The Fiji Higher Education Commission is strengthening its scrutiny of foreign qualifications to protect the integrity of the local workforce and education system.

Director Dr. Eci Naisele says the Commission follows a rigorous five-step process before recognizing any overseas qualification, particularly those from Asia and Africa.

He says one of the first steps is verifying whether the institution is registered under the national agency of the country of origin and whether the programs offered are accredited.

He adds authorities then confirm the enrollment and study period of the student, ensuring the required duration, such as three to four years for a degree, was fully completed.

Dr. Naisele says the commission also checks that the individual successfully completed the program and that the qualification was officially awarded.

He further adds a critical final step is confirming the authenticity of the certificate itself, which should carry a seal and, in many cases, a unique number similar to a birth registration number.

He highlights that the commission is working with governments in Indonesia and Malaysia to strengthen verification, given the increasing number of Fijians studying in these countries.

Dr. Naisele says the FHEC is also exploring the introduction of unique identifiers for local qualifications, which aims to further safeguard against fraud and ensure that only genuine certificate holders are recognized.

“So it’s like a birth number, a birth register number. Some countries don’t have that. In Fiji, we still have to adapt that. We are working through with the national government to ensure that we have that unique number that actually just identifies that particular person that is the real and the true owner of that qualification.”

Established under the Higher Education Act of 1978, it has been operating for more than 17 years and continues to adapt its processes to meet emerging challenges in the education sector.

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