IRIU
Institutional Review of the
National University
of Ireland Galway
Institutional Review
of Irish Universities
april 2011 ~ summary report
Background to the IRIU Process
The Review Team
Irish universities are required under Section 35 of the Universities
The review was conducted by the following team of six reviewers, trained
Act, 1997 to establish and implement procedures for quality
by the IUQB on Friday 3 December 2010. The Planning Visit to NUI
assurance and arrange for a review of the effectiveness of these
procedures “from time to time and in any case at least every 15
years”. In 2002, the governing authorities of all seven universities
authorised the establishment of the Irish Universities Quality Board
Galway was undertaken on Friday 19 November 2010. The Main Review
Visit was conducted by the full team between Monday 6 and Thursday 9
December 2010.
(IUQB) and delegated to IUQB the function of arranging regular
reviews of the effectiveness of quality assurance procedures, which
are institutional in their scope. The IUQB operates an institutional
review process every five-six years. The IUQB’s Institutional
Review of Irish Universities (IRIU) process is designed to confirm
whether Irish universities are compliant with the requirements of (i)
Section 35 of The Universities Act, and are (ii) consistent with the
Part One requirements of the Standards and Guidelines for Quality
Assurance in the European Higher Education Area 2005 (ESG). The
IRIU process is undertaken by a team of six independent national
and international reviewers selected by the IUQB Board.
Background to the University
The University was founded in 1845 as Queen’s College Galway,
Dr Rodney Erickson,
Executive Vice-President and Provost, Pennsylvania State
University, US (Chair)
Professor Stephen Shute,
Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Justice (Law), University of
Sussex, UK
Professor Áine Hyland,
Former Vice-President, University College Cork, Ireland
Ms Rossella Iraci Capuccinello,
PhD Student, Catholic University of Piacenza, Italy
Professor Mairéad Browne,
Emeritus Professor and independent consultant in quality
assurance and organisational change, Australia
Mr Tony Platt,
P/T Assistant Director with the Quality Assurance Agency for
Higher Education (QAA) in the UK, and P/T Assistant Registrar,
University of Essex, UK
being one of three non-denominational colleges founded under
the Queen’s Colleges (Ireland) Act to provide a higher education
system for Catholic, Presbyterian and Dissenter students. It became
a Constituent College of the new federal National University of
Ireland (established in 1908), and was renamed University College
Galway (UCG). In 1929, the College was given a special statutory
responsibility for the provision of higher education through the
medium of the Irish language. UCG was reconstituted in 1997 as
Review Team Conclusions
Based on the Review Team’s evaluation of the Institutional SelfAssessment Report, supporting documentation and meetings conducted
during the Main Review Visit, the Team found sufficient evidence to
confirm:
National University of Ireland, Galway/Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh.
NUI Galway currently enrolls just over 16,000 students, of whom
CATEGORY
KEY REVIEWER FINDINGS
Statutory
Requirements
The Review Team found that the
University’s activities comply with statutory
requirements.
European
Standards
The Review Team found that the
University’s quality assurance
arrangements to be satisfactorily
consistent with Part 1 of the European
Standards and Guidelines for Quality
Assurance in Higher Education (ESG).
National,
European and
International
best practice
The University is taking account of
national, European and international best
practice.
14% are international students from over 90 countries.NUI Galway
has three linked colleges: St Angela’s College, Sligo; the Shannon
College of Hotel Management; and the Burren College of Art.
Relationships with the three linked colleges have been strengthened
significantly in recent years, and the University has also entered into
a strategic alliance with the University of Limerick. Acadamh na
hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (The Academy of Irish-language University
Education) is a constituent part of the University and its mission is to
promote and exhibit innovation among the Irish language community,
both within and beyond the Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) areas. NUI
Galway has declared a specific mission for its current Strategic
Plan (2009-2014). This is declared as Learning and Leadership for
Life and Work, aiming to provide a holistic, educational and cultural
experience and international leadership in selected areas, while
reflecting both national priorities and the needs of the region.
IRIU
Institutional Review of the
National University
of Ireland Galway
Institutional Review
of Irish Universities
april 2011 ~ summary report
continued
Review Team Commendations*
IUQB Board Ratification
The Team found sufficient evidence to commend the following examples of good practice
The IUQB Board received and considered
for further promotion internally, nationally and internationally:
the Review Team’s report on the review of
NUI Galway at its meeting on 4 April 2011.
the strong leadership of the President and the University Management
Team and the overall institutional structure and processes for quality
assessment across the University, including the Linked Colleges.
The Board formally signed off the report
2
the restructuring of the management and academic organisation to
enhance both academic and administrative performance.
accordance with published criteria.
3
the development and introduction of the tripartite, unifying framework for
strategic planning, institutional research and quality assurance.
4
the progress-to-date in simplifying the University’s systems and
procedures, including the Academic Manual.
1
5
the adoption of international best practices in learning and teaching
improvement through Centre for Excellence of Learning and Teaching
(CELT) and the establishment of the Graduate Studies Office with
associated quality improvements to postgraduate education and student
support structures.
for publication, having satisfied itself that
the review process was completed in
Further Information
The full NUI Galway review report,
alongside the institutional response to the
IRIU, is published in the Quality Reviews
Catalogue on the IUQB Website at: http://
reviews.iuqb.net/.
Further information on the IRIU review
Review Team Recommendations*
The Team found sufficient evidence to recommend the following activities to the University
for attention and development:
1
ensure that the governance structures of the decision-making and
deliberative bodies promote a more strategic focus and include a wider
spectrum of external stakeholders.
2
review the current policy on student feedback to require that all courses
and modules are regularly evaluated, using tools that collect comparable
data for independent analysis and the transmission of summaries to
programme, School and College leadership as well as to students.
3
develop an integrated institutional information system that will allow more
shared information and transparency of key University processes, and
strive to ensure that University policies are implemented and monitored
fully and consistently, thereby ensuring greater accountability across units
of the organisation.
4
pursue an assertive internationalisation agenda to achieve a more open,
outward-looking approach by the University.
5
reconsider resource distribution arrangements to ensure that they are
more transparent and, to the extent possible, incentivise academic and
administrative innovation and development.
*The five key commendations and recommendations of the NUI Galway Review Team are
presented in the Summary Report. A comprehensive list of all the commendations and
recommendations made by the Review Team are presented in the Conclusions Section of
the full Review Report.
process, internal and external reviews of
Irish Universities, and the range of quality
assurance and enhancement activities
undertaken by the IUQB can be found on
the IUQB Website www.iuqb.ie
IUQB 10 Lower Mount St. Dublin 2.
TEL 353-1-644 9774
EMAIL info@iuqb.ie
FAX 353-1-661 2449
WEBSITE www.iuqb.ie
©Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB), 2011.