FNU Director Capital Projects and Infrastructure Niranjwan Chettiar, Civil Engineer Terrence Erasito, FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Lyn Karstadt, President of the Fiji Institution of Engineers Vijay Krishnan and Dean College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST) Professor Tibor Pasinszki.

A partnership between the Fiji National University (FNU) and Fiji Institution of Engineers (FIE) will enhance female interest and participation in traditionally male-dominated fields such as engineering.

The two institutions signed a three-year Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) at the Nasinu Campus.

FNU Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lyn Karstadt said she was pleased to note the promotion of females in STEM subjects through the possible opportunity of FIE sponsoring an award for the best performing female in the Bachelor of Engineering course at the College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST).

The sponsorship award for the best performing student in the Bachelor of Engineering programme will be $500.

“We had our graduation recently, and 52 per cent were females, so we have got that balance. As VC, I am also very keen for females to come through the Engineering field,” Prof Karstadt said.

“This initiative will make a good news story to that 17-year-old student who is doing well in Science who would think – although I am a girl, I could go to FNU and study engineering.”

Prof Karstadt said this MoA between the two institutions would provide added incentives for females who are studying in traditionally male-dominated fields.

“The Agreement signing today is a step in the right direction for our CEST staff and students in exploring and establishing projects of mutual interest and benefit to both organisations,” she said.

President of the Fiji Institution of Engineers (FIE), Vijay Krishnan said the collaboration was an inaugural venture by the organisation to retain more skilled workers.

“We are quite proud to be able to initiate this to ensure there is gender balance and increase in the proportion of female engineers in our institution and general practice,” Krishnan said.

FIE is an autonomous Professional Engineering Institute with the objective of the advancement of the science and profession of engineering.

Through the MoA, FIE will participate in workshops conducted by FNU to assist students, offer career advice from an industry perspective to final-year graduating students and attend as guest speakers to contribute to FNU programmes and student learning.