Review Report
School of Psychology
18/3/2015
Reviewers
The Review Group Membership:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dr John Parkinson, University of Bangor
Ms Clare Gormley, HSE West (Chair)
Prof Vincent O’Flaherty, NUI Galway (Cognate)
Ms Patricia Conroy, Results Through People, Ltd. (Coordinator)
Key Strengths
•
The School of Psychology has state of the art facilities in an excellent purpose-built new building
located in the heart of the National University of Ireland, Galway campus.
•
The School of Psychology has an established track record of high quality research. A coherent
themed research structure exists with notable leadership and future potential development in
two main research areas namely ‘Health and Well-being’ and ‘Brain and Behaviour.’
•
The School offers a strong portfolio of educational programmes attracting a high calibre of wellmotivated students. The staff team is student focussed and committed to providing an excellent
learning experience as reflected in student and graduate testimonials.
•
The members of the staff team identify strongly with the School and demonstrate a collegiate
and supportive commitment to its’ future development.
•
The School of Psychology is now in a pivotal position to enhance its’ national and international
profile and attractiveness to greater numbers of undergraduate, graduate and research
students.
Key Recommendations
1. The School of Psychology should bring forward a plan to the University to enable more
national and international students to study psychology at NUI, Galway at undergraduate
and post-graduate levels. The University could benefit both in terms of student quality and
income diversification through such an initiative. It should also provide additional resources
to the School in order for strategic growth.
2. The University should ensure that existing programmes are appropriately resourced to
ensure compliance with professional accreditation and continuing delivery of high quality
programmes.
3. The University should review its financial resource allocation model to ensure that high
quality research is supported and incentivised. In this regard, linking College, School and
Institute funding allocations to research performance could sustain and grow capacity for
1
research and therefore enhance the reputation and ranking of the University. For example,
NUIG is anomalous in not returning a proportion of overhead income from grants to Schools.
These funds support strategic activity (e.g. post-docs, equipment, dissemination and
marketing) and there is precedence at NUIG for some overhead allocation (EU funds, certain
Institutes).
4. There is an immediate opportunity to increase the national and international visibility and
profile of the School in its’ new location. The School is encouraged to pursue opportunities
for conference and event hosting particularly over the next twelve to eighteen months to
capitalize on marketing and branding opportunities both internally within the University and
externally with relevant stakeholders.
5.
a. The Workload Model for each staff member should be integrated more fully and
flexibility with the PMDS in order to support the key strengths and career
aspirations of staff. Consideration should be given to a more individually tailored
workload profile, and where appropriate, to introduce minima but allow flexibility.
This approach could both meet the needs of the School while maximizing the
opportunities for excellence.
b. Each staff member both contract and permanent should be provided with
appropriate mentoring and career development guidance for their career stage by
the School.
c. The University should properly integrate its promotional system with its’ own aims
for staff regarding leadership, research, teaching. The development of a culture
within the University that encourages leadership and values such contributions of
staff at all career stages in this regard should be a key strategic goal.
6. The School should streamline the number of structured PHD programmes it offers. A review
of the criteria for acceptance and of the strategic function of PHD research proposals should
be undertaken to maximise the alignment with its’ two strategic research themes and with
broader research goals such as grant capture.
7. The University should ensure that sufficient pre-award and post-grant administrative
support is in place to allow the School to maximize the number and quality of its research
grant applications. The School should detail and justify more precisely its requirements for
additional administrative and technical support in the context of their plan for growth and
development.
8. The School should ensure that the two main research themes of the School are visible to the
undergraduate students at an early stage to inform a learning ethos in line with the longterm research strategy of the School.
9. For taught programmes, further increase the opportunities to enrich the learning experience
for students through skills training, improved feedback, career guidance and where possible
work experience should be included in future plans.
10. The School should seek to further enhance and develop stakeholder collaborations e.g.
HSE/voluntaries in relation to research development, networks and funding opportunities
The School could consider the regional location of the University in terms of the potential for
rural and border identity profiling and research. Developing such a profile could assist in
harnessing related funding streams as well as attracting Northern Irish students and
2
collaboration. A campaign for engagement at regional, national and international levels
should be operationalised.
Other Recommendations
1. The role of research centres and research institutes lacks definition and clarity at University
level. The University should seek to clarify the roles, responsibilities and resource allocation
model as a priority.
2. The School should continue to clarify the career paths for Health Psychology students.
3. Opportunities for collaboration between Health Psychology and the discipline of Health
Promotion within the NUI, Galway School of Health Sciences and the Health Service Executive
(HSE) could be further enhanced to promote synergies in research and training.
Comments on Review Process
•
•
•
•
•
•
The Review panel wishes to recognise the detailed contribution of the Self-Assessment Team
and acknowledge the comprehensive and exemplary Self-Assessment Report. Having access to
this report prior to the commencement of the review was helpful.
The management and administrative support from the Quality Office was of the highest
standard with strong attention to detail and a rapid response rate to all requests.
Our experience was that the Quality Review process in itself was excellent as clear key themes
emerged organically and coherently.
The structure and variety of individuals attending the meetings provided an excellent insight into
the School.
The significant quantity of written information provided on the first day of the review was useful
for back-up consultation but was too late to be considered for in-depth analysis or crossvalidation; we note that the School was not asked to provide these in advance.
Access to previous Quality Reviews and select key documentation, in particular student
feedback, would have been advantageous prior to the commencement of the Quality Review,
we note that the School was not asked to provide these in advance.
3
Action Plan
School of Psychology
Action Plan Meeting held on 12th May in QA113 Anderson Boardroom
Present
From the School: Dr AM Groarke, Dr P MacNeela, Ms N Donoghue, Dr M Hogan, Dr J Bogue, Dr I Stewart
From the Review Team: Ms P Conroy
From University Management: Prof D O’Sullivan, Prof P Ó Dochartaigh, Dr E Herring, Ms C Loughnane,
Dr I MacLabhrainn. In attendance: Ms M Linnane, Ms C O’Connor
This Action Plan has been agreed by Reviewers, the School and University Management in response to the
Review Report for the above named review. Further details on some actions are available in the Review
Report. This Action Plan together with the Review Report is available on the University’s public website.
Actions for the School and University Management
1. The School will submit a plan to the Academic Secretary outlining potential opportunities to
enhance student recruitment given allocation of appropriate resources to our current
programmes and new initiatives.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
2. The University will ensure that existing programmes are appropriately resourced, ensuring
compliance with professional accreditation and the continued delivery of high quality.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President/Dean; Due: ongoing]
3. The University will review its financial resource allocation model to ensure that high quality
research is supported and incentivised.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President; Due: 01/06/2016]
4. The School will promote and utilize its new location to capitalize on marketing and branding
opportunities with relevant stakeholders and continue to run regular research seminars and
host international speakers.
[Responsible: Head of School/ School Executive Committee; Due: ongoing]
5.
a. The Staff Workload Model will be integrated with PMDS where workload norms and
profile forms are reviewed and incorporated into the PMDs process.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
b. Each staff member will be provided with appropriate mentoring and career
development guidance.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
4
c. The University will enhance the promotion systems to incorporate leadership,
research, teaching and other values outlined in the Strategic Plan.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President; Due: 01/06/2017]
6. The School will streamline the structured PhD programmes to maximise alignment with its
two strategic research themes and will continue to maintain existing denominated
commitments – such as the Doctoral programmes in Clinical Psychology and in Applied
Behaviour Analysis, and programmes provided in collaboration with other Schools.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
7. The University will provide sufficient pre-award and post-grant administrative support. A
review is currently underway to assess relationships between Schools and Research
Institutes with a view to further promoting high quality research.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President; Due: 01/06/2017]
8. The School will submit a case for additional research administration and technical staff
support in the context of existing needs and future plans for growth.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
9. The School will ensure that its two main research themes are visible to the undergraduate
students at an early stage, to inform a learning ethos in line with the long-term research
strategy of the School.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: Ongoing]
10. The School will explore opportunities to enrich the student learning experience on taught
programmes through skills training, improved feedback, career guidance and where possible
work experience.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2017]
11. The School will further enhance stakeholder collaborations at all levels to increase research
and funding opportunities and will act on priorities identified.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
12. The University will clarify the roles of Research Centres and Research Institutes and define
their responsibilities and resource allocation model.
[Responsible: Registrar and Deputy President; Due: 01/06/2016]
13. Following the approval of Stage 2 guidelines for Health Psychology training by the
Psychological Society of Ireland, the School will actively explore opportunities to provide
such training, to enhance the career path for Health Psychologists and to provide greater
clarification on the career opportunities for those students.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
14. The School will actively explore opportunities for collaboration between Health Psychology,
Health Promotion and the Health Service Executive (HSE) and will consider opportunities to
enhance synergies in research and training across these sectors including the Discipline of
Health Promotion, NUI Galway.
[Responsible: Head of School; Due: 01/06/2016]
5
Approved by:
Head of School, Dr AnnMarie Groarke
Dean, Dr Edward Herring
Registrar and Deputy President, Prof Pól Ó Dochartaigh
Director of Quality, Professor David O’Sullivan
Date:
3 July 2015
6