CAPTION: Honorable Boutu Bateriki, Minister of Labour and HR Development shakes hand with FNU vice Chancellor Dr Ganesh Chand.
Fiji National University (FNU) achieved yet another milestone with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kiribati Institute of Technology (KIT) this afternoon.
The MOU is the first that any Fijian tertiary institution has signed with a Kiribati counterpart.
FNU Vice Chancellor Dr Ganesh Chand and Kiribati Minister of Labour and HR Development, Honourable Boutu Bateriki signed the documents on FNU’s Nasinu Campus.
Dr Chand said the signing was a significant step towards providing new educational opportunities for the people of Kiribati.
He said that at the same time, the partnership will provide FNU an ideal opportunity to learn on challenges and solutions relating to education access for people in the islands.
Dr Chand said FNU’s core value was service to the nation and the region.
“We would like to regard the MOU with KIT as one which will empower both of us. There will be mutual gains, we will be able to roll out our programmes and also learn on how education is delivered to the people, who live in different islands,” said Dr Chand.
Kiribati Minister of Labour and HR Development, Boutu Bateriki said they were looking forward to their partnership with FNU given its reputation as a growing multi-sectorial institution in the Pacific.
“The Kiribati Institute of Technology has undergone major changes not only in delivery of training programmes but also in the way it is operating in the business culture. And this partnership with FNU is very special,” said Mr Bateriki.
“Apart from offering trade courses, we hope this partnership grows further and our students can enroll for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. We hope to have students and staff exchange as well as offer FNU programmes in KIT.”
KIT and FNU will establish a co-operative partnership for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding, leading to the strengthening of both institutions through identified development activities.
The two institutions agree to encourage and promote the following academic and educational activities:
Articulation pathways, inclusive of credit transfer, from KIT TVET courses to FNU courses
Delivery of FNU courses in Kiribati in partnership with KIT
Franchising of FNU programmes in Kiribati under appropriate quality assurance arrangements
Professional development, including TVET teacher development and senior/middle level leadership and management development
Exchange of publications and relevant academic and educational information
Joint research, lectures and symposia.
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