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 Electronic Engineering
A SECOND REVIEW
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2003 to Dec 2003
4–6 February, 2004
7 July, 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.
Quality Office, April 2007
Report to Údarás – Review of Department of Electronic Engineering 2003–2004
1. Overview of Department
1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Department.
The primary aims and objectives of the Department of Electronic Engineering are:
a) To provide up-to-date undergraduate B.E. programmes meeting the standard required for
accreditation by the Institution of Engineers of Ireland.
b) To provide a good standard of service to undergraduates and postgraduates.
c) To engage in research of national and international importance.
d) To establish a reputation for high standards of teaching.
e) To operate efficiently within the University and Engineering Faculty management
structures.
f) To be responsive to changing needs of industry.
g) To ensure high standards of safety.
h) To contribute to the community and the region, in line with NUI Galway’s Strategic Plan.
1.2 Background
The Department has offered a B.E. in Electronic Engineering since 1979 which was fully
accredited and had its first graduates in 1983. The Department was first reviewed in 1997–98
and was the first academic department in NUI Galway to be reviewed for the second time.
1.3 Programmes currently contributed to:
As well as contributing to several other undergraduate programmes in the Faculty of
Engineering, the Department offers two four-year undergraduate degree programmes:
a) B.E. in Electronic Engineering
b) B.E. in Electronic and Computer Engineering
At postgraduate level, the Department offers opportunities to achieve the following degrees:
a) M.Eng.Sc. (research only)
b) M.Appl.Sc.
c) Ph.D.
1.4 Student numbers
Fulltime equivalent (FTE) student numbers in the Department were 168 in the year 2002/03,
having increased by 59% since 1995/96, when they were 106. There was an equal increase
overall in FTE Students in the Engineering Faculty departments from 800 to 1270 (59%) during
the same period. However, numbers had fallen from a peak of 185 in 2001/02.
1.5 Staff to Student ratio
In 2002/03, the number of fulltime equivalent (FTE) academic staff in the Department was 9.9,
giving a student: staff ratio of 17.1 in year ending 2003, as compared to the Engineering faculty
average of 18.5.
1.6 Costs
In the year 2001/02, for 185 FTE students, and a student:staff ratio of 18.8, the costs of the
Department per FTE student were €4635 for direct costs and €6752 for total costs. This
compares with the overall Engineering faculty averages of €5198 and €7165.
1.6 Accommodation and Facilities
The Department is located in Nun’s Island, mainly in the McLaughlin Building.
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Report to Údarás – Review of Department of Electronic Engineering 2003–2004
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2. Review Group Visit and Report
The Review Group consisted of: Professor Peter Cheung, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering,
Imperial College, London (Chairman); Professor Frank Boland, Department of Electronic and Electrical
Engineering, Trinity College, Dublin; Mr Tom O'Dwyer, Engineering Manager, Analog Devices, Limerick; Dr
Piaras Ó hEachteirn, Department of Civil Engineering, NUI, Galway and Ms Marie McGonagle, Law Faculty,
NUI, Galway, acting as Rapporteur. Mr Ian McKenna, Assistant Principal Officer, Department of Education and
Science, Dublin was in attendance throughout as an observer.
2.1 Summary
Staff
The Department of Electronic Engineering is well managed and organised and there is a strong
esprit de corps among all members of staff. There is a high number of junior staff in the
Department, however, which calls for particular attention. They must be facilitated through
sabbatical leave, training and other assistance to develop their teaching and research and to
become well positioned for promotion to the higher grades. There is a general perception among
the more junior staff that they are asked to take on a significantly higher administrative
workload than others. It is essential that forward planning be undertaken. The Department's
dedicated technicians are one of its obvious strengths. Feedback from students and researchers
was very positive.
Teaching programmes
Both the Electronic Engineering (EE) and Electronic & Computer Engineering (ECE) degrees
have experienced a reduction in demand but the Review Group was pleased to note that the
median quality of the students entering the programmes remains at a good level and that
students expressed total satisfaction with the teaching and support offered by the Department.
The Department has been responsive to the recommendations of the previous Review in its
introduction of a tutorial component to its taught courses. It has also been progressive in
introducing more project-based teaching into its programmes but it is important that students be
able to influence the choice of their individual project.
There is strong rapport between postgraduate students and staff but a more formal
structure in the postgraduate programme needs to be implemented.
Research
The Department has made an initial effort to align its research effort towards the Faculty and
University strategic plan but its aspiration and Research Plan could be significantly more
ambitious. It is recommended that the Department have a one-day retreat to develop a more
ambitious research plan and that it target a researcher with an international research profile
sufficient to attract SFI funding under the Fellow or Investigator Award programmes, as well as
middle-level research managers, who may be available in the area due to the recent closure of a
number of local research- and development-intensive electronics companies. Staff should be
encouraged to extend their conference publications into journal articles if appropriate.
Awareness
The falling number of second level students choosing Electronic Engineering is a concern for
the Department, and the Review Group commends the actions it has taken to address this. In this
regard, a stronger drive should be taken towards marketing the course to the common
engineering entry course and recruiting other categories of students (more female, EU, etc.).
Space
Research space is urgently required especially if the objective of increasing research
postgraduates is to be realised.
ElectroEngUdarasRep04Final
Report to Údarás – Review of Department of Electronic Engineering 2003–2004
Safety
It is strongly recommended that an external safety audit take place.
3. Follow up Meeting
CIMRU Boardroom, 09.30 h Wednesday, 7th July, 2004
Present: Professor Jim Browne – The Registrar, Professor Con Cunnane – Representing the Dean of Engineering,
Professor Gerard Hurley – Dean of Research, Ms Marie McGonagle – Review Group Rapporteur, Professor Jim
Gosling - Director of Quality (Chair), Professor David Wilcox, Dr Edward Jones, Mr Fergal O’Malley, Mr Martin
Glavin, Mr Liam Kilmartin, Dr Peter Corcoran, Mr Martin Burke, Dr Maeve Duffy, Mr Aodh Dalton, Mr Myles
Meehan, Ms M Linnane (in attendance)
3.1 Action Plan for the Department:
a) The Department will improve the transparency and equality of the distribution of
administrative duties among academic staff. A quantitative evaluation from each staff
member regarding his/her administrative load has already been solicited, and a revised
schedule of administrative tasks will be prepared by end of October 2004.
b) The Head of Department will continue to encourage staff to take sabbatical leave and
encourage other staff to support persons on sabbatical leave on a reciprocal basis. The Head
will prepare a procedure enabling staff to give advance notice of when they hope to take
sabbatical leave to assist forward planning.
c) The Head of Department will ensure that all staff in the Department are fully aware of the
training opportunities offered by CELT and the Staff Training and Development Service.
Teaching staff will be encouraged to develop a teaching portfolio listing, inter alia,
participation in CELT courses and other activities.
d) The Department will review, and as much as is feasible, will expand its ‘marketing’
activities for prospective students. This may include holding open days to enable second
level students (and their parents) to see Departmental activities and facilities.
e) The Department will explore the possibilities of offering ‘Research Internships’ for high
performing undergraduates with a view to offering such ‘projects’ to two to three students
per year, starting in the summer of 2005.
f) The Department will institute a system of student feedback covering all modules in its
programmes. In so doing, the department will enlist the help of the Director of CELT and
consult with the Dean of Engineering to ensure best practice.
g) The Department will review how it allocates final year projects before fixing its system for
2004–05 (to give more say to students regarding the subject area of their projects).
h) The Department will hold an annual off-campus one-day retreat involving all staff for
strategic planning. The first retreat (planned to take place during the break between
Semesters I and II 2004/2005) may have research as a main focus and include an
examination of opportunities presented by SFI schemes.
i) In conjunction with measures introduced by the Faculty and the University, a more formal
structure for the research postgraduate programme will be implemented by the Department
from 2004–05. In parallel, the Department will prepare a policy document outlining the
norms of behaviour and output expected of research students.
j) The Department will examine the development of a quantitative means for assessing the
contributions of academic staff in the areas of teaching, administration and research, and
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will prepare a policy document on this before the end of the 2004/2005 session. Where
appropriate, this will be done in consultation with CELT and other bodies external to the
Department.
3.2 Action Plan for University Management:
a) The Registrar will ensure that a specific succession plan is formulated and confirmed in
advance of the Chair of Electronic Engineering becoming vacant.
b) The Registrar has instituted a review of the mechanism for promotion from ‘Lecturer’ to
‘Senior Lecturer’.
c) The Registrar will propose to the Technical Services Advisory Group the formation of a
group to examine ways in which the contributions of excellent technicians may be
recognised and rewarded.
d) The Registrar anticipates that a proposed IUQB Sectoral Project on Academic Workloads
(IUQB Ref No. 2004/03) will be supported by the HEA/NDP and is confident that NUI
Galway will act on the recommendations that arise from this project.
e) The Registrar has instituted a review of the procedures used for handling and responding to
external examiners’ reports and obtaining missing reports.
f) The Registrar, the Director of CELT and the Staff Training and Development Officer will
act to ensure that all new staff benefit from attendance at a comprehensive induction
programme, and will record such attendance with a view to eventually making it
compulsory.
g) In conjunction with the University’s anticipated reform of regulations and guidelines for
Ph.D. training, the Dean of Engineering will initiate a reform of Faculty arrangements,
including provision for generic training for Ph.D students.
h) The Dean of Research has agreed to approach the Placement Officer, and ask him/her to
formally talk to the Research Institutes with regard to expanding the area and treating these
institutes as external employers.
i) The Research Office will assist the Department in availing of opportunities for research
funding, in particular by SFI.
j) Given that the lack of space seriously inhibits the development of research in the
Department, the Dean of Engineering will commission an audit of the use of space within
the Faculty by January 2005.
k) Professor Jim Ward, in his capacity as Acting University Safety Officer, will initiate an
externally conducted safety audit of the Department’s space and facilities.
Approved by: Head of Department, Professor David Wilcox, 24 November 2004
Approved by: Dean of Engineering, Professor Padraic O’Donoghue, 9 February 2005
Approved by: Representative of the Research Office, Dr Maura Hiney, 11 March 2005
Approved by: Registrar, Professor James Browne, 3 February 2005
Approved by: Vice President Physical Resources, Professor James Ward, 4 March 2005
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr Iain MacLaren, 11 April 2005
Finalised: 11 April 2005, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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