National University of Ireland, Galway - Review Programme 2009/2010
Action Plan
School of Business & Economics
Follow-up meeting held on Thursday 6th May, 2010 at 3.00 pm, A113.
Key Attendees
From Unit: Dr Emer Mulligan (Head of School), Dr Tom Acton (Associate Head of Teaching & Learning),
Dr. Kieran Conboy (Associate Head of Research), Dr. Elaine Wallace (Marketing), Mr. Frank Conaty
(Accountancy & Finance), Dr. Tony Dundon (Management).
From Review Group: Dr Sharon Flynn (Rapporteur), Prof. Padraic O’Donoghue (Cognate)
From NUI Galway: Dr. David O’Sullivan (Chair), Prof. Jim Ward (Registrar), Prof. William Golden (Dean), Dr
Emer Mulligan (Head of School), Michael Kavanagh (Registrars Office). For others see attendance list.
The following Actions have been agreed following extraction of recommendations from the Review Report
and discussion at a follow-up meeting between all major stakeholders to the unit under review. This report
should be read in conjunction with the Review Report.
Actions for Unit
1. Develop a clear more focused strategic plan. Revision to current strategy in progress that will set priorities
for school, link in with university strategy and schedule operational implementation. Resource
implications will also be addressed.
2. Articulate a clear, focused and shared mission statement. Current mission will be revisited in accordance
with priorities agreed in 1 above.
3. Develop and disseminate a clear and consistent brand image. Brand Development Workshop completed.
School moving towards consistent brand identity. Templates for brochures have been issued. More
initiatives planned to produce a clear set of values and brand image. This work will be progressed in
conjunction with the University’s Director of Marketing and Communications.
4. Seek school accreditation. School accreditation is key goal e.g. AACSB accreditation. Actions to date
included hosting a visit from an AACSB representative who presented to the School. Accreditation
exercise already underway with EFMD programme accreditation (EPAS) for B.Sc.
5. Reorganise Programme management, admin support and marketing to School level. School satisfied with
delegation arrangements for programmes to relevant disciplines. Admin supports need further analysis.
Head of School to continue to work with HR?College AO and school executive regarding possibilities.
Marketing at school level is appropriate but will require additional resources.
6. Improve quality of BComm programme and increase entry points. Director of BComm finalizing strategy in
this regard and along with Head of School and Dean is working closely with the Registrar’s Office on this
matter. Blackboard site established. Focus Groups among students have yielded some insights.
7. Develop and improve the EMBA programme. EMBA strategic plan complete. AMBA accreditation critical
for long-term success of this programme. Programme board has completed curriculum review. Marketing
of current cycle currently underway.
8. Review existing programme offerings, particularly at Masters level. Reviewers felt there were possibly too
many offerings. School is to strengthen programme portfolio and increase access. School will detail
explicit operational plans and key performance indicators for programmes.
9. Develop teaching quality control and student feedback system. Associate Head of Teaching & Learning
leading a range of initiatives for improving student feedback for all modules and progrmmes including
monitoring follow-up actions that lead to innovative changes.
10.Clarify priorities for research in line with University priorities. School actively collaborating with VD
Research regarding CISC strategic review and is building research clusters in line with priorities. School
also mindful of the need to facilitate and encourage research that may remain outside of CISC initiative.
11.Evaluate research funding and publications. School research committee will work with institutional
research office and others to strengthen its evaluation of funding, publications and other research
metrics and communicate opportunities appropriately. Committee will also advocate use of systems such
as SCOPUS, ARAN, etc.
12.Increase complement of senior staff for leadership and mentoring. See 6 above regarding new professorial
appointments. School also participating in University mentoring programme.
13.Target research supports more effectively e.g. sabbaticals and the triennial travel grant.
14.University has strengthened its policies around sabbaticals for exclusively research missions. Travel grant
may continue under current policy of allocation to all academic staff for conference, benchmarking and
other academic activities.
15.Develop research supports for junior academic staff. School will engage in mentoring programme and
encourage staff to participate. Seminars and other initiatives will provide forum and collaboration
opportunities
16.Expand mission of CISC to be inclusive of broader school interests. This is in progress. See also 14 above.
17.Increase PhD numbers and completion rates. Graduate research committees implemented. Research
committee to monitor various research metrics and liaise with school head regarding setting of targets as
appropriate. School also developing indicators as part of university wide planning exercise. Committee
will also advocate timely completion rates for PhDs
18.Engage more with business, particularly (and initially) within the region. Various actions in progress
including: lectures, public seminars and conferences, adjunct appointments, student placements and
practice based student mentors. School to look at continuing these types of activities in line with this
recommendation.
19.Establish external Advisory Boards for the strategic plan. Advisory board to be established in coming 3-6
months.
20.Reach out more to alumni. School will support all initiatives lead by alumni office of the university. School
efforts in branding and marketing will also support this recommendation.
21.Increase internationalisation initiatives. School will work closely with the Vice Dean for
Internationalisation and the University’s International Office on appropriate targets for
internationalization.
22.Establish more strategic linkages e.g. University of Limerick. School currently in negotiation with UL and
other universities regarding strategic linkages and in particular collaboration in teaching and joint
programmes e.g. EMBA and Distinguished Guest Lecture series
Actions for College
23. Think carefully about the appropriate leadership and governance model. University committed to three
new strategically aligned appointments at professorial level that will strengthen leadership potential.
School Executive formed and evolving to strengthen governance model. School and College agree to
consider forming search committees. Registrar also encouraging positions to be mentioned early on
school web site and other advertising fora, including HR website..
24. Develop and implement a workload model. Draft workload model in progress and awaiting approval.
Planned for implementation in September across the College.
Actions for Registrars Office
25. Seek greater School autonomy. Revised strategic plan will support greater clarity and autonomy for
school. Clarity also required around budget allocation and distribution policies. Head of School to liaise
and negotiate with Registrars office.
26. University to introduce a purely merit-based system of promotion. Registrar currently part of process to
evaluate promotion criteria across university. Merit based promotion or similar track is currently being
considered. Registrar to bring this view to promotions board committee.
Approved by:
Head of School, Dr Emer Mulligan
Dean, Prof. William Golden
Registrar, Prof. Jim Ward
Director of Quality, Dr David O’Sullivan
Finalised: 10/06/2010