This year marked an important milestone in Fiji’s public sector development with the completion of the first Australia Awards Short Course in Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E). Delivered by the University of New England (UNE) and supported by Australia Awards Fiji, the course brought together 19 civil servants from 17 government agencies for an intensive six-month learning experience focused on practical skills, collaboration, and evidence-based decision-making. Participants spanned a range of seniority, from directors to senior officers, and represented diverse ministries including health, environment, education, justice, and town planning.
The Australia Awards M&E Short Course comprised two four-day workshops held in Fiji, in October 2024 and February 2025, framing a four-week immersive residential module in Australia in November 2024. The program aimed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to design, implement, and use monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks that help drive real development results. The course also placed strong emphasis on cross-ministry collaboration and the integration of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) principles. The February 2025 post-course workshop focused on presentation skills, knowledge transfer, and the delivery of work-based projects by Awardees. As one participant shared, “The learnings from the M&E short course have personally and professionally developed me, enabling me to improve my workplace – especially in monitoring, evaluation and learning.”
The M&E course also included a capstone requirement in which each participant developed and presented a work-based improvement project aligned with their ministry’s priorities. Topics ranged from solid waste management and rural infrastructure planning to the design of M&E systems for Fiji’s health and justice sectors. A showcase of these projects during the February 2025 post-course workshop highlighted how participants are already applying their new skills to real policy challenges. Early evaluations confirm that the course has had a tangible impact at both individual and institutional levels: all 19 participants successfully completed their projects, with several ministries now initiating or refining M&E frameworks as a direct result
One of the course participants and now alumna, Anushma Sharma, reflects on how the short course has strengthened her ability to support policy and program delivery in her ministry. In this short video, she shares how Monitoring and Evaluation enables civil servants to translate good ideas into sustainable outcomes. “M&E allows us to turn good ideas into lasting impact. We now have the confidence and frameworks to track and measure success more meaningfully,” she says.
Early outcomes from the program are already evident. All participants reported increased confidence in applying M&E skills in their roles, with the majority (80%) already implementing these practices in their workplace projects. There are also encouraging signs of improved collaboration across ministries, pointing to a growing positive culture of shared learning and evidence-based practice within the Fijian civil service. Notably, Mr. Eliki Waqavakatoga, a 2024 program graduate, has led the development and formal endorsement of the 2025 Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Monitoring and Evaluation Competency Framework, approved by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services in June 2025, demonstrating the program’s tangible impact on institutional systems and leadership.
This Short Course is part of the #VuvalePartnership between Fiji and Australia, which places knowledge exchange and public sector strengthening at its core. As Fiji strengthens its role as a regional leader, Australia Awards is supporting the development of lasting public sector capability and more effective, evidence-informed governance.
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