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The University of Fiji has announced that it will resume all classes from Monday, April 26, 2021 after its one week mid-semester break.

The Acting Vice Chancellor of the University of Fiji Professor Shaista Shameem said the University did not see the need to extend its mid-semester break as other universities had done because the University was able to transit to a virtual campus quite easily.

Some students will have connectivity or device problems but these were being dealt with on  a case by case basis by the lecturers and Schools, she said. ‘No one will miss out on learning because this is what we have been preparing for since last year just in case the pandemic remained’.

Professor Shameem said that the University of Fiji Council had the foresight in 2020 and Semester 1 2021 to direct academic staff to continue with the 2/3 virtual learning methodology and in the latest crisis this was easily moved to 100% virtual classrooms until the situation improves.

The University has requested the Student Association to provide information on any students needing additional support which will be provided.

The University has advised all its students to contact their Schools or the Registrar’s Office for additional information.

Message from the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Shaista Shameem

The Fiji Higher Education Commission today directed all Higher Education Institutions to temporarily suspend ALL face to face education and training activities for the next 14 days. The directive was issued pursuant to section 7 (b) of the Higher Education Act 2008…’to safeguard the national interest, the interest of students and parents, and also of higher education providers’.

In light of this directive, the University of Fiji has revised its 15-Point Advisory to exclude physical presence of students on its campuses.

Students will not be permitted to enter the University campuses to attend face to face classes until further notice.

The University will proceed with learning and teaching only in virtual formats from Monday April 26th when Semester 1 resumes.

Students are advised to contact their lecturers and School Administrators for further details regarding their courses and programmes.

Despite the lack of face to face classes for the next 14 days the University expects all students to take advantage of the innovative teaching methods that will be used by their lecturers to ensure that learning continues without interruption.

I will keep the University Community updated as information becomes available.

I am confident that the University Community’s spirit and resilience will allow us to reach our goals in education despite the challenges.

The Deans and Senior Management join me in wishing all staff and students the very best.

April 21, 2021

The Deans and Senior Management Team met yesterday morning to discuss the way forward for the University of Fiji in light of the 14 day lockdown in Nadi and Lautoka and the Hon. Prime Minister’s Covid-19 guidelines to mitigate any further risks to community health in Fiji.

Accordingly, from today (April 21), the University will be implementing the following regime for the safety of its staff and students without risking its core business, namely, education.

The University of Fiji: 15-Point Advisory.

1. The University will be closed to students during the current study break unless they are involved in trimester programmes or postgraduate study.
2. The maximum number of people (staff and students) permitted on Samabula and Saweni Campuses at any one time will be 100.
3. Deans will decide for their own Schools, in consultation with the Registrar’s Office, how their numbers are to be organised.
4. All staff and students entering the University will register at the security booths at the entrance of both campuses so that the numbers can be monitored.
5. Students and Staff with smartphones are requested to download the Fiji Care App which will be checked by security at the Samabula and Saweni gates.
6. Students and staff entering the University (both campuses and PC Labs) shall wear masks.
7. Staff and students on campuses and in PC Labs will observe social distancing according to the guidelines (2 metres) which will be monitored by security at each facility.
8. PC Labs outside the campuses around Viti Levu and in Labasa will remain open.
9. All academic staff should contact their Deans and School Administrators regarding their presence on the campuses.
10. All administrative and support staff should contact their section heads for duties and availability during this period.
11. All student enquiries about campus access and connectivity should be made to the Registrar.
12. All student enquiries about lectures should be made to the respective Deans and School Administrators.
13. The Library will remain open on both campuses and provide virtual library services via email to those not on campus.
14. BemaCino at Samabula Campus and the Saweni Campus Cafeteria will remain open but the furniture will be re-arranged to comply with social distance guidelines.
15. All lectures will be delivered in the virtual classroom (interactive) mode or as arranged by individual Schools.

Semester 1 will resume on Monday 26th April mainly in the virtual mode unless otherwise advised by the Schools for specific programmes or courses.

The University of Fiji Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Shaista Shameem has directed students and staff of the University to refrain from travelling to its campuses in Saweni and Samabula until further notice.

This is to ensure that all contingencies are met in light of the Government’s updates on Covid-19 restrictions in Nadi and Lautoka and for schools.

The University of Fiji administrators are closely monitoring the announcements made by the Prime Minister and the Health Ministry before further advising staff and students of any developments.

From this week, all UniFiji classes will be conducted through online virtual classrooms which the University had established in 2020 during the first lockdown.

Professor Shameem said virtual classrooms allowed the University to continue with learning and teaching with very little extra effort as the university’s IT system had been set up already to cope with exactly such an eventuality.

“We had hoped for the best but, at the same time, prepared for the worst in case Fiji had to face Covid-19 community transmission as has happened in other countries leading to interruptions in learning,” she said.

“Lecturers will be able to meet their students and conduct their classes online through the method we have adopted called ‘Face to Face Online’. No student will be disadvantaged this way as even tests and assessments will be conducted online if the lockdown persists,” Professor Shameem said.

She said the University was also able to continue its partnership with internet providers to ensure the costs of connectivity would be managed prudently.

‘While it is unfortunate that Covid-19 has persisted beyond expectation, nevertheless the University of Fiji is well prepared to continue with its core business of teaching, research and learning without pause’, Professor Shameem said.

April 19, 2021