Participants at the ICAAN 84 in Ireland
The Fiji National University (FNU) has strengthened its global digital engagement following the accreditation of the National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) as an At-Large Structure (ALS) member of the Asia Pacific Regional At-Large Organisation (APRALO) under the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
The accreditation places NTPC within ICANN’s global At-Large community, which represents the interests of internet end users and contributes to discussions on domain name systems, internet governance, and digital development. Through APRALO, NTPC will now contribute more actively to regional and global conversations on strengthening internet accessibility, security, and stability.
The milestone also reflects increasing international recognition of NTPC staff, with two instructors selected for ICANN’s global Fellowship Programme.
Jasbindar Singh
NTPC IT Instructor Jasbindar Singh will attend ICANN85 in Mumbai, India, next month, while Senior IT Instructor Ashutosh Maharaj previously represented Fiji as an ICANN Fellow during ICANN84 in Dublin, Ireland and will again participate at ICANN86 in Seville, Spain, later this year.
Singh described his fellowship selection as both an honour and an opportunity to strengthen Pacific representation in global internet policy discussions.
“Being selected as an ICANN Fellow is a meaningful milestone. It recognises that the work we are doing from Fiji and the Pacific is visible and valued globally,” Singh said.
“Coming from a small island nation, opportunities to directly engage in international policy discussions are limited. This experience strengthens my role as an educator because it allows me to bring global knowledge, real-world policy understanding, and industry insights back into the classroom and training programmes.”
Singh highlighted the importance of stronger Pacific participation in internet governance discussions.
“The Pacific often experiences the outcomes of global internet decisions without being present when those decisions are made. Participation allows us to move from being passive recipients to active contributors, especially in areas such as connectivity costs, infrastructure resilience, cybersecurity readiness, and digital inclusion.”
During the ICANN85 meeting, Singh hopes to further explore Domain Name System (DNS) security, digital trust, and policy capacity development, while advocating for greater representation of Pacific languages, identities, and communities in the digital space.
Maharaj said his fellowship experiences provided valuable insight into the collaborative and inclusive nature of global internet governance.
“Being selected twice as an ICANN Fellow gave me a front-row view of how global internet decisions are discussed and shaped. I was able to engage directly with technical experts and policy leaders and observe how different stakeholder groups work together to maintain a stable and trusted internet,” Maharaj said.
“What stood out most is how open and participatory the process is. Voices from small island nations like Fiji are welcomed. I want to bring that exposure back to FNU by helping our students and
Ashutosh Maharaj at ICANN 84 in Dublin, Ireland
colleagues better understand internet governance and creating opportunities for them to get involved internationally.”
Maharaj added that NTPC’s ALS accreditation will strengthen partnerships, knowledge exchange, and digital skills development.
“This accreditation creates practical opportunities to build international partnerships, participate in digital policy discussions, and integrate global knowledge into local training programmes. It will help strengthen cybersecurity awareness and exposure to real-world governance challenges.”
Singh further explained that NTPC’s ALS status provides an institutional platform to expand awareness of internet governance across academia, industry, and the wider community.
“While fellowships allow individuals to learn and represent Fiji, ALS accreditation enables NTPC to share that knowledge with students, educators, industry partners, and policymakers. It allows us to translate global discussions into local understanding and create pathways for more Pacific voices to participate.”
FNU said NTPC’s accreditation aligns with the University’s commitment to ICT capacity building, global engagement, and multistakeholder digital development. The achievement is expected to create new opportunities for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and representation from Fiji and the broader Pacific region.
NTPC will continue promoting awareness of ICANN’s work and encouraging broader participation in internet governance across education, industry, and the community.