A partnership between the Fiji National University (FNU) and the Pacific Theological College (PTC) will seek to enhance the exchange of experience and practical knowledge on diverse faiths and indigenous traditions in Fiji and the region.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed this month between the two institutions highlights the two institutions’ shared interest in education as a means for the self-determination of individuals, communities, and countries.

FNU Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba, said the partnership would build on the indigenous knowledge and traditions of agency, resilience and sustainability that is found amongst our Pacific communities.

She added that this aligned to one of the main mandates of the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent which highlighted that, “As Pacific Leaders, we are strongly committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of our people, and to human rights and equity for all. We place great value on our ocean and land, and celebrate a deep connection to our community, natural environment, resources, livelihoods, faiths, cultural values, and traditional knowledge.”

“We look forward to this collaboration with PTC and are excited to learn more about how these characteristics mentioned above can help us shape developmental policies and practice.”

“Both our institutions are similar in our ‘whole of life’ vision of education and through this MoU, we will facilitate student exchanges in Pasifika philosophies, and ecological and developmental studies.”

“We will also facilitate credit transfers across both institutions and host joint conferences and research on indigenous knowledge and traditions. We need to highlight how these are relevant to addressing developmental issues.”

Professor Nabobo-Baba added that the five-year signing also includes community programmes, training workshops, jointly run conferences and development work and programmes.