An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2003-2004
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Department of German
4 April 2006
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2003 to Jan 2004
26th & 27th March, 2004
24th November 2004
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.
Professor Jim Gosling, Director of Quality, February 2006
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of German 2003–2004
1. Overview of Department
1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Department of German
1.1.1. Educations aims:
To help students to develop:
• Written and oral fluency in German.
• Skills of swift comprehension, translation and expression.
• An awareness of the complexities of the Germanophone cultures.
• A knowledge of their behaviour patterns and linguistic codes.
• A knowledge of their literary, social and cultural history and present-day political and
economic conditions,
and thus to:
• Communicate effectively and knowledgeably in German.
• Merge effortlessly with Germanophone environments, should they choose to live and
work there.
• Feel at ease in work situations involving the use of German or in work/study
environments abroad.
• Become informed citizens of the European Union.
1.1.2. Academic aims:
• To sustain and expand our research and publication activity
• To develop our national and international network research projects
• To further modernize our language-teaching methods by the meaningful incorporation of
multi-media and computer facilities.
• To consolidate further the area of Applied Language Teaching in non-Arts frameworks.
1.1.3. Community aims:
• To serve the region in any way we can, in accordance with the title of “The Regional
Centre for European Languages”.
• To be of general assistance in closing the gap between the Western periphery of Ireland
and Central Europe, particularly in view of the importance of the German language and
Germany’s and Austria’s cultural and economic contacts with the new entrants to the
EU
• To raise public consciousness of the German/Austrian/Swiss cultures of today through
public talks and readings on campus or in the province and through articles and reviews
in the Irish Media.
1.2 Background
The new Professor of German took up the position in place since early 2005, which was after
the Review had been carried out.
1.3 Student numbers
The undergraduate students in the Department are taking the BA programme with German as a
main subject or are taking German as part of a denominated degree programme in faculties other
than Arts. The number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) students in the Department was 81 in the
year 2002/03, representing a decrease of 10% in the four years since 1998–99.
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of German 2003–2004
1.4 Staff to Student ratio
In 2002–03, the number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) academic staff in the Department 9.3,
giving a student: staff ratio of 8.7 in year ending 2003. This ratio was 9.8 in 1998–99.
1.5 Accommodation and Facilities
The Department of German and most of the teaching facilities used are located in the new Arts
Millenium Building.
2. Review Group Visit and Report
The Review Group consisted of Emeritus Professor John Sandford, Department of German
Studies, University of Reading (Chair); Dr. Gisela Holfter, Department of Languages and
Cultural Studies, University of Limerick; Professor Diarmuid Bradley, Department of Spanish,
NUI Galway; and Dr. Iain Mac Labhrainn, of the CFA acting as rapporteur. The Department
had already prepared and submitted a “Self-Assessment Report” that, with other documentation,
was made available to the Review Group in advance of the visit.
Main Recommendations from the Review Report
The Review Group recommends that:
• the Department recognise, as a matter of urgency, the extent of the crisis in student
recruitment in German studies and take active steps to address this;
•
the Department further promote collegiality by enhancing the transparency, clarity and
consistency of its policy making procedures, and of details of workload distribution and
responsibilities;
•
links be strengthened between the BA staff and those in Applied Languages;
•
the Department be encouraged to explore the opportunities for rationalisation of courses
and shared teaching where this is possible;
•
the Department review all of the documentation it provides for students, taking into
account the points made in this Report, and work towards the creation of a single
Departmental handbook;
•
the Department establish consistent and reliable arrangements for the year abroad;
•
the Department regularly review its course provision and curriculum taking into account,
in particular, developments in students’ interests and abilities;
•
clear criteria for promotion and clearly defined career pathways be identified by the
University, particularly for Applied Language Teachers;
•
the Department build its research capacity through staff development, participation in
cooperative ventures with other Departments, particularly modern languages, and where
appropriate with colleagues in other institutions;
•
host Departments give full recognition to the benefits to be derived from the applied
language courses and facilitate their delivery in every way possible;
•
An Teanglann and the Library review provision of, and student access to, German audiovisual materials, newspapers, TV, etc.
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of German 2003–2004
3. Action Plans
Follow Up Meeting: Wednesday, 24th November, 2004
Boardroom A114
Present: Professor J Browne – Registrar, Professor J Gosling - Director of Quality (Chair), Dr I MacLaren –
Review Group Rapporteur and Director of CELT, Professor D Bradley – Review Group Cognate, Professor J
Marshall – Dean of Arts, Dr H Rasche – Acting Head of Department, Ms M Hiney – Research Office, Mrs D
Devilly, Dr D Byrnes, Ms A Ryan, Mr M Shields, Ms M Linnane (in attendance). Apologies: Dr G Holfter
3.1 Action Plan for the Department:
1. The Department is revising its aims and objectives to stress more strongly aspects
regarding the employability of language graduates, and will incorporate them in its
website and general documentation.
2. For all formal Departmental meetings, an agenda will be circulated, minutes will be
prepared, circulated and approved/amended at the next meeting. Actions to be taken
and who has responsibility for each item will be clearly stated. The traditional time for
meetings will be discussed and changed if necessary to improve attendance.
3. The Department is enhancing the clarity and consistency of its procedures particularly
for the distribution of workloads and responsibilities.
4. The challenge of consolidating and expanding student recruitment is recognised, and
active steps are being taken to address this issue by:
a. Inviting students to the German Department, in addition to Open Day; organising
introductory courses for 5th and 6th year students to raise the interest in the range
of programmes offered by the Department.
b. Targeting secondary schools more systematically (school visits, developing a
brochure for potential students).
c. Holding annual events for Secondary Teachers of German (lectures, workshops,
short refresher courses in areas such as language, literature, film, media, social,
political, and cultural aspects of contemporary Germany).
d. Making active efforts to bridge the gap between secondary and third level
education.
5. In consultation with the other modern language departments, the Head of Department
will ensure regular communication and feedback with the coordinators of all academic
programmes with applied language courses.
6. A comprehensive handbook covering the B.A. courses will be prepared which will
incorporate the overall aims and objectives of the Department and its programmes,
information on the year abroad, and guidelines on how to write and format essays. This
handbook will be complemented by handouts to be available each semester providing
course descriptions, assessment and marking details, dates and deadlines. The content of
both the handbook and the handouts will also be made available online.
7. For examination papers, the Department will decide on a single Departmental style in
terms of font, layout, etc., and, where quotations or texts are used in examination
questions, the full reference to the original source will be given.
8. Cooperation and cross-teaching between ‘traditional’ academic staff and applied
languages staff are being increased/ enhanced.
9. The Department regularly reviews all documentation provided to students. The website
is regularly updated.
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of German 2003–2004
10. The Department will establish consistent and reliable arrangements for the Year abroad
for students, by having:
a. Preliminary meetings in November each year with further meetings in Semester
II and individual advisory sessions thereafter.
b. Specific preparations for individual links (e.g. Würzburg and Legal Studies,
Kassel and Mathematics etc and a detailed information package on all Socrates
links).
11. The Department will regularly update its courses and curricula by:
a. Reviewing contents and structures towards the end of each Semester II.
b. Analysing student feedback questionnaires each semester, deciding on actions
and making these known to students.
c. Regular staff-student meetings.
d. Addressing a range of issues including:
i. The importance of group work
ii. Acquisition of a media/newspaper room
iii. Access to departmental facilities,
iv. The stability of timetables.
12. The Department will further promote its research capacity through staff development,
regular research seminars for staff and postgraduates, annual research days, and
participation in internal and external cooperative ventures. The Department will seek to
establish the principle that every academic member of staff has one day a week entirely
dedicated to research activities.
13. The Department recognizes the need for a stronger take-up of the services and supports
supplied by CELT and will work with the Director of CELT to expand links.
3.2 Action Plan for University Management:
1. The Registrar or the Assistant Secretary will meet with the incoming Head of
Department (due to be in place by August 2005):
a. To explain the current process leading to the definition of clear criteria for
promotion and for the eventual development of a full career pathway for applied
language teachers
b. To discuss relevant issues related to staff on temporary contracts and their
reappointment.
2. The Dean of Arts agreed that a proposal from the Department for the reduction of the
60% grade needed for progression by students to second year to 50 – 55% can be
considered by the relevant Faculty mechanisms.
3. The Research Office will work with the Department to make members aware of all
funding opportunities.
4. The Directors of Quality & CELT will support planning and teaching development
exercises to facilitate developments that may be envisaged by the new Head of
Department.
5. The Director of CELT has initiated a consultation process with the modern language
departments to ensure that the facilities of An Teanglann are revised, reviewed,
upgraded and expanded to meet good modern standards, as quickly as the resources
available will allow.
Approved by: Head of Department, Professor HW Schmidt-Hannisa, 7th September 2005
Approved by: Dean of Arts, Professor J Marshall, 15th September 2005
Approved by: Registrar, Professor J Browne, 12th September 2005
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of German 2003–2004
Approved by: Research Office Administrator, Dr M Hiney, 28th October 2005
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr I MacLaren, 9th November 2005
Finalised 9th November 2005, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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