections and looks forward to stronger women’s representation in Parliament.

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Jun 01

University of Fiji Academic Contributes to National Training on Women’s Leadership and Inclusive Elections

The University of Fiji has reaffirmed its commitment to leadership development and inclusive democratic participation through the contribution of one of its academics to a national training programme aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and media engagement.

University of Fiji Law Lecturer and Director of Special Projects, Mrs. Sainiana Waqainabete Radrodro, was invited by Balance of Power (BOP) as one of several facilitators for a training programme on “Strengthening Women’s Leadership and Media Engagement for Inclusive Elections” held at the BOP Office in Flagstaff, Suva.

The training brought together women community leaders from across Fiji, identified through the Fiji Council of Social Services, and featured a range of facilitators and resource persons from government, media and civil society organizations.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said the expertise of our staff means the University is often invited by stakeholders to provide deep insights into significant areas of public life, in this case about women’s leadership due to upcoming local and national elections in Fiji.

“Our emphasis is values, because of the human values foundation of the University. This workshop gave an opportunity to our colleague, Ms Radrodro, to underscore women’s leadership from that holistic perspective.”

During her two sessions, Mrs. Radrodro focused on developing clear, values-based messages aligned with community priorities and the importance of ethical leadership in public life.

In her opening session on “Developing clear, values-based messages aligned with community priorities”, Mrs. Radrodro reminded participants that leadership is not about gender but about values.

“In a male-dominated society, women must frame leadership around values, not gender. When women lead with respect and resilience, they redefine strength.”

She urged participants to see national service as a calling at the highest level of governance, stressing that campaign messages must speak directly to Fiji’s deepest challenges.

Mrs. Radrodro noted that voters often feel abandoned after elections when politicians disappear from communities. She emphasized that ethical leadership demands listening, understanding and addressing the real needs of the people.

“Leadership means being seen, questioned, and sometimes criticized. This is not weakness, it is the weight of responsibility. True leaders meet scrutiny with confidence, courage, and hard work, leaving little room for doubt.”

Mrs. Radrodro also encouraged women to embrace public scrutiny as proof that people are paying attention.

“Respond with facts. Stay calm. Use criticism as feedback. Transparency builds trust and strengthens leadership. Values are your compass, they steady you under pressure and remind voters why they can trust you.”

She further highlighted the importance of values-driven leadership in Fiji’s democratic future.

“Unity, integrity, and resilience are not just ideals, they are the heartbeat of Fiji. Integrity fights corruption, fairness champions education, unity celebrates our diversity, and resilience honors our survival through hardship. These values define us, and they must define our leaders.”

The training was delivered in collaboration with Women in Media and BBC Media Action.

The University of Fiji extends its best wishes to all women candidates in the upcoming elections and looks forward to stronger women’s representation in Parliament.

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Jun 01

University of Fiji Officially Launches Commemorative Ratu Sukuna Song

The University of Fiji is commemorating Ratu Sukuna Memorial Day with innovative activities designed not only to recall Ratu Sukuna’s importance but also to showcase the diverse talents of UniFiji staff and students in appreciating his legacy.

The University has released an original song about Ratu Sukuna composed by its Music Director Sailasa Tora and produced by Simi Rova called ‘Ancient Lands and the Superstar’, set to a smooth jazz rhythm.

The single has its own cover and will be included in the UniFiji Jazz compilation to be released in June. The song is being dropped on the University of Fiji’s Vox Populi Radio Station on Thursday to start off the University’s Ratu Sukuna Day programme.

Other activities include a pictorial exhibition of Ratu Sukuna’s life from childhood to his war years with the French Foreign Legion and the Statesman period.

The Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said that the exhibition would be simultaneously launched on all three campuses of the University. “Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna was a friend of one of the stalwarts of the Arya Pratinidhi Sabha, Pundit Vishnu Deo, and both leaders believed in the liberating power of education; hence it is fitting that the Saweni Campus exhibition is being displayed in our Pundit Vishnu Deo Memorial Hall,” she said.

The Levuka Campus exhibition is held at University House, Fiji’s first Governor Sir Arthur Gordron’s former residence, also appropriate, Professor Shameem said.

A video of Ratu Sukuna’s importance to young people, filmed by the University’s Centre for iTaukei Studies, will also be shown at all three campuses.

Students have organised speeches and commentary and the Students Association has taken responsibility for refreshments for the day.

Professor Shameem said that the University’s community and public good responsibility included an appreciation of Ratu Sukuna’s effective leadership style that has endured over time, setting standards and benchmarks for the next generations.

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Jun 01

Students Celebrate Culture and Creativity at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School

Students at Ratu Sukuna Memorial School in Nabua took part in painting, weaving and cultural activities this week as part of the 2026 Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Day celebrations.

The week-long celebration brought together students, teachers and local artists to honour the legacy of Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna through art and culture.

Vice Principal Mrs Kuini Vitukawalu said the celebrations were important because the school carries the name of Ratu Sukuna and his vision of embracing both traditional and modern cultures.

“This year we are concentrating on the other cultures in Fiji. That is what this man stood for in those years – the man of two worlds,” she said.

The school invited artists Mason Lee, Josaia McNamara, Anare Somumu and other painters through the Fiji Arts Council to work alongside students during the celebrations. Artist-in-Residence Mason Lee is from the University of Fiji Suva Central Campus.

Artist Josaia McNamara said working with students was rewarding because it gave young people a chance to learn artistic skills for free.

“For me, it’s a way of giving back to the community because it’s very expensive for students to pay for private art classes,” he said. “Through this opportunity, we’ve been able to tutor students on the job for free.”

Mr Anare said art played an important role in educating young people about culture and history.

“Art is a vehicle of transmitting information visually and expressively,” he said. “It is important that we educate our youngsters so that we can bridge the gap of our past art practices into the future.”

Students involved in the activities said the event helped them discover new talents and
learn more about Fiji’s culture and traditions. Year 11 student Tulia Vulivuli said the celebration inspired students to showcase their hidden talents.

“There’s a lot of students here who never know their great drawings, so we need more activities like this so they can showcase their talent,” she said.

Another Year 11 student, Rosi Ledua Seini, said the activities helped students learn skills they may not have learned at home.

“I feel so excited because we get to learn a few things that we didn’t learn from home,” she said. “Today I get to know how to do drawings.”

Year 11 student Isimeli Rasari said the artists motivated students to see art as a positive activity and future opportunity.

“They inspired me about this painting,” he said. “You can get a lot of money with this
kind of painting.”

Mrs Vitukawalu said the school planned to continue organising cultural and creative activities in the future to help students value their traditions and identities.

“The celebration of culture, regardless of your race, is something that we have to harness and keep as part of us,” she said.

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May 27

UniFiji Researchers Awarded Prestigious DevNet Research Grants

The University of Fiji’s School of Business and Economics has achieved a significant milestone with two of its academics being awarded the prestigious DevNet Pacific Research Grant for their respective research projects.

Dr Navneel Prasad and Ms Priteshni Chand secured the highly competitive regional research funding for projects focusing on migration, labour participation and economic development in Fiji.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem said the achievement reflects the increasing quality and relevance of research being undertaken at the University of Fiji.

“We are gradually seeing an exponential increase in the quality and quantity of research outputs at the University of Fiji and this is due to the robustness of our Strategic Plan 2022-2026 structure which measures outputs and outcomes defining and encouraging public good research.”

Dr Prasad’s research project, “Beyond Income: A Multi-Factorial Analysis of Socio-Economic, Institutional and Environmental Determinants of Migration Intentions in Fiji”, will examine the broader social, institutional and environmental factors influencing migration intentions in Fiji.

Ms Chand’s project, “Low Female Labour Force Participation: Causes, Implications and Impacts on Economic Development of Developing Countries: The Case of Fiji”, will investigate the structural barriers affecting women’s workforce participation and the wider impacts on economic development.

Speaking on the award, Dr Prasad said research funding opportunities of this nature remain rare within Fiji.

“I am thrilled and honoured to receive this research grant from a regional body such as DevNet. Opportunities such as this are rare, as no such research funding is available in Fiji to conduct field research,” he said.

Ms Chand said the grant would provide important support for the successful implementation of her field research.

“I am incredibly honoured and deeply grateful to DevNet for investing in my research. This grant not only validates the direction of my thesis but also provides the crucial financial support needed to execute this fieldwork effectively,” she said.

Interim Dean Professor Murage Ranasinghe described the recognition of two academics from the same school by DevNet as a major achievement for the University and its research community.

DevNet, the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network, connects researchers, development practitioners, NGOs and government agencies involved in international development across the region.

The research projects are expected to commence in July 2026.

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