Enhancing Student Engagement and Well-being at the University of Fiji

1. 1. Promoting a culture that centres on inclusion and retention • No social life. - No venue for students to organise a social life, social club etc. Students do not feel part of the institutions. • No effective counselling services. • The University does not offer a broad range of courses/subject e.g. Social science & psychology and this is necessary for effective legal training. • Solutions: 1) Establish a University committee with student input on how to provide a venue for social activities of students. • Review counselling needs of the University. • Consider establishing a Social Science Faculty. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

2. Fostering a culture of student engagement and where the students are the most important stakeholders at this institution. • Respect the school’s discretion on pre-requisites. • Lack of social life • Counselling and support structures • Solution • 1) Review of calendar entry for law and its pre-requisites. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

3. 2. Coping with new teaching methods and ways of learning • Standardised peer reviews is not a quality way of ascertaining quality teaching and learning methods. Eg. Course outline changes almost daily because of introduced cases and new legislation in law. Solutions: • Establish a teaching committee for law to set teaching standards for quality assurance taking into account Socratic methodology and mooting standards. • Ensure that course outlines are faculty specific but still meet the course outline standards established by the University. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

4. 4) Learning ways to study independently • We need to balance this carefully with facilitation, nurturing and care giving of students. • Solutions: • Eliminate spoon feeding and pastoral care of students but still encourage them to become independent thinkers and intellectuals. Cannot treat University students as high school students. • At the end of the legal degree students should be able to stand on their own feet in court and act without assistance. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

5. 5) Coping with volume and speed of the workload • Counselling is critical. Counselling services have to be highly qualified, well experienced in dealing with young people and have a higher degree in counselling and psychology. • Solution: • 1) Comprehensive review of counselling services required at a University and provide it. 2) Employ expert counselling staff. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

6. 6/7. • Good communication at the beginning of the semester/course outline. • Solutions: 1) Schools and faculties to determine what students should understand with respect to requirements of the course assessment and grading. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

7. 8. • Revision/remedial classes held by the Law school apart from regular contact hours. • Solution: Remedial classes more formally organised. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

8. 9 • Anything to do with evaluation should be sent to us early. • Collegial discussion and faculty wide setting of teaching standards specific to the faculty. • Solution: • Establish a teaching committee to follow the steps to establishing teaching standards in the law faculty and organise discussion among the staff. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

9. 10 • This question needs further explanation. Solution: Provide solutions to all the challenges discussed at this retreat which will develop a sense of community and ownership of the University by the teaching staff. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

10. 11 • How do you improve something that we are not aware of. Need to provide faculty with a list of student support services available. • Solution: • A review of student support services and development based on need. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

11. 12 • SOL HAS 2 CAMPUSES and IT communication is not currently effective at the moment. • Solution: • Improve communication technology between the 2 campuses. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

12. 13 • We have raised the issue of the QA mechanisms that we have been presented with and there has to be a review of these mechanisms. SOL has the Board of Legal Education as its higher authority. The Fiji Higher Education Commission and the Board are not always on the same page and we need to facilitate better engagement between these two bodies. • Solution: • SOL can assist with developing what is needed in respect of FHEC and BLE collaboration. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

13. 14 • Counselling • Solution: • Refer to recommendation on counselling services above. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

14. Achieving quality student admission. • Raise the bar. 250 minimum marks and 60% pass in English. This will go to Retention. • English for academic purposes to teach English for legal purposes. Legal referencing style guide is our guideline accepted in the practice of law. We are in conversation with SOHA on this matter and progress has been made. • Solution: • Change the entry requirement for law in respect of the Minister’s advice. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj

15. Conclusion • For the information of colleagues every single law student who has graduated and admitted to the bar has found employment. 100% employment rate • Example: Out of the 34 applicants DPP’s office employed 3 of our 4th year students and 1 from USP as paralegals. • SOL has 5 part time lecturers teaching core subjects, and 7 full time staff. The employment policy of the Law faculty should be reviewed. The University of Fiji, Private Mail Bag, Lautoka. Fiji. Ph: +679 6640600 www.unifiji.ac.fj