The government’s investment in overseas scholarships for undergraduate students amounts to $300,000, in stark contrast to the $30,000 to $40,000 required for local universities. This detail was brought to light by Education Minister Aseri Radrodro during his Ministerial statement in Parliament on Monday, September 30, regarding a recent delegation visit by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service (TSLS) to Sydney and Canberra, Australia.
Minister Radrodro noted that to ensure adequate returns for the investment in education, the bonding period for overseas scholarships has been extended to 2.5 times the length of the study program. He also mentioned a new initiative introduced by the Coalition Government this financial year aimed at providing greater access to PhD scholarships for Fijians to enhance the nation’s human capital. This program is called the Cost Sharing Overseas PhD Scholarship.
Under this agreement, participating universities will cover tuition fees, while TSLS will be responsible for the stipend, airfare, and other related study costs. This arrangement could save Fiji taxpayers $300,000 per PhD program, producing graduates of high caliber.
The University of Newcastle has become the first institution to participate in the Cost Sharing Overseas PhD initiative. Minister Radrodro emphasized that the primary goal of the delegation’s visit was to assess the well-being and welfare of students and to engage directly with university officials and students to address any concerns raised.