FNU, USP reject Higher Education Commission review findings

Two of Fiji’s three main universities have rejected findings from the Higher Education Commission’s external review, claiming the report was methodologically weak and based on hearsay.

Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro told Parliament on Thursday that the Fiji National University (FNU) and the University of South Pacific (USP) strongly challenged the External Review Committee Report commissioned by the Higher Education Commission (HEC), while University of Fiji (UniFiji) accepted the findings.

FNU claimed the report "lacked objectivity and was based on innuendo and hearsay with sweeping conclusions presented without adequate supporting evidence."

The university also stated that comments about the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Deans and Senior Management were defamatory.

"FNU has rejected the report in its current form, stating that it serves no useful purpose in driving its institutional development," Mr Radrodro said.

Similarly, USP described the report as "methodologically weak, substantively inconsistent and professionally inadequate."

The university argued the report's conclusions contrasted sharply with evaluations from globally respected accredited agencies and ignored current reforms.

The External Review Committee was appointed by Higher Education Commission Fiji in November 2023 to assess the three universities' performance, programmes and administrative processes under the Higher Education Act 2008.

Opposition MP Hem Chand criticised delays in the review process and questioned the committee's credibility, noting basic errors including referring to University of Fiji as "University of Florida."

"If they cannot get the basics right, we can understand not only the Minister's concerns, but also the concerns of Vice-Chancellors," Mr Chand said.

The commission is conducting detailed consultations with the two universities that rejected the report and has engaged an independent audit expected to be completed between September and November.

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