An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2002-2003
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Department of Pharmacology
Self Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2002 to Jan 2003
18–19 March, 2003
4 June 2003
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, March 2004
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1. Overview of Department
1.1 Aims and Objectives of the Department
Aims:
1. To provide the highest standard of professional education thereby equipping graduates in
Medicine, Nursing and Science with knowledge and skills of permanent value.
2. To provide modern resources for research activity of international quality in both basic
and clinical pharmacology
3. To enhance the opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduates to pursue new degree
programmes through innovation and cooperation with other disciplines.
Objectives:
1. To achieve the appointment of a Clinical Pharmacology professor and the initiation of
clinical postgraduate research in addition to existing basic research activities.
2. To introduce a full programme of undergraduate pharmacology.
3. To increase the proportion of research funding from basic supporting agencies and
reduce activities funded by industry.
4. To reduce the use of live animals and to introduce the most modern technologies for
education and research in pharmacology.
1.2 Background
With the retirement of the former Professor, the Chair of Pharmacology has been vacant since
1999.
1.3 Programmes currently contributed to
MB
BSc including honours degree in Pharmacology
B.Sc. in Biotechnology
BSc in Biomedical Science
BSc in Chemistry
BE in Biomedical Engineering
Diploma/Degree in Nursing Studies
MSc in Neuropharmacology
MMedSc
MSc in Biotechnology
PhD
1.4 Student numbers
Fulltime equivalent (FTE) student numbers in the Department were 58 in the year 2001, having
increased from 34 in 1997 (+69%). The overall increase in all Medicine and Health Science
Faculty departments (not including the School of Nursing) over 1997 to 2001 was from 500 to
721 (+44%).
1.5 Staff to student ratio
The number of fulltime equivalent academic staff in the Department was 3.6 in 2001 (including
1 senior lecturer, 1 junior lecturer and 1 contract lecturer), and has been nearly static since 1997,
when it was 3.4. This gave a staff student ratio of 16.0 in 2001, as compared to a Faculty
average of 17.5. There were also three senior technicians and 1 secretary/administrator.
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1.6 Costs
The cost of the Department per FTE student (€8964 for direct costs and €9697 for all costs) was
greater than the Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty average (€6625 and €8412, respectively)
(2001/02 figures).
1.7 Accommodation and facilities
The Department is located in temporary buildings.
2. Review Group Visit and Report
This report arises from a visit by a review team to the Department of Pharmacology, NUI,
Galway, on March 18th – 19th 2003. The Department had already prepared a ‘Self Assessment
Report’ that, with other documentation, was made available to the review team in advance of
the visit.
The review team consisted of Professor Kenneth Broadley, Division of Pharmacology,
Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University (Chair), Dr. A. K. Keenan, Department of
Pharmacology, UCD, Dr. Maria Tuohy, Department of Biochemistry, NUI Galway, Dr. Annette
Harte, Department of Civil Engineering, NUI Galway (Rapporteur)
2.1 Summary, and Main Recommendations from Report
The Group was very impressed by the high level of commitment shown by all members of staff
as evidenced by very favourable comments by students and external examiners.
For many years, the Department has operated on a skeleton staff and delivered a wide
range of excellent programmes in the Science and Medical Faculties. At the same time, the
Department has developed an international reputation in the area of Neuropharmacology as
borne out by a very impressive publication record and the awarding of research grants from a
broad range of funding agencies.
In recent years, the development and implementation of the MSc programme in
Neuropharmacology has been a very important strategic development for not only the
Department and the Science Faculty but also the University. The high calibre of the MSc is
evidenced by the placement of both the students and graduates in research institutions and
industries throughout the world. This programme is a vital strand in the Strategic thrust of the
University in the area of Biomedical research.
The main recommendations of the group may be summarised as follows:
1. The University should recognize the outstanding contribution and commitment of all
staff in the development of Pharmacology as a core discipline during a period of
considerable uncertainty.
2. The University should recognize the strategic importance the new BSc. Programme in
Pharmacology. This recognition must include the provision of adequate permanent
staffing. In order to be able to guarantee delivery of the existing programmes together
with the new BSc course, five full-time academic staff members in basic Pharmacology
are essential.
3. To address the difficulty in attracting and retaining quality post-doctoral research staff,
the University must provide a suitable framework for the career development of such
staff and put systems in place to ensure that they can develop their research programmes.
4. The Group notes that the University has recently established a chair of Clinical
Pharmacology and given a commitment to the filling of this post. The group supports
the filling of this post to deal with the issues of delivery of courses in Clinical
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6.
7.
8.
9.
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Pharmacology to Medical students. The group recommends that the University should
urgently seek to progress the filling of this post with the Western Health Board.
Provision must be made for the delivery of the Clinical Pharmacology course to the 5th
Year Medical students in the event of a delay in the filling of the Clinical chair.
As the recent innovations and strategic developments in the teaching and research
activities of the Department have been in the area of basic Pharmacology, it is essential
that the new chair in Clinical Pharmacology should give a commitment to the nurturing
and promotion of these initiatives.
As the Department expands, management structures should be put in place to facilitate
the participation and contribution of all categories of staff to the management and dayto-day running of the Department.
A full-time administrator should be appointed.
The aims and objectives of the Department should be reviewed in conjunction with the
development of a Departmental Strategic Plan.
3. Follow up Meeting
10.15 a.m. Wednesday, 4 June 2003
Present: Professor Jim Browne - Registrar, Professor Jim Gosling - Director of Quality (Chair),
Dr Tony Carney – Dean of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dr Pat Morgan – Dean of Science,
Professor Gerard Hurley – Dean of Research, Dr Jim O’Donnell – Head of Department, Dr
Annette Harte – Review Group Rapporteur, Dr Maria Tuohy – Review Group Cognate, Dr Alan
Keenan – Review Group, Dr Maura Greally, Mr Brendan Beatty, Dr Andrew Harkin, Ms Louise
Horrigan, Dr John Kelly, Mr Daniel Kerr, Ms Una Ryan, Mr Eamonn Shanahan, Ms Maureen
Linnane (in attendance). Apologies: Mr Ambrose O’Halloran
3.1 Action Plan for the Department:
1. The Department, with the involvement of all staff, will review its aims and objectives in
conjunction with the development of a formal Departmental Strategic Plan, with a target
date for adoption of December 2003.
2. The Department will consolidate and formalise its management structure. Subcommittees will be formed, as necessary, to deal with specific areas such as Programme
Review and Development, and Research. A Finance sub-committee already exists. A
Staff Development sub-committee could work to identify ways in which recognition
could be given to extraordinary efforts, and even make proposals to related to University
policy.
3. A staff-student committee and brief survey forms will be used to enhance effective
student feedback from September 2003. Provision has been made already for the
communication of structured information to students from September 2003, including
tables showing the allocations of marks for each course and programme.
4. With the appointment of a Professor of Clinical Pharmacology, closer integration of the
clinical and basic pharmacology strands of the Department’s programmes will be
explored with a view to enhancing both programmes.
5. Modifications to the 3rd year Medical programme will be considered in light of student
feedback and a revised curriculum proposed to the Faculty of Medical and Health
Sciences, for implementation in 2004–05.
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6. The Department will immediately submit a formal application to the Vice President for
Physical Resources, requesting laboratory facilities for the first cohort of 4th B.Sc.
students, and ancillary space for existing and new personnel. These are essential if the
Department is to be adequately prepared for the arrival of these students.
7. The Department will continue its efforts to obtain a greater proportion of its funding for
research from non-industry sources e.g. the Health Research Board.
3.2 Action plan for University Management:
1. The Professorship of Clinical Pharmacology has been created by the University, which
will continue to advocate to the health authorities that they fulfil their responsibilities to
medical education and to the public in this vital area.
2. The Registrar is committed to providing an additional contract lecturer for the 20032004 academic year but the provision of further permanent staff will not be considered
until after the filling of the Chair.
3. The Dean of Medicine and Health Sciences will convene a meeting with the Professor of
Medicine and the Acting Head of the Pharmacology Department to discuss options for
guaranteeing delivery of the Clinical Pharmacology course to 5th year Medical students
in 2003–04 and into the future.
4. The Registrar acknowledged that the current funding algorithm works against researchled departments, and stated that faculties are being encouraged to adopt systems that
differentially weight postgraduate versus undergraduate FTE students.
5. The Registrar acknowledged that the current physical facilities of the Department are
substandard, inadequate and unattractive to incoming students. Plans for the permanent
re-housing of the Department have been made and funding is being sought.
6. A Working Group, involving the Directors of CELT and Human Resources, has been set
up to address conditions of post-doctoral research staff and to devise a suitable
framework for their career development.
Approved by: Acting Head of Department, Dr J M O’Donnell, 10 July 2003
Approved by: Dean of Medicine & Health Sciences, Dr P A Carney, 1 August 2003
Approved by: Dean of Science, Dr P Morgan, 1 October 2003
Approved by: Dean of Research, Professor G Hurley, 22 July 2003
Approved by: Registrar, Professor J Browne, 17 July 2003
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr I MacLaren, 1 September 2003
Finalised: 1 October, 2003, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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