MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Associate Dean Roles
1.
Associate Dean roles are normally held in combination with a Head of
Department or a Head of School role and this is reflected in the job descriptions
for such posts. Associate Deans provide leadership and co-ordination for a
particular thematic area of work within a faculty. The duties normally include
chairing relevant faculty committees and groups and acting as the faculty’s senior
representative on the equivalent University-level bodies.
2.
The following Associate Dean roles are common across most faculties:
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Associate Dean for Student Experience;
Associate Dean for Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Quality;
Associate Dean for Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE);
Associate Dean for International
3.
Faculties may identify other Associate Dean roles in addition to these that are
needed in order to meet particular faculty requirements. Such roles are agreed
between Deans and the relevant Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
4.
A suggested remit for each Associate Dean role is set out below. For each
aspect of their remit, the expectation is that Associate Deans will:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(iv)
be aware of current practice within the faculty;
recognise areas of strength and areas where improvement is required;
drive improvement and enhancement;
represent the faculty on relevant University committees and groups.
The Associate Deans within a faculty will also work together to ensure that the
necessary connections are made between their respective remits and that
interfaces are adequately covered.
5.
Associate Deans for Student Experience will be concerned with:
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the recruitment and admission of students;
widening participation, inclusion and diversity;
the induction of new and returning students;
the pastoral support of students;
timetabling and student engagement monitoring
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student retention;
the MMU Commitment and the student voice;
faculty-level engagement with, and responses to, internal and external
surveys of student views;
employability, including placements, work-related learning, enterprise and
entrepreneurship, and oversight of the work of the Faculty Employability
Co-ordinator and the Faculty Employability Team.
They will also be the lead point of contact within the faculty for professional
services that support the student experience.
Within the current Academic Board committee structure, they will be members of
the University Student Experience Committee.
6.
Associate Deans for Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Quality will be
concerned with:
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innovation in the faculty’s academic portfolio;
programme and curriculum management, design and development;
the assessment of students;
academic progression and success for students;
the physical and virtual learning environment;
quality assurance and enhancement, including:
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faculty engagement with key University quality enhancement
processes, particularly CMI and TPI;
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faculty engagement with external quality assurance and enhancement
processes, for example, QAA Higher Education Review;
collaborative provision that is supported by the faculty;
the continuing professional development of academic staff, including
probation and observation of teaching.
They will also be the lead point of contact within the faculty for professional
services that support teaching, learning, assessment and quality.
Within the current Academic Board committee structure, they will be members of
the University Academic Quality and Standards Committee.
Associate Deans for Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Quality will work
closely with Associate Deans Student Experience in areas of close overlap, and
may (be required to) attend the Student Experience Committee.
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7.
Associate Deans for Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) will be
concerned with:
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leadership and management of research and knowledge exchange activities
within the faculty including:
o developing and implementing robust procedures for reviewing individual
performance
o Monitoring research performance of research centres and groups
against 3 or 5 year plans
the postgraduate research environment, PGR and post-doctoral commitment
the recruitment and development of research and knowledge exchange active
academic staff
faculty wide compliance with open access and research data storage
research and knowledge exchange workloads ensuring accountability and
equitability
maximising the impact of faculty based research and supporting technology
transfer
REF preparedness
development and implementation of the faculty research and knowledge
exchange strategy and delivery of KPIs
They will also be the lead point of contact within the faculty for professional
services that support research and knowledge exchange.
They will also be members of the RKE Associate Dean network.
They will also be the lead point of contact within the faculty for professional
services that support research and knowledge exchange.
8.
Associate Deans for International will be concerned with:
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Leading the strategic implementation of the MMU International Strategy
at the Faculty level including:
o the recruitment and admissions of overseas students to MMU
including overseas student progression and programme
development
o the development of transnational education programmes overseas
o internationalisation of research and knowledge exchange
o internationalisation of degree programme curriculum and
approaches to teaching and learning
o student mobility overseas for study or work
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ensuring key developments relating to MMU’s International Strategy are
disseminated within the Faculty and with external partners where
appropriate, raising awareness and encouraging good practice
They will also be the lead point of contact within the faculty for MMU International,
and other professional services that support the University’s international work.
Within the University’s current committee structure, they will be members of the
International Strategy Committee.
February 2014
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