The University of Fiji has reached a new milestone in research excellence after recording the highest institutional Share among Fiji-based institutions in the internationally recognised Nature Index.
The Nature Index tracks research using indicators that assess both publication output and significant research contribution.
UniFiji recorded the highest institutional Share, a metric that reflects an institution's proportional contribution to published research. Unlike publication counts alone, the Share metric measures the depth of an institution's involvement in the research process.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem says the achievement is a significant milestone for the University and reflects its commitment to research excellence despite operating within a small island developing state context.
Professor Shameem says they are extremely overwhelmed by the news and proud of receiving such international recognition.
She says universities are established for research-based teaching and the University's research can now be recognised for helping to develop knowledge for the public good.
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Science, Dr Ramendra Prasad says although the Nature Index database tracks institutional and country-level research output across narrow fields spanning the natural, health, applied and social sciences, it considers articles published in 178 peer-selected, high-quality journals.
He says the recognition reflects the collective efforts of staff and researchers and affirms the University's emergence as a research-intensive institution with a growing influence within the global scientific community.
Dr Prasad says the publication contributing to the University's Nature Index standing resulted from a collaboration between KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden and the University's Science Department.
He also acknowledged the authors of the publication, Associate Professor Ramendra Prasad, Ms Ayesha Reddy and Ms Dhrishna Charan, for their contributions.
