QAQE arrangements in CLS

1
QA/QE arrangements in CLS

• Dr Jim Elliott
• Dean of the School of Life Sciences Learning
  Teaching
• College of Life Sciences Head of Learning
  Teaching

2
Apologies from

• Prof Pete Downes previously Head of College,
  now Acting Principal
• Prof Mike Ferguson Acting Head of College and
  Dean of the School of Life Sciences Research
  (previous engagement)
• Mr Ian Leith College Secretary (previous
  engagement)

3
CLS Structure see briefing note

• Two Schools, Life Sciences Learning Teaching
  (LSLT) and Life Sciences Research (LSRE)
• The Dean of LSLT also acts as the College Head of
  Learning Teaching
• Overall responsibility for all UG and TPG
  teaching-related matters rests with LSLT. PhD
  students are the responsibility of LSRE
• School Board of LSLT has as full members staff
  from LSRE in their capacities as Programme Board
  heads etc
• College-level committee (College Academic
  Standards Committee or CASC) filters academic
  standards issues before they are put to the full
  School Board
• There is also a Taught Postgraduate Committee
  (convenorship under review)

4
UG/TPG student representation

• The LSLT Board has the School Student President
  and Deputy President as members plus a
  representative from the TPG students. The
  Student President also sits on CASC. They and the
  TPG representative are members of College Board
• Staff-student liaison committees are chaired by
  respective Year Heads, attended by all student
  module reps plus SSP meet once a semester

5
The route to Senate

• (1) School Board (often through CASC or Liaison
  Cttees)
• (2) College Board
• (3) Senate

6
QA reporting

• Module monitoring report module leader, School
  Secretary, module teaching teams
• Programme monitoring report those focussing on
  the graduating class are completed by the
  relevant programme leader, supported by the
  School Secretary and members of the programme
  board.
• Overviews of issues etc from all modules at
  Levels 1 and 2 (combined) and 3 and 4 (combined)
  are then compiled by the respective Heads of
  Levels 12 and of Levels 34.
• School Learning Teaching Development Plan Dean
  of LSLT, with normal support.
• College Learning Teaching Strategy Initially,
  College Head of Learning Teaching (who is also
  Dean of LSLT).
• Until his retirement in August 2007, Dr Martyn
  Ward, a past head of department (Anatomy
  Physiology) and Director of Undergraduate
  Teaching for the Faculty of Life Sciences, acted
  as Head of Quality Assurance for Life Sciences
  (UG TPG). Since that time, these
  responsibilities have been shared between Dr
  Nicholas Brewer and the current Dean of LSLT.
  They are both members of the Senate Academic
  Quality Committee.

7
Appeals

• The Dean of LSLT chairs the School (College)
  Termination of Studies Committee
• Removal of DPs is the responsibility of the
  relevant Year Head. The Dean can therefore
  consider any appeals
• The Dean of LSLT initially considers any other
  appeals

8
Quality Enhancement

• QE comes from people, not committees
• Huge input to enhancement from staff at all
  levels
• Particular mention of Dr Benwell and Dr
  Whitfield, hugely experienced Year Heads who have
  seen and deal with an enormous range of issues
• Staff development and succession planning is a
  major consideration

9
Why have this structure?

• If you want teaching informed by research at the
  highest level, you need a structure which
  supports research at the highest level
• Discuss the implications of that statement for
  teaching