Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has revealed that both Fiji National University and the University of the South Pacific have strongly challenged the findings of a government-commissioned external review into their performance.

The review, conducted by the External Review Committee under the Higher Education Commission of Fiji, assessed the strengths and weaknesses of three national universities: FNU, USP, and the University of Fiji.

The review focused on how well these institutions are meeting student needs and labour market demands.

Radrodro says while UniFiji has accepted the report and is already taking steps to implement recommendations, FNU and USP have raised serious concerns about the report’s credibility and methodology.

While highlighting the findings of the report, Radrodro says that while ERC commended FNU for its practical training and industry partnerships, it also identified major challenges.

This includes weak governance, financial constraints, and a disconnect between programs and industry needs

“Mr Speaker, sir, in its formal response, FNU strongly challenged the findings of the ERC report. FNU claimed that the report lacked objectivity and was based on innuendo, an essay with sweeping conclusions presented without adequate supporting evidence. FNU also stated that comments made regarding the Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, Deans, senior management, or defamatory, the university questioned the credibility of the report, pointing to the lack of terms of reference and an undefined methodological framework.”

Radrodro adds that USP also strongly challenged the report, despite being praised for involving industry experts in curriculum development and achieving international accreditations in tourism, hospitality, engineering, and accounting.

He says the ERC raised concerns about outdated course content, slow adaptation to post-COVID learning environments, and long intervals between program reviews.

“The committee recommended that USP revise its course content and descriptions to better reflect industry needs and enhance the practical application of learning. The ERC further proposed that external program reviews should be held more frequently, every three years for new programs and every five years for existing ones, rather than the current seven-year cycle.”

Radrodro says in contrast, the University of Fiji responded positively to the report.

He says it acknowledged minor factual errors but accepted the findings in good faith.

He says the university is now developing a 12-month plan to improve course relevance, expand internships, and implement a structured five-year program review cycle.

Radrodro adds that given the strong pushback from FNU and USP, the Higher Education Commission is now engaging in consultations with both institutions.

An independent audit of the ERC report is also in progress and is expected to be completed by November 2025.

Minister Radrodro reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving quality and relevance in higher education.

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