First-year Fiji National University (FNU), Diploma in Engineering (Electrical) (Level 5) student, Josaia Niu scooped the first prize in the World GIS Day tertiary school competition organised by the Fiji Geospatial Information Management Council last week.

To enter the competition, Niu, with guidance from his friends at FNU’s College of Engineering, Science, and Technology (CEST), created a video about Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Niu took to the streets of Suva to interview people on what they understood about GIS.

“I was intrigued when I saw the prices on offer for the competition included laptops and smartphones. These items were a need for me as they could assist in my studies,” he said.

“When I started producing the video, I realized I did not know anything about GIS and wondered how many people knew about GIS. I did not realise that indirectly, I was creating awareness of GIS for myself and for others out there who do not understand the technicalities of GIS.”

“I’m glad I was able to raise awareness of GIS and I am now more grateful that I won the prize I was hoping for.”

As a build-up to the World GIS Day celebrations in Fiji, the Fiji Geospatial Information Management Council orgainsed competitions for students at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels to promote the benefits of GIS in their communities.

This year’s event was hosted by the Ministry of Lands & Mineral Resources and was officiated by the Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Honorable Filimone Vosarogo. The theme for this year’s event was “Geospatial | The Future of Fiji.”

In his official address at the event, Honorable Vosarogo said the realm of GIS had been an integral part of Fiji’s landscape for many years.

“The prosperity and sustainability of our nation hinge upon well-informed decisions, and to achieve this, reliable information is indispensable. GIS emerges as the cornerstone in furnishing us with the necessary data for shaping the future we aspire to achieve,” he highlighted.

The GIS Day is an annual event celebrated in November in line with National Geographic Week.

A team from FNU’s College of Engineering, Science, and Technology was also at the event with a booth set up showcasing urban planning models from students of CEST’s Bachelor in Urban and Regional Planning programme.

Apply Now

Students interested in undertaking the Diploma in Engineering (Electrical) (Level 6) or other programmes at FNU can Apply Now for Semester 1, 2024 studies via the FNU website at https://www.fnu.ac.fj/student/  or email admission@fnu.ac.fj

For further information or queries, students can also Text (Toll-Free) to 857 for Vodafone and Inkk users.

Alternatively, applicants can visit any of the FNU campuses to submit applications.

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