The Fiji National University (FNU) has become the first tertiary institution in the country to join the Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia (CAPHIA), the peak organisation that represents public health in universities throughout Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the Pacific region.

This membership allows access to CAPHIA’s Learning and Teaching resources for the Master of Public Health programme, offered by the FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS).

Dean CMNHS Dr William May highlighted that the new partnership would assist in teaching public health programmes more effectively.

“CAPHIA is a member-led organisation, and provides a central point to CMNHS to discuss important issues facing public health academia, such as the training of the public health workforce, curriculum standards, and cross-institutional initiatives,” said Dr May.

According to Dr May, CAPHIA will also support the academics from CMNHS, with valuable forums to create an academic community of practice. CMNHS can work with the other CAPHIA member institutions using ‘CAPHIA’s Foundation Competencies for Public Health Graduates’ to enhance its Public Health programmes competencies.

“As an academic institution, this membership will provide a range of benefits to FNU. The professional mentoring programme and networking opportunities provided by CAPHIA will not only allow CMNHS to enhance the quality of teaching, research but also help the College to build valuable career connections,” Dr May commented.

The Council of Academic Public Health Institutions Australasia (CAPHIA) Executive Director, Dr Devin Bowles said the purpose of this partnership is to maintain high-quality academic standards in the education and development of public health practitioners and researchers.

“We are pleased to be working with the FNU’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS) to lead and represent public health education and to be a respected voice and advocate for the development of public health professionals and researchers within Australasia.”

“FNU’s official membership can be seen in the CAPHIA membership website: http://caphia.com.au/members-institutions/,” mentioned Dr Bowles.

Academic staff – Dr Ledua Tamani, Dr Nemani Seru, CMNHS Dean Dr William May and Mosese Salusalu with the CAPHIA membership certificate.