Page 44 - IB Sept-Oct 2020

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FNU - 10 Years Old, 130 Years Young

lthough it was formally established in 2010, Fiji National is called the Lautoka Education Campus. The Creative Arts and
University (FNU) has a long and colourful history of relevant Journalism section of this College is based at Nasinu Campus.
Aeducation dating back to the origins of its component
Colleges through institutions that were established according to The Fiji College of Agriculture was established in 1954 and has
national needs and aspiration as these developed. developed into the University’s College of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Forestry (CAFF) at the Koronivia Campus. It places great
FNU was formally instituted under the Fiji National University Act emphasis on research and provides excellent opportunities for
2009 (Act 39 of 2009) and commenced operations on 15 February development in agricultural science.
2010. The formation of a national university for Fiji has since then
brought together a diverse range of former national educational The National Training and Productivity Centre (NTPC) has
and training institutions as one entity and corporate body. The established the National Qualifications Framework to benchmark
guiding vision of the founding of FNU was to bring strength to a training and qualifications in technical and trade areas against a
national university that drew from the nation defining legacies in national standard, based on the needs of local industries and is
education and training of these originating institutions dating back comparable with overseas qualifications. The Centre now runs the
to more than a century, with a collective age of almost 600 years. University’s short training courses ranging from senior executive
level management and leadership to innovative technical courses
The School of Medicine has developed into the premier medical specifically designed to meet the local industries needs. In
institute of the South Pacific. It continues to strive towards January 2020, our national presence took another significant step
excellence in the training and education of health professionals forward, as we welcomed the Technical College of Fiji into the
who are now serving in key positions in Fiji and overseas. The “FNU Family”.
School which has been in existence since 1886 provides training
in most health science disciplines, including medicine, dentistry, The COVID-19 pandemic, which has gripped the world, has seen
pharmacy, physiotherapy, radiography, laboratory technology, everyone living in unprecedented times. Universities around the
public health, dietetics and environment health. world have been forced to innovate and adapt to ensuring that
operations run as smoothly as possible with minimum disruptions
The School of Nursing is one of the oldest nursing education to our clients – students studies. As Fiji’s national university, FNU
institutions in the Pacific and has been in existence since 1893. has been no exception, and it is a measure of the FNU’s resilience
The School offers basic and post-basic nursing programmes for as an institution that these challenges have been met with a
Fiji and regional students. Both institutions are now part of FNU’s spirit of mutual support and cooperation among the Council,
College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMNHS). Management, Staff and Students. The need to make a speedy
transition to entirely online and blended learning has enabled
Formerly known as the Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT), the the University to move rapidly through the learning curves in
institution is now part of FNU’s College of Engineering, Science online delivery. This is seen as a means of enhancing the blended
and Technology (CEST) and is the University’s Derrick Campus, learning approach, i.e., a mix of the best of online and face-to-
Samabula. The College provides education to cater for the total face teaching, that will be the ‘new normal’ for the University’s
human resource needs of Fiji and the South Pacific in the areas approach to learning and teaching.
of engineering, technology including information technology and
electronics, marine training and sciences. FNU now has campuses and centres at 40 locations (including
small centres and TCF) throughout the country, running a total of
The FIT was also a starting point for the College of Business, approximately 300 different courses and programmes with a staff
Hospitality and Tourism Studies (CBHTS), which is now located in complement of 2000 and a student enrolment of around 26,000.
a number of different centres, including the Namaka Campus in
Nadi which is the heart of Fiji’s tourism industry. As a new and dynamic institution, yet one with an illustrious
history within its origin institutions, FNU is developing, innovating
FNU’s main administrative centre including the hub of its extensive and expanding daily to provide Fiji and the region with its education
teacher training facility is located at Nasinu Campus. The Fiji and training needs.
College of Advanced Education and Lautoka Teachers College
has become part of the University’s College of Humanities and This year FNU celebrates its 10th anniversary. We are proud to
Education (CHE), which is still located at Nasinu. play an important role in the education and mentoring future
leaders. FNU wishes all Fijians in Fiji and those around the world
The Lautoka FNU Campus houses the School of Education and a Happy 50th Independence Day!

44 Islands Business, September/October 2020