This section lists terms and abbreviations used within the University. You will encounter them frequently so it is
useful to know them. If you would like us to add any other term, please contact Ferine at clte@fnu.ac.fj and we’ll add it here.
A B C D E F G H I L M N O P R S T U W X Y Z
Academic integrity means being honest in your studying and assessments. As a student, you are expected to submit original work and give credit to other people’s work. Learn more about the academic integrity here.
Admission is to allow a person’s entrance to undertake a programme of study at the University.
Aegrotat Pass is an assessment grade given to a student who meets the requirements as per the provisions of the UASR.
Block is a term of instruction, which requires 1 week of full-time classroom instruction.
College Academic Appeals Committee is the committee established by the College to consider appeals from students against any decision made on their academic performance, under procedures prescribed in University Academic & Student Regulation (UASR).
Compassionate Pass is an assessment grade given to a student who meets the requirements contained in University Academic & Student Regulation (UASR).
Contact hours are the hours spent in direct contact with lecturers/instructors such as, in lectures, tutorials, workshops and practicals and formal student face-to-face consultations.
Course refers to a series of related topics in a subject taught and assessed within a time-specific period, usually a given term. A course is also known as a unit.
Credit points refer to the points commensurate with classroom contact hours and specified self-directed learning. One credit point comprises 15 hours of such classroom studies and specified self-directed learning.
Credit Transfer refers to a course/unit that is taken at the same level within the University or at another institution, which the University recognises and accepts as fulfilling the requirements of a programme at the University.
Department Academic Board refers to the Academic Board of the respective Department.
Early Alert Response System (EARS) is an online diagnostic and early intervention tool for teachers to refer students in need of additional assistance. Learn more about EARS here.
English Language Hub (ELH) assists FNU students from all disciplines and abilities to become more effective writers (both in academic and non-academic genres) and oral communicators of English by conducting tutoring and workshops. Learn more about the ELH here.
The Erasmus Programme is a European-wide initiative based on subject-specific exchange agreements between FNU and academic counterparts at partner Universities across Europe. See The Erasmus Programme webpage.
Enrolled student refers to a student who has paid the prescribed fee as per the University’s Fee Policy in any programme or course of study whether on a full-time or part-time basis.
Enrolment is the process of choosing correct courses as per approved programme structure and registering either online or manually, generating invoice and paying any compulsory enrolment fee as set out by the University.
Expulsion from University refers to the prohibition from all further studies in any programme or removal of the student from University due to misconduct.
Flexible learning refers to a system in which students may choose to complete some of their learning on-campus and some of their learning off-campus. An approach to learning in which the time, place, and pace of learning may be determined by learners.
FNUSA refers to the Fiji National University Students Association.
Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated as the average grade point, weighted by the credit point in each course included in the calculation of the GPA. For courses which students have repeated, the grades in all the attempts shall be included in the calculations. Courses that the students have attempted but failed shall be included in the calculation of the GPA.
Industrial/Work Experience refers to the requirement that a student be attached to a relevant industry as part of his/her study and training before graduation in any given programme.
Internship refers to the requirement that a student be attached to a relevant industry as part of his/her study and training before graduation in any given programme.
Learning hours are the prescribed contact hours and self-directed learning for a topic, a unit or a programme.
Modified Assessment is an assessment given to a student when a he/she is able to complete an assessment but not in the form set out in the course guide or programme document, but where the assessment meets the requirement as per the Academic Regulations.
Major refers to the primary area of study in the field you plan to get a job in after you graduate. For example, accounting, education, public relations or psychology.
Math Help Hub (MH2) provides mathematics and statistics support and advice to students from all disciplines. Learn more about MHH here.
Minor refers to the student’s secondary field of study.
New Student refers to a student who has enrolled in a programme for the first time between 1 January and 31 December of a given year.
Online Learning is where a course is mainly delivered online using a learning management system and conferencing tools. Technology use is substantial and will typically have no face-to-face teaching.
PAL stands for Peer Assisted Learning. It is a structured study session facilitated by PAL Leaders who have strong academic record and have successfully completed the courses themselves for those students who want to improve their academic performances. For more information on PAL, click here
PAL Leader is a senior student who has completed a specific course and is well trained to be a PAL facilitator. His/her role is to lead group discussions and facilitate collaborative learning and help students fathom the course content.
Penster is a term of instruction which requires seven weeks of full-time classroom instruction.
Programmes refer to a set of courses that lead to an award of the University in the named programme such as Certificate, Diploma or Degree.
Plagiarism refers to submitting or presenting someone else’s work, writing, invention or other creative work, as his/her own work, writing, invention or other creative work.
Pre-requisite is a requirement to successfully complete another course, set of courses or achieve a specific grade in a course (or overall GPA) before enrolment in an undergraduate or graduate course.
Quarter is a term of instruction which requires ten weeks of full-time classroom instruction.
Recognition of Current Competencies refers to the recognition by the University of competencies that a person has acquired through education training, work, and/or life experience. Sometimes, this is also referred to as recognition of prior learning.
Recognition of Prior Learning refers to the recognition by the University of a person’s abilities, skills and knowledge acquired through training, education, work experience and/or life experience prior to attempting to join the University and/or a related programme of the University, and that recognition is processed for credit points at the University.
Semester is a term of instruction which requires 14 weeks of full-time classroom instruction.
Student Grievance refers to a point or item of dissatisfaction that a student may have over any matter concerning his/her studentship at the University.
Summester is a term of instruction, and requires three weeks of full-time classroom instruction.
Succeed@FNU is an online course that is free of charge, self-directed and self-paced and has been designed to assist students in identifying their potentials to achieve their academic goals, become familiar with FNU’s expectations and regulations, learn about the support systems available at FNU and the importance of taking care of themselves. For more information on Succeed@FNU, click here
Term is the division of an academic year during which in-class learning and assessment take place. A term could be a semester (14 weeks of classes), trimester (12 weeks of classes), quarter (10 weeks of classes), penster (7 weeks of classes), summester (3 weeks of classes), or block (1 week of classes).
Tertiary Education Loan Scheme (TELS) refers to fund intended to provide financing to Fijian students who have qualified for higher education in approved institutions of higher learning but are unable to support themselves financially.
Toppers Scholarship refers to full scholarships only for the top-ranked students who have completed their Year 13 or equivalent foundation studies in a year preceding the award year and are ranked as National Toppers in their applied priority areas of study and wish to pursue undergraduate higher education in one of the priority areas at an approved Higher Education Institution.
Trimester is a term of instruction which requires 12 weeks of full-time classroom instruction.
Unclassified Study refers to enrolment in a University course/unit by a student, who is not enrolled in a defined University programme.
Undergraduate refers to a student who has not yet completed a Bachelor’s degree.
Unit refers to a series of related topics in a subject taught and assessed in a time-specific period, normally in a given term. A unit is also known as a course.
University Academic and Student Regulations (UASR) refers to all the regulations contained in the UASR document.
Unsatisfactory Progress refers to a situation where a student fails the same course twice, and/or fails 50% or more of the enrolled programme load for the relevant teaching period; and/or fails to comply with a conditional enrolment agreement set by the Academic Adviser, Programme Coordinator, Dean, or any committee that is established under the authority of the Dean.
Zoom is a cloud-based platform for video and audio conferencing. Learn more about Zoom here.