The University of Fiji has today officially inaugurated its Journalism and Media Studies program facility at the Samabula campus.

Speaking at the event, Uni Vice Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem highlighted that the 24-unit journalism program offered is unique and totally different from other local universities.

She says the program has been drafted and developed by experienced editors, publishers, and journalists from the local media industry.

“They set down with us and they looked at our draft program, and they chucked out some and added some other ones, and by the time we finished developing the program and sent it to the high education commission for approval, the industry was heavily involved in the drafting of that program”

Veteran journalist and lecturer Matai Akaoula highlights the program will equip students to join the mainstream media.

“For some of us that have come in to teach, we are just teaching what needs to be done in the industry a lot of the time. Previously, we have seen that journalism students that come out of universities do not fit in with the mainstream, and that is why one of the reasons for starting Uni Fiji Journalism and Media Studies was to try and train up students and journalists to fit in with the industry.”

The three-year program will now be taught at Uni Fiji’s Samabula Campus after it started in 2022, with three pioneer students expected to graduate later in the year.