Jazbeen Ali earns PhD after six-year journey of perseverance

After six years of late nights, shifting supervisors, and personal sacrifice, Jazbeen Ali finally walked across the stage yesterday to receive her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Accounting and Finance.

This is an achievement she once feared she would never reach.

The Fiji National University (FNU) Namaka Campus lecturer began writing her research proposal in 2018.

Her topic immediately caught the attention of academics, but the journey ahead quickly proved to be one of the toughest battles of her life.

One of her biggest challenges was the constant change of supervisors, a setback that forces many PhD candidates to drop out.

“It was difficult at times,” she said. “But eventually I found Dr Shalendra Satish Kumar and Dr Vishwa Hamendra Prasad. They supported me through the final stages and helped me cross the finish line.”

Her thesis, “Financing Challenges Experienced by Fijian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises: Adoptability of Islamic Banking and Financing Options as a Strategy,” explores how Islamic finance can strengthen Fiji’s small business sector.

Behind her academic success stands the person she calls her biggest blessing, her mother.

Dr Ali said married women often shoulder additional responsibilities, and she hopes her story inspires others facing similar pressures.

“Never give up,” she said. “A PhD journey is long. Challenges will come. But if you plan well and keep pushing, you will reach your goal.”

As a lecturer, she worries about the growing number of students dropping out of school.

“Education is a way out,” she said. “Teachers must consistently counsel students. It’s not only the parents’ job—we all share this responsibility.”

On the first day of every semester, she reminds her students to take assessments seriously, stressing that every mark counts.

Looking ahead, Dr Ali hopes to be promoted to Assistant Professor and expand her research over the next five years. She also hopes to supervise future master’s and PhD students.

“Maybe one day I’ll guide others the way my supervisors guided me,” she said.

For Dr Ali, the journey was long and demanding, but her message to Fiji is simple and unshakeable: “Never give up and keep going.”