Concerns with the Higher Education Commission will lead discussions amongst stakeholders of the commission who will converge at the Holiday Inn this morning.
Established in February this year the commission is holding a day long consultation of this magnitude for the first time.
Commission director, Mrs Salote Rabuka said the primary purpose of consultation was to inform stakeholders of the progress of the commission’s work in regulating institutions and qualifications they offer.
“The consultation will also provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share their experiences and views on the initiative to develop the higher education sector,” she said.
“So far, the commission has identified a number of issues that institutions need to address. Once they get recognition, they have to apply for registration.
“Some institutions that have not acquired a regular legal status and need to do so will need capacity building. The commission also needs to be assured of their financial viability and some of them need to address this as well.
“Some need to address areas like management because the commission has set standards that institutions are assessed against. This is because we have a whole range of institutions operating in Fiji.
“There are some small institutions while some are big, like universities, that have their own laws and we do recognise their independence. The commission would like to engage with them in a meaningful way so that it can provide guidance in their development.”
Mrs Rabuka said the commission would also look at other issues during the consultation that would help institutions to develop, increase their productivity and relevance of courses.
“The commission is also going to set up a national qualifications framework, which will accredit qualifications and then help in the recognition of qualifications. Work on the framework started about four years ago at TPAF but that work is now moving to the commission,” she said.
She also highlighted that the commission was established to regulate the operations of institutions.
“We ensure that they deliver quality education and training which will meet the needs of the labour market. It is also there to develop the education sector as a whole, to occupy strategic position as far as the development of the sector is concerned,” she said.
Work of the commission also involves ensuring institutions teach courses that are relevant to the needs of the employment market.
“The commission will have to assume a kind of monitoring role to ensure that the institutions are teaching and putting out graduates that will find employment. That there isn’t an over supply in any one area or neglect of supply in an area that is much needed,” Mrs Rabuka said.
There are 75 known higher education institutions in Fiji, out of which 15 have been given recognition while many are in the process of registering with the commission.
"They have till December 31, to register. Any institution that will not register by this day will be classified as an illegal operator," she said.