Student Learning Support

Learning & Teaching

The primary teaching goal of National University is equipping students with relevant in-depth knowledge, competent professional skills and qualities of responsible citizens through a commitment to providing inclusive and accessible education, and quality learning and teaching experience. NU envisages a curriculum that is flexible, relevant, and appropriate and in keeping with the needs of local and international standards in line with the NU Vision and Mission.

SoFS firmly believes that transformational education begins at GFP.  Learning at SoFS is sufficiently supported and guided at every stage. A well-structured curriculum, strong entry and exit standards; excellent teaching standards, well-structured support systems, clear guidelines in assessments, feedback and mentoring,  and finally, a continued effort to build on relationships with the GFP alumni at the post foundation level are at the heart of NU teaching and learning strategies.

SoFS does its best to follow the best practices in teaching, and they include:

– outcome-based teaching that tries to integrate multiple skills that are both incrementally arranged in terms of achievement and relevance, as well as sufficiently scaffolded.

– Interactive, communicative, and collaborative teaching techniques aided by suitable resources

– Standardized practices in assessment and feedback that looks at holistic performance

Student Learning Support

NU is committed to providing every opportunity to students based on their current and future learning needs. When there are times when a student faces difficulty in coping or would like to gain more than what GFP is designed to offer, the GFP relies on learning support systems:

  • With the online learning, the opportunities for self-directed learning have also increased. For example, students are assigned weekly self-study tasks that they need to accomplish and submit for feedback. Through these tasks students can improve their overall learning experience by independently accessing materials and solving problems, in keeping
  • Special Part-Time students [SPT] are supported well at SoFS
  • Apart from this, SoFS also provides other opportunities for self-development at a holistic level.
  • Co-curricular activities give students opportunities not only to participate but organize and conduct the program with support from faculty.

Taqadam program offered in partnership with the British Council and HSBC is another example of learning support.

SoFS Academic Advising

SoFS has various mechanisms of academic advising and support systems provided to assist students in achieving their educational goals. Each student is assigned with an academic advisor who will regularly meet the student advisees, discuss student performance and identify any problems they may face. Provisions like support classes, counsellor sessions and feedback sessions from course tutors help support the academic advising system. Students are made aware of academic advising in the student handbook and during the student induction week. On an average, an advisor will meet advisees at least twice a semester and the number of meetings per student or group may increase if needed

Student Assistant Program (SAP)

This is an additional formal mechanism available where academically bright students are identified by tutors to provide support to weaker students in all the modules every semester. Support classes including one-to-one sessions are arranged by tutors to provide additional support. Student staff consultative group (SSCG) which consists of faculty and students is a mechanism for the students to give their feedback on learning processes. Details of this meeting is recorded and further action is taken. The GFP advisory system is well managed and serves its intended purpose.

GFP Alumni

In keeping with the NU Mission to fashion global citizens who will work for the betterment of society, SoFS endeavors to foster a spirit of community and sustainable development within and after its GFP. The alumni, therefore, has become integral to GFP’s delivery, achievements, and image. Steps to establish strong ties with GFP alumni have been taken by SoFS.

The Student Affairs Unit at SoFS maintains a database of all students who studied through SoFS, and they are often called upon to participate in many SoFS events. This demonstrates that the relationship with all students who have studied at SoFS, is a warm and cordial one.