Shasnil Chand, a lecturer at Fiji National University, has won the University of the South Pacific’s Outstanding Thesis Award for a PhD that probes the wider macroeconomic effects of remittances across developing nations. The recognition crowns doctoral research that Chand said was driven by a long-standing desire to move beyond the common view of remittances as mere household support and to map their implications for national economies.
Chand’s thesis analysed more than 50 developing and emerging economies across a 25-year period, using large panel datasets and advanced econometric techniques to trace links between remittance inflows and broader economic outcomes. His findings, he said, show that remittances can materially boost long‑term economic growth and sustainable development, but they also carry risks — notably inflationary pressures and impacts on exchange-rate dynamics — that policymakers must manage.
Completing the doctorate involved handling extensive data and complex modelling, work that Chand said required long hours and discipline even while on study leave. “It meant giving up personal time and staying disciplined throughout,” he said, describing the sacrifices needed to handle the large datasets and econometric models central to his analysis.
Chand credited a strong family foundation for enabling him to finish the PhD. He singled out his wife and daughter for their support: “My wife carried significant family responsibilities while I studied, and my daughter reminded me every day why I started,” he said, noting their role in keeping him grounded through demanding periods of research.
Back in the lecture halls, Chand intends to translate his research into practical learning for students and into policy‑relevant insights for the Pacific region. He emphasised that remittances — a critical source of income for many Pacific Island countries — should be considered within broader macroeconomic policy frameworks that address growth, price stability and external-sector management rather than treated solely as household transfers.
The award and the research arrive as remittances increasingly shape Pacific economies, prompting calls for more nuanced policy responses. Chand said he hopes his work will help craft stronger economic strategies in the region by informing both curriculum and policymaking, and stressed that recognition from USP is a step toward that broader goal rather than an endpoint.
“My award is not an end point, but a stepping stone towards shaping more informed economic policies for the future,” he said, signalling plans to push for practical applications of his findings in the Pacific context.
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