Medals & Prizes Regulations

1.0 The criteria for the award of gold medals and prizes are as follows:

(a) School Gold Medal: awarded to the most outstanding graduate, who has a cumulative Grade Point Average of not less than 4.0 in the programme the student has completed.

(b) Discipline Gold Medal: awarded to the most outstanding graduate with a cumulative Grade Point Average of not less than 4.0 in the courses the student has completed in the discipline, as a major or one the majors, or as part of the student’s programme and meeting the requirements for a major in the discipline.

1.1 Where there are two or more outstanding graduates in a discipline or programme, each shall be awarded a gold medal and the full accompanying money prize.

1.2 In the calculation of the GPAs for the medals and prizes, the resultant number will be taken to two decimal points and only USP-earned credit will be used.

2.0 PACIFIC TECHNICAL & FURTHER EDUCATION PRIZES GOLD MEDALS

2.1 Pacific TAFE Gold Medal and Prize

For the most outstanding graduate in Pacific TAFE – Gold Medal and Prize.

2.2 Prizes for Continuing Education Programmes

Prizes for the most outstanding graduate in the following skills-based programmes, provided the student graduates with a cumulative GPA of not less than 4.0 in the programme. Prizes will be awarded for the highest exit qualification of the programme.

  • Professional Diploma in Business Management – Prize
  • Diploma in Accounting (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Business Administration (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Counselling (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma in Culinary Arts & Management (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Early Childhood Care & Education (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Hospitality Management (Events, Food & Beverages & Front Office – Level5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Human Resource Management (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Information Technology (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Library & Information Services (Level 5) – Prize
  • Diploma of Project Management (Level 5) – Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Coastal Fisheries & Aquaculture Compliance – Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Cyber Security – Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Fisheries Enforcement & Compliance – Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Patisserie (Pastry & Bakery) – Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Resilience (Climate Change Adaptation & Disaster Risk Reduction) –Prize
  • Certificate 4 in Training, Assessment & Evaluation – Prize
  • Certificate 3 in Community Development – Prize Certificate 3 in Patisserie (Pastry & Bakery) – Prize
  • Certificate 3 in Small Business Development & Management – Prize.

2.3 Prizes for Foundation & Preliminary Programmes

Prizes for the most outstanding graduate in the following Foundation and Preliminary Programmes, provided the student graduates with a cumulative GPA of not less than 4.0 in the programme:

For the most outstanding Foundation Arts graduate – Prize

For the most outstanding Foundation Business graduate – Prize For the most outstanding Foundation Science graduate – Prize For the most outstanding Preliminary Arts graduate – Prize

For the most outstanding Preliminary Business graduate – Prize For the most outstanding Preliminary Science graduate – Prize.

3.0 SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTING, FINANCE AND ECONOMICSDISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with major in:

  • Accounting – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Economics – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Finance – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Official Statistics – Gold Medal and Prize.

OTHER PRIZES

  • For the most outstanding Master of Commerce in Economics (by Coursework) graduate – The T. K. Jayaraman Prize
  • The Head of School’s Award for the most outstanding first-year student in the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics – Prize
  • The Auditor-General of Fiji Award – Prize.

4.0 SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

  • For the most outstanding Master of Business Administration graduate – Gold Medal and Prize.

DISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with major in:

  • Management and Public Administration – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Land Management – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Tourism & Hospitality – Gold Medal and Prize.

OTHER PRIZES

  • For the most outstanding Master of Commerce in Tourism & Hospitality Management thesis – Prize
  • For the second most outstanding Master of Business Administration graduate – The Professor Nowak Prize
  • The Head of School’s Award for the most outstanding first-year student in the School of Business and Management – Prize.

5.0 SCHOOL OF PACIFIC ARTS, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION

  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Education graduate – Gold Medal and Prize.

DISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with a major in:

  • Education – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Journalism – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Linguistics – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Literature – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Literature and Language – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Pacific Vernacular – Gold Medal
  • Technical and Vocational Education – Gold Medal and Prize.

OTHER PRIZES

  • Storyboard Award donated by David Robie and Delia, and the ABC – Radio Australia Prize of FJ$350, to the most outstanding Journalism student demonstrating quality and ethics in pursuit of truth and the public interest.
  • The Head of School’s Award for the most outstanding first-year student in the School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education.

6.0 SCHOOL OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, MATHEMATICSAND PHYSICS DISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with a major in:

  • Computing Science – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Information Systems – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Mathematics – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Physics – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Electronics) – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Networks & Security – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Software Engineering – Gold Medal and Prize.OTHER PRIZES

    For the Best Performing Female Student of the Bachelor of Engineering Programme -The Fiji Institute of Engineers F$500 prize money

    For the Best Female Undergraduate Student from a USP Member country in the School of the Information Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Physics. -The Shikha Raturi prize.

7.0 SCHOOL OF LAW AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Laws graduate – Gold Medal and Prize.

DISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with a major in:

  • History – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Pacific Policing – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Politics – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Psychology – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Social Work – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Sociology – Gold Medal and Prize.

OTHER PRIZES

  • For the most outstanding Master of Arts in Development Studies thesis – Prize
  • For the most outstanding Diploma in Leadership, Governance & Human Rights graduate – The Lionel Gibson Memorial Prize
  • The Head of School’s Award for the most outstanding first-year student in the School of Law and Social Sciences

8.0 SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE, GEOGRAPHY ENVIRONMENT, OCEANS & NATURAL SCIENCES

  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Agriculture graduate – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Master of Agriculture thesis – Gold Medal and Prize

DISCIPLINE GOLD MEDALS

For the most outstanding graduate with a major in:

  • Biology – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Chemistry – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Geography – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Geospatial Science – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Environmental Management – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Environmental Science – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Bachelor of Geospatial Science – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Marine Management – Gold Medal and Prize
  • Marine Science – Gold Medal and Prize

OTHER PRIZES

  • For the most outstanding Master’s Thesis Prize in Chemistry – The David Rohindra Prize.
  • Animal Husbandry– The Telefoni Retzlaff Memorial Prize.
  • The Head of School’s Award for the most outstanding first year student in the School of Agriculture, Geography Environment, Oceans & Natural Sciences – Prize.

9.0 PACIFIC CENTRE FOR ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT(PaCE–SD)

  • For the most outstanding overall results in a Postgraduate Diploma Climate Change PaCE–SD – Prize

10.0 UNIVERSITY PRIZES AND GOLD MEDALS

  • For the most outstanding Master of Arts thesis – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Master of Commerce graduate – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Master by Research graduate – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Master of Science thesis – Gold Medal and the Fosters Group Pacific Limited Prize
  • For the most outstanding overall results in a Postgraduate Diploma – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Arts graduate – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Commerce graduate – Gold Medal and Prize
  • For the most outstanding Bachelor of Science graduate – Gold Medal and Prize

11.0 VICE-CHANCELLOR & PRESIDENT’S ALL-ROUNDER PRIZE

  • For the male graduate and female graduate with the best combined academic performance and record of service to the community – Gold Medal and Prize

11.1 Vice-Chancellor & President’s All-Rounder Prize to a Pacific TAFE student

  • For the male graduate and female graduate with the best combined academic performance and record of service to the community – Gold Medal and Prize

11.2 Process for the Vice-Chancellor & President’s All-Rounder Prize

(a) Communication of Award

(i) DVC (Education)’s Office sends out the criteria and nomination process regarding the Vice- Chancellor & President’s All-Rounder Prize to the University in November.

(a) Academic units informed of the criteria and nomination process, and the deadline.

(b) Other sections like Regional Campuses, Campus Life and USPSA draw up their timelines according to this communication.

(ii) DVC (Education)’s Office sends out a second reminder to the University at the beginning of January.

(iii) DVC (Education)’s Office sends out a third and final reminder to University in the middle of January.

(iv) Academic units, regional campuses and sections submit their nominations to the Medals & Prizes Committee by the end of January.

(b) Criteria

Nominations will be judged according to the following criteria:

(i) Students must be graduating or have graduated in a USP graduation ceremony that took place from June of the previous year to March of the current year.

(ii) Students must have a programme GPA of 3.5 or better.

(iii) Students must not have been found guilty of any disciplinary charges.

(iv) Service within USP – Students must show that they have provided outstanding service (going over and beyond what is expected of USP students) to the University over the duration of their programme. All service has to be backed up with supporting documentation including a supporting letter from their Academic Unit.

(v) Service Outside of USP – Students must show that they have provided outstanding service (going over and beyond what is expected of USP students) to the wider community over the duration of their programme. All service has to be backed up with supporting documentation.

(c) Awarding the All-Rounder Prize & Gold Medal

(i) The Medals & Prizes Committee will receive all nominations and deliberate on one award for the male graduate and one award for the female graduate with the best combined academic performance and record of service to the community.

(ii) Nominations will be scored out of 5 (1 being the lowest, 5 being the highest) against the following: (a) GPA

(b) Service Within USP – more points will be given to students who show outstanding service not only within their Academic Unit, but University-wide, as well as the length of their service.

(c) Service Outside of USP – more points will be given to students who show outstanding service outside of their village, race and religious affiliation.

(iii) The Medals & Prizes Committee will forward the names of these awardees to the Vice-Chancellor & President for the final decision.

(iv) Student Administrative Services will inform the recipients of these awards via email.

12.0 VICE-CHANCELLOR & PRESIDENT’S PRIZE FOR STUDENT RESEARCH

The University through this prize will recognise the research output from a student’s work, normally carried out as part of a designated course (including Masters and PhD), though the work may have been carried out independently (e.g. during vacations), when supervised or otherwise sanctioned by USP – Prize of FJ$7,000.

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