A first at Unitec – Fiji Researchers Symposium

On Thursday the Fijian Researchers Symposium, held at Waitākere campus, brought together Fijian scholars and researchers from around the country to showcase their studies, form research networks, deepen research capacity and innovation, and look for ways to extend their research value and impact to the Fijian community and beyond.

Keynote Speaker Dr Steve Ratuva

There were also participants who joined in online from Fiji.

The symposium is in partnership with the University of Canterbury who held the first event in 2017, initiated by Dr Steve Ratuva, a political sociologist and renowned researcher who was also the key note speaker for the Unitec-hosted symposium.

The speaker’s studies captured the theme of ‘Connections and Solutions’, and research on Fiji and Fijians, and included talanoa by two of our Masters of Architecture (Professional) students, whose topics had a focus on their Fijian architecture research:

• Shivneel Prasad – Planning for a cyclone-resilient future
• Ratu Epeneri Korovakaturaga – Dela ni Yavu

Automotive Engineering Lecturer Jone Tawaketini, also Chair of our Unitec Fijian Committee, presented on his Masters study Cultural influences on the retention of Pasifika students in an Institute of technology trades programme, and our Pacific Centre Director, Falaniko ‘Niko’ Tominiko, presented on Fijian students’ performance at Unitec.

Unitec Fijian committee members along with some of the students and community members who attended the 50 year Independence Anniversary and Fiji Language Week celebrations

Niko’s pre-empted his presentation with a mention of his Fijian connections which included his relationship with Dr Steve Ratuva, who one of his two doctorate supervisors. The data Niko presented showed that Fijian students at Unitec represented 22% of the total qualifications awarded to the Pacific community, and that they are the second highest performing Pacific group following Samoans at 37. Tongan qualifications were third placed at 19%. This second-place ranking for Fijian qualifications is in contrast to the representation of Pacific people in Auckland, with Samoa ranked as the largest Pacific community, followed by the Cook Islands and Tonga.

Another statistic that Niko shared, which was very well received by the symposium group, was that Fijian students were well represented in the ‘multiple qualifications’ category, and rate #1 equally with Samoans in this metric. Statistics show that those in this group are more likely to move to higher education and therefore our Fijian student community will eventually overtake Samoa and become the “new powerhouse at Unitec” says Niko.

The event closed with a discussion, led by Dr Ratuva, on how we can support our Fijian research community, which included how to support getting research published (difficult for all Pacific researchers), writing retreat for postgraduate students, and the format for next years symposium.

Plans were discussed for next year’s event and a steering group to support and manage on-going networking and communications within the Fijian research community.

The symposium which was originally planned for earlier in the year but was impacted by COVID. The organisers were able to co-ordinate the new timing with Fijian Language Week and Fiji 50th Anniversary of Independence celebrations which was a bonus for everyone involved.

The symposium was organised by the Unitec Fijian Committee, led by Sana Saleem and Jone Tawaketini. Sana who initiated the Committee in 2018 now acts as the Secretary and with Linda Aumua’s arrival back at Unitec in 2019, the team was pleased to have her onboard and leading their waka. The purpose of the group is to bring staff and students together, create more awareness of Fiji iTaukei culture and language, pastoral care, and to provide Fijian students away from home with a Unitec Fijian family and support network.