Registrars Email

If you are having difficulty reading this email, click here for an online version.

UCD Education Strategy

Academic Council Working group on Academic Governance

University Quality Review

Lifelong Learning at UCD

Improvements to Academic Promotions process at Senior Lecturer level

UCD Policy on Repeats and Re-sits:

UCD Registry

ICCM

Have your say!

Dear Colleague,

Welcome to the first bulletin of 2008. Following a successful assessment session, we start the year with news of the highest award of any of the Universities or Institutes of Technology (€13.79m), in round II of the HEA’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).A key feature of our successful proposal was our participation in the Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance, which was awarded €40m in total across the 8 participating institutions (UCD, TCD, NUIM, DCU, DIT, IT Tallaght, IT Blanchardstown and IADT Dun Laoghaire). The DRHEA brings together expertise across the Dublin region to support staff in their teaching, move forward with inter-institutional graduate education and create greater capacity to support increasingly diverse student populations. Further funding is anticipated to support Internationalisation and Management Information Systems. I look forward to working with colleagues here and our partners in Dublin region institutions on funded activities, and would extend my thanks to those who worked so hard to develop our winning proposal.

In this bulletin, you will find information and updates on a range of developments within Academic Affairs, both strategic and operational in nature. I encourage you to familiarise yourself with these developments and I will keep you informed of progress in important areas such as, for example, our developing Education Strategy and our policy on student repeat and re-sit assessments.

Understanding and meeting the challenges of Higher Education globally and locally requires the recognition of, and information-sharing on, good and best practice where it is found. Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, Director of the Australian Griffith Institute of Higher Education recently addressed a wide UCD audience on internationally-recognised problems of student engagement and student support, particularly in the first year of study. Copies of Kerri-Lee’s presentation can be found on my website: http://www.ucd.ie/registrar/documents/KrauseUCD2008.pdf.

UCD’s efforts in understanding and addressing these problems were recently highlighted at the inaugural Universitas 21 Teaching & Learning conference co-hosted by UCD and the University of Glasgow. Conference attendees heard from our Fellows in Teaching and Academic Development on their current research in the First Year Experience. You can find out more about the Fellows’ work by clicking on http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicpolicy/fellowship/index.html

I hope you find the bulletin useful. I am always keen to hear your feedback and ideas, so please do let me have your thoughts.

Dr. Philip Nolan,
Registrar

	UCD Education Strategy The UCD Education Strategy for the 2009–13 period is in development. A full consultation process on the Framework including a Vision statement, Aims, and Key Principles and overarching Strategy has taken place and feedback presented to Academic Council. Further work will follow on specific initiatives and actions that will form the road-map for educational development over the next UCD Strategic Planning period. For further details, please click on www.ucd.ie/registrar/educationstrategy << BACK TO TOP
	Academic Council Working group on Academic Governance The Academic Council Working group on Academic Governance is putting forward recommendations to facilitate better governance and management of Subjects and Disciplines at UCD. The Recommendations have now been adopted by Academic Council, and cover i) the recognition of Subject areas within Schools ii) academic management structures within Schools iii) the role of the Professor iv) the formation and status of Academic Centres and v) the composition of Academic Council. For further details, please click on http://www.ucd.ie/registry/academicpolicy/acgov_summary.pdf. << BACK TO TOP
	University Quality Review The Academic Council Standing Committee on Quality has been re-constituted for one year, pending the review of the committees reporting to Academic Council. The Standing Committee will oversee the reactivation of the University’s quality activities during 2008. A framework for the pilot 2008 quality reviews was agreed at its last meeting, and the Quality Office is currently revising operational policy and procedures to support the implementation of the review processes. Preparation for review has already commenced in the UCD School of Law and the UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics, with site visits scheduled in April and May. The overseas review of Business related degree programmes in Hong Kong and Singapore, will be completed in early March. Dr Mark Richardson, Head of School of Architecture, Landscape and Civil Engineering will chair this review. Ms Bronwyn Molony was appointed to the post of Deputy Director of Quality in January 2008, and will oversee reviews in academic, administrative and service units. << BACK TO TOP
	Lifelong Learning at UCD The Strategic Working Group has met to consider current provision and support for Lifelong Learning, with a view to recommending how our institutional commitments in this area can be most effectively delivered upon. The group has engaged with international expert, Professor John Field, and I will keep you informed of progress in this area. << BACK TO TOP
	Improvements to Academic Promotions process at Senior Lecturer level The UCAATP agreed changes to improve the application form, the clarity of the benchmarks and of the decision-making process for the senior lecturer promotions round 2008. The round is now advertised on the UCD HR website. Medium-longer terms recommendations have also been proposed for implementation in future rounds. Further information is available from the HR Promotions office. << BACK TO TOP
	UCD Policy on Repeats and Re-sits: A Working group has been established to review the current UCD Policy on Repeats and Re-sits. The Group is being chaired by the Dean of Arts, Dr Joe Brady and reports to an Oversight Group which I chair and which includes staff and student union representatives. I will keep you updated on this important area of work. << BACK TO TOP
	UCD Registry I would encourage you all to take the time to look at the Online User’s Guide to Academic Regulations which is available on the Academic Policy and Programme Development website. The Online User’s Guide to Academic Regulations was designed to help students and staff navigate their way through the Academic Regulations governing Undergraduate Programmes and Taught Graduate Programmes. Please click on www.ucd.ie/registry/academicpolicy/user_guide_home.htm to view the online guide. Assessment and Logistics are preparing for Semester 2 Examinations and I know many of you have been contacted requesting information to allow them compile the Semester 2 Examination Timetable. I would ask you to ensure you comply with the deadlines to ensure that the final Semester 2 Examination timetable is published for all students and staff on March 31st 2008 as promised. All student applications to UCD for September 2008 entry onwards, other than CAO will be made via UCD Online Applications facility. Paper or electronic SRI forms are no longer available. All applications are now online. A small number of applications come through other routes eg: PAC. Please see www.ucd.ie/apply for further details. The Grade Approvals Process Working Group has been set up to review the existing Grade Approvals Process and related activities for Undergraduate and Taught Graduate Degree Programmes. The working group will report to an Oversight Group which I chair and which also involves the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Dean of Graduate Studies. UCD will be well represented by Student Recruitment at the Fás Opportunities 2008 Exhibition in Croke Park. UCD has a general stand and all programme and student life areas have been invited to volunteer to help staff the stand over the four days of the event. In addition to off campus activities, UCD Campus Tours are now in full swing and Student Recruitment have approximately 2 – 3 schools booked in for every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from now until the end of April 08. The Information Capture and Curriculum Management 2008 process is well underway. Schools and Programmes are reviewing their module and programme offerings with Registry (SySDEM and APPD) working in close support. For more information please check http://www.ucd.ie/registry/sysdem/ICCM2008.html. << BACK TO TOP
	Have your say: I am very interested in your thoughts on how we can improve the effectiveness of our communications with you. Please click this feedback button share your and ideas on how we can work together to make this happen: << BACK TO TOP