The Centre for Customs and Excise Studies (CCES) has partnered with Fiji National University (FNU) to establish a Pacific Centre for Border Management.
FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba made the announcement at the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony held in Suva.
“This partnership with CCES will allow FNU to establish a Pacific Centre of Excellence for Border Management and related studies in Fiji that will be the hub for cutting-edge research and best practices, tackling the specific border management issues and opportunities facing Pacific Island nations” Professor Baba said.
“We will be launching this centre before the year end and rolling out classes from Semester 1 of 2025”.
CCES CEO, Professor David Widdowson AM said he looks forward to working with FNU to achieve the full potential of a Centre for Excellence in the Pacific.
“This will become the regional Centre of Excellence for all aspects of border management, including customs, biosecurity, immigration and maritime enforcement. It has been a long journey – we have been working towards this moment for 26 years, and today marks a significant turning point” he said.
“It gives me enormous pleasure to be representing CCES and partnering with FNU”.
The Dean of FNU’s College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Associate Professor Asaeli Tuibeqa affirmed that the impact of this partnership will extend far beyond the walls of the two institutions.
“The signing of this MoU marks a significant step forward and signifies the culmination of collaborative efforts and a shared vision for a brighter future in Border Management across the Pacific” he said.