UniFiji back on track as it addresses COVID-19, going forward
While the University of the South Pacific is grappling with its internal woes, the University of Fiji seems to have fully recovered from its own share of internal problems.
At the weekend UniFiji’s full Council met for the first time since the Covid-19 crisis and determined the way forward for the university in view of the upcoming challenges facing the University and the nation as a whole.
It also appears that the appointment of Shaista Shameem as acting Vice-Chancellor has been one of the stabilising factors.
Pro Chancellor and chair of the council Pundit Kamlesh Arya showed leadership as he guided discussions to enable the university to fulfill its obligations to the students studying there,
According to a media statement the council accepted reports from the University Senate that the alternative learning and teaching modes had been successfully carried out over the remaining weeks of Semester 1 with students being fully supported through on-line classes.
It also said that two Schools of the University, namely the School of Social Science and Technology and the JDP School of Law, will retain their examinations programme at the end of semester while other Schools opted for internal assessments to replace examinations.
Important issues that the council discussed included how the university wound deal with the COVID-19 crisis to meet its remaining Strategic Plan 2017-2020 goals and objectives.
Like many similar institutions, cost cutting and revenue generation topped the agenda to enable the university to meet its education commitments.
The council resolution to explore alternative sources of energy for the Saweni Campus with the move to solar energy proposed by the Administration, is a move in the right direction.
That’s why the founders and owners of the university, the Arya Prathinidhi Sabha of Fiji, are contributing $10,000 towards investment into solar energy.
The solar energy project is in line with the “greening the campus” strategic objective, says the university.
It is also in harmony with Goverment’s development goals in relation to climate change and our clean green image.
The outcome of the meeting indicated that the university is back on track as it addresses COVID-19 challenges. NEMANI DELAIBATIKI Feedback: nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj