‘Opportunity and Ambition’ FNU launches new Strategic Plan 2021 – 2026

Press Release Posted On: July 22, 2021

FNU VC Prof Toby Wilkinson and members of the FNU staff and student association after the Strategic Plan 2021-2026 launch.

 

The Fiji National University (FNU) is embarking on the next stage of its development and today launched its roadmap for the next 5 years – the Strategic Plan 2021–2026, a dynamic document which encompasses fresh thinking, creating opportunities for students, communities, the nation and the region.

FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Toby Wilkinson said building on the successes of FNU’s first decade, the new Strategic Plan sets out the ambitions for the next five years and a vision for the kind of university FNU aspires to be in 2030.

The economic and social impact of COVID-19 presents significant challenges to Fiji, the Pacific and the world, now and in the coming years. However, Prof Wilkinson said challenge also brings opportunity for FNU to meet the ambitions of its stakeholders through partnership and innovation.

“In this spirit of renewal and positive change, the Strategic Plan 2021–2026 is bold and aspirational: for the University, for our students, for Fiji, and for our diverse stakeholders,” said VC Wilkinson.

“The vision for FNU is ambitious but achievable; rooted in FNU’s role as a national university, but reflecting its long history of regional leadership and embracing the challenges and opportunities of regional and global engagement.”

As Fiji’s national university, FNU was established to support the country’s economic and social development, by offering excellent technical and vocational education and training (TVET) alongside excellent higher education (HE). This dual-sector identity remains at the core of FNU’s mission, and the Strategic Plan 2021–2026 is closely aligned with Fiji’s National Development Plan (NDP) 2017–2036, Transforming Fiji.

“In line with the NDP’s vision, a rigorous and relentless focus on quality, standards and continuous improvement in all areas of university activity – student support, learning and teaching, research and innovation, estates and facilities, staff recruitment and development, governance and leadership – is at the core of FNU’s Strategic Plan 2021–2026,” said Prof Wilkinson.

In line with global best practices, FNU’s Strategic Plan 2021–2026 is built around a set of clear and compelling elements that can be easily understood and communicated to internal and external stakeholders. The structure comprises three sets of inter-connected elements:

  • Pillars – the main purposes of the University, upon which all our activities are grounded;
  • Spheres – the constituencies with which we seek to engage in the pursuit of our mission;
  • Enablers – the underpinning drivers of success, that together constitute the University’s culture.

Prof Wilkinson stated that as Fiji is recognised worldwide for its leadership and advocacy on the issue of climate change, FNU is also deeply committed to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to developing cost-effective, scalable solutions aimed at sustainability, resilience and climate change adaptation.

“FNU recognises the immediacy of the climate emergency and the need for systemic change, and has placed environmental sustainability as an all-encompassing theme of its Strategic Plan 2021–2026,” VC Wilkinson highlighted.

To ensure effective execution of the FNU Strategic Plan, the University’s annual action plans, plus College and Divisional Plans will be developed in full alignment, with local objectives and annual Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Earlier this year, Prof Wilkinson held a series of town hall meetings with staff and students to discuss and hear views relating to the Strategic Plan which have been incorporated in the final document.

Tessa PriceFNU’s Chancellor Tessa Price commended the new Strategic Plan for setting out a clear vision for the University’s future development.

“The Council has worked closely with the senior leadership and stakeholders to ensure that the Strategic Plan supports the aspirations of our communities, students and staff,” commented Price.

Recently FNU launched a new brand, TVET Pasifika, bringing together its full range of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) to assist the post-pandemic economic recovery of Fiji and the wider Pacific region.

TVET Pasifika aligns with FNU’s vision to be the leading dual-sector university in the Pacific, and its focus on Education for Employability.

TVET Pasifika aims to support Fiji and other Pacific island countries to bounce back from the economic impact of COVID-19 by re-skilling and up-skilling their workforces to meet the needs of the new labour market.