An Coiste Feabhais Acadúil
The Committee on Academic Quality Improvement
The Academic Quality Assurance Programme 2002-2003
Report to Údarás na hOllscoile
Review of
Faculty of Commerce
(Planning and Administration)
Self Assessment
Review Group Visit
Follow Up Meeting
Sept 2002 to Jan 2003
10–12 March, 2003
1 July 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 Faculty
1.1 Mission Statement of the Faculty
The Faulty of Commerce at NUI Galway aims:
To make a leading contribution to the development of Ireland’s knowledge-based
economy and society, with a strong focus on building the innovative capacity of the
Border-Midlands-West region through the delivery of world-class teaching and
research.
The Mission of the Faculty is to:
• Use the Faculty’s specific knowledge concentration to develop the intellectual
competence and the technical and communication skills of different student groups in
the discipline areas which comprise the Faculty, through international excellence in
teaching and lifelong learning.
• Attract the most highly qualified students to the various programmes of the Faculty.
• Make specific knowledge concentration accessible to the wider community through
training, advice and consultancy, in partnership with business, industry, government and
community organisations and professional associations, particularly in our country and
region.
• Add to this body of specific knowledge concentration through international excellence in
research and research training, which promotes the advancement of knowledge through
the application of a broad range of analytical approaches.
The faculty also has defined lists of goals (which ate too extensive to list here) under the
following headings:
• Teaching and Learning
• Research and research training
• Partnership with relevant organizations and institutions
• Staff development
• Faculty organisation
Departments
The faculty has four member departments: Accountancy, Finance & MIS; Economics;
Management and Marketing.
1.2 Staffing and student to staff ratio
In 2002/03 the four departments in the Faculty had a total of 56.1 FTE academic staff, 1587
FTE students and a student to staff ratio pf 28.3. This ratio represents a 15.6% increase since
1998/99. The direct and allocated cost per FTE student in 2001/02 was correspondingly low at
€3849.
1.3 Accommodation and facilities
The Departments of the Faculty are located mainly in the St. Anthony’s Building, which is
located north of the Quincentenial Bridge.
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2. Review Group Visit and Report
This report arises from a visit by a review team to the Faculty of Commerce on 10th-12th
March, 2003. The Faculty had already prepared and submitted 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: Ms Hannah Kiely, H-C Financial Services Group (Chair);
Professor Tony Cunningham, University College Dublin; Professor Vincent Munley, College of
Business & Economics, Lehigh University, USA; Professor Con Cunnane, former Dean of
Engineering, cognate; and Dr David O’Sullivan of the CFA acting as Rapporteur.
2.1 Recommendations from Report
1. Aims and Objectives
1.1 There is an urgent need for the Faculty to continue to deliberate on its current and future
position as a Faculty and/or school within the spectrum of business/commerce organisations
nationally.
2. Organization and management
2.1 Establish in as timely a manner as possible a Faculty level ‘advisory board’ drawn from key
players in the business community. Their aim should be to advise on strategic development,
curriculum development, placement, seminars, speakers, etc.
2.2 Appoint a ‘post graduate officer’. This position should be in place no later than Sept. 2003.
The reviewers feel the University and Faculty should pay serious attention to the role and
responsibilities of this senior post.
2.3 Work with the University to address the issue of age profile and develop a strategy for
bringing in more senior academic staff as needed to achieve the aims and objectives of the
Faculty (Section 1 above).
2.4 Identify appropriate partners and engage in active benchmarking activities
2.5 Establish stronger linkages with alumni.
3. Programmes and Instruction
3.1 Undertake a detailed evaluation of the number of programme offerings, including any
overlap, and work proactively with the Registrar to develop a common understanding of how
the responsibility for staffing these programmes will be implemented.
3.2 Continue to pursue international accreditation of post-graduate degrees.
3.3 Work with the Vice Presidents Office to identify appropriate North American universities
with which to develop appropriate linkages.
3.4 Develop a mentoring system for undergraduate students that will also provide more
information and guidance for them.
3.5 Continue the active relationship with CELT in developing teaching excellence and
pedagogy at Faculty level.
3.6 Encourage further consideration of the examination and grading process.
3.7 Work with the University to develop techniques to award excellence in teaching and redress
the perception of using research as the predominant discriminator in promotion decisions.
4. Scholarship and Research
4.1 Continue to develop cross Faculty Research Initiatives.
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4.2 Introduce an orientation and induction day for post-graduate researchers where, for example,
their rights and responsibilities and question of ethics, etc. would be considered.
4.3 Establish a Faculty newsletter highlighting research, teaching and professional
accomplishments of the academic staff.
4.4 Establish a Faculty wide working papers series.
4.5 Institute public displays (show case) of books, monographs and refereed journal articles.
5. The Wider Context
5.1 Ensure that both 1st and 2nd phase of the new building take place simultaneously. In this
regard pursuit of a donor, and/or PPP arrangements is to be encouraged, leaving fee income for
the activities that are more difficult to fund from external sources. This building will benefit the
entire Faculty and we encourage the Faculty to engage in an extra measure of co-operation with
regard to short term space allocation.
5.2 Encourage the Quality Office to engage proactively with the Faculty to develop more
efficient working relationships and information systems with the offices of central
administration (e.g. Admissions, Examinations, Placement, Student Records Office, etc.).
5.3 Work to develop a strong partnership with the Placement Office to provide effective
placements for students. Where appropriate re-evaluate carefully and continuously the need and
feasibility of placement in the different programmes.
5.4 Develop Faculty policy and guidelines regarding internal Faculty publications and
marketing activities availing as appropriate of the services available through ‘Aras Failte’ for
brochure design and content proofing.
3. Follow up Meeting
2.00 p.m. Tuesday 1 July 2003
Present: Professor Jim Browne - Registrar, Professor Jim Gosling - Director of Quality (Chair),
Ms Maura Hiney – Office of the Dean of Research, Professor Tony Cunningham – Review
Group, Professor Vincent Munley – Review Group, Ms Hannah Kiely – Review Group,
Professor Con Cunnane – Review Group, Professor Roy Green – Dean, Ms Suzann Keane, Ms
Mairead McKeon, Professor Jim Ward, Dr Iain MacLaren, Mr Tom Acton, Ms Geraldine
Robbins, Dr Terence McDonough, Mr Gerard Turley, Ms Maureen Linnane (in attendance)
Apologies: Mr Des McSharry, Dr David O’Sullivan, Dr Willie Golden
3.1 Action Plan for the Dean and Faculty:
1. The terms of reference of a Faculty ‘Advisory Board’ the composition of which will
include key players in the business community will be finalised in November 2003, and
the Board will be established before February 2004.
2. The Faculty has decided to establish a Graduate School of Business and has convened a
Working Group to drive this project.
3. The Faculty will continue to pursue international accreditation of all its degrees for
which this is appropriate and feasible, particularly its established post-graduate degrees.
In July 2003, the MBS (IR & HRM) gained Graduate Membership of CIPD. A process
will also commence for accreditation of the Faculty itself, in conjunction with the new
building extension.
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4. The Faculty will pursue the formalisation, expansion and rationalisation of its external
and international associations:
•
Stronger linkages will be established with alumni, with substantial progress by June 2004.
•
Formal arrangements with carefully selected Northern American Universities to provide one-semester
and one-year programmes for their students, with the first three agreements completed by September
2004.
•
More strategic alliances with appropriate partners and engaging in active benchmarking. The Vice
Dean for Development and Promotion has convened a working group to address these issues.
5. The Faculty will undertake a strategic evaluation of the number and variety of its
programme offerings (particularly postgraduate programmes), to identify opportunities
for programmatic and course rationalisation and other efficiencies. A second major
objective will be to rationalise programmatic promotion and administration, and
maximise the effectiveness of resource allocation. The Faculty is proceeding with reform
of the MBA for the next cycle in 2004/05, the B. Comm. for 2005/06 and the Evening B.
Comm. for 2006/07.
6. The Faculty will develop a mentoring system for undergraduate students, building on the
role of the Student-Staff Liaison Committee.
7. The Vice Dean’s Committee for Programmes and Teaching is looking at examination
systems and grading processes in the Faculty and contributing to the University’s current
review of student assessment systems. All appropriate improvements within the remit of
the Faculty will be implemented before the summer examinations of 2004.
8. The Faculty will continue to have an active relationship with CELT in developing
teaching excellence and pedagogy and schemes to reward excellence in teaching.
9. The Faculty had an orientation and induction day for new postgraduate researchers in
September 2003 and a series of short courses related to generic skills and concepts to be
taken by Ph.D. candidates has been established. A workshop for dissertation supervisors
in the Faculty is being prepared for a date towards the end of the year.
10. The Vice Dean for Research will work with the Faculty Research Committee to:
•
Establish a Faculty Newsletter highlighting research, teaching and professional
accomplishments of the academic staff
•
Establish a Faculty wide working papers series
•
Institute a public displays (show case) of books, monographs and refereed journal
articles etc. by Faculty staff.
•
Develop and facilitate high quality research output in the Faculty, allied to
tangible measures and criteria for success in meeting this objective.
11. The Faculty will work closely with the Vice President for Physical Resources and the
Development Office to identify external funding opportunities to support the Faculty
building and development programmes.
12. The Faculty office will develop a strong working partnership with the Placement Office
to provide effective placements for students and continuous re-evaluation of the need
and feasibility of placement in the different programmes.
13. A Faculty Development and Promotion Committee has been formed, chaired by the
relevant Vice Dean, to develop Faculty policy and guidelines regarding Faculty
brochures and marketing activities.
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3.2 Action plan for University Management:
1. The Registrar confirmed that the 1st and 2nd phases of the extensions to the St.
Anthony’s building will take place simultaneously.
2. The Registrar agreed with the need to recruit a postgraduate officer for the
Commerce Faculty, to be in place by September 2003. In the interim, the Director of
Quality will make funds available to support a person to help out in the Faculty
Office in the short term.
3. The Registrar agreed with the need to address the issue of age profile and to develop
a strategy for bringing in more senior academic staff, as needed, to achieve the aims
and objectives of the Faculty, stating that the University is open to recruiting at
whatever grade is seen as appropriate.
4. The Director of Quality agreed that the B. Comm. Degree Programme will be
reviewed in the academic year 2003 – 2004.
5. The Dean of Research is actively working with the Quality Office and CELT on
Ph.D. Programmes and is currently organising an NUI, Galway Workshop on ‘best
practice’ for Ph.D. students, which will take place in September 2003. This is part of
NUI Galway’s participation in an IUQB sectoral project.
6. The Director of Quality will work to develop more efficient working relationships
and information systems with central administration offices.
Approved by: Dean of Commerce, Professor R Green, 21 October 2003
Approved by: Dean of Research, Professor G Hurley, 24 October 2003
Approved by: Registrar, Professor J Browne, 29 October 2003
Approved by: Director of CELT, Dr I MacLaren, 6 November 2003
Finalised: 6 November 2003, Jim Gosling, Director of Quality
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