The Ministry of Education has stressed the need for closer cooperation among universities and training institutions to strengthen Fiji’s higher education sector and better prepare students for the future workforce.
Speaking at the Vice-Chancellors’ Forum 2026, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro said universities must continue to adapt to national development needs and growing global changes in education.
The Forum, organised by the Higher Education Commission Fiji, brought together Vice-Chancellors and senior university leaders to discuss challenges and opportunities facing the sector.
Radrodro says Fiji and the Pacific continue to face issues such as skills migration and brain drain, and stressed that universities should become centres for lifelong learning, innovation and national development.
He says higher education is shifting globally towards skills, competencies, and workforce readiness rather than only focusing on traditional degrees.
He also highlighted issues including graduate employability, digital transformation, student wellbeing, infrastructure, and research capacity, saying these challenges require a united national response.
Radrodro says the government is progressing reforms including the review of universities, strengthening laws and regulations, and improving the Fiji National Qualifications Framework to support quality education and international recognition of qualifications.
He also stressed the importance of stronger partnerships between universities, TVET institutions, and industry to better connect education with workforce demands.
According to the Ministry, Artificial Intelligence was also discussed as a growing priority area, with Radrodro saying Fiji must ensure technology benefits people without replacing them.
He has backed plans for the Vice-Chancellors’ Forum to become an annual event aimed at improving collaboration and innovation across Fiji’s higher education sector.
