The University of Fiji has taken a fresh step in expanding its international reach, signing a memorandum of understanding this week with Australia's Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) while reporting a surge in student numbers to nearly 4,000 this year. Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Shaista Shameem framed the developments as part of a broader push to position the university as a regional hub for education, research and public policy in the Pacific.
The new MOU with RMIT, signed this week, opens avenues for collaboration in areas the University of Fiji says are critical for the region, including sustainable architecture, legal systems and social connectivity. Professor Shameem described the agreement as one that will foster academic exchange, joint research and curriculum development—linking UniFiji’s community-driven programmes with RMIT’s technical strengths. RMIT is the latest international partner after previous agreements with New Zealand’s University of Canterbury and Papua New Guinea’s University of Goroka.
Shameem said the university has nearly 4,000 enrolled students in 2026, noting a “growing number” of regional students among that total. She did not provide a breakdown by country or percentage increase, but highlighted the uptick in regional enrolments as evidence of UniFiji’s widening appeal across the Pacific. “We have to consider ourselves as part of the region, and therefore, from that context, we would like to be able to make as much progress as possible in the Pacific and to assist in that progress ourselves,” she said.
Beyond student recruitment and academic ties, the university is sharpening its focus on policy research. Shameem said UniFiji aims to fill what she described as a gap in regional policy research, developing capacity to analyse and advise on issues affecting Pacific states. That ambition, she added, underpins the push for further partnerships that can bolster the institution’s research profile and practical policy outputs for governments and communities in the region.
Discussions are continuing with other institutions and governments, the university confirmed, including interest from Papua New Guinea’s Education Ministry in deeper engagement. Those talks follow the existing University of Goroka link and indicate regional governments are watching UniFiji’s efforts to broaden training and research capacity. University leaders say more formal agreements are being actively pursued across the Pacific and beyond.
The university, approaching its 21st anniversary, has emphasised community-driven programmes and regional development strategies as central to its mission. The RMIT MOU and increased enrolments are being pitched as complementary moves that will bring international expertise to local needs while giving Pacific students greater access to cross-border academic opportunities.
As UniFiji moves to consolidate these partnerships, observers will be watching for concrete outcomes such as joint degree programmes, research projects and student or staff exchanges. For now, the latest developments mark a clear escalation in the university’s drive to become a visible centre for education and policy work in the Pacific.
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