This presentation outlines the changing landscape of technical and vocational education and training (TVET) in Fiji, a small, upper-middle income island state in the South Pacific. It outlines the key priorities of the largest provider of TVET, Fiji National University: 1) the professionalisation and parity of esteem of TVET teachers in a dual sector university; 2) the development of industry-relevant TVET programmes; 3) the international accreditation of TVET programmes; and 4) matching the supply of, and demand for, TVET programmes. It considers some of the main challenges in achieving these objectives and sets out some recommendations for strengthening the position of TVET, based on Fiji National University’s experience.

1. Professor Nigel Healey, Vice Chancellor
Fiji National University
Successful models of technical and
vocational education and training in
Fiji
1

2. Introduction
• Introduction:
– to Fiji
– to the tertiary education landscape in Fiji
• Description of actions
• Challenges and recommendations
2

3. The Pacific islands
3

4. Introduction: Fiji
• 330 islands, 110 inhabited
• Urbanisation: 70% now live in Viti Levu
• Population : 900,000 (57% Melanesian, 38%
Indian)
• Per capita GDP (PPP): US$9,109 (2016)
• Upper-middle income (World Bank)
4

5. Introduction: the tertiary
education landscape in Fiji
• Fiji National University:
– colleges of agriculture, business and engineering historically
TVET; medicine and education higher education
– Most higher education has grown out of TVET
• University of the South Pacific:
– TVET recently grafted onto higher education
• University of Fiji
• Technical College of Fiji 5

6. Description of actions: FNU
• Key priorities:
– the professionalisation and parity of esteem of TVET
teachers in a ‘dual sector’ university
– the development of industry-relevant TVET
programmes
– the international accreditation of TVET programmes
– matching the supply of, and demand for, TVET
programmes 6

7. The professionalisation and parity of
esteem of TVET teachers (1)
• Concerns about the marginalisation of TVET in a dual
sector university
• Influx of expatriate PhD-qualified staff in new
disciplines
• Differential higher education / TVET salaries, terms
and conditions… but common career ranks (eg,
Lecturer)
7

8. Fiji National University’s Ranks and
Salary Bands (December 2017, FJD)
TVET Ranks Salary range Higher Education Ranks Salary Range
Tutorial Assistant $19,841-23,001
Tutor $28,989-33,606 Tutor $30,694-35,583
Assistant Lecturer $30,695-33,541 Assistant Lecturer $37,055-38,747
Lecturer I $34,875-38,109 Lecturer I $39,235-44,281
Lecturer II $39,156-48,157 Lecturer II $46,066-56,655
Senior Lecturer $48,400-65,046 Assistant Professor $56,942-88,713
Principal Lecturer $65,662-76,121 Associate Professor $94,545-109,603
Professor $109,716-162,407

9. The professionalisation and parity of
esteem of TVET teachers (2)
• New, separate career pathway (job titles, academic
entry qualifications, professional development
requirements)
• Professional educators, not trades people – upgrade
teaching qualifications
• The ‘paradox’ of staff resistance to change
9

10. The development of industry-relevant
TVET programmes
• The demand for ‘day one, work-ready’ TET graduates
• The growing gap between university facilities and
workplace standards
• The role of ‘Industry Advisory Committees’ (IACs)
10

11. The international accreditation of
TVET programmes
• A ‘double-edged sword’ – internationally
benchmarked curriculum vs ‘brain drain’
• The alternative – poorly qualified graduates trapped
in a low-productivity economy
• Examples: CPA (Australia), Dublin Accord, Washington
Accord
11

12. Matching the supply of, and demand
for, TVET programmes (1)
1) What TVET programmes should the university be
offering to support the nations’ economic development
today?
• Research question: What are the graduate outcomes
from FNU’s current programmes in terms of graduate
employment rates and graduate salaries?
12

13. Matching the supply of, and demand
for, TVET programmes (2)
2) What TVET programmes should the university be
offering to support the nation’s economic development
over the next 5-10 years?
 Research question: What knowledge, skills and
competencies will employers need from FNU’s
graduates in 5-10 years?
13

14. Challenges and recommendations
• Parity of esteem: TVET and higher education are
different labour market segments
• Relevance: industry does not really know what it
needs
• International accreditation: expensive and quasi
‘colonial’
• Labour market demand: personal
income/employment data is confidential 14

15. Conclusions
• TVET is crucial to economic development
• In a fast-developing nation, TVET is seen as ’the past’
– negative folk memories of manual labour
• The key is professionalising TVET teaching, making
TVET courses relevant and internationally accredited…
• …and understanding the changing demand for labour
15nigel.healey@fnu.ac.fj