An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2005-2006
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Department of Physiology
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
December 2005 to February 2006
14th – 16th March, 2006
14th June 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, August 2008
Report to an tÚdarás – Review of Department of Physiology 2005–2006
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1. Overview of Department
1.1 Aims and Objectives of Department
1. To teach students how the mammalian body, in particular the human body, works with a
special emphasis on how the body organs and systems work. To provide all students,
with an understanding of how deranged body function can lead to disease. To continue
to improve the quality of this teaching.
2. To provide a high quality B.Sc. degree in Physiology which equips students with a sound
knowledge of Physiology, experience in physiological experimentation, training in
transferable laboratory skills and improved communication skills, and hopefully, some
life-long learning habits.
3. Where resources allow, to provide new and innovative courses to meet the wider needs
of the University and the community at large.
4. To advance Physiological knowledge by serious, high quality research.
1.2 Progress since Last Review in 1999-2000
Since the soon-to-retire Professor and Department head was appointed 10 years ago many
programmes have undergone reform. Currently the Medical Course is being reduced from six
years to five years and the subject based method of teaching is being changed to an integrated
form of teaching. This course was proposed to start in September 2006.
The Department currently has three major research areas, Reproductive Physiology,
Central Nervous System and Electrophysiology. In the Central Nervous System area, a staff
member has recently received a President of Ireland Young Researcher Award from the Science
Foundation Ireland. In recent years the Department has acquired a range of modern equipment
including voltage clamping and patch clamping, spectrofluorescence, proteomics and genomics
equipment and HPLC.
Progress since last review
1. Addition of teaching to Occupational and Speech and Language Therapies.
2. Addition of teaching to Health and Safety Students
3. Major involvement in design of new integrated biological sciences section of Years 1
and 2 of the Nursing degree, followed by participation in teaching these courses.
4. Separation of lectures to 2nd Medical and 2nd Sciences for various courses to individual
staff members.
5. Delegation of responsibility from the Head of Department for various courses to
individual staff members.
6. Development of a system for student evaluation of Physiology teaching and practice for
major courses, supplemented by programme based evaluation in Nursing and the
Therapies.
1.3 Background
The Physiology Department is a member of the faculties of Medicine and Science. Teaching
staff includes one professor and four lecturers. Approx. 400 students every year choose to study
physiology. The Department of Physiology teaches a wide range of courses to Medical, Science,
Biomedical Science, Nursing, Biomedical Engineering and Industrial Engineering students.
Report to an tÚdarás – Review of Department of Physiology 2005–2006
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1.4 Student Numbers
The total number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) students in the Department was 119.5 in the year
2004/2005, representing a decrease of 8.2 % in the four years since 2000/2001.
1.5 Staff to Student Ratios
In 2004/2005, the number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) academic staff in the Department was
6.5, giving a student: staff ratio of 18. This ratio was 22 in 2000/2001. The Permanent
Academic Staff FTE numbers have risen from 4.50 in 2000/01 to 6.54 in 2004/05.
1.6 Accommodation and Facilities
The core facilities of the Department of Physiology are located in the Quadrangle Building and
include Offices, Laboratories and a Post-graduate Research room, together occupying 611 m2 of
space.
2. Review Group Report Overview and Recommendations
The Review Group consisted of: Prof. Tom Fleming, School of Biological Sciences, University of
Southampton (Chair), Prof. J. Vincent McLoughlin, Department of Physiology, Trinity College Dublin,
Prof. Wallace Arthur, Department of Zoology, NUI Galway, Ms. Josephine Boland, Education
Department, NUI Galway (Rapporteur)
2.1 Summary and Main Recommendations from Report
Summary
The Department of Physiology is affiliated primarily with the Faculty of Medicine. It provides a
range of courses to programmes in three different faculties in areas including Basic Medical
Physiology; Basic Science and Biomedical Science Physiology; Neurophysiology; Third Science
Physiology; Fourth Science and Biomedical Science; Physiology for Nursing Studies and
Human Body Function for students on Industrial and Biomedical Engineering, Speech and
Language and Occupational Therapy and Health and Safety courses. Collectively, the
Department teaches 850 students on these courses and completes nearly 600 lectures and 700
hours of practical’s per annum. The Department has 5.5 academic staff; thus, average teaching
load per academic is a remarkable 107 lectures and 127 practical hours per annum. This
Department was reviewed in 2000 and that review report provided a valuable benchmark with
which to evaluate progress made in respect of priority recommendations made at that time.
The review team commended the staff of the Department, at all levels, for their dedication and
enthusiasm which underpins the provision of a high quality education programme. The
leadership and commitment of the Head of Department who was due to retire shortly after the
review, was recognised and was lauded for instilling exceptional loyalty and teamwork within
Physiology.
Main Recommendations
a) The team recommended that the University engage urgently with Department staff on
appropriate action to:
i) Remedy fire escape and health and safety issues in consultation with an independent
external assessor
ii) Improve working conditions of staff members and students as required
iii)Provide portering staff for heavy lifting duties as required
Report to an tÚdarás – Review of Department of Physiology 2005–2006
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
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iv) Provide regular cleaning services for the department
The team urged that the University give unequivocal assurance to the staff of the department
of the plans and timetable for construction of the new Preclinical Sciences building
The Head of Department was urged to complete the Safety Statement and communicates
safety policy to all staff and students working in the Department
That the university commits urgently to the following increase in staffing for the Department
so that it can effectively undertake its activities
i) A 2 year contract lectureship position to fill the interim period while the new Chair is
appointed and becomes established
ii) A new permanent lectureship to alleviate the current teaching burden faced by the
Department
iii)A part-time technician post to support the current technical staff
That the Department provides more formal guidance and mentoring of new staff during
probation and initiates a formal appraisal process for all staff to enhance their career
development
That the Department continues to explore ways to enhance the education programme of
students with respect to assessment, feedback, course information, demonstrator training and
new approaches in teaching and learning
That the university re-evaluates procedures for the provision of academic and pastoral
mentoring provided to students
That the Department engages further with the Library services to ensure adequate provision
of undergraduate textbooks
That the university extends its provision of computer access and service to students
That the University/Faculty/Department develops a coherent policy regarding student
attendance (including monitoring of and responding to issues of attendance) and engages
with students and their representatives to improve attendance
That the Department develops a policy to balance the relative contribution of research and
teaching duties for individual academic staff which can be reviewed during annual appraisal
That a Graduate School be established at Faculty or inter-Faculty level to enhance the
experience, training and community of postgraduate students in the biological and
biomedical sciences
That the Department should in the medium term develop a vision for the future in
consultation with all staff and the new Chair once appointed. The vision should take into
account the organisation of departmental and academic structure in the new Preclinical
Sciences building, the research strategy for Physiology in relation to university research
themes and policy on new curricular designs in education
That the university makes a clear commitment to the Department that further expansion in
staffing and facilities will be coordinated with progress in attaining a coherent strategy for
future academic, research and education directions
Report to an tÚdarás – Review of Department of Physiology 2005–2006
3. Action Plans
Follow up Meeting
Wednesday 14 June 2006, Physiology Lecture Room
th
Present: Professor J Browne – Registrar, Professor J Gosling – Director of Quality (Chair), Dr. PA Carney - Dean
of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dr G Morgan – Dean of Science, Ms J Boland – Review Group Rapporteur, Dr I.
Mac Labhrainn – Director of CELT, Dr Maura Hiney – Research Office, Professor M Kane – Head of Department,
Ms A Byrne, Ms B Coen, Dr K Doyle, Dr D Finn, Dr A Hynes, Ms L Kerrigan, Dr L Quinlan, Ms M Linnane (in
attendance).


Preliminary:
Following clarification and representations by the Department, the Rapporteur will
propose to the Group that the words ‘may not be departmental policy’ be replaced by ‘is
not departmental policy’ in the Review Report.
The Department wishes it to be made clear that some of the actions below, to which it is
fully committed, will not be possible before the resource of a new Building is available,
or other specific measures are in place.
3.1 Action Plan for the Department:
1.
After the new Professor of Physiology is in place or as soon as feasible, and in the
context of any new school structure:
a. The Department will develop a vision, aims and objectives for teaching and research
in physiology.
b. The Staff will support the provision of more, and more formal, guidance and
mentoring of new staff during probation, and a formal appraisal process for all staff
to enhance their career development.
c. The Department will support the development of a policy to balance the relative
contributions of research and teaching duties for individual academic staff.
2.
A Departmental liaison person has been nominated to work with CELT on the continued
enhancement of assessment methods, feedback mechanisms and responses to feedback,
demonstrator training and new approaches in teaching.
3.
A Departmental liaison person has been nominated to engage further with the Library to
ensure better coordination, including the development of a policy on the provision of
undergraduate textbooks. Students’ views will also be sought.
4.
As two technicians are insufficient for the basic workloads involved, particularly given
the location of the Department and the diversity of tasks, the Department will make an
application to the University for extra technical support.
5.
The Head of Department will make every effort to ensure that the Departmental Safety
Statement is completed and to communicate safety policy to all staff and students
working in the Department.
3.2 Action Plan for University Management:
1.
The Vice President for Physical Resources will ensure that the important health and
safety issues highlighted in the Review report are given due attention, with the
involvement of an external assessor if necessary:
a. Fire prevention and escape facilities
b. Provision for heavy lifting on the high stairs
c. Cleaning
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Report to an tÚdarás – Review of Department of Physiology 2005–2006
2.
3.
6
University management give the construction of the new Preclinical Sciences Building
the highest priority.
The Registrar and Deputy President will support the consideration at the relevant bodies
of proposals from the Department on:
a. A 2-year contract lectureship for the interregnum after the retirement of the current
Professor and to support the incoming Professor.
b. A new lectureship.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
c. A new part-time technician post.
The Registrar and Deputy President and Director of CELT see the recommendations in
the McKenzie and McMahon Report (2004) as central to the future development of NUI
Galway as a student-centred University. This Report is titled ‘The Development of an
Effective Learner Support System at the National University of Ireland, Galway’ was
completed in July 2004.
Computer Services is committed to the development and expansion of student access to
IT facilities by means of computer suites and WiFi areas, and major improvements and
expansion have been implemented since spring 2006.
The Student Attendance and Engagement Group (SAEG), set up by Academic Council to
outline recommendations on student attendance at classes completed it report in
December 2006. Since then, a draft ‘Learning, Teaching & Assessment Strategy 20082010’ has been prepared by CELT, considered by the Council of Deans and circulated
more widely for feedback with a view to proposing it to Academic Council for adoption
in autumn 2008.
The Registrar and Deputy President supports the establishment of graduate schools to
underpin the generic education of research students and is confident that the postgraduate
students in Physiology will begin to benefit within the academic year 2006–07. The new
Dean of Graduate Studies has been in post since February 2008.
The Research Office will work with the Department to ensure that staff are fully
informed on all available supports and schemes, including the Millennium Fund.
The Registrar’s Office is committed to the accurate allocation of FTE students to
programmes and to departments and is open to submissions from the Department on
relevant matters.
Approved by: Acting Head of Department, Professor Peter Dockery, 18 June 2008
Approved by: Dean of Medicine & Health Sciences, Professor Gerry Loftus, 20 August 2008
Approved by: Dean of Science, Dr Gerry Morgan, 20 August 2008
Approved by: Registrar, Professor Jim Ward, 22 July 2008
Approved by: Vice-President for Research, Professor Terry Smith, 13 August 2008
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr. Iain MacLabhrainn, 22 July 2008
Finalised: 20 August 2008, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality