An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2005-2006
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Faculty of Engineering
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
September 2005 to January 2006
27th – 28th March, 2006
31st October 2006
This Report was compiled for members of Údarás na hOllscoile, NUI Galway and its
committees as a readily accessible but comprehensive source of information on the above
review, its context and its outcomes.
Quality Office, January 2008
Report to Údarás – Review Faculty of Engineering 2005–2006
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1. Overview of Faculty
1.1 Aims and Objectives
Aims
As outlined in the Strategic Plan for the Faculty in 2002, the twin goals are:
 To be recognised as an international centre for high calibre advanced research as evidenced by
increased graduate student numbers, publications, funding and identified centres of excellence
in target areas
 To consolidate existing undergraduate and taught graduate programmes/student numbers
building on the highest undergraduate intake standards in Ireland and continue to be
recognised as the premier provider of engineering/IT professionals
Objectives
 To consolidate teaching programmes
 To provide up-to-date, relevant undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
 To establish a reputation for excellence in teaching (and good service to students)
 To expand research activities
1.2 Background
 Engineering Faculty established during founding of Queens College (Civil Engineering as sole
degree programme) in 1845
 Early 1970’s: Department of Industrial Engineering founded
 Late 1970’s: Department of Engineering founded
 1980: Departments of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering founded
 2001: Department of Information Technology founded
 Active involvement with NCBES, ECI, MRI and DERI
 All undergraduate degree programmes accredited by EI and place strong emphasis on project
work and the Professional Experience Programme (PEP; 5 months industrial experience)
 Position of Dean is non-executive, part-time and void of a formal reporting structure
 Position of Administrative Officer covers both science and engineering
 Departmentatl desire for increase in numbers of laboratory technicians, extension of duration
of PEP, provision of lecture notes at beginning of courses, student feedback
1.3 Progress to date
 Increase of 50% in numbers of research postgraduates since 2001
 Significant increase in research outputs; reasonable correlation between funding and outputs
o 150% increase in journal publications
o 122% increase in peer-reviewed conference papers
1.4 Student Numbers
The total number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) students in the Faculty was 1170 in the year
2004/2005, representing a decrease of 11% in the four years since 2000/2001.
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1.5 Staff to Student Ratios
In 2004-2005, the number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) academic staff in the Faculty of
Engineering was 70, giving a student:staff ratio of 17 in year ending 2005 (this ratio was 19 in
2000-01).
1.6 Accommodation and Facilities
The six core departments of the Faculty (Civil Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Engineering
Hydrology, Industrial Engineering, Information Technology and Mechanical and Biomedical
Engineering) are currently located in various locations both on and off campus. Construction of
a new engineering building (currently at the design stage), is planned to commence in January
2008, with opening scheduled for the 2009/2010 academic year.
2. Review Group Report Overview and Recommendations
This report arose from a visit by a Review Team to the Faculty of Engineering on 27-28th March,
2006. The Department had already prepared and submitted a 'Self Assessment Report' which,
with other documentation, was made available to the Review Team in advance of the visit.
The Review Team consisted of: Professor Peter Y. K. Cheung, Department of Electrical
and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London
(Chair); Professor Gerry Byrne, Dean of Engineering, College of Engineering, Mathematical
and Physical Sciences, University College Dublin; Mr. Mark Butler, Managing Director, Merit
Medical Ireland Ltd., Galway; Professor Stephen G. Jennings, Department of Experimental
Physics, NUI Galway; and Dr Maria Tuohy, Department of Biochemistry, NUI Galway acting as
Rapporteur.
Overview
During its two-day visit, the Quality Review Group (QRG) had the opportunity to meet with the
Dean and members of the Faculty of Engineering, including the Administrative staff, and was
provided with a guided tour of the core facilities of the Faculty. The QRT had detailed
discussions with the Registrar and the Assistant Secretary in the Registrar’s Office, the VicePresident for Research, the Director of CELT, the Director of Computer Services, and the
Director of Human Resources. In addition, the QRG conducted detailed interviews with the
Vice-Dean of Research of the Faculty of Engineering, the Directors of the University Research
Centres and the Heads of the Faculty’s six Departments. The QRG also met with undergraduate
student representatives from Faculty Departments, postgraduate student representatives (five in
total) from the taught Masters programmes offered by the Faculty, and with nine research
masters and doctoral students and eight recent graduates of the Faculty.
The Group views the forthcoming new School of Engineering Building as a great
opportunity to maximize new well-equipped facilities for research and teaching, and to promote
new teaching and research initiatives.
The Review Group proposes the following list of recommendations:
Faculty development and planning
1. The Faculty develop an Academic plan as soon as possible to maximize the future
development of the Faculty in the context of the new School of Engineering
2. Greater communication between the University Management Team and the members of
the faculty in relation to the planning of the new structures.
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3. The job of Dean becomes a full-time one.
4. The Dean’s position be replaced by the position as Head of the new School of
Engineering and that he/she, in conjunction with a School management team, have full
responsibility for resources within the School.
5. The Head of School in the new structure have full executive powers.
6. A new resource allocation model needs to be urgently developed and implemented.
7. In terms of the teaching programmes, the QRT recommend that Faculty staff maximize
interaction with the valuable resource and support provided by CELT
8. Given the excellence in teaching achieved so far, members of the Faculty are encouraged
by the QRT to think more boldly and plan further into the future.
Research Management and Development:
1. The Faculty should endeavour to promote further research opportunities in engineeringrelated areas in NUI, Galway.
2. The Vice-Dean of Research for the Faculty of Engineering should become a member of
the University’s Research Committee to link faculty research activities with those of the
University.
3. A postgraduate committee should be set up in the faculty to facilitate postgraduate
representation and the development of structures (e.g. postgraduate handbook, training
courses in support activities, etc.) to help the postgraduate (PG) researcher.
4. The introduction of a mentoring system for postgraduate students.
5. The QRT encourages the faculty to take a proactive role in the shaping and development
of possible future graduate school(s).
6. Provision of financial support by the University, possibly from a portion of the
University’s research overheads, for young staff, to procure essential equipment and use
key research facilities, and the development of a system whereby senior staff can support
more junior (early-career) staff.
3. Action Plans
The Follow Up Meeting was held on Tuesday 31st October, 2006 at 11:30 a.m. in the Hynes Boardroom
(QA 132), The Quadrangle.
Present: Professor Jim Browne – Registrar, Professor Jim Gosling – Director of Quality (Chair), Professor
Nicholas Canny – Vice-President for Research, Professor Gerry Jennings – Review Group Cognate Member, Dr
Maria Tuohy – Review Group Rapporteur, Professor Gerry Byrne – Review Group Member, Professor Padraic
O’Donoghue – Dean of Engineering Faculty, Ms Phil Keys, Dr Seamus MacMathúna, Dr Stefan Decker, Mr
Eamonn Cannon, Dr Edward Jones, Mr. Gerard Hynes, Ms Sharon Allman, Ms Olive McGrath, Ms Geraldine
Lyons (in attendance). Apologies: Dr Iain MacLabhrainn - CELT
3.1 Action Plan for the College of Engineering and Informatics:
1) A significant time has elapsed since the quality review and there have been major
developments in the meantime, including:
a) A comprehensive review of professorships and academic directions in the College in
February 2007, which effectively formed the first part of the College’s strategic planning
process.
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b) The approval of an outline research strategy for the College in May 2007, which now
aligns directly with the University’s strategy.
c) The implementation of restructuring at University level in September 2007 with the
Faculty of Engineering becoming the College of Engineering and Informatics.
d) The implementation of improved structures, supports and training for the College’s
postgraduate research students in September 2007.
2) The Dean, who was reappointed for a third term from February 2007, will ensure that the
strategic planning process is completed by May 2008. Benefiting from the above completed
actions, this is well underway, particularly the sections in relation to (i) academic structures,
(ii) teaching programmes and (iii) research directions.
3) The College will continue to consider teaching and curricular reform to enhance and expand
its educational offerings at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This will be done in the
light of recommendations from the recently completed accreditation and review processes,
and from employers.
a) Interaction with and inputs from CELT will be increased and staff achieving formal
teaching qualifications will be publicly congratulated.
b) Continuous conformity with the evolving Bologna process in the context of guidance
from Engineers Ireland will be prioritised.
4) A mentoring system for new staff is in place within the College on a voluntary basis and the
Dean will monitor this with a view to its further development.
3.2 Action Plan for University Management:
1.
The Registrar and Deputy President supports reform of academic deanships as outlined
in recent APRC reports. In this context:
a. He advised that, while the new-style deans will have a range of executive powers, the
power to make final decisions on permanent staff appointments is unlikely to be one
of them,
b. He explained that, while more formal and explicit roles for academic deans in central
decision making processes have yet to be defined, the proposed new Council of
Deans will have important roles.
c. He outlined a new resource allocation model based on the HEA’s new system that is
under development by the Bursar’s Office.
2.
The Vice President for Research will work to support the College as it continues to
enhance its research programmes. In this respect he noted:
a. That the Vice Dean for Research can represent the Dean at Research Committee.
However, the deans usually choose to attend themselves. On the other hand, a
proposal to define specific and important roles for the presently under-utilised Vice
Deans for Research Group would be welcomed.
b. The Millennium Fund can only support staff able to pursue independent research, as
opposed to staff employed by an existing principal investigator.
3.
The Quality Office and CELT will support the College:
a. As it continues to improve supports and feedback mechanisms (including a
postgraduate committee) for undergraduate and postgraduate research students.
b. As it restructures, develops and plans for the future.
4.
The Quality Office recognises that departures from the standard timetable during this
review were successful and will make use of this experience when planning future
reviews.
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Approved by: Dean, Engineering & Informatics, Professor P O’Donoghue, 9th January, 2008
Approved by: Registrar, Professor J Browne, 14th January, 2008
Approved by: Vice President for Research, Professor N Canny, 15th January, 2008
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr I MacLabhrainn, 10th January, 2008
Finalised: Jim Gosling, Director of Quality, 15th January 2008
EngineerFacultyUdarasRep06Final