The use of artificial intelligence has been raised as a major point of consideration at the inaugural Vice Chancellor’s forum that kicked off this morning in Lami.

Officiating the event, Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro warned that technology shift is an immediate structural disruption in the country’s education system and requires major coordinated national action.

The Minister underscored that Fiji must urgently recalibrate its higher education system to respond to the accelerating impact of AI on teaching, learning, research, and the labour market.

He stressed that fragmented institutional responses will be insufficient, adding that a unified national approach that brings together universities, regulators, and industry stakeholders under a common framework is essential for Fiji’s education system

He emphasized that Fiji must ensure its workforce is prepared to work with AI, rather than be displaced by it.

Alongside governance, the Minister highlighted embedding digital literacy and AI competency across university curricula, strengthening applied research capacity, and ensuring graduates are equipped with skills aligned to emerging technologies.

He explained that Fiji has an opportunity to position itself as a regional leader in AI adaptation within the Pacific, provided it acts decisively and collaboratively which would require universities to move beyond isolated innovation efforts and instead adopt shared platforms, joint research initiatives, and coordinated policy engagement.

The Minister also added that AI is already reshaping global labour markets, and small island economies like Fiji would face heightened vulnerability if skills development failed to keep pace.

However, the Minister also framed AI as an opportunity rather than a threat and if managed strategically would enhance the country’s workforce.

Radrodro said the focus must be on ensuring that Fijians are not passive consumers of technology but active participants in shaping its application for national development, adding that the call now is for higher education institutions to move quickly from discussion to implementation, noting that AI readiness will be a defining measure of sector performance in the years ahead.

The Government is now pushing for the development of coordinated ethical governance frameworks to guide the adoption and use of AI across tertiary institutions.

These frameworks are expected to address critical concerns including data ethics, academic integrity, algorithmic bias, and the responsible integration of AI tools in education delivery.