Professor Shaista Shameem

The University of Fiji Council has announced the appointment of Professor Shaista Shameem as the Acting Vice-Chancellor to oversee the operations of the University with immediate effect.

Professor Shameem has been the Dean of the Justice Devendra Pathik School of Law since 2016.

The position has been vacant since last month after the former Vice Chancellor, Susila Chang’s work permit was terminated.

She had illegally violated the COVID-19 Lautoka confined area during the lockdown and had caught a flight to Sydney, Australia.

UniFiji Council Chair Kamlesh Arya says Council has appointed Professor Shameem to act as the Vice Chancellor and take the University through the crisis faced by all higher institutions as a result of the menace of COVID-19

Arya says the crisis has impacted the University’s ability to deliver lectures as efficiently as it had been able to previously.

He says Professor Shameem who has the requisite qualifications and experience to provide a forward-looking higher educational strategy in the new Fijian context.

Meanwhile, Arya says the University will re-open from tomorrow however students will resume classes from next Monday.

The period of a week from 28th April until May 4th will allow lecturers time to prepare for the new teaching and learning modalities in view of the COVID-19 crisis and public health compulsory restrictions.