An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2002-2003
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Adult and Continuing Education
Self-Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2003 to March 2003
12th – 14th May, 2003
8th 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, October 2005
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Report to Údarás – Review of Adult and Continuing Education 2002–2003
1. Overview of Office of Adult and Continuing Education
1.1 Background
The Office of Adult and Continuing Education has undergone substantial change, particularly in
recent years. When established, in 1969, its primary function was to provide core
administrative support services for a number of newly developed “extra-mural” courses. The
organisational model then established for management of the College’s “Extra-Mural Studies”
programme envisaged key service delivery functions, supported academically by the
mainstream academic departments. At that time, the Extra-Mural Studies programme involved
a number of Diploma courses with specific objectives, together with non-accredited courses,
and Leadership programmes to be offered by the College across its traditional region, the
counties of Connacht and Counties Clare and Donegal. In 1972, responsibility for coordination
of the University’s Summer School programme was also assigned to the Office of Adult and
Continuing Education.
More recently, through community education and open learning initiatives, its courses
have reached learners throughout the entire island; in addition, a number of e-learning courses
have also been developed. Meeting tertiary education needs of citizens and supporting regional
development in its catchment area which has low density and a dispersed rural population, poses
significant challenges for the University, educationally and economically.
The range of opportunities and courses currently offered by the Office of Adult and
Continuing Education to non-traditional students in association with University Departments
now includes the following:
• Part-time undergraduate Diploma and Degree courses
• Accredited modules, certificate and single subject diplomas in the Arts Faculty
• Open learning courses at Certificate, Diploma, Bachelor and Master degree levels
• Part-time Certificate/Diploma courses with specialist focus
• Some Continuing Professional Development programmes across faculties
• Access and Foundation courses at pre-university level.
1.2 Mission
The first explicit mission statement relating to Adult and Continuing Education was adopted by
the University in 1989 at the commencement of a wider developmental debate regarding the
future of Adult and Continuing Education at the University.
University College Galway, through its Adult and Continuing Education programme, is committed to:
•
Developing the intellectual and creative potential of all citizens through the provision – as open
as possible – of access and educational opportunities for the adult community.
•
Increasing public understanding of social, economic, cultural and technological processes at
work in society, and encouraging policies which will empower people to understand and direct
the processes which shape their environment.
•
Promotion of innovation and development in the region and nationally.
•
Utilization of resources to develop and strengthen relationships with industry, commerce, the
professions, and the community generally.
•
Providing support for policy development and implementation in private and public sector
organisations at local, regional and national levels.
This mission statement formed the basis for some structural changes and further developments
in the 1990’s.
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The University’s recently published Strategic and Academic Plans (2003 – 2008)
addressed in a more significant way issues relating to the University’s regional contribution and
its community service mission, increased access for disadvantaged and non-traditional students,
an appropriate organisational structure for the future development of Adult and Continuing
Education and the accreditation of prior learning and experiential learning.
1.3 Adult and Continuing Education: Current Programmes and Activities
The programmes and activities of the Office are organised and implemented through its
constituent sections, as follows:
• Adult and Continuing Education Central Unit
• Community Education Centre
• Access Office
• Open Learning Centre
• Living Scenes: An Intergenerational Project
• Summer School
1.4 Staffing
At the time of this Review, the total full time staff numbered 28, most funded through project
funds generated externally by programmes and activities.
(i) Administrative Staffing
Over a twenty-year period, the core staff of the University’s Adult and Continuing Education,
Office was one senior administrative person and two executive/secretarial assistants.
Since July 1989, when the Community Education and Open Learning Centres were first
established, there has been a gradual build-up of staff through external project funding to
support the various projects which have emerged. Staff appointments were all made, initially,
on a fixed-term contract basis in line with the prevailing University policy. Over the period
since January 2001, these contract posts are gradually being regularised and graded as full-time
permanent members of University staff, although still funded mainly through project income.
(ii) Teaching Staff
Throughout its existence, the University’s Adult Education programme has been serviced
academically by a small number of full-time University personnel and a pool of adjunct parttime tutors recruited from across the region. However, it has not been and is not currently a
requirement that mainstream University staff give any commitment to adult education, evening
or part-time courses.
1.5 Accommodation and Facilities
The University’s Adult and Continuing Education Services are currently managed from multilocational office bases across campus and in Galway City as well as Community Education
outreach centres in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim, Tuam, Gort and Ballinasloe, Co. Galway, Ennis,
Co. Clare and St Angela’s College, Sligo (2003 – 2004). Two office units located off-campus
were acquired and continue to operate through funding generated outside of the University’s
core Adult and Continuing Education budget. The current dispersed nature of the central office
accommodation and facilities has a significant impact on programme management and general
coherence of overall service delivery.
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Report to Údarás – Review of Adult and Continuing Education 2002–2003
2. Review Group Visit and Report
The review team consisted of: Professor Máirtín Ó Fathaigh, Centre for Adult and Continuing
Education, University College Cork (Chair); Professor Maria Slowey, Director of Adult and
Continuing Education, University of Glasgow; Mr Keith Warnock, Department of Accountancy
and Finance, NUI Galway; and an tUasal Seosamh Mac Donnacha, Oifig na Gaeilge Labhartha,
NUI Galway acting as rapporteur.
2.1 Summary, and Main Recommendations from Report
The Office of Adult and Continuing Education was established initially as an administrative
structure to take responsibility for a small and homogeneous range of activities. In the
intervening years, its development has been driven mainly by the need to respond to funding
opportunities and to take responsibility for activities that didn’t fit neatly into other parts of the
University’s structure. It has, therefore, developed a range of programmes/sub-units whose main
common attribute is that they use delivery mechanisms and deal with a range of
students/participants who are perceived to be outside the ‘traditional’ range of the University’s
activities and structures. This strategic and structural looseness has been added to by a lack of
investment in the structural elements of the Office’s requirements.
In the intervening years, however, as a result in part of the Office’s own activities and other
social and demographic factors, the perceived importance of adult and continuing education has
increased and the concept itself has broadened to encompass a much broader range of issues and
target groups. This is reflected by its inclusion in one of the University’s strategic priorities for
the period 2003 – 2008. This represents an opportunity for the Office and the University to
develop an operational strategy that will, amongst other things, clarify in a strategic context:
• the range of main areas and programmes which are to be developed under the auspices of
the Office of Adult and Continuing Education;
• the organisational adjustments necessary to enable the Office to gain value from the
synergy inherent within its activities, through the provision of a suitable academic vehicle
for integrating the work of the Office with that of mainstream academic departments in a
way which increases respect for and confidence in the Office’s own academic ability and
credentials;
• the investment decisions that need to be made to enable the Office to operate with
maximum effectiveness and to develop the areas and programmes which are vital to the
University’s strategic priorities in this area.
Within this context and given the quality, commitment and enthusiasm of the staff of the Office
and the flexibility, creativity and imagination they have shown in developing programmes and
responding to the needs of communities and students the review team has little doubt that the
Office of Adult and Continuing Education has the potential to become one of the flagships of
NUI, Galway and a world leader in the area of adult and continuing education in the future.
1. Aims and Objectives
• We recommend:
o That the University develop the relevant aspects of its existing Strategic Plan into an
overall operational strategy, in which the main components of its strategic priority in this
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area are identified. This operational strategy should identify the lead units of the
University that are expected to have operational responsibility for each component and
the main departments/faculties which are to have a collaborative role in its development.
It should also form the basis for the University’s strategic investment decisions in this
area.
o That the aims and objectives of the Office of Adult and Continuing Education be
reviewed in the context of the role it is expected to play within the above operational
strategy.
o More specifically, we also recommend, that, as part of this process, the title of Office of
Adult and Continuing Education be reconsidered, as the review team came to a view that
the title of Centre or Institute of Adult and Continuing Education may be more
appropriate.
2. Organization and Management
2.1 Overall Position within the University’s Structures
• The review team recommends that the composition and terms of reference of this body
should take into account the operational strategy and review referred to in 1 above, and that
the composition of the Board should include representation from:
o the University’s senior management;
o the various sub-units operating within the Office of Adult and Continuing Education;
o other stakeholder groups within and outside the University, including students and
community groups;
o mainstream departments closely involved with the work of the Office.
2.2 Academic Structures
• We recommend that [a more formalised linkage with the broader academic community with
which the Office collaborates] be achieved by including an academic role within the terms
of reference of the Board suggested above or by establishing an academic sub-committee of
the Board to act as a quasi-Faculty or Board of Studies. There are two possible options:
(a) The establishment of a position of Dean of Adult and Continuing Education (or Lifelong
Learning). This would have the advantage of enhancing the academic position of adult
and continuing education within the University and give it a similar status, and
University-wide remit, akin to that of research. The Dean would act as Chair of the
Board (and Academic sub-committee) recommended above and have overall
responsibility for the direction of academic standards in programmes run by the Office.
The Dean would specifically facilitate collaboration between the Office and other
academic departments in the development and delivery of programmes and be
responsible for supporting the implementation of relevant aspects of University policy
across the institution.
(b) Alternatively, the above objectives could also be achieved by designating a senior
person, at Vice President or Registrar level as Chair of the proposed Board and
Academic sub-committee. The advantage of this approach is the direct link which would
be established to University strategic interests through the Management Group. A
possible disadvantage arises from the practical constraints which competing demands
place on the time of such senior post holders. In the short to medium term a considerable
commitment will be required to bring the work of the Office to the next stage of
development as recommended in this report.
2.3 Internal Structures
• The review team recommends:
o that the Office provide formal processes that will facilitate staff meeting to discuss
relevant issues on an ongoing basis;
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o the creation of an executive management committee involving the heads of the various
units/projects in the overall strategic management and development of the Office;
o that consideration be given to the creation of a new intermediate management level to
support the work of the Director.
2.4 Accommodation and Facilities
• The Review Team strongly recommends that the University investigate the feasibility of
making a strategic commitment to the development of a purpose built highly visible high
status centre for adult and continuing education on campus which will contain adequate
facilities for staff and students, and which allows for future developments in this area. It is
envisaged that this centre would also include dedicated late-opening facilities which will
complement the University’s existing facilities, for example the library and catering
facilities, which are not economical to keep open at times which meet the needs of Adult and
Continuing Education students.
3. Programmes and Instruction
• We recommend, however, that the procedures implemented should be documented and
reported to the Board, proposed above, on an annual basis. Such a report might cover
procedures and criteria for the recruitment of staff, arrangements for the provision of any
necessary training, and the collection and dissemination of student feedback.
4. Scholarship and Research
• We recommend therefore that consideration be given to ways in which academic and policy
orientated research might become part of the next stage of development of the Office. This
could be taken forward by a Working Group involving the Chair of the proposed Board, the
Dean of Research, the Director and senior members of his staff, and a number of senior
researchers from cognate areas in education and the social sciences.
5. Career Planning and Professional Development of Staff
• We therefore recommend that a more formal process of career and professional
development, including involvement in research activities as suggested at 4 above, be
developed for staff, and that, where appropriate, closer integration with the academic
departments of the University be facilitated. This should be a process to bring transparency
and coherence to the important elements of staff career planning and professional
development. Staff of the Office should be intimately involved in this developmental
process, thus ensuring an element of personal ownership and contribution to the
model/elements that emerge.
6. The Wider Context
• We recommend the development of a Strategic Plan for the Office (or Institute/Centre) be
regarded as a high priority by the Office and the University. This Plan should take into
consideration the thrust of the recommendations in this report, in particular those relating to
potential areas for development and closer connection with overall University strategy. It is
essential that it is underpinned by a detailed business plan.
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3. Action Plans
Follow up Meeting
9:30 a.m.Monday 8 November, 2004 in Hynes Boardroom A132
th
Present: Professor Gerard Hurley – Vice-President, Professor Jim Gosling – Director of Quality (Chair), Seosamh
Mac Donnacha – Review Group Rapporteur, Dr Iain MacLaren – Director of CELT, Mr Seamus O’Grady, Ms
Imelda Byrne, Ms Suzanne Golden, Ms Helen Casey, Ms Deirdre Hardiman, Ms Mary Surlis, Mr John Bradley,
Ms Maureen Linnane (in attendance).
3.1 Action Plan: Adult and Continuing Education Unit
The Director of Adult and Continuing Education, with its programme/project managers and
staff, working with the Vice-president for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs, will finalise
a comprehensive Strategic Plan for this vital aspect of the University’s mission. Given the need
for greater and more formal mechanisms to enhance, facilitate and formalise cooperation with
the academic communities in all faculties, the Registrars Office and the deans will be fully
involved also.
The plan (with specified actions and deadlines), which will be fully developed and submitted to
the University by October 2005, will serve a basis for discussion and policy development across
the University and will address, among other issues, the following:
• Expansion of linkages between Adult and Continuing Education and mainstream academic
affairs across all Faculties
• The establishment and definition of roles within the Governing Authority structures of new
advisory and academic boards to support and strengthen the development of Adult and
Continuing Education
• Strategic initiatives which will enable the University to fully achieve its lifelong learning
goals for the BMW Region
• Recommendations regarding how the University can best meet national targets (15% by
2006; 25% by 2015) of adult (mature) students within its student cohort
• Operational, academic and physical & financial resources that currently impede the
development and expansion of Adult and Continuing Education
• Proposals for investments in appropriate financial, physical and human resources
infrastructure to facilitate implementation of the strategic plan
• The development of a programme of research linked to the University’s activities in the field
of Adult and Continuing Education
• Re-designation of the currently titled “Office of Adult and Continuing Education” as the
“Centre” or “Institute” of “Adult and Continuing Education” or “Lifelong Learning”
• Creation of new organisational and management structures, accompanied by appropriate
staff appointments and grading, to maximise the effectiveness of the Unit within the
University and across the region
• The development of quality procedures, linked to the Quality Assurance procedures of the
mainstream academic units involved, for Adult and Continuing Education courses which
will have reporting lines through the new Academic Board to Faculties and Academic
Council of the University
•
Establishment of a more formal process of career and professional development for Adult
and Continuing Education staff in line with the policies and norms for other personnel at the
University
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3.2 Action Plan: University Management
1. The development and endorsement of a Strategic Plan for Adult and Continuing Education
is a top priority for the University during the academic year 2005-06. Accordingly, the
UMT will support the Director and staff of Adult and Continuing Education in the
development and finalisation of the Strategic Plan in advance of the Academic Year 2006-07
2. The University Management Team will review and respond to institutional issues raised in
the Quality Review and the Strategic Plan for Adult and Continuing Education. The Vicepresident for Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs undertakes to oversee and drive the
actions following from this Report
3. A significant impediment to the planning and development of Adult and Continuing
Education is the inadequate policy framework and commitment to lifelong learning at
institutional and sub-institutional levels. The Vice-president will work with the Director and
staff of Adult and Continuing Education, UMT and senior University officers to address this
issue within one year
4. The Registrar, Vice-president and UMT will consider the desirability of establishing a
position of Dean in the area of Adult and Continuing Education / Lifelong Learning
5. The Vice-president for Physical Resources and UMT will initiate before October 2005 a
project planning group to assess and respond to current needs and the proposal for “a
purpose-built, highly visible, high status centre” for the University’s Adult and Continuing
Education programme. As well as overcoming the physical impediments that restrict the
development of all aspects Adult and Continuing Education, the new centre would provide
facilities for the education support needs of growing numbers of adult students.
6. The Director of Quality will examine the feasibility of having Adult and Continuing
Education or Lifelong Learning as the theme for a future Deans and Heads Conference.
Approved by: Director, Mr S O’Grady, 20th June 2005
Approved by: Registrar and Deputy President, Prof J Browne, 13th July 2005
Approved by: Vice-President Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs,
Professor G Hurley, 22nd June 2005
Approved by: Vice-President for Physical Resources, Prof J Ward, 22nd July 2005
Finalised: 22nd July 2005, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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