A final year Tongan student of The University of the South Pacific has been selected for an attachment in New Zealand.
USP’s award winning Wansolwara newspaper editor and journalism student, Linda Filiai will begin her attachment with Auckland-based Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF) next week.
Filiai said this is ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity will enable her to learn from media experts in New Zealand.
"I am very proud to be part of this media internship. It will be an opportunity to develop a network with professional journalists, exchange ideas and to learn from one another,” she said.
“This opportunity will help me develop my skills which will be useful when I start work in Tonga next year”.
Filiai is also hoping to raise awareness about climate change and call on journalists in New Zealand to prioritize climate change reporting because Pacific countries are affected by its impact.
The attachment requires Filiai to write several stories including articles about Fiji and New Zealand.
She will be joined on the internship by fellow editor and student, Shivika Mala of Fiji.
Dr Shailendra Singh, coordinator of USP Journalism said that the internship is the outcome of their efforts to strike partnerships and strategic alliances with relevant organisations to help broaden student experiences and learning.
He said Filiai and Mala were top students who deserved the award.
Last year Filiai scooped the Communications Fiji Limited Best Radio Student Award while Mala won the Fiji Times Award for the Best News Reporter.
Three other students will be in Auckland for their internship while two New Zealand students will be coming to the Pacific Islands.
Photo: Shivika Mala and Linda Filiai (seated) with USP Journalism staff – Mr Eliki Durugunalevu, Ms Irene Manarae, Dr Shailendra Singh and Dr Olivier Jutel