FNU forms partnership with Telecom
A new partnership has been inked between the Fiji National University (FNU) and Telecom Fiji Limited (Telecom), which will ensure the future pipeline of suitably qualified graduates and enable both organisations to undertake joint teaching and research in areas of mutual interest such as cybersecurity and predictive analytics.
FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Toby Wilkinson said, “At the heart of FNU’s new five-year strategic plan is our commitment to providing education for employability, and research with real world impact. Both of these require us to work in close partnership with industry and employers in the public and private sectors.”
Following the signing of the new agreement, Telecom will provide opportunities for FNU students to take part in industrial attachments to work on industry-specific projects relating to software development, engineering, and emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.
“Telecom is a pioneer ICT provider in the South Pacific. And its vision to become the undisputed leader in integrated telecommunications parallels FNU’s own vision of becoming the leading dual sector University in the Pacific,” stated the Vice-Chancellor.
“Successful universities are connected universities, we need to ensure that our curriculum remains up to date and industry relevant that our graduates acquire the skills and attributes demanded by employers, and that our research provides innovative solutions to real-world problems.”
Telecom Fiji Limited Chief Executive Officer Charles Goundar said the new partnership sets the framework for both Telecom and FNU to work collaboratively on the areas of mutual interest and benefit to students.
“We rely on institutions like FNU to supply us the human capital that industry players like Telecom require to deliver its obligations. In doing so, we are excited to partner on the areas of cooperation and see how we can both work together in advancing the education for our students and in generally benefit both the organisations,” added Goundar.
Telecom will also provide careers advice from an industry perspective to final year graduating students at FNU’s College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST).
The virtual Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) event was attended by FNU’s College of Engineering, Science and Technology (CEST) Dean Professor Tibor Pasinzki and staff of the Fiji National University and Telecom Fiji Limited.