New Oceania Centre launched as UniFiji signs key partnership with RMIT

The University of Fiji has strengthened its global academic ties with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) during its 21st anniversary celebrations.

The agreement aims to boost regional collaboration in education, research and innovation.

RMIT Professor Andrea Siodmok says the partnership will help address key regional and global challenges, including climate change, by combining RMIT’s global research network with UniFiji’s local expertise.

She says the collaboration is guided by the “Living University” model, which promotes institutions that integrate indigenous knowledge and connect academic work with community action.

UniFiji Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem says the agreement aligns with the university’s mission to provide affordable education to underserved communities.

The Vice-Chancellor adds that the collaboration will create new opportunities in areas such as sustainable architecture, innovation and critical thinking around climate change.

Insert: Shaista shameem on programes 25th March

Meanwhile, Professor Shaista Shameem also launched the Oceania Centre for Advanced Thinking and Renaissance, describing it as a forward-looking initiative aimed at reshaping education and innovation in the Pacific.

She says the centre will serve as an intellectual hub, focusing on areas such as future thinking, civic development, ocean governance, leadership, and translating research into practical policies.

Professor Shameem says the initiative builds on lessons from COVID-19, which transformed education and highlighted the need to move beyond resilience towards a new era of innovation and “renaissance” thinking.

She adds that the centre will bring together academics, leaders and communities to develop solutions for regional challenges, while promoting freedom of thought and expression.

The Vice-Chancellor says the centre will also support research collaborations, roundtable discussions and fellowship programmes aimed at driving impactful outcomes for the Pacific.

The Oceania Centre is expected to drive research, partnerships and solutions focused on the Pacific region.