IRIU Follow-Up Report 2012
INTRODUCTION
The Institutional Review Report of NUI Galway including the University’s response was received on the 4th April
2011 and tabled at all major University committees and fora. In addition a number of Actions were initiated in
response to the recommendations in the report. A summary of these Actions and their direct relationship with the
Recommendations and Suggestions of the reviewers are presented below.
ACTION PLAN
The reviewers identify seven key recommendations in their report and the University has drawn up an Action Plan
for implementation:
Recommendation
Section 1
(p11 and p14)
NUI Galway takes steps to ensure that the
governance structure of the decision-making
and deliberative bodies adopts a more
strategic focus and includes a wider spectrum
of external stakeholders.
(p12 and p14)
NUI Galway consider carefully the working
relationship and communication arrangements
between the academic Deans and the
University Management Team to ensure
effective connectivity between academic
management and institutional management
and the embodiment of a strong leadership
culture across the institution which will
reinforce the crucial leadership role that Deans
must play in the reorganised academic
structure of the University.
Section 3
(p21 and p24)
The current policy on student feedback be
reviewed to ensure that all 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.
(p22 and p24)
The development of an integrated institutional
information system that will allow more shared
information and transparency of key University
policies and processes and strive to ensure that
University policies are implemented and
27 February 2012
Action
Introduction and Context
A significant amount of time is now set aside at each Údarás na hOllscoile
meeting for strategic discussion on corporate issues. These sessions
consist of formal presentations followed by a detailed consideration of key
documentation and finally a plenary discussion. Similarly, Údarás
statutory committees are increasingly engaging with macro policy
formulation and implementation issues. The Academic Council, in recent
months, is engaging more directly with the University Strategic Plan 200914 and DES/HEA/IUA policy documents on higher education reform. A
CEO of a large private company has recently been appointed to the
University Risk Management Group. Heretofore membership of the
Group had been internal to the University. Since mid 2011, the Office of
An Rúnaí has broadened its interface with private and public sector
stakeholders in strategic matters relating to Regional Development. The
impending appointment of a new Director for Adult and Continuing
Education will provide further scope for consulting with stakeholders in
multiple domains.
Consideration of this recommendation is being actively pursued. It is
intended that the Deans of College will form the core of a new Academic
Management team which will meet regularly with the UMT.
Quality Assurance and Accountability
A new policy has been approved that incorporates ‘independent’ analysis
of student feedback. The policy will be formally implemented in
2011/2012 and reviewed and, where necessary, revised annually.
Compliance reports on implementation of the policy by Schools will be
provided to the Council of Deans
A major academic ‘simplification’ project is currently underway that will
lead to new processes and information system requirements. The
University is committed to seeing an integrated institutional information
system in place over the next three years.
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monitored fully and consistently, thereby
ensuring greater accountability across units of
the organisation.
(p23 and p24)
The University strives to close the gap between
policy requirements and their implementation
and monitoring, thereby ensuring greater
accountability.
Policy implementation is being tightened through initiatives such as
Operational Planning and formal repository and templates for ‘Policies and
Procedures’. Training and monitoring of policy implementation is now a
key element in the Quality Review process.
Section 4
Quality Enhancement
(p28)
NUI Galway pursues an assertive
internationalisation agenda to achieve a more
open, outward-looking approach by the
University.
(p28)
The University reconsiders its resource
allocation arrangements to ensure that they
are more transparent and, to the extent
possible, incentivise academic and
administrative innovation and development.
Colleges have appointed Vice Deans for Internationalisation who now
work with the International Office on strategy and initiatives.
Internationalisation will be reviewed through the formal Quality Review
process in 2011/2012. The creation of a post of ‘Dean of International
Affairs’ has been approved. The post will have a wide-ranging remit and
will be advertised shortly. The staff of the International Office has been
augmented and financial incentives offered to Colleges to encourage the
recruitment of full degree students.
The College Deans are integrally involved in the resource allocation
process through the Council of Deans, the Academic Staffing Priorities
Committee and the Technical Staff Committee. They receive quarterly
reports on the University’s income and expenditure, almost all of which is
tied back to their Colleges. Regular briefings on the University’s budget are
provided to the Council of Deans by the Bursar’s Office. Support service
resource allocation procedures have also been enhanced to emphasise the
innovation and development agenda.
The reviewers also make a number of other suggestions in their report for changes to be considered by the
University. The University regards each of these as a valuable contribution to its ongoing improvement efforts and
has drawn up the following additional Actions for implementation:
Suggestion
Action
Section 1
(p10)
NUI Galway to have stronger external
representation and student representation on
the Údarás, as well as an overall reduction in
size, thereby enabling it to strengthen its focus
on strategic issues, external relations and risk
management.
(p10)
NUI Galway might wish to consider whether a
reduction in the size of the Academic Council,
together with student representation on its
Standing Committee, would help to strengthen
the AC’s focus on overseeing the
implementation of central policies throughout
the Colleges and Schools and the consideration
of initiatives from the Colleges.
Introduction and Context
The term of office of the current Údarás na hOllscoile will expire in
early 2013. The opportunity will therefore present itself at that stage
to streamline and re-constitute the membership of Údarás na hOllscoile
in a manner that will strengthen external representation, student
representation and quality Governance processes and procedures.
External representation has now been added to the Risk Management
Group.
The Council of Deans acts as the executive arm of the Academic Council
in overseeing the implementation of academic policies throughout the
University and Colleges. It, with the Standing Committee of Academic
Council, has a particular role in considering initiatives from the
Colleges. The Academic Council is, increasingly, focusing on issues of
policy. While appreciative of the intent of the recommendation , it is
not considered that the balance of advantage lies at present in
decreasing the membership of Academic Council with such a move
likely to be considered as excluding staff from the policy formulation
and deliberative processes of the University and weakening the
authority of policy decisions taken by the Council.
There is already student representation on the Standing Committee.
(p11)
the University considers articulating more clearly
It is likely that the reconstitution of the Council of Deans as an
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the governance structures and their
relationships to the emergent management
structure across the five Colleges that comprise
NUI Galway.
(p13)
encourages the Údarás and the UMT to continue
to influence, through appropriate channels, the
ongoing debates within Ireland in relation to
higher education and its funding.
Academic Management Team will significantly progress this particular
recommendation.
A second round of School and College plans with hands-on guidance
provided by the office of the Registrar and Deputy-President, the VicePresident for Innovation and Performance and the Quality Office are
now in place. An individually based Performance Management model
(PMDS) linked to the above plans is bedding down among academic
personnel. Criteria for promotion to Lecturer above the bar and Senior
Lecturer posts have been recently re-calibrated to provide for a more
flexible approach to professional recognition and career advancement.
All of the above innovations have been the subject of discussion, advice
and direction from Údarás na hOllscoile, the Academic Council, the
Council of Deans and the University Management Team (UMT).
The President and other senior staff are actively engaged, on behalf of
the University and through the IUA, in influencing both key
stakeholders and public opinion on the issue of funding in the Higher
Education sector. This is achieved through a combination of media
commentary and more direct, one-to-one contact with key influencers
and decision-makers. The University has research expertise in the area
of public policy and the Irish economy, and has hosted a number of
public lectures on the subject.
In 2012, the University plans to establish a series of breakfast-briefings
in Dublin aimed at key political and business influencers.
Section 3
(p20)
encourages the University to review the
relationship of internal quality review
procedures to other internal review procedures
and to the emerging operational plans in order
to minimise the burden of preparing multiple
reviews on staff.
(p20)
consider a process for securing external
commentary with respect to prospective
markets for graduates and curricular imperatives
that could provide additional perspectives prior
to launching new courses or significantly revising
existing ones.
The University might also wish to encourage the
wider use of external advisory boards or similar
structures for Colleges, Schools and research
units where appropriate and where these do not
already exist.
(p22)
- the current title “Academic Manual” did not
fully reflect its scope
- consider a means of guiding users around the
content of the Manual so that it would achieve
the aim of becoming a common point of
reference for all staff.
- consider having a more open access policy in
relation to all parts of the Academic Manual.
(p23)
greater clarity might be helpful about where
Quality Assurance and Accountability
Reviews and operational planning are now integrated with review
recommendations feeding the revision of operational plans and
operational planning data now providing a large proportion of review
self assessment data. Self assessment is now focused mainly on
engagement and assessment rather than data gathering. This process
will improve more as operational plans are more integrated with
institutional data in the future.
Consideration will be given to this recommendation by the Council of
Deans. There is already considerable engagement in this respect in the
case of programmes which attract external accreditation
Consideration will be given to this recommendation by the Council of
Deans
Noted and agreed. The Academic Manual will also be integrated into
the official Staff Intranet for the University.
Noted and agreed. Deans will be asked to allocate responsibility for
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responsibility lay for quality and enhancement at
College and School level through parallel
mechanisms across Colleges and Schools, for
example, investing responsibility for quality with
a Vice-Dean and/or quality committees or
groups within Schools.
Section 4
(p26)
Given NUI Galway’s equal priority to the
development of high quality teaching and
research, the University might wish to take steps
to make all staff more aware of its policy and
strategy in this respect.
(p26)
Whilst induction is now offered annually, it is not
always available for students arriving at times
other than the beginning of an academic year
and training for graduate supervisors is offered,
but is not compulsory; the University might wish
to address these issues.
(p27)
The University might also wish to consider the
governance arrangements of research institutes
to better meet the needs of those units with
research interests in more than one College and
to reflect the desired linkage to the VicePresident for Research in promoting
interdisciplinary research across the institution.
(p27)
There is no integrated student information and
referral system and relatively little web support.
........
encourages the University to develop
and implement this strategy
(Integrated Support Services Plan),
bringing administrative and support
services into an integrated structure
that parallels those already achieved
within many academic units.
communicating and where necessary co-ordinating quality assurance
activities to appropriate vice-deans.
Quality Enhancement
The President and Vice-President for Innovation and Performance met
with all Schools early in the present academic session and, inter alia,
communicated this to staff. Regard is also being had to ensuring that
the University’s policy in this respect is explicit in the revision of the
Senior Lecturer Promotions (it may be noted that parity of esteem has
always been accorded to teaching and research in the Scheme).The
President’s Teaching Awards Scheme is a high profile recognition of
pedagogical excellence across the University and is a significant event
on the University Calendar.
Induction is offered twice per year, in October and January and a
postgraduate guide has been developed which provides incoming
students with relevant information whenever they arrive on campus.
Training for supervisors has been offered on a more regular basis and
there is module offered annually through CELT as part of their
programme in academic practice. Consideration will be given to
embedding a requirement to avail of such training as part of the
Probation process. Developments on supervisor training are also
underway with NAIRTL to map out a national programme with the
potential of it being compulsory for academic staff who are new to
supervision. The Graduate Research Committees give incoming
academic staff some experience of supervisory practice prior to being
principal supervisors.
The Vice-President for Research has the governance arrangements of
research institutes under active consideration, in consultation with the
Registrar and Deputy-President and College Deans.
Initiatives are under way to address these concerns which are noted
and accepted. A proposal has been developed for the implementation
of a common Customer Relationship Management IT system, to
provide a foundation for tracking and managing student interactions
across units. Development work to reduce the number of student
“touch points” with support services is also under way, and this is
expected lead to improved Web support. Work continues to complete
and publish the Integrated Support Services Plan, which will provide
further stimulus to the work of developing integrated support
structures.
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