A Year of Transilience Parliament of Fiji 2017 Parliament Paper No. 91 of 2018 Annual Report TABLE OF CONTENTS Vision, Mission and Values 2 Chancellor’s Foreword 4 Vice Chancellor’s Foreword 6 University Governance 10 Organisational Structure 13 Senior Management Group 14 University Statistics 16 2017 Highlights 26 Learning, Teaching and Quality 46 College Updates 50 The Cover Student Support 74 2017 was all about tremendous positive change for the University. On the cover we are emphasising the diverse colleges, students, staff and Research 80 departments that make up the University, who joined hands and forces Information and Communication Technology 84 as FNU experienced a year of transilience. Together we braved the challenges that needed to be overcome. And in unison, massive leaps, Human Resources 86 transitions and diversifications were made, making 2017 a record year that is bound to shape our future for many years to come. Library 90 Corporate Social Responsibility 92 Regional and International Students 94 Financial Statements 96 3 2017 FNU ANNUAL REPORT OUR VISION OUR MISSION The University aims to be the premier university for The University shall provide leadership in all intellectual higher education, technical and vocational education pursuits in higher education, research and development, and training, research and development in Fiji and and the development and acquisition of relevant and the Pacific region, and to be the national centre of quality technical skills in all trades and soft skills that VISION, MISSION & VALUES excellence in Fiji for all things to do with training and are necessary for development of nations, businesses, productivity. and communities. CORPORATE VALUES HIGH ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS The University is committed to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, transparency, corporate governance, and professional standards. CUSTOMER/STUDENT - FOCUSED The University is focused on understanding and exceeding the expectations of our stakeholders, and providing a safe, secure and comfortable learning, teaching and training environment. EFFICIENCY, COST EFFECTIVENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY The University promotes cost effectiveness in resource utilisation, maximum returns to all stakeholders, effective service delivery, and environmental sustainability. CULTURE OF EXCELLENCE The University shall strive for excellence in everything it does. EMPOWERING/STRENGTHENING OUR TEAM The University is managed on the core values of accessibility of education and training to all, equal opportunity, respect and tolerance for diversity, and a firm sense of belonging and ownership forged through collective decision making, information sharing, providing a ready helping hand to the weaker members of the University community, a healthy lifestyle, and collective social and corporate responsibility. 3 2017 FNU ANNUAL REPORT CHANCELLOR’S FOREWORD MR. IKBAL JANNIF This annual report summarises the activities The FNU Council has continued to operate of FNU during the year and the results speak efficiently. Council Committees (Financial for themselves. Resources Committee, Physical and Virtual Resources Committee, Human Resources The increase in Government’s commitment Committee, Audit and Risk Committee and to the education sector has seen an increase the National Training and Productivity Council in enrolment at all FNU campuses, and Advisory Board) have met as necessary to courses. Increases in Government’s grant provide useful reports and recommendations in FNU in both Capital and Operational have for Council to deliberate upon. seen the construction of more new facilities being started, a resurgence in repairs and I would like to acknowledge all Council maintenance, and the salaries of our academic members, particularly the Council committee staff being brought closer to others in our chairs, and thank them for the extra work they sector. have put in. The Vice Chancellor and his team have worked well together to provide practical The success of trading companies are often leadership. measured by how much dividend they pay. For Universities, the measure is the quality of FNU appreciates the support of our Minister, teaching, the numbers graduating and finding the Ministry staff and other stakeholders. employment in their areas of study. Although no independent statistics can be quoted, indications are that FNU has been successful in all areas. Ikbal Jannif Chancellor 2017 FNU ANNUAL REPORT 4 5 2017 FNU ANNUAL REPORT VICE CHANCELLOR’S FOREWORD PROFESSOR NIGEL HEALEY 2017 was a year of rebuilding and focusing ◆ To semesterise the portfolio and on the future for Fiji National University. rationalise the previous mix of trimesters, In the second half of 2016, the University semesters and pensters (in the new carried out a comprehensive Academic semesterised structure, former penster Portfolio Review to assess the quality of programmes now operate on a ‘quarter’ its undergraduate programmes in both system, where quarter 1 is the first half technical and vocation education and of semester 1, quarter 2 is the second training (TVET) and in higher education. half of semester 1 and so on); and This review judged each programme against nine quality indicators measuring ◆ To move to a common credit-based student demand, student performance and system, where all Certificate III courses satisfaction while studying at the University are 10 credit points, Certificate IV and and graduate outcomes (employment Diploma courses are 12 credit points rates and starting salaries) on completion. and all bachelor’s courses are 15 credit Colleges were required to develop quality points. action plans to revise any programmes This undergraduate curriculum that failed on one or more of the quality reorganisation was a major exercise and indicators. involved almost every member of staff in During this exercise, and based on the University, to a greater or lesser extent. feedback from staff and students, the We are confident that it allows us to go University decided to restructure its entire into 2018 with a refreshed curriculum, undergraduate portfolio during 2017, with informed by international best practice three objectives: and past experience, which better supports Fiji University University’s aim of being the ◆ To ensure that each programme was premier vocational university in the South revised to address any weaknesses Pacific. identified in the 2016 Academic Portfolio Review; 7 2017 FNU ANNUAL REPORT As Fiji National University develops, the In 2017, Fiji National University took each College appointed an Associate In the virtual environment, 2017 saw Fiji balance of provision is gradually shifting steps to consolidate the merger of its six Dean Learning and Teaching (ADL&T) and National University, again with financial from TVET to higher education. The 2017 predecessor colleges in 2010. The former an Associate Dean Research (ADR). This support from the Fiji Government, complete figures show that TVET enrolments tertiary colleges each had a proud history – facilitated the undergraduate curriculum negotiations to connect the University declined slightly from 7,762 in 2016 to in the case of Fiji School of Medicine dating reform and supported the development of a directly to AARNet, the Australian Academic 6,474 in 2017, while bachelor’s enrolments back to 1885 – which they brought into clear research strategy, which focuses the Research Network. This is a submarine grew from 6,323 to 7,580 and postgraduate Fiji National University, along with their University’s multidisciplinary research on cable which links the Australian universities enrolments grew from 585 to 773 over own identity, culture and organisational Fiji’s national priorities – notably, climate to the United States via the Southern Cross the same period. This primarily reflects structure. The undergraduate curriculum change and climate change adaptation, cable and has a landing station in Suva. Fiji’s continuing economic development. reform was designed, in part, to harmonise combatting non-communicable diseases, As in other rapidly growing countries, programme structures around a common forecasting Fiji’s national workforce needs By connecting to the landing station, Fiji employment opportunities are expanding university model. and shifting Fiji’s exports up the value chain. National University will enjoy high-speed most quickly in the service and professional broadband across its campuses, as well as sectors, while productivity growth and In early 2017, the University undertook a In 2017, Fiji National University committed access to a range of teaching and research automation are displacing jobs in the reorganisation of its Colleges, to move to to a multi-million-dollar investment in its software tools. Connecting to AARNet is the unskilled and semi-skilled sectors. Fiji a common structure of Schools (clusters physical and virtual estate. With generous first stage in a digital strategy that will see National University, however, remains of cognate departments with common support from the Fiji Government, the the University develop its blended learning strongly committed to supporting the TVET teaching and research programmes) and University is engaged in building a state-of- provision, to extend access to tertiary sector and recognises that professions Departments (discipline-based homes the-art campus in Labasa, Vanua Levu, to education to remote areas of Fiji. for academic staff). The new organisational support the Government’s vision of taking