• The Centre for Customs and Excise Studies – Charles Sturt partnered with Fiji National University to establish a Pacific Centre of Excellence for Border Management

The Centre for Customs and Excise Studies – Charles Sturt (CCES) has agreed with Fiji National University (FNU) to establish a Pacific Centre of Excellence to enhance border control education and research in the region.

The Pacific Centre of Excellence for Border Management will form the centrepiece of the collaboration, with the CCES and FNU collaborating to deliver cutting-edge research and teaching around border management in the Pacific.

CCES Head of School Professor David Widdowson, AM, said it was an exciting opportunity to work 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,” Professor Widdowson said.

“It has been a long journey - we have been working towards this moment for 26 years, and this marks a significant turning point.

“It gives me enormous pleasure to be representing CCES and partnering with FNU.”

The Centre was announced at a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony in Suva by FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba.

“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’s end and rolling out classes from Semester One of 2025.”

Dean of the FNU College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Associate Professor Asaeli Tuibeqa, said the impact of the 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.

ENDS