NASINU, FIJI — The Fiji National University (FNU) will now lead the Pacific Women’s Leadership and Climate Change Resilience Training Programme. This marks a significant step forward in strengthening regional capacity for inclusive and climate-responsive leadership.
This development follows the successful completion of the recent Asian Development Bank (ADB)-supported Women’s Leadership and Climate Change Resilience Training, in which FNU representatives participated together with other regional stakeholders to build skills in leadership, governance, and climate resilience.
The programme will be implemented under the umbrella of the University’s Center for Leadership, Governance and Security framework under its Leadership Pillar. This will complement ongoing initiatives such as the Vanua Leadership Training Programme. The transition positions FNU as a key regional hub for advancing gender-responsive leadership and climate action across the Pacific.
Vice-Chancellor, Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba, acknowledged the contributions of staff who represented the University during the ADB training and emphasised the importance of sustaining the momentum.
“This is an important opportunity for FNU to take a leading role in advancing women’s leadership and climate resilience across the region. The knowledge and experience gained through this training will now inform how we design and deliver impactful programmes for our communities,” she said.
Associate Dean Research at the College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Dr Mereia Fong, has been appointed as Coordinator of the FNU Training Project. She will lead the development and implementation of the programme, working closely with participating staff and University leadership.
Pro-Vice-Chancellor Corporate Services, Professor Nii-K Plange, said the transition of the programme to FNU reflects the University’s growing leadership role in the region.
“We are grateful to ADB for its support and to our staff who have successfully completed the training. With the Pacific Training Programme now under FNU, we are well-positioned to build a structured and sustainable approach to leadership and climate resilience training. We will ensure this initiative is strategically aligned and delivers meaningful impact across Fiji and the wider Pacific,” he said.
A debrief session will be convened in the coming weeks to outline the strategic direction and next steps for the programme, ensuring alignment with national and regional priorities in climate resilience and gender equality.
FNU remains committed to empowering women leaders and strengthening institutional responses to climate change through education, training, and regional collaboration.
