The Fiji National University (FNU) on Friday welcomed a new cohort of postgraduate students at its 2026 Graduate Studies Induction in Suva, underlining the university’s ongoing push to build research capacity and produce work with national and global impact. The intake comprises Doctor of Philosophy candidates, a new cohort for the Doctor of Education and a range of master’s students. The event was held in collaboration with the FNU Students Association (FNUSA).
Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) Professor Paul Iji delivered the keynote address, urging the new postgraduates to see themselves as central to the university’s research mission. Drawing on personal experience at the University of Adelaide, he recalled a senior leader telling him that “postgraduate students are the people we respect” — a remark that reframed students as active research partners rather than passive learners. “Your qualification is not the end goal — it is the starting point,” Professor Iji said, stressing that graduates’ value lies in how they apply their skills beyond the campus.
The Doctor of Education, highlighted at the induction, is presented as a formal pathway for students holding a master’s degree in education by coursework to progress into doctoral study. FNU officials described the program as part of a broader strategy to broaden access to research training for education professionals who may previously have been confined to coursework-based master’s programs.
Acting Dean of the Centre for Graduate Studies, Associate Professor Dr Mumtaz Alam, led a general discussion outlining FNU’s Graduate Studies policies, procedures and the operational support available through the Centre. Dr Alam’s overview aimed to set expectations for milestones such as confirmation of candidature, ethics approvals and thesis submission processes, and to familiarise students with administrative requirements that underpin timely, quality research outputs.
University Librarian Dr Udya Shukla described the library’s role as a practical partner in research. He emphasised services that include access to online databases and scholarly journals, research tools, workshops on academic writing and referencing, and one-on-one support. “The library is your partner in research,” Dr Shukla told the cohort, adding that library staff assist students from initial literature reviews through to thesis completion and guidance on maintaining academic integrity.
FNUSA President Dr Mohammed Iqbal urged the cohort to take a proactive approach to supervision and time management. “Talk to your supervisors. Go to them and don’t expect them to come to you,” he said, advising students to be active listeners and to use campus supports effectively. Dr Iqbal also acknowledged the backing of Vice-Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba and Acting Pro Vice-Chancellor Corporate Services Professor Nii-K Plange for student services and university research initiatives.
The induction is the latest development in FNU’s sustained focus on strengthening research capacity — a theme the university has emphasised in recent initiatives linking academic research with community needs such as climate resilience, food security and educational equity. By combining expanded doctoral pathways, clearer administrative support and reinforced library services, FNU aims to lift postgraduate research productivity and translate academic work into practical outcomes for Fiji and the wider Pacific.
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