Institute of Technology Tallaght Self-Evaluation Report
Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards
Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards:
Research Degrees Level 9 and 10 Contents
2 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 13 1.1 Foreword 14 1.2 Rationale for the Pursuit of Research 15 1.2.1 National Context 15 1.2.2 Institute Development 19 1.3 Delegated Authority for Research Degrees 21 1.3.1 Context and Justification for the Institute’s Application 21 1.3.2 Selection of Areas for the Delegated Authority Application 22 1.4 The Submission Document 23 1.5 The Self-Evaluation Process 26
PART ONE OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT 29
CHAPTER 2 INSTITUTE MISSION AND PROFILE 31 2.1 Mission and Purpose 32 2.2 Values and Objectives 32 2.3 Context and History 34 2.4 Regional Profile 34 2.5 Growth and Development of the Institute 35 2.6 Evolution of Research 37 2.6.1 Establishment of Research (1992 -1997) 41 2.6.2 Research Prioritisation and Strategic Development (1998 – 2001) 41 2.6.3 A Period of Rapid Development for Research (2002-2007) 41 2.6.4 Significant Research Milestones 42
CHAPTER 3 GOVERNANCE, ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION 47 3.1 Legislative Framework 48 3.1.1 Regional Technical Colleges Acts 48 3.1.2 Institutes of Technology Act 2006 49 3.1.3 The Higher Education Authority 49 3.2 Corporate Governance 50 3.3 Institutional Governance 51 3.3.1 Governing Body 51 3.3.2 Academic Council 52 3.4 Institute Management Structure 57 3.5 Management Groups 59 3.5.1 Senior Management Team 59 3.5.2 Total Management Team 60 3.5.3 General Committees 60 3.6 Research Management & Organisational Structure 61 3.6.1 Research and Development sub-Committee 62 3.6.2 Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee 62
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3.6.3 Ethics sub-Committee 62 3.6.4 Academic Management of Research 63 3.6.5 Operational Management of Research 63 3.7 Academic Administration Organisation 64 3.7.1 Administrative Support for Research in the Office of the Registrar 65 3.7.2 Administrative Support for Research in the Development & External Services Office 65 3.7.3 Administrative Support for Research in the Finance Department 66 3.8 Audits and Reviews of Management and Administrative Operations 66 3.8.1 Internal Audits by Consultant Auditors 67 3.8.2 Periodic Institutional Audits 68 3.8.3 Audit of the Comptroller & Auditor General 68 3.8.4 Internal Audit Sub-Committee of Governing Body 68 3.8.5 Management Quality Review Group 69 3.8.6 Internal Peer Audit 69 3.9 Management and Governance National Context 69 3.10 Future Directions on Management Capacity in the Institute Sector 70
CHAPTER 4 PLANNING AND EVALUATION 73 4.1 Strategic Planning in Higher Education 74 4.2 Institute Planning Processes 75 4.3 Development of the Institute Strategic Plan 76 4.4 Strategic Plan Implementation and Evaluation 78 4.5 Research Planning and Development of an Institute Research Strategy 81 4.6 Research Strategy 2008 – 2013 82 4.6.1 Research Mission 82 4.6.2 Research Prioritisation 82 4.6.3 Future Strategy for Research Programmes 83 4.6.4 Innovation and Enterprise Support 84 4.6.5 Technology Transfer 84 4.6.6 Broadening Strategic Alliances 85 4.6.7 The Research – Teaching Linkage 85 4.6.8 Strategic Goals 86
CHAPTER 5 ACADEMIC AND STAFF POLICIES 95 5.1 Policy Framework 96 5.2 Academic Policies 96 5.2.1 Institute Admissions Policy 97 5.2.2 Transfer and Progression Arrangements 97 5.2.3 Exemptions Policy for Accredited Prior Certified Learning 98 5.2.4 Continuous Assessment Policy 99 5.2.5 External Examiners 99 5.3 Guidelines on the Promotion of Equality of Opportunity 99 5.4 Access Policy 100 5.5 Provision for the Protection of Learners 100 5.6 Staff and General Operational Policies 101 5.7 Development of Policies for Research 102
4 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
5.7.1 Institute Research Policy Statement 102 5.7.2 Intellectual Property Policy 102 5.7.3 Ethics Policy 102 5.8 Adult and Continuing Education Policy 103 5.9 Communications Processes and Institute Policies on Consultation and Co-Operation 104 5.9.1 Communications Processes 104 5.9.2 Institute-wide Consultation and Co-Operation 105 5.9.3 External Consultation and Co-Operation 106 5.10 Staff Training and Development Policies and Overview 107 5.10.1 Management of Training and Development 107 5.10.2 Staff Training & Development: Teaching & Learning 108 5.10.3 Staff Training & Development: Research 109 5.10.4 Institute Support for Staff Conducting Postgraduate Studies 110 5.10.5 Other Staff Training & Development 110
CHAPTER 6 FACILITIES AND RESOURCES FOR TEACHING AND RESEARCH 113 6.1 Campus Environment 114 6.2 Campus Development Plans 115 6.3 Research Facilities and Resources 116 6.3.1 Current Research Facilities by Department 117 6.3.2 Centre of Applied Science for Health 119 6.3.3 Future Plans for Additional Research Facilities 121 6.4 Library and Information Resources 122 6.4.1 Library Organisation and Staff 123 6.4.2 Library Collection Profile 124 6.4.3 Dedicated Library Facilities and Information Resources for Researchers 125 6.4.4 Library Committee 127 6.4.5 Links with Other Libraries 127 6.4.6 Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) 127 6.5 Information Technology Facilities and Resources 128 6.5.1 Staffing 129 6.5.2 Network Infrastructure 129 6.5.3 Security 130 6.5.4 Other IT Resources 131 6.5.5 Management Information Systems (MIS) 132 6.5.6 Recent Developments in Computing Services 134 6.5.7 Student Support Service 134 6.5.8 Additional Information Technology Services for Postgraduate Researchers 135 6.5.9 Printing & Copying Services for Postgraduate Researchers 136 6.6 Financial Resources and Management 136 6.6.1 Services Provided by the Finance Office 137 6.6.2 Finance Staff 137 6.6.3 Institute Finances 138 6.6.4 Financial Returns 138 6.6.5 Internal and External Audits 139
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6.6.6 Research Support 139
CHAPTER 7 LEARNER SUPPORTS AND SERVICES 141 7.1 Learner Supports 143 7.1.1 Mentorlink 144 7.1.2 FLASHE 145 7.1.3 MAP 145 7.1.4 One Step Up 145 7.1.5 Centre for Learning and Teaching (CeLT) 146 7.1.6 E-Learning Supports 148 7.1.7 Collaborative Network for Innovation in Teaching and Inclusive Education 149 7.1.8 Department of Lifelong Learning and Student Support Services 151 7.2 Learner Services 154 7.3 Additional Researcher Supports and Services 157 7.3.1 Postgraduate Scholarships 157 7.3.2 Statistics Support 158 7.3.3 Career Planning Workshop for Postgraduate Students 159 7.3.4 Academic English Support for Postgraduate Researchers 159 7.4 Strategic Innovation Funded Projects 160 7.5 Researcher Training & Skills Development 161 7.5.1 Induction Training 163 7.5.2 Generic & Discipline Specific Training 165 7.5.3 Future Plans for Training of Postgraduate Researchers 169 7.5.4 4th Level Education Provision 170 7.6 Innovation and Enterprise Support 174 7.6.1 Synergy Centre 175 7.6.2 The M50 Enterprise Platform Programme 178 7.7 New Initiatives for Graduate Education and Institute-wide Research Support 178 7.7.1 Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy 178 7.7.2 The Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance. (DRHEA) 179
CHAPTER 8 PUBLIC RESPONSIBILITY AND INTEGRITY 185 8.1 Financial Reports and Accounts 186 8.2 The Towards 2016 Partnership Process and Interactive Governance 186 8.3 Communications and Publications 187 8.4 Marketing and Public Affairs Office 187 8.4.1 Public Affairs Section 187 8.4.2 Marketing Section 188 8.5 Freedom of Information 191 8.5.1 Institute Obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 191 8.5.2 Freedom of Information Requests 192 8.5.3 Role of Information Officer 192 8.5.4 Development of Standard Operating Procedures 193 8.5.5 Freedom of Information Training 193 8.6 Health, Safety & Welfare 194 8.7 Promotion of Research 195
6 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
8.7.1 Research Awareness 195 8.7.2 Promotion of Research 196 8.7.3 Research Dissemination 196
PART TWO EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES 199
CHAPTER 9 TAUGHT PROGRAMME PROFILE 201 9.1 Introduction 202 9.2 Disciplines of Study and Programme Portfolio 202 9.3 Programme Structure 208 9.3.1 Routes to Award 209 9.3.2 Collaborative Programmes 210 9.4 Student Numbers and Demographics 211 9.5 Learner Diversity 215 9.6 Student Recruitment 216 9.7 Transfer and Progression 221 9.7.1 Transfer Arrangements: Taught Programmes 221 9.7.2 Progression Arrangements 221 9.8 Completion Rates 222
CHAPTER 10 RESEARCH DEGREE ENROLMENTS AND GRADUATES 225 10.1 Postgraduate Enrolments 226 10.1.1 Historical Information 227 10.1.2 Current Live Register 231 10.1.3 New Enrolments and Future Trends 232 10.1.4 Non-Completion 232 10.1.5 Student Demographics on Entry to Research Programmes 233 10.1.6 Numbers of Research Active Staff/Supervisors 235 10.2 Graduation Numbers 238 10.2.1 Graduation Statistics and Analysis 1996 – 2007 238 10.2.2 Submissions for 2008 Graduation 241 10.2.3 Destination of Graduates 1996 – 2007 241 10.3 Impact of Research on Teaching and Learning 242 10.3.1 Research in the Teaching and Learning 243 10.3.2 Impact of Research on Undergraduate Programmes 244
CHAPTER 11 RESEARCH FUNDING AND AREAS OF EXPERTISE 247 11.1 Sources of Funding for Research 248 11.1.1 External Funding 248 11.1.2 Internal Research Funding 257 11.2 Performance Indicators 258 11.3 Institute Designated Research Centres 260 11.3.1 Bio-pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Research Centre (BPNR) 260 11.3.2 Centre for Pharmaceutical Research & Development (CPRD) 261
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11.3.3 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute Centre for Spectroscopy (NMRics) 263 11.3.4 Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology (CREATE) 265 11.3.5 Centre of Microbial Host Interactions (CMHI) 266 11.3.6 Bioengineering Technology Centre (BTC) 268 11.3.7 The National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies (NCFIS) 271 11.4 New Research Centres 273 11.4.1 Centre of Applied Science for Health (CASH Centre) 273 11.4.2 Microsensors for Clinical Research + Analysis Centre (MiCRA) 279 11.5 National Research Centres 281 11.5.1 National Centre for Plasma Science & Technology (NCPST) 281 11.5.2 National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) 281 11.5.3 National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) 281 11.5.4 National Pharmaceutical Education Centre 282 11.5.5 Centre for Applied Microelectronics (CAM) 282 11.6 Research Groups 282 11.7 Postdoctoral Researchers 286 11.8 Consultancy Related Research 287
CHAPTER 12 QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEMS 289 12.1 Introduction 289 12.2 Institute Quality Assurance Structure 290 12.3 Institute Quality Manual 292 12.4 Institute Quality Management System 293 12.5 Academic Quality Assurance Procedures 295 12.5.1 Procedures for Design and Approval of New Programmes, Subjects and Modules 296 12.5.2 Procedures for the Assessment of Learners 296 12.5.3 Procedures for Ongoing Monitoring of Programmes 297 12.5.4 Procedures for Evaluation of Each Programme at Regular Intervals 297 12.5.5 Procedures for Selection, Appointment, Appraisal and Development of Staff 297 12.5.6 Procedures for Evaluating Premises, Equipment and Facilities 298 12.5.7 Procedures for Evaluating Services Related to Programmes of Higher Education and Training 298 12.5.8 Procedures for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Procedures 299 12.5.9 Programmatic Review Process and Procedures 301 12.5.10 Institutional Review Process and Procedures 301 12.6 Continuous Improvement 303 12.7 Standard Operating Procedures 303 12.8 Research Quality Assurance Framework 304 12.8.1 The Postgraduate Research Board 306 12.8.2 Monitoring the Quality of Research Degree Programmes 306 12.9 Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes 308 12.9.1 External Research Funding Application Procedure 309 12.9.2 Postgraduate Recruitment & Selection Process 309 12.9.3 Selection & Appointment of Supervisors 310 12.9.4 Admissions to Research Degrees 310
8 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
12.9.5 Transfer Arrangements: Masters to Doctoral Degrees 312 12.9.6 Procedures for Monitoring Research Progress 312 12.9.7 Annual Assessment Review 314 12.9.8 Notice of Intention to Submit for Examination 315 12.9.9 Submission and Examination Process 315 12.9.10 Feedback, Complaints & Appeals Procedures 316 12.9.11 Procedures for Dealing with Research Misconduct 318 12.10 Research Ethics Process and Procedures 318 12.10.1 The Research Ethics Committee 318 12.10.2 Procedure for Submitting an Application for Ethics Review 321 12.10.3 Multi-centre studies 323
PART THREE THE DELEGATED AUTHORITY PROCESS AND CONSULTATION 325
CHAPTER 13 DELEGATED AUTHORITY APPLICATION & EVALUATION: TAUGHT PROGRAMMES 327 13.1 The Delegated Authority Application 2006 328 13.2 The HETAC Evaluation Process 328 13.3 HETAC Grants Delegated Authority Status 330 13.4 Evaluation Group Report and Findings 331 13.5 Institute Response to Issues Highlighted in the Findings 332
CHAPTER 14 RESEARCH ACCREDITATION PROCESS 335 14.1 Introduction 336 14.2 Commitment to Supervisory Training 338 14.3 General Criteria Comments in Findings & Institute Responses 339 14.4 Research Environment Comments in Findings & Institute Responses 341 14.4.1 Biology and Chemistry 341 14.4.2 Engineering 345 14.4.3 Computing 348
CHAPTER 15 IMPLEMENTING DELEGATED AUTHORITY: NEW PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT 353 15.1 Stages in New Programme Development 354 15.1.1 Stage One: Initiation of a New Course 354 15.1.2 Stage Two: Management Strategic Review 356 15.1.3 Stage Three: Internal Review 357 15.1.4 Stage Four: External Review 357 15.1.5 Stage 5: Final Approval 358 15.2 Process for Minor, Special Purpose and Supplemental Awards 360 15.3 Procedures for Modifications to Existing Programmes 361 15.3.1 Minor Change Process 361 15.3.2 Major Change Process 361 15.4 New Programmes Validated and Approved Under Delegated Authority 362 15.4.1 Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical Engineering 362 15.4.2 Bachelor of Arts (Hons) In Advertising And Marketing Communications 364
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15.4.3 Higher Certificate In Science In Bio & Pharmaceutical Analysis 367 15.4.4 Bachelor Of Science (Hons) In Information Technology Management 370 15.4.5 Higher Diploma In Business Marketing Management 372 15.5 New Programmes under Development 373
CHAPTER 16 CONDITIONS ATTACHED TO DELEGATED AUTHORITY 375 16.1 Introduction 376 16.2 Graduation Arrangements 376 16.3 Co-operation with HETAC 377 16.4 Procedures for the Assessment of Learners 377 16.5 Access, Transfer and Progression Procedures 378 16.6 Consultation 378 16.7 Provision of Informaation to HETAC 379
CHAPTER 17 OBJECTS OF THE QUALIFICATIONS ACT 1999 381 17.1 Support for the Development of a System for the Co-ordination and Comparison of Higher Education and Training Awards 382 17.3 Promotion of Lifelong learning 385 17.4 Recognition of Knowledge, Skill or Competence Acquired 386 17.5 Contribution to the Realisation of National Education and Training Policies 386 17.6 Co-operation with other Providers 387 17.7 Promotion of Diversity within Higher Education and Training 387 17.8 Contribution to the Realisation of National Policy and Objectives in Relation to the Extension of Bi-lingualism in Irish society 388
CHAPTER 18 THE SELF-STUDY PROCESS AND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION 391 18.1 Phase 1: Initial Self-Evaluation Process and Stakeholder Consultation 392 18.2 Phase 2: Follow-on Self-Evaluation Process for Research Accreditation and Stakeholder Consultation 394 18.2.1 Self-Evaluation Process for Research Accreditation 395 18.2.2 Stakeholder Involvement for Research Accreditation 395 18.2.3 Research SWOT Analysis 2006 396 18.2.4 Consultative Meetings with Academic Staff 398 18.2.5 Consultative Meetings with Postgraduate Students 399 18.2.6 Consultation with External Stakeholders 399 18.3 Phase 3: Updated Self-Study and Stakeholder Consultation 403 18.3.1 Internal Process and Consultations 403 18.3.2 External Consultation 403 18.4 Conclusion 403
Appendices 404 Appendix 1 Institute Research Charter 406 Appendix 2 Intellectual Property Policy 407 Appendix 3 Ethics Policy & Code Of Conduct For Researchers 418 Appendix 4 In-House Academic Researcher / Supervisor Training Events 2007 421 Appendix 5 Research Supervision Workshop Programme 422
10 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Appendix 6 Library Resources For Research 423 Appendix 7 Hetac Leve 9/10 Standards & Where They Are Met In Research Degree Programmes 425 Appendix 8 List Of Current Research Degree Students 427 Appendix 9 First Destination Of Research Degree Graduates 432 Appendix 10 HEA Research Facilities Enhancement 435 Appendix 11 List Of Academic Members In The Centre Of Applied Science For Health 436 Appendix 12 Standard Operating Procedures For Research 438 Appendix 13 Minutes Of Meeting With Research Students January 2008 439
11 Contents
12 Chapter 1
Introduction
13 Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Foreword The Institute of Technology Tallaght is a diverse and dynamic education establishment. It provides flexible educational opportunities and provides taught and research programmes which reflect current and emerging knowledge and practices of relevance to the regional economy and society. Our aim is to make a major contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of South Dublin County, where the Institute is based. It is our belief that the presence of the Institute in the region, and the quality of our graduates, has been a prime driver in the development of the region overall.
An Institute-wide quality system has been put in place to ensure consistent and fair standards are maintained. Performance is regularly reviewed through critical self-evaluation. It was awarded delegated authority for taught programmes up to and including Masters Level in 2006. This is a sign of that the Institute has matured in the 15 years of operation to take responsibility, and be accountable, for its own programmes from inception to award.
The Institute has been steadily building a solid reputation as one of the leading Institutes of Technology in the areas of Research and Innovation. The Institute recognises that a research culture is conducive to the success of its educational and training programmes, since research and teaching are closely inter related. Therefore, research is a mainstream activity. It also strives to maximise its impact on the local economy by engaging in collaborative research with industry and business, and supporting innovative concepts. This is emphasised in the Institute’s Strategic Plan 2005 - 2008. The presence of the Synergy Centre on campus significantly strengthens the capacity of the Institute in the arenas of enterprise development, commercialisation of research and technology transfer.
A number of important initiatives have been undertaken to ensure the realisation of the goals outlined for research in the Strategic Plan, for example the development of the concept of Institute Research Centres and internal funding scholarships for postgraduate researchers. These have helped to enhance the quality of research being carried out, something that is reflected in the increased research income secured from external funding agencies in recent years and is evidenced annually in steadily increasing output of research graduates at both Masters and PhD levels.
It is recognised that the rapid development of our national research capacity is critical to meet Government and EU targets and that a collective “step-up” is required. The Institutes with 50% of all new entrants to higher education in Ireland,1 and a track record of collaboration with industry, have expertise and potential capacity to play a central role in building Ireland’s knowledge economy. All aspects of research are pursued from the fundamental seeking of new knowledge, through to development, innovation and technology transfer at the Institute of Technology Tallaght. The Institute has demonstrated it has the capacity to deliver highly skilled researchers for the national economy and play a significant role in the creation of a knowledge economy as well by publishing research of the highest international standards.
1 Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy, Report from IOTI and DIT, 2007.
14 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Since its foundation in 1992 the Institute has developed a strong reputation as an Institute that conducts high quality research. From modest beginnings it has grown to be a third level college with 2,300 full-time students, 1,700 part-time students, 80 post graduate researchers and a range of in-company bespoke training initiatives. As a higher education and training provider it is committed to the provision of high quality research degree programmes from which it aspires to deliver graduates ready to meet the needs of business, industry, the public sector and society. Following on from the success in securing delegated authority for taught programmes, it seeks now to submit an application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for delegated authority to make its own research awards, namely Masters by Research and Doctoral Degrees in the discipline areas where research has been most active.
1.2 Rationale for the Pursuit of Research
1.2.1 National Context The Institutes of Technology are a dynamic growing part of Irish higher education. They have played a pivotal role in making higher education accessible across in all regions. They are strategically located to give maximum effect to national development priorities in the areas of workforce development, lifelong learning, regional economic development, Research & Development, technology transfer, community, rural and tourism development.2
Indeed the RTC Act of 1992 provided an early clear mandate for all institutions governed by it to engage in research and innovation:
‘To engage in research, consultancy and development work, and to provide such services in these matters as the Governing Body of the Institute considers appropriate.’
Since then, policy makers in Ireland have taken major steps to build expertise in basic research, particularly in science and technology. This catalysed the development of a more strategic and planned approach to research in the context of higher education in the late 1990s which resulted in the launch of initiatives, such as the Technology Foresight Exercise. The Technology Foresight Report3 generated by the ICSTI, the Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, concluded that for Ireland to become an internationally recognised knowledge-based economy it needed a knowledge framework, with appropriate investment, to be formed to grow “world class research capability of sufficient scale in a number of strategic areas within our universities and colleges.” Though ICSTI is concerned with science and technology, the role of the social sciences and the humanities in socio-economic development was stressed in the report as well. The report recommended the concentration of research efforts into Centres of Excellence and more industry-education co-operation, two elements in which this Institute has delivered on successfully to date.
In 2000, high level objectives were agreed by EU Member States in Lisbon, the main one being to make Europe “the world’s most competitive economy” by 2010. A specific target was agreed in Barcelona in 2002 to bring Europe’s investment in research and development to 3% of GDP per annum by 2010 (from approximately 1.8% at the time). Since then growing research capability has become a core component in the National and European drive to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-driven economy.
2 Council of Directors of the Institutes of Technology (2003), Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society-their future positions and roles. 3 Technology Foresight Report, ICSTI, 1999.
15 Chapter 1 Introduction
Expert strategy groups established from 2004 onwards, such as the Expert Group on Future Skills provided advice on the development of action plans to deliver on a strategic approach to research in the context of skills development and training for industry. The importance of research in the context of innovation and enterprise development was outlined in the Irish Action Plan for Promoting Investment in R+D to 20104 in the following statement:
‘Ireland will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research and be at the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, with an innovation driven culture’.
In order to realise this vision, the following actions were recommended; development of a national pro- innovation culture; develop a new approach to R+D support that encourages a systematic and continuous approach to R+D within enterprises; sustain Ireland’s commitment to building an international reputation for research excellence; make Ireland a highly attractive environment for high quality researchers and research centres. The importance of the applications and commercialisation of research were deemed to be central to progress in generating a competitive and dynamic knowledge-driven economy. This Institute has made significant contributions to these actions so far. It has (a) enabled an innovative, sustainable research culture to be developed; (b) created the capacity to attract highly qualified researchers onto the academic staff; (c) generated high quality research degree graduates from its Masters and Doctoral programmes; and (d) set up structures to support the commercialisation of research and the establishment of collaborative industrial links.
The 2004 Enterprise Strategy Report, Ahead of the Curve, identified five key areas in which it believes Ireland can establish competitive advantage in building sustainable enterprise,5 namely: 1. Knowledge of customers and market needs 2. The ability to develop new products and services to satisfy those needs 3. A world-class education and training system that is responsive and flexible and that supplies the skills required by the changing needs of enterprise 4. A competitive taxation regime 5. An effective, agile government system.
The Strategy Report acknowledges Ireland has historically enjoyed a strong reputation for the calibre of its educational system and indicates that it must now adapt to produce the skills to drive future enterprise. It specifically targets the quality and quantity of post-graduates. It recommends
“The proportion of graduates in Ireland should be in the top decile of OECD countries and the quality of awards from the higher education sector should be benchmarked internationally.”
The Institute has consistently delivered high quality research degree programmes. Performance has been monitored by HETAC in that regard along with international panels when securing research funding. A number of our graduates at Doctoral Degree levels have progressed to become Research Fellows in national and internationally renowned Universities/Research Centres, including the Harvard Medical School. The progression of our graduates is presented in Chapter 10.
4 Building Ireland’s Knowledge Economy, The Irish Action Plan for Promoting Investment in R+D to 2010. Report to the Inter Departmental Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation, July 2004. 5 Enterprise Strategy Report, Ahead of the Curve, Ireland’s Place in the Global Economy, July 2004.
16 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The 2004 OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland reinforced many of the recommendations of the Expert Working Groups on the future of the Institutes of Technology. It took the view that research in the Sector should be
“more targeted towards particular areas of applied research so that they can act as technology development partners to industry, especially SMEs, particularly on a regional or even a national basis”.
However, it is difficult to precisely segment ‘basic’ and ‘applied’ research and development. For example, Science Foundation Ireland’s CSET programme has a strong industry-driven focus. While the spend on SFI programmes was rapidly stepped up in that agency’s initial years of operation, the spend on applied research is now increasing faster.
Enterprise Ireland have also stepped up their spend on industrially important research and in 2005 established a new scheme - the Applied Research Enhancement Programme – to increase the research capacity of the Institutes of Technology. The programme provides significant funding to research with potential for commercialisation for a 5 year period.
The Engineering a Knowledge Island 2020 Report (2005) supports the concentration of research efforts into Centres of Excellence6 and makes the following recommendation in relation to advancing engineering research:
“The limited resources of the institutes of technology be used to maximum complimentary effect so that economies of scale, and world-class performance are realised.”
The report also highlights the need to expand educational programmes supporting linkages between industry and third level institutions. A number of industry-related collaborative projects have contributed to new module development in the Engineering School to date.
While participation in research was always encouraged within the Institute Sector, the establishment of the Technological Sector Research (TSR) initiative by the Department of Education and Science in 1996, directed exclusively at the Institutes of Technology, sought to attract more involvement from the Institute Sector academics in research and catered for basic and applied research funding through the Strand 1 and 2 programmes. The core research strengths of the Sector were recognised by the Department in 2000 with the establishment of the TSR Strand 3 programme. A total fund of £30 million (€38 million) was to be made available over the period 2000 – 2006 to support these initiatives.7 The Institute of Technology Tallaght has been one of the most successful Institutes in securing funding through TSR programmes. It secured 11% of the total Strand 1 funding and 13% of the total Strand 3 funding between 2000 – and 2003.8 In 2006 it secured the highest ever number of awards under the TSR programme, a total of 23% of the funding for the year in question.9 A significant number of research outputs have been generated as a result (as presented in Chapter 11).
Recent years have seen an expansion in the area of funding for research through Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI). The PRTLI Impact Assessment Report (2004) recognised the important role the Institutes play in advancing research.10 It highlighted the following as one of its achievements to date:
6 Engineering a Knowledge Island 2020, Irish Academy of Engineering Engineers Ireland, Oct. 2005. 7 Mid Term Review of the Technological Sector Research Initiatives, Mar. 2005. 8 Mid Term Review of the Technological Sector Research Initiatives to the Council of Directors, Mar.2005. 9 Council of Directors 2006 TSR Strand 1 Research Award Listing. 10 The HEA Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) Impact Assessment Report, 2004. 17 Chapter 1 Introduction
“Remarkable advances are being made in getting institutions to work together, including the institutes of technology. We have strong evidence of an emerging collaborative culture between all these institutions.”
This Institute has contributed to these advances and to date has been involved with three PRTLI successful applications in 1999, 2001 and most recently in 2007.
The EU Framework programmes have been a crucially important source of funding in supporting the growth of the Irish research base, and have helped to increase the knowledge and credibility of the Irish research community.
The cumulative reports, surveys and discussion documents have contributed to a new road map for the future development of research and associated strategies,11 as published in June 2006 in the Government Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 - 2013.
The recent developments in national policy are illustrated in Figure 1.1, showing an increased coherence and consistency in the development of interlinked education and enterprise policies.
Strategic Review of Strategic development Strategy for research Commitment of Irish Higher Education of the third level sector excellence that will resources to fund the Sector in the context of underpin an innovation development of fourth Ireland’s ambition as a driven, knowledge level Ireland knowledge economy economy 2004 2005 2006 2007
• OECD Review of • Announcement of • Strategy for Science, • Forfas Research Higher Education Strategic Innovation Technology and Infrastructure • Ahead of the Curve Fund Innovation Report – Ireland’s Place in • Announcement that • PRTLI Round IV the Global Economy the Institutes of (2007-2011) (Forfas) Technology to under • National • Building Ireland’s HEA Development Plan Knowledge Economy (2007-2013) – Action Plan to 2010
Figure 1.1 Summary of the Impact of National Policy upon the Strategic Development of Research.
One of the key aspects of the National Development Plan (2007–2103) includes major investment in education at all levels with a particular emphasis on the 3rd and 4th levels in tandem with continued investment in labour force training and lifelong learning. The Government has placed Research and Development (R&D) at the heart of its economic development strategy in order to build the skills necessary for a modern knowledge based
11 Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Consultation Paper, Sept. 2004; Ahead of the Curve: Ireland’s Place in the Global Economy (Report of the Enterprise Strategy Group), July 2004; Report of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, August 2004; the OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland, 2004; Forfas, Survey of Research and Development in the Higher Education Sector, 2004; Engineering a Knowledge Island 2020, Irish Academy of Engineering Engineers Ireland, Oct. 2005. The European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers, 2005; The 18 HEA/IRCHSS/IRCSET Graduate Education Forum – Key Guiding Principles, published in Feb. 2006. Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
economy and to strengthen our research base. Hence, national funding for research has been increased. The recently launched Government Strategic Innovation Funding Scheme is also being used to enhance research education and training for the needs of the workplace.
The structural changes that have taken place since 2005 will also enhance the research position within the Institute Sector. The Institutes and Universities have been brought under a common funding authority - the Higher Education Authority to facilitate greater collaboration between the two sectors and also “to prevent mission drift in either direction”.
In 2007 Forfás conducted a review of the status of research infrastructure, for the HEA, in the higher-education sector in Ireland. The Forfás Research Infrastructure Report made the following recommendations for future support: • A restructured PRTLI that will accommodate support for new proposals and for existing investments, as well as for pre-determined infrastructures, disciplines or areas, on an open competitive basis; • Re-instatement of the mechanism formerly operated by the HEA for replacement, updating and renewal of research equipment; • Discussion within research groups, and with the HEA and Forfás, of both the general and specificissues pertaining to the development of proposals for future rounds of infrastructure investment; • Establishment of a systematic and periodic process for infrastructure reviews in the future.
The proposed changes will expand the facilities and resources dedicated to research and enhance the development of this Institute further.
1.2.2 Institute Development While knowledge of the application or product is essential to informing fundamental research, the basic research element itself is vital for the advancement of taught educational and training programmes. This is particularly important in the context of the recommendations of the Enterprise Strategy Group, where it recommends that ambitious targets must be set to improve education and skills attainment across all levels, not just in the area of post-graduate research. An active research programme is vital in a dynamic education system seeking to respond to the needs of students, employers and society in general, and in helping educational institutions retain a relevance to the marketplace. Therefore a key ingredient to the Institute’s strategy is that research impacts upon both the teaching activities of the institute as a whole at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. To this end both academic management and lecturing staff at the Institute have been proactive in strengthening the link between research and undergraduate teaching.
It is essential that the strategic development of the courses relevant to the requirements of enterprise and its R&D complement each other. This ensures the maximum use of staff expertise and of resources. Therefore, in order to keep abreast of rapidly emerging concepts and technologies, and to maintain an immediacy and relevance to our courses, it is necessary that those involved in the teaching of our programmes at undergraduate level, particularly at honours degree level of higher be actively involved in research. The flowchart in Figure 1.2 below shows how research informs the content of new and existing modules and courses to enhance the pursuit of educational excellence at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It also shows how research can contribute to industry enhancement.
19 Chapter 1 Introduction
Research Strategy
Postgraduate Final Year UG Existing Courses Research Projects Research New courses Innovation • Undergraduate • Postgraduate
Business & Industry Seminars/Workshops/ • Training Specialist • New Knowledge •Product Development Training Modules
Figure 1.2 Flow-chart showing how research informs teaching and learning.
The rationale for conducting research derives from:
1. High quality track record and reputation of the researchers particularly in Science and Engineering; 2. The evolution of world-class research at the Institute and the reputation of Research Centres of Excellence on campus; 3. The importance of increasing critical mass of researchers in the higher education and training system to sustain the future knowledge economy; 4. National strategic importance of the close-to-market research and innovation culture that already exists in the Institute; 5. The impact on the quality of taught programmes and the provision of industry-specific training; 6. Consistency with the National Policy, Strategy and more locally the Institute Mission and Strategic Plan in the context of enhanced regional development.
The Institute recognises that an active dynamic research culture is essential to its future development as it seeks to address the needs of an increasingly innovation and knowledge driven economy. It has formulated a Research Charter, a comprehensive Research Strategy and put in place improved structures and supports to pursue this core activity at the highest level. The remainder of this submission document presents a detailed evaluation of the Institute with particular emphasis on research under the headings of management, operation, education and training as part of its application to HETAC where it seeks delegated authority to make awards of its own research degrees.
20 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
1.3 Delegated Authority for Research Degrees
1.3.1 Context and Justification for the Institute’s Application As part of its progressive approach to third-level education and training, the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) has adopted as one of its functions the ability to delegate authority to make awards to recognised institutions subject to rigorous criteria and procedures and consistent with the Qualifications Act 1999. In this way HETAC recognises that where Institutes have developed their capacity and processes to ensure quality is consistently achieved in their programmes, they can now take appropriate responsibility for those processes relating to programme development, subject to regular review. This is in line with best international practice.
This approach takes into account the maturation of the Institute in taking ownership of the validating and awarding process for its educational & training programmes.
As part of the Institute’s commitment to delivering on its mission to provide educational opportunities of the highest quality, it acknowledges that the self reflective delegated authority process should play a central role in its plans for recognition as an educational centre of excellence for its taught and research programmes of study.
The Institute’s decision to validate its research degree programmes with HETAC may be traced to the development of the current Institute Strategic Plan, which identified the following key objective under Goal 7 Research and Development –
“The Institute will seek authority to maintain a register of postgraduate students and will seek delegated authority for postgraduate research awards”.
To this end the validation of its research degree programmes through the mechanism of delegated authority has been identified as a strategic priority for the Institute for a number of reasons, not least because: • It will provide us with increased flexibility to respond to regional and national needs in relation to economic, social and cultural development; • It will enhance our profile as an educational centre of excellence on the international stage; • It will demonstrate our commitment and responsibility for academic quality assurance and related procedures associated with the management and operation of our research degree programmes.
The Institute is now at a level of maturity appropriate to consider validating its research degree programmes in terms of student acceptance, registration, supervision, assessment, examination and recommendation for award in line with HETAC requirements.
The Institute has been involved in the development of postgraduate research degree programmes since it was established in 1992.
The number of postgraduates undertaking Masters Degrees by research (Level 9) and conducting research on Doctoral degree (Level 10) programmes has significantly increased in recent years (Chapter 10, Section 10.1), as has the number of staff involved in research supervision. In terms of the level of involvement of its academic staff and funding acquisition, our research base is amongst the highest in the sector, despite our small size and young existence.
21 Chapter 1 Introduction
It now has a total of 80 students (over 2% of the total student population) registered on research degree programmes at Level 9 and 10 of the National Qualifications Framework.
To support research the Institute has also updated its research policy and procedures document. It has formulated a comprehensive Code of Practice for its research degree programmes, which includes regulations, procedures, and a code of conduct for researchers. It has put in place structures & resources to enable research activity of the highest quality to be carried out.
In February 2007 the Institute submitted an application to HETAC to maintain its own postgraduate research degree register in selected discipline areas. Following a comprehensive evaluation by an international evaluation panel, the HETAC academic committee at its meeting on 16 July 2007, upon consideration of the findings of the panel and the response of the Institute, decided to accredit the Institute of Technology Tallaght to maintain a postgraduate research degree register at Master’s level (Level 9) in the areas in Departments of Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Science and Computing reflecting the expertise of the research-active academic staff and at Master’s level (Level 9) and Doctoral level (Level 10) in the areas of Biology and Chemistry reflecting the expertise of the research-active academic staff .
The Institute now seeks to apply for delegated authority from HETAC to make its own research degree awards in the discipline areas where research is most active and where we have a proven track record in producing Masters and PhD graduates, i.e. for the following research degrees:
• Level 9 in Engineering • Level 9 in Science • Level 10 in Biology and Chemistry.
This is a natural progression for the Institute, which already has delegated authority to make awards for its taught programmes up to and including Level 9 (taught) since 2006.
1.3.2 Selection of Areas for the Delegated Authority Application The HETAC documentation indicates that the application for research register accreditation (and subsequently delegated authority) be submitted for selected discipline areas and degree awards where there is a significant level of supervised postgraduate research activity.
A core team, comprising two project managers (seconded from their academic posts) and lead by the Registrar was established in 2005 to steer the Institute’s applications to HETAC for delegated authority. The project managers were assigned to manage the self-evaluation process and co-ordinate the preparation of the submission documents: one for the taught programme application and the other for follow-on application for the research programmes, and they reported to the Registrar.
The core team conducted an evaluation of research for the delegated authority (taught) submission document. Part of that evaluation included an assessment of the level of postgraduate research being conducted in each of the three Academic Schools (School of Business and Humanities, School of Engineering, School of Science and Computing) in May 2005. This involved collection and analysis of research performance data from each of the discipline areas within these Schools where research degree programmes were active to determine which
22 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
areas would be put forward for accreditation, and subsequently delegated authority. A decision was taken by the Institute’s executive management in June 2005, following the presentation of preliminary results from this self study to HETAC, to prepare and submit the following applications: • Institutional application for accreditation to maintain a postgraduate research degree register • Application for accreditation to maintain a register for a research degree to Level 9 in Engineering [Sub-discipline areas of Electronic and Mechanical Engineering] • Application for accreditation to maintain a register for a research degree to Level 9 in Science [Sub-discipline areas of Biology, Chemistry, Computing, Mathematics, Physics] • Application for accreditation to maintain a register for a research degree to Level 10 in Science [Sub-discipline areas of Biology and Chemistry].
The decision to seek Level 10 accreditation, and now delegated authority, in the areas of Biology and Chemistry only within the Science area has been based on the higher number of postgraduate enrolments and graduates in those disciplines and their stronger track record in peer research activities, including publication and external research funding attainment.
The Institute believes that the areas selected for this application have a sufficient record of achievement in research and its academic supervision to warrant the granting delegated authority in the areas where it currently maintains its own research degree register. The self-evaluation submission document will show that the Institute has the required infrastructure and resources to effectively manage the recruitment, monitoring and assessment of the postgraduate research students working towards research degree awards and to manage the thesis submission and examination process, including the approval of examiners and their recommendations. Although research is conducted in the School of Business and Humanities, we do not wish to seek delegation of authority in these areas at this point in time.
1.4 The Submission Document The submission comprises the following documents for the purposes of its application seeking delegated authority for research awards to Level 9 (Science and Engineering) and Level 10 (Biology and Chemistry):
1 The Institute Self-Evaluation Report 2 The Institute Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes 3 Process and Procedures for the Management of Ethics: Research Projects 4 A copy of the Institute Strategic Plan 2005 – 2008 (update 2007 document) 5 Report of the findings of the Evaluation Panel engaged to consider the application by the Institute of Technology Tallaght for accreditation to maintain postgraduate research degree register, 2007 6 Report of the Delegated Authority Evaluation Group(Taught Programmes), 2006.
The following documents have also been provided on CD ROM 1 A copy of the Research Accreditation Submission Self-Evaluation Report 2 A copy of the Self-Evaluation Report submitted for the Institute’s Delegated Authority Application for its Taught Programmes 3 Institute Quality Assurance Manual.
23 Chapter 1 Introduction
The Institute Self-Evaluation Report has been prepared in accordance with the HETAC Criteria and Procedures for the Delegation and Review of Delegation of Authority to Make Awards (HETAC, 2004) It is divided into three parts and is organised as summarized below. Appendices are included at the end.
Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 1 provides background to the Institute’s application for delegation of authority to make awards. It describes the importance of research in the context of national policies and future trends and explains why a research culture enhances the role of the Institute. It also provides a guide to the Institute’s Self-Evaluation Report.
PART 1 OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT
Chapter 2: Institute Mission and Profile Chapter 2 describes the mission and purpose of the Institute. It sets out a profile of the region and provides a summary profile of the Institute’s activities. The chapter outlines how research evolved at the Institute and presents significant milestones and achievements.
Chapter 3: Governance, Organisation and Administration Chapter 3 provides an overview of the Institute’s organization and governance operations. It describes how the Institute is managed with particular emphasis on the operation of research degree programmes and their management. The chapter also describes the roles of the Governing Body and Academic Council and examines the systems and procedures that are in place to ensure that the Institute complies with best-practice standards in management and administration.
Chapter 4: Planning and Evaluation Chapter 4 presents information on the processes in place for future planning and evaluation of its operations. It places specific emphasis on strategic planning for research and innovation.
Chapter 5: Academic and Staff Policies This chapter brings together information on the Institute policy framework. It provides a summary of academic and staff policies, in particular those related to research activities.
Chapter 6: Facilities and Resources For Teaching and Research A profile of the facilities and resources available to support education and training activities is given in this chapter, with particular emphasis on Library, Information Technology, Computing Services and Financial resources. A section on dedicated research facilities and resources is also included.
24 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Chapter 7: Leaner Supports and Services Details of the learning environment are presented in this chapter. The range of academic supports and services is described. Initiatives to enhance student retention are discussed. Student service provision is summarised, and dedicated research support systems are outlined. This chapter focuses on the provision of training to postgraduate researchers and plans for implementation of 4th Level education going forward. The Strategic Innovation Funded programmes are making significant contributions to enhancement of learner supports, hence a summary of the SIF funded programmes, in which the Institute is involved with, is also provided. Innovation and enterprise support programmes are also presented in the context of support for commerialisation of research.
Chapter 8: Public Responsibility and Integrity The integrity of the Institute and its collegial decision-making processes are described in this chapter. It deals specifically with account reporting mechanisms, communications, marketing, and freedom of information. It also includes a section on health, safety and welfare. It concludes with a section dealing with the promotion of research and strategies for the dissemination of research outputs.
PART 2 EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES
Chapter 9: Taught Programme Profile This chapter profiles the Institute’s educational and training programmes. It provides an analysis of the learner population. It includes a profile of the part-time and continuing education programmes and provides detail on the different access routes and presents student recruitment statistics.
Chapter 10: Research Degree Enrolments and Graduates A detailed analysis of the evolution of research degree programmes with respect to enrolments and graduates is presented in this chapter. It also describes the links between research and teaching.
Chapte 11: Research Funding and Areas Fo Expertise The scale of research is covered in this chapter with respect to funding acquisition and the development of areas of expertise in particular. Research Centre and research group activities are summarised. Publication activity is summarised in a section that focuses on performance indicators.
Chapter 12: Quality Assurance Systems This chapter explains the Institute’s Quality Assurance systems. It also describes research quality assurance framework and associated procedures.
25 Chapter 1 Introduction
PART 3 THE DELEGATED AUTHORITY PROCESS
Chapter 13: Delegated Authority Application & Evaluation: Taught Programmes Chapter 13 provides a summary of the findings of the 2006 Delegated Authority (Taught) Evaluation Group and an Institute response to the issues addressed in the final report.
Chapter 14: Research Accreditation Process Chapter 14 presents a summary of the findings of the Evaluation Panel that recommended the Institute maintain its research degree register. An Institute response to the findings of the is also included.
Chapter 15: Implementing Delegated Authority: New Programme Development This chapter sets out to demonstrate how the Institute is implementing delegated authority and describes the current processes for the development, validation and monitoring of new programmes.
Chapter 16: Council Conditions Attached Delegation Authority Chapter 16 demonstrates the Institute’s capacity to comply with, and its record where appropriate to comply with, the conditions determined by the HETAC Council for the purposes of delegation of authority.
Chapter 17: Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999 Chapter 17 shows how the Institute supports the Objects of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999.
Chapter 18: The Self Study Process and Stakeholder Consultation The self-evaluation process and the consultative processes involved in developing the application for delegated authority are elaborated on in Chapter 18. Stakeholder consultation outcomes are also provided.
1.5 The Self-Evaluation Process Since November 2004 the Institute has been involved in conducting a comprehensive self-evaluation of its educational and training activities for the purposes of applying for delegated authority for its taught programmes in 2006 and the follow-on application to maintain a research degree register in 2007 as prescribed by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland.12
This was the first Institute-wide evaluation of research conducted in seven years. An evaluation of research was conducted in the 1998 for the Institutional Review.13 That Review outlined the activities of the academic staff in that regard in the Schools of Science and Engineering and highlighted strategic areas. It described the links between research and development through industrial collaborations, and showed how research in Science and Computing in particular, fed into the Institute Sector Training for Trainers Programmes. In addition School based Programmatic Reviews have been conducted every five years since the Institute opened and have provided a forum for discipline-specific evaluations of research.
12 In accordance with the HETAC Criteria and Procedures for the Delegation and Review of Delegation of Authority to Make Awards, HETAC 2004. 13 Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institutional Review, A Self-Study Report, March 1998.
26 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The self-study process initiated for delegated authority and accreditation to maintain a research degree register was the first comprehensive review of research. The current follow-on process provides an update review. It is a critical self-assessment that examines the Institute’s research activities using data, trends and performance analysis. Each Department therefore has provided information and details on – research active staff, postgraduate students on research degree programmes, funding achieved, research indicators such as publications etc. In addition each Department gave a detailed description of main research areas and specialisations. Functional area input focused on an evaluation of the supports and services for research degree students and those who supervise them. The research management structures, resources and support systems were assessed and recommendations for improvements for the future were identified through the mechanism of staff and student open discussion meetings and formal surveys. A map outlining the preparations for the current delegated authority application follows in Table 1.1.
Time Period Preparation Step
May 2005 Internal review of the Institute Research Policy, Procedures and Regulations June – October 2005 Institute-wide research self study drafted for the taught DA application. Reviewed by staff - including academics and management teams; and Academic Council September – December 2005 Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research drafted which included Regulations and Code of Conduct/Ethics Policy. Reviewed by - Academic Staff, Management Teams and Academic Council. Intellectual property policy drafted and reviewed by Senior Management and Academic Council. February 2006 Code of Practice approved by Academic Council March 2006 Code of Practice reviewed by Governing Body and approved February – June 2006 Institute accreditation self evaluation report drafted and reviewed by staff – including academics and management teams, which was reviewed by Academic Council in June 2006 June 2006 Code of Practice approved by HETAC June 2006 Intellectual Property Policy approved by Academic Council and Governing Body September – November 2006 Science and Engineering accreditation self evaluation report drafted and reviewed by academic staff and management in these areas January 2007 Accreditation submission approved by Management and Academic Council and printed for submission to HETAC February 2007 Accreditation submission submitted to HETAC April 2007 Accreditation panel visit June 2007 Findings of Panel report submitted to HETAC Council July 2007 HETAC Council recommended the Institute be accredited to maintain a research degree register in specific areas September 2007 Quality Improvements to the Research Quality Assurance Framework and implementation of accreditation December 2007 – April 2008 Self evaluation process and document preparation for the Institute’s application for delegated authority for specific research degrees April 2008 Delegated Authority submission approved by Management and Academic Council May 2008 Self Study Report printed and application submitted to HETAC
Table 1.1 Steps in the Delegated Authority Evaluation Process
27 Chapter 1 Introduction
28 Part One Operation and Management
29 Part One: Operation And Management
30 Chapter 2
Institute Mission And Profile
31 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
2.1 Mission and Purpose The Institute of Technology Tallaght was established in 1992, the same year that the first RTC Act set out the functions of higher education institutions providing third level vocational and technical education. Its main function is to provide educational and training programmes to meet the needs of students, society and the economy. The Institute mission and purpose are clearly defined in the Institute’s Mission Statement which underpins the core activities of the Institute’s business:
“We aspire to be a major contributor to the social, cultural and economic life of the County, and the surrounding region. We will realise this aspiration by teaching and learning, research and development and providing support for innovation and enterprise.”
The mission and purpose have been elaborated on and refined in many Institute documents over the years. However, the core parameters for realising our mission remain unchanged - The Institute undertakes: • To provide learners with excellent flexible higher education opportunities. • To provide programmes which reflect current and emerging knowledge and practices relevant to the individual and our region. • To offer accessible programmes, delivered in a professional manner, in a friendly and supportive environment. • To foster graduates ready to undertake the roles, responsibilities and challenges available in business, industry, the professions, public service and society. • To be a major contributor to the social, cultural and economic life of South Dublin County and the surrounding region, through teaching and learning, research and development, and providing support for innovation and enterprise.
The mission statement is publicly available in the Institute Prospectus. It reflects the Institute’s responsibilities to the region that it serves and its commitment to be an integral part of the further development of the region.
2.2 Values and Objectives The Institute places great emphasis on professionalism and excellence in all areas, in particular with respect to the quality of the services provided to its stakeholders. These include students, employers, the business community, graduates, parents, schools, state agencies, local development and community organizations. It is committed and dedicated to providing high quality higher education programmes through maintaining the following values in its delivery of educational services, management and governance: • Supportive – We support the needs, goals and aspirations of both our students and staff through small class groups offering more individual attention and a friendly learning environment. • Accessible – We ensure equality, diversity and inclusiveness in all the Institutes programmes and activities. • Friendly – We respond in a positive and welcoming way to anyone who deals with or enters the Institute.
32 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
• Professional – We perform with professional excellence in everything we do, including teaching, research and innovation, governance and management and public service. • Relevant – We ensure relevance to industry, business and society within all our teaching programmes, research and innovation.
These values reflect the Institute’s commitment to excellence in the provision of its taught and research programmes, to the enhancement of the student learning experience and to its support of local business and industry.
The Institute has developed a wide range of educational programmes while also providing vocational training in the area of electrical trades. It has established partnerships with professional bodies and has developed close links with industry located in the region particularly in the fields of Engineering & Science. Tailored academic programmes to meet the needs of industry and the public sector have also been developed. Joint education initiatives have been running for more than ten years and short programmes are continuously being developed to meet specific skills shortages in local industry. The activities in that regard are discussed in Chapter 9 –Taught Programme Profile.
Hence, the Institute has become a prime driver in the development of the region overall and the current Strategic Plan1 sets out a number of objectives to expand and improve in that regard as follows:
• Social Inclusion - The Institute is making every effort to increase participation rates in higher education by those living in its immediate catchment area. • Quality Services - By a process of continuous improvement the Institute is enhancing the quality of its services. • Student Recruitment - The Institute will provide new and innovative programmes to meet the changing needs of industry and society, and put in place high quality systems for the recruitment, retention and progression of students. • Lifelong Learning and Workforce Development – The Institute will continue to be at the forefront of providing qualifications based on life long learning and provide bespoke in-company programmes that support and enhance the workforce. It strives to devise novel initiatives in that regard over the coming years. • Research and Fourth Level Education – The Institute will continue to establish itself as a world-class research Institute by collaborating with other research institutions. It will further enhance the quality of its postgraduate research training to produce graduates for the new fourth level Ireland employment market. It strives to grow the numbers of postgraduate researchers. • Staff – One of the cornerstones in the development of the Institute is the quality and morale of our staff. The Institute has articulated actions going forward to guarantee the highest standards in the recruitment, support and development of staff.
The current Strategic Plan lays out a number of specific goals and specific actions for how these objectives can be met in the years ahead. More information on the Institute plans going forward is given in Chapter 4 - Planning and Evaluation.
1 Institute of Technology Tallaght Strategic Plan 2005-2008, Update Document 2007.
33 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
2.3 Context and History The college was established in 1992 as the Regional Technical College Tallaght. It joined a network of higher education providers originally set up in the 1970s to cater for higher educational needs on a regional basis. It opened its doors the same year that the government published new legislation which formalised the role of these higher education institutions and their management, in the form of the Regional Technical Colleges RTC Act of 1992, which defined its remit as follows:
“To provide vocational, technical education and training for the economic, technological, scientific, commercial, industrial, social and cultural development of the State with reference to the region served by the college”
The college was designated as the Institute of Technology Tallaght in 1997. The title change was approved by the Oireachtas under The Regional Technical Colleges Act 1992 (Change of Name of College) Order 1998 (SI No. 19 of 1998). This was recently confirmed in the Institutes of Technology Act, 2006.
In 2005 the Institute adopted the abbreviated title of ITT Dublin. The title 'ITT Dublin' has no legal standing and was adopted to emphasise the location of the Institute and as part of the Institute's marketing strategy.
2.4 Regional Profile The documented history of Tallaght dates back to early Christian Ireland but the many archaeological sites in the area suggest the presence of Bronze Age and perhaps even earlier settlers in the area. The place name Tallaght is derived from the words támh leacht, meaning a plague burial place. The earliest mention of Tallaght in recorded history is the account of Parthalon in the Annals of the Four Masters. The foundation of the monastery of Tallaght by St. Maelruain in 769 A.D. meant there was a more reliable record of Tallaght’s early history. The monastery was a centre of learning and piety.
The late 20th century saw the biggest changes taking place in Tallaght, however, when it was decided in the 1960s by Dublin County Council planners that a new town would be built around Tallaght village. This decision started the process that turned Tallaght from a small country village into the place we know today. Further significant changes took place in the 1990s with the construction of major buildings such as the Square Shopping Centre and the hospital. By this time a significant number of industries and businesses had moved into the region. Tallaght has developed from a small village into a huge suburban area, with a population of over 100,000 and it is still a rapidly changing area. The designation of tax incentive sites and the arrival of the LUAS have encouraged a further development boom.
Tallaght has developed a distinctive identity, arising largely from its rapid growth during recent decades. Tallaght now has a thriving local arts, cultural, sports and economic outlook matched by a distinctive sense of place. Strategically located in Tallaght Town Centre the Institute is ideally placed to make a professional and relevant contribution to the continued success of the future development process.
With the reorganisation of local government in the Dublin region, South Dublin County Council came into existence and set up its headquarters at Tallaght in 1994. This is now the third largest local authority in the State. South Dublin County contains the large urban centres of Tallaght, Lucan, Clondalkin and the new urban district of Adamstown, old village centres such as Palmerstown, Rathfarnham, Templeogue and the rural
34 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
villages of Rathcoole, Saggart, Newcastle and Brittas. The population of South Dublin County in 2006 was 246,935 people, an increase of 3.4% on the 2002 census.2 The labour force has expanded and there has been a significant increase in employment since 1996.
South Dublin County has experienced remarkable economic expansion over the last decade and after Dublin City has the greatest concentration of industry in the country. There are an estimated 6,377 businesses in the county. There are 39 industrial estates and 46 business parks, including the two recently developed international business parks of Citywest and Grange Castle, and these industrial areas account for 2,241 firms.3 There has been significant investment in the region by companies across a range of spheres including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, metals and engineering, information technology, hospitality, transport and logistics. The National Digital Park is situated in the Citywest business campus and is a hub for high-technology communications and electronic commerce companies in Europe.4 The second major international business park, Grange Castle, is situated in the north west of the county and is a major location for multinational activity. It is home to two of the worlds leading healthcare producers, Wyeth and Takeda. More detailed information on South Dublin, the growth of its workforce and economic development can be found in Chapter 2 of the Institute of Technology Tallaght Delegated Authority (Taught Programmes) Self-Evaluation Report, Feb. 2006, and references therein.
While high economic growth has greatly enhanced the quality of life and the opportunities available to many people, some areas of the county, including West Tallaght, remain economically and socially disadvantaged. The development of the Partnership Companies5, the RAPID Programme6 and Integrated Area Plans has contributed to significant regeneration and renewal in many areas, both in the terms of the living environment and also in the circumstances of local communities.
The Institute has also played an important role by enhancing education levels within the County, promoting and supporting enterprise activity, engaging in collaborative research initiatives with local industry and the hospital, and by supporting other organisations contributing to economic and social development.
2.5 Growth and Development of the Institute The Institute was established in Tallaght at a time when significant change was taking place in the region, particularly in relation to infrastructure and industrial development. It is the only third level college located in South Dublin County and is also one of the youngest Institutes in the Sector. Teaching and learning, research and development and provision of support for innovation and enterprise are the main core activities of the Institute.
In its short existence the Institute has developed a wide range of programmes at all levels from Higher Certificate to Masters Level in taught mode, and from Masters to Doctoral Level in research mode. The Institute currently caters for a total student population of approximately 4100 students. In addition there are 371 students enrolled on professional programmes at the Institute.
The postgraduate student body (124 students) represents 3.4% of the overall student population. Of these by far the most, i.e. 65%, are registered on research degree programmes to Level 9 or Level 10. A summary breakdown by programme for the 2007/8 academic year is presented in Figure 2.1.
2 Principal Demographic Results for South Dublin County, Census 2006. 3 Mulvaney and Donnelly, An Economic Audit of South Dublin County 2005. 4 Over 100 companies employing 2,000 people are located in the Citywest Business Campus, including high-tech indigenous and multinational companies such as Eircom, Iomega, Nortel, TDK, Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Viking, Tuchenhagen etc. 5 Set up with the aid of EU Structural Funds in Tallaght, Clondalkin and the KWCD Region (Kimmage, Walkinstown, Crumlin and Drimnagh) to alleviate problems of unemployment and social exclusion. 6 RAPID Porgramme – Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development launched in 2001 under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, an 35 agreement between the Government and the social partners. Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
6% 13% 13% MA (Research)
M.Eng. (Research)
M.Sc. (Research)
M.Sc. (Taught) 35% 33% PhD
Figure 2.1 Breakdown of postgraduate programmes by Degree
The Institute has established partnerships with professional bodies including the Irish Management Institute (IMI), the Institute of Accounting Technicians (IATI), the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), and the Institution of Engineers Ireland (IEI). Institute staff have also established close links with the local community and the industry sector in South Dublin and the Greater Dublin region,7 particularly in the area of collaborative research primarily in the fields of Engineering & Science. Tailored academic programmes to meet the needs of industry and the public sector have also been developed for a number of companies including Intel, Hewlett Packard, Wyeth, Genzyme, Bayer Diagnostics, Microsoft, Smurfit Group, Merck Sharp & Dohme as well as Tallaght Hospital and the Department of Enterprise and Employment. Joint education initiatives with for example Intel and IBEC have also been developed along with short programmes to meet specific skills shortages in local industry. The involvement of Institute staff in consultancy activity and in the provision of specialist services have led to further links with local companies such as 3COM, Howmedica, IBM, Motorola, Oral B, Unidare and TopChem Laboratories. International collaboration is a growing feature of the Institute educational programmes and research activities as discussed in Chapter 9, Section 9.3.2 (taught programmes) and Chapter 11, Section 11.3 and 11.4 (research collaborations).
Institute academics have also been at the forefront in E-Learning Developments nationally and internationally. Some recent successes include: • The Institute’s Pharma Web Campus e-Learning Portal; • The Learning Support Unit Platform; • Moodle Learning Management System; • The EU funded Teaching Undergraduate Programming Using Learning Objects (TUPULO) project with Computing Academics at this Institute as lead partners; • Celt NET which has developed e-learning and web based support material for the application of Computer- Aided Engineering principles in innovation, product design and manufacturing; • The Enterprise Ireland funded EnCoMpaSS system in the area of re-usable learning objects, which resulted in three research students graduating with MEng. Degrees and a number of peer reviewed journal publications.
The Institute of Technology Tallaght is committed to the advancement of learning and knowledge through the provision of flexible higher education opportunities which are of the highest quality in a professional and
7 The Greater Dublin Area incorporates the geographical area of Dublin City, Fingal, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin County and Counties Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.
36 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
supportive environment. It strives to achieve this by offering educational and training programmes that reflect current and emerging knowledge and practices which are relevant to the needs of the individual and the region. Research and scholarship are recognised as being key elements to its success in this regard. The volume of research undertaken in the Institute predominantly in the fields of Biology, Chemistry, Engineering and Humanities has grown rapidly over the last decade. Since 2000, over €24M in funding has been awarded to academic researchers at the Institute through competitive applications to national and international agencies.
Recent years have seen the growth of academic research partnerships with a number of third level institutions. This has resulted in the establishment of collaborative National Centres of Excellence in specific fields of research with Dublin City University (DCU), NUI Maynooth (NUIM) and Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) as academic partners. As a measure of the Institute’s commitment to supporting high level research it made financial provision in 2005 for the formation of designated Institute Research Centres (IRCs) to help sustain the activities of strategically important high achieving research cluster groups into the future. The alignment of research groups into centres of excellence was a critical factor in the success of the Institute in being awarded funding from the HEA under PRTLI Cycle 4 for the building of a Centre of Applied Science for Health on campus.
The Institute has followed the general tendency in higher education institutions to embrace a third stream of activity, after teaching and research. This third stream has grown from successes in applied and contract research in the mid-1990s. It encompasses the areas of Innovation and Enterprise Development. To promote these activities the Institute spearheaded the development of the M50 Enterprise Platform Programme in 2003 (collaborative venture with University College Dublin (UCD), DCU and IT Blanchardstown) which led to the establishment of the Synergy Centre on campus in 2006. The Synergy Centre at ITT Dublin is the innovation centre of South Dublin County, providing office space and business supports to early-stage enterprises. The aim of the Centre is to enable industry and academia to interact to create viable enterprises for South Dublin County that will secure the area’s future in terms of job creation, innovation and export potential.
2.6 Evolution of Research Since it was established in 1992, ITT Dublin has worked in a planned way towards building a capacity in research and development that would provide real value to its stakeholders. The Institute’s management was always supportive of promoting and establishing top level research on campus. Research initially developed opportunistically, and on an ad-hoc basis. The Institute’s research and development base expanded from 1996 onwards as a result of the establishment of the Technological Sector Research (TSR) Initiative, where for the first time the National Development Plan allowed for the provision of specific research project-specific funding to support research in the Institute Sector (including the Dublin Institute of Technology).
The report from the Advisory Group on the Implementation of the Technology Foresight recommendations (July 2000) recognised the need for additional research infrastructure. Following the recommendations of the Technology Foresight Exercise in 1999 a number of high level funding opportunities for targeting prioritised research areas were launched. While Science Foundation Ireland was set up to manage and allocate the expenditure of the Technology Foresight Fund, other high level funding initiatives were also launched. These include the Higher Education Authority’s Programme for Research in third level institutions (HEA PRTLI) and the TSR programme-specific Strand III awards open only to the Institute Sector. This resulted in the acquisition of a larger amount of funding to support research and increase in the number of academic staff involved in research. It has also enabled the development a healthy track record for research related activity.
37 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
Since 2004, a number of key national strategic governmental documents (referenced in Chapter 1) have been published which have guided the approach of academic institutions in determining the future direction of their research activities in a regional, national and international context. The opening statement representing the vision and of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006-2013 (June 2006)8 states that
“Ireland by 2013 will be internationally renowned for the excellence of its research, and will be to the forefront in generating and using new knowledge for economic and social progress, within an innovation driven culture’ and ‘the strategy aims to deliver world class people and enterprises with the drive to succeeds and the resources to do so’.
Some of the key actions from the report include: • An established international profile for Ireland as a premier location for carrying out world class research and development • Increased output of economically relevant knowledge, know how and patents • Increased participation in international Science and Technology cooperation and trans-national activity • Enhanced contribution of research to economic and social development across all relevant areas of public policy including agriculture, health, environment and the marine and natural resources.
The Institute is committed to putting the appropriate strategies in place to make a significant contribution the national research imperative. Information on the development of the Institute’s strategic framework for planned growth of research are given in Chapter 4 – Planning and Evaluation.
The aforementioned Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation is being driven forward by the commitment of over €8 billion in the National Development Plan (2007 – 2013) and the funding for researchers through the HEA PRTLI and SFI programmes. The recent success of the Institute as the lead partner in the 2007 PRTLI Cycle 4 awards means the there is now dedicated capital investment committed for a state- of-the art research building on campus. This will allow the Institute make a significant contribution to the achievement of national priorities in driving the knowledge-economy forward through the mechanism of research in strategically identified areas of expertise.
The OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland Report in 2004 concluded that Ireland’s tertiary education system is at a crossroads particularly with respect to the higher education and training of graduate researchers. Since the publication of this report there have been a number of responses and government actions that will have an impact on the structure of research degree programmes in the future. One such response sets out a framework proposal for the reform of 3rd Level education.9 This has been catalysed primarily by the establishment of the new Government Strategic Innovation Fund for higher education that is to support educational institutions in achieving excellence into the future. The new vision for post-graduate study presented first in the OCED Report is: “the establishment of a world-class 4th Level Sector characterised by internationally competitive masters and PhD level programmes that will deliver the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders capable of the knowledge absorption, generation and utilisation that will be critical to Ireland’s future success.”
The proposals above pose a challenge to this Institute in relation to the provision of postgraduate research degree programmes in the future, in particular in relation to quality enhancement and the broadening of the focus and training experience of the postgraduate researcher. The Institute is an active participant of an
8 Strategy for Science,Technology and Innovation 2006 – 2013, Department of Enterprise, trade and Employment, Jnue 2006. 9 Irish Universities Association Report – Reform of 3rd Level and the Creation of 4th Level Ireland, October 2005.
38 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Institutes of Technology Research Alliance convened to deliver research education and training to researchers. It is funded by Strategic Innovation Funding and its aim is to enhance the rate, scope and depth of the sector’s strategic and professional approach to the delivery of postgraduate research degree programmes in line with the fourth level criteria.
The Irish Higher Education landscape with respect to research is set to change dramatically in the next decade as developments from external policy and the proposed environmental changes come into effect. The aim is to establish the Irish economy as one of the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economies in the world. A diverse and multidisciplinary research base offers the strongest prospect for underpinning knowledge- based development to sustain and expand a knowledge and highly-skilled economy into the future. The link between active research and the quality of taught degree programmes is well established. In order to ensure the quality of those programmes over the long-term, the executive leadership within the Institute recognises that staff must be engaged with their subject matter at a research level.
By its mission and nature the Institute of Technology sector works closely with industry and has built a distinctive understanding of industry needs and also the capacity to respond to these needs. The Enterprise Strategy Group (2004) said:-
“The Institutes of Technology are well placed to support enterprise through technical consulting and collaboration on close-to-market applied research projects. However, given the structural challenges of SME’s, the Institutes must take a proactive outreaching role to make this a reality”.
(Ahead of the Curve – Ireland’s Place in the Global Economy, Forfas, 2004)
The Regional Technical Colleges Act (1992), the White Paper on Education - Charting our Education Future (1995), and the HEA Report of the Steering Committee on the Future Development of Higher Education (1995) acknowledge that Institutes of Technology should engage in Research & Development. In 2003 the Institute of Technology Sector commissioned an expert working group under the chairmanship of Prof. P. Fottrell to make recommendations on the future positioning of the Institutes. The resultant report “Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society – Their Future Position and Roles” indicated that research and development should be a core function of the Institutes.10 The mission statement of Institute of Technology Tallaght clearly points to research and development as being core activities (Section 1.1). This has been drilled down to individual Schools, Departments and relevant functional areas who actively encourage and support these activities in their day-to-day operations. To enhance an institute-wide research culture in all areas within the organisation the senior management team approved the drafting of an Institute Research Charter in 2006 which has been approved by Academic Council and Governing Body.. The complete Research Charter is given in Appendix 1. It recently formulated a research vision for the future in 2007 in light of the changes and challenges facing research in the external environment and as part of its preparations for the HEA PRTLI application. The research vision is as follows:
“ITT Dublin aims to be a leader in research and scholarly activity in the region, to become established as a Centre for targeted research areas which can act as a regional resource and contribute in a unique way to the success of fourth level Ireland”.
10 Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society – Their Future Position and Roles, May 2003.
39 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
This vision will take us forward to 2012 and deliver an internationally recognised research centre on campus. This will be a major step in the evolution of research at the Institute. The main stages in the evolution of research to date are illustrated in Figure 2.2 below.
Opportunistic research & mainly applied research 1992
Expansion of research base mainly in the area of basic research 1996
Research Seed Fund established 1998
Collaborative research with other institutions & formulation of Institute research strategy 1999
Research strategy updated annually & PhD Continuation Fund established thematic areas identified 2001
Establishment of Institute Research Internal Masters Studentships Centres in thematic areas established 2005
Research & Innovation Strategy Redefined and Research Infrastructures Consolidated 2006
HEA PRTLI Funding awarded to Institute as lead partner - for a dedicated research 2007 building on campus
Figure 2.2 Evolution of Research in the Institute of Technology Tallaght
40 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
2.6.1 Establishment of Research (1992 -1997) In the beginning much of the research activity emanated from projects related to the previous roles of academic staff in industry and education. The Institute’s first PhD award, in 1998, was the culmination of an applied research project begun in Carlow Institute of Technology in the field of Microbiology. The first research Masters Award was conferred in Mechanical Engineering in 1996, also as a result of an applied research project in the development of an electronic product. Computing & multimedia, along with pharmaceutical development & training, were other areas in which significant research, largely applied, was taking place before 1996. The first company to emerge from research carried out in the Institute, Compupharma Limited, resulted from an applied research project on the use of multimedia for training in the pharmaceutical industry. European funding, (Copernicus) was obtained in 1997 to research the use of multimedia to assist the growth of small and medium Enterprises in Eastern Europe. As the undergraduate programmes of the Institute matured in the mid-90s with the coming ‘on-stream’ of the first bachelor degree graduates, the overall level of research activity grew, particularly in relation to supervised postgraduate research. Biology and Chemistry emerged as particularly strong areas, followed by Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Humanities and Computing.
2.6.2 Research Prioritisation and Strategic Development (1998 – 2001) During the first five years the research activity in the Institute was project-based and not programmatic in nature. However, across the schools, research teams were established that had acquired national and international reputations within their thematic research areas. With the advent of HEA PRTLI, the Institute reviewed its approach to research and the concept of research prioritisation and building a critical mass within certain areas was established. Even as early as the first cycle of HEA PRTLI, ITT Dublin was a key partner in the successful DCU PRTLI HEA Cycle 1 application, as collaborators in the National Centre for Sensor Research and the National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology. Over the next few years the research alliance with Dublin City University continued to strengthen. The process of formulating the ITT Dublin Cycle 3 PRTLI application was a valuable experience, despite it not being successful, as it required the development of a formal ITT Dublin research strategy. The Institutional Strategy for Research set out a number of goals, reflected a research prioritisation by the Institute, and identified a number of research areas in which it had demonstrable capacity. As part of Cycle 3 PRTLI, a key group of academics within the Institute, as well as researchers from the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), were involved as collaborators in the successful DCU led HEA PRTLI application that led to the establishment of the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB). This was a further strategic enhancement of ITT Dublin’s collaboration with DCU, and the establishment of an emerging inter-institutional collaboration with NUIM. This period in the Institute’s development was of significant importance as it achieved several goals, such as: • Formalisation of the Institute’s research strategic plan by the Research and Development Committee. The formal plan possessed clear goals, objectives and implementation plan, was informed by the internal and external environments, and was based upon research prioritisation; • Establishment of formal strategic research alliances with DCU and NUI Maynooth.
2.6.3 A Period of Rapid Development for Research (2002-2007) This was a period of large scale growth in terms of research activity, as reflected in the significant increase in the Institute’s research indicators. The funding secured by institutional staff increased from around €2M by 2001 to over €17M by the end of 2006, representing an eight-fold increase, with researchers securing funding from the more competitive funding sources. The number of postgraduate students registered on research
41 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
degree programmes increased almost five-fold for the same time period. The publication rate in peer reviewed journals also substantially increased over this time period. There were a number of key initiatives introduced across the Institute that propelled it into a leading role within the Institute of Technology sector. These initiatives included: • Refinement of the 1998 research strategy followed by the development of the institutional strategy 2004- 2008. These were informed by national policy, our inter-institutional collaborations and feedback received from our previous HEA PRTLI applications; • Refinement of the Institute’s research prioritisation implementation plan with the establishment of Institute Research Centres on campus, from 2004 to 2006; • Increased institutional commitment to research through internal funding schemes, increased research infrastructure and support, and the framework for research management; • Establishment of the Synergy Business Incubation Centre for research commercialisation and technology transfer on campus.
The Institute now has an established reputation as a research leader, within its sector, in prioritised research areas and some milestones are presented below.
2.6.4 Significant Research Milestones The Institute has awarded the designation ‘Institute Research Centre’ (IRC) to seven research groups since 2005, all of which had demonstrated outstanding performance in research areas prioritised for support in the Institute’s research strategy.
Researchers in the Institute have secured the highest number of Strand 1 awards in Science and Technology under the Technological Sector Research Programme in the Institute of Technology Sector.
Substantial applied research funding has been secured under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnerships Programme, and its predecessor the Applied Research Programme, by researchers in Computing, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, and Science. A total of 28 projects have been funded under this scheme over a period of 10 years. These projects always involve collaboration with industry, with a proportion of the funding coming from industrial partners.
Research collaboration with AMNCH (Tallaght Hospital) is taking place across a range of disciplines, including Microbiology, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering.
In 2007 academics from the Departments of Science, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering were awarded over €9 million to build a Centre of Applied Science for Health on campus. Partners include AMNCH, NUI Maynooth and DCU (through the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology).
Science 1. Inter-disciplinary groups centred on the Department of Science were successful in obtaining Strand III awards under the Technological Sector Research Programme in each of the four years in which the competition was held. 2. In 2001 a team of Biologists/Chemists secured recurrent funding totaling approximately €1.7M as collaborators with Dublin City University (DCU) and the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM),
42 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
also involving the Adelaide, Meath & National Children’s (AMNCH) Hospital, in the National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, supported under Cycle 3 of the HEA Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions. 3. In 1999 a team of Chemists/ Biologists from the Institute secured funding as partners in the DCU-led National Centre for Sensor Research, funded under Cycle 1 of the HEA PRTLI. 4. The only award under the Enterprise Ireland Basic Research Grants Scheme (predecessor of the SFI Research Frontiers Programme) to go to an Institute of Technology in 2002, out of more than 100 awards, was obtained by a team of Mathematicians from the Institute. 5. A major first for the institute has been the securing of a Marie Curie International Postdoctoral Fellowship Award through the EU Framework 6 Programme in the area of Electrochemistry. This award enabled the research staff in the Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology (CREATE) Institute Research Centre to take on a postdoctoral fellow in September 2005. 6. Through a collaborative application submitted by academic researchers from Chemistry and Electronic Engineering this Institute was one of only five Institutes to secure Enterprise Ireland Applied Research Enhancement Funding in 2005 for a 5 year collaborative project entitled Microsensors for Clinical Analysis. The funding allows for the employment of a Principal Investigator to manage the project along with the academics involved, along with two postdoctoral fellows and one PhD student. The project started in June 2006. 7. A number of successful collaborations are ongoing between researchers at ITT Dublin and researchers at NUIM and Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) in a Pharmaceutical research initiative. This involves the sharing of resources and regular student exchanges. 8. Research chemists and applied mathematicians have also established international collaborations allowing postgraduate researchers to visit and work in internationally recognised research teams in France, Denmark and the USA.
Mechanical Engineering 1. The Department has developed collaboration with clinical staff at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children’s hospital (AMNCH) in the area of Biomedical Engineering. One project involved using CT scans to recreate a 3D model of a damaged hipbone using the SLS Rapid Prototyping machine. The creation of a 3D model of the bone assisted surgeons in planning the surgical operation required to repair the damage. 2. In a recent development in April 2006 as a result of collaboration between, the Department of Clinical Physics in AMNCH and the Centre for Visceral Biomechanics & Pain, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark, the Department of Mechanical Engineering secured an E.T.S. Walton Visiting Professor Award to the value of €90,120 which has funded Prof. Gregersen from the Centre for Sensory-Motor Interaction, Aalborg University, Denmark for a 6 month research visit at this Institute, from Sept. 2006. 3. A team of four researchers from the Department of Mechanical Engineering collaborated on a substantial project funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Programme for Advanced Technologies in the areas of rapid prototyping and bulk sheet forming with a team from Trinity College Dublin (TCD). This project has led to substantial spin-off research. 4. The Department of Mechanical Engineering was recently successful in a joint application to the European Interreg IIIA initiative fund. Based on funding of €356,000 the CELTNET programme was established. This is a joint project with Coleg Menai in North Wales, focused on helping Irish and Welsh SMEs improve their product and process development capability, primarily in the areas of product and packaging design, rapid prototyping, product development and testing, tooling development, process improvement, small scale production and packaging design.
43 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
5. Researchers in Mechanical Engineering were successful in an EU Marie Curie Early Stage Fellowship fund application in the area of Rapid Manufacture of Hard Tissue Implants. This was a joint application led by DCU, with partners in NUIG that will fund a PhD student over a period of three years. 6. An Academic from the Mechanical Engineering Department obtained funding of €100,000 from InterTradeIreland under the Fusion programme to work with the Limavady Gear Company to study gear design and heat treatment processes over two years which commenced in 2006. 7. The Department of Mechanical Engineering received €300K in EU funding under the ENV LIFE programme in 2005 for an environmental waste management project which will have two postgraduate researchers working on the project from January 2007. The Institute is the only non-Roman partner in the project which is the realisation of the City of Rome’s Action Plan to achieve the Kyoto Protocol objective of green house gas reductions.
Electronic Engineering 1. The Department of Electronic Engineering has been awarded Embark Postgraduate Scholarships in 2004 and again in 2005 by The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. 2. A team of four researchers from the Department of Electronic Engineering carried out a multi-faceted research project in Learning Systems Technology with a team from the University of Limerick (UL), funded under the Advanced Technologies Research Programme from Enterprise Ireland. 3. Electronic Engineering researchers were significant collaborators in the most recent successful Strand 3 and AREP programmes led by Chemistry researchers. 4. An industry funded research bursary, sponsored by Intel Ireland, was awarded to a student in Electronic Engineering, bringing with it direct mentoring and substantial support for the research activity from industry.
Computing 1. Funding for research projects within the Department of Computing has been obtained from a variety of sources, including Enterprise Ireland, the European Commission, and private industry. Much of the research has involved close co-operation with other institutions and companies, including Iona Technologies, MobileAware, CompuPharma, Tallaght Hospital, and St. James’s Hospital, among others. 2. The Minerva funded TUPULO project is led and coordinated by staff from the Department of Computing in ITTD and involves partners in Spain and Rumania, as well as partners in Dublin City University and IT Blanchardstown. The project ran from 2005 to 2007 with a total budget of €279,000 which is administered from ITT Dublin. This project is focused on development of e-learning systems to assist undergraduates in learning programming. 3. The Department of Computing was awarded an Embark Postgraduate Scholarship in 2005 by The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology. 4. There has been an ongoing collaboration with the mobile software development company, MobileAware. Projects funded under the Enterprise Ireland Innovation Partnerships scheme to the value of €100,000, are underway or have just have been completed with MobileAware. Further projects and collaborations are under active discussion.
Humanities 1. Researchers in the Department of Humanities have been successful with Strand 1 applications in recent years, and have also obtained significant funding from the Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences.
44 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
2. In 2007, a total of in € 30,314 EU LEONARDO funding was awarded to an academic in the Department as one of the Irish partners in the EU VOCAL project partnership [total budget € 278,697]. The network consists of 10 European countries, 12 partners, 11 languages including Irish: Ireland (3 partners), Bulgaria, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia, Switzerland. 3. In 2006 a designated Institute Research Centre in the area of Franco-Irish Studies was established.
Development & External Services 1. The ITT Dublin-led M50 Enterprise Platform Programme, in which IT Blanchardstown, DCU and University College Dublin (UCD) are collaborators, was awarded substantially increased funding in 2003 and again in 2007 under Strand 2 of the Technological Sector Research Programme, to support start up businesses, especially in specialist areas related to its Research & Development (R&D) strengths. The M50 EPP has recently been recognized by Enterprise Ireland as being one of the top sources for the production of High Potential Start-Up (HPSU) companies. Of the 85 entrepreneurs supported, more than 20 have gone on to secure significant levels of external funding from a mixture of private investors, Enterprise Ireland and Venture Capitalists. The companies employ from a few to in excess of 40 employees. 2. The Institute has been awarded €2.54M by Enterprise Ireland to set up a Business Incubation Centre, the Synergy Centre, which opened in 2006.
45 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 2 Institute Mission And Profile
46 Chapter 3
Governance, Organisation and Administration
47 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation and Administration
Effective governance enables the Institute to fully realise its mission and achieve its strategic goals in an effective and efficient manner. It ensures accountability and transparency, thereby benefiting learners and other stakeholders alike. Proper governance also ensures that the Institute operates within the statutory and procedural requirements applicable to it. Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. Management and governance of Higher Education Institutes in recent years has seen a greater emphasis on strategic planning, total quality management, project management, benchmarking and continuing professional development of staff. We have used these techniques to continually improve our operation and management (outlined in Chapter 4 – Planning and Evaluation).
3.1 Legislative Framework As a publicly funded Higher Education institution, the Institute operates currently under the aegis of the Department of Education and Science. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is the planning and development body for higher education in Ireland. The HEA has wide advisory powers throughout the whole of the third- level education and research sector. In addition it is the funding authority for the universities and a number of designated institutions. In 2006 the Institutes of Technology and DIT came under the remit of the HEA. This was one of the changes made in the Institutes of Technology Act 2006.
3.1.1 Regional Technical Colleges Acts The Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992 provided for the organisation and development of the Regional Technical Colleges and defined their functions as follows, modifying the provisions of Section 7 of the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act, 1944:
“to provide vocational and technical education and training for the economic, technological, scientific, commercial, industrial, social and cultural development of the State with reference to the region served by the college”.
Under the 1992 Act, the colleges were specific functions as follows: • To provide such courses of study as the Governing Body of the college considers appropriate; • To enter into arrangements with the National Council for Higher Educational Awards Council (NCEA),1 with any university in the State or with any other authority approved by the Minister from time to time for the purpose of having degrees, diplomas, certificates or other educational awards conferred; • To engage in research, consultancy and development work; • To awards scholarships, prizes and other awards; • To maintain, manage, administer and invest all the money and assets of the college.
The Amendment Act of 1994 made provision for the appointment of a Commission in certain circumstances and amended the terms of appointment of Governing Bodies. The Amendment Act of 1999 dealt primarily with the establishment of the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown.
1 The NCEA is the precursor to HETAC (The Higher Education and Training Awards Council).
48 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.1.2 Institutes of Technology Act 2006 The Institutes of Technology Act provided for amendment of the Regional Technical Colleges Acts 1992 to 2001; the Dublin Institute of Technology Acts 1992 to 2001; the Higher Education Authority Act 1971; the Universities Act 1997; the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999; the repeal sections 19, 37 and 38 of the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001; and other related matters.
The main amendments to the RTC Acts 1992 to 2001 included the provision for academic freedom, changes to provisions in relation to staff recruitment. The role and responsibilities of the Director were more clearly defined and expanded upon.
Changes were made to the functions of Governing Bodies, specifically with regard to their reserved and executive functions, including reporting on budgets and the keeping of accounts. The responsibilities of the Governing Body were expanded to include strategic development planning. They were also charged with drawing up an equality policy and procedures for the resolution of disputes that arise in the college.
The 2006 Bill primarily provided for the transfer of funding responsibilities for the Institutes of Technologies from the Department of Education and Science to the HEA. This was a major recommendation of the OECD report on Higher Education published in 2004.2 It has helped create a unified strategic framework for higher education in Ireland by bringing the Institutes of Technology and DIT under the remit of the HEA, and removing the Minister for Education and Science and the Vocational Education Committees from the normal operational activities of the Institutes. This will provide for greater autonomy for the Institutes to fulfill their missions.
3.1.3 The Higher Education Authority The Higher Education Authority Act of 1971 established the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and defined its powers and duties. Section 3 of the Act outlined the principal functions of the HEA as follows: • To further the development of higher education. • To maintain a continuous review of the demand and need for higher education. • To assist in the coordination of state investment in higher education and to prepare proposals for such investment. • To allocate among universities and designated institutions the grants voted by the Oireachtas. • To promote the attainment of equality of opportunity in higher education and democratisation of higher education. The HEA was given additional responsibilities under the Universities Act, 1997 including responsibility for (a) strategic development plans; (b) quality assurance procedures; and (c) equal opportunity policies and their implementation.
The Institutes of Technology designation Unit was established in March 2006 and was set up to manage the transition of the Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) under the remit of the HEA in the context of a fair and transparent funding system.
The section oversees the appropriate regulation of the sector in terms of staffing programmes and budgets in the context of external accountability as determined by the Department of Finance and the Department of Education and Science. It also supports the development of the Institute of Technology sector in national education context and will develop the policy perspective for the sector in the context of the national objectives.
2 Section 4 recommendations, page 22 of the OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland, 2004.
49 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
The HEA maintains a continuous review of the demand and need for higher education institutions and advises the Minister (a) on the need or otherwise for the establishment of new institutions of higher education; and (b) on the distribution of student places within the higher education system.
3.2 Corporate Governance Corporate Governance comprises the systems and procedures by which enterprises and institutions are directed and controlled. In the interests of transparency and accountability, it is important that the corporate governance of the higher education institutions operates to the highest standards. The Institute is governed by the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995. In 2004, the Department of Education and Science published detailed guidelines for the governance of third level institutions. These guidelines, namely the Code of Practice for the Governance of Third Level Institutions comprise written codes of conduct for members of the Governing Body and employees. They also set out procedures regarding internal practices and external relations with the HEA and the Minister.
The Institute is governed primarily by the Regional Technical Acts of 1992, the amendment Acts of 1994 and 1999. The Institutes of Technology, when established in 1971, were entitled Regional Technical Colleges. In January 1998, the names of the colleges were changed to Institutes of Technology by order of the Minister for Education and Science. The governance of the Institute is primarily laid down in the following Acts (Table 3.1).
Regional Technical Colleges The 1992 Act provides for the organisation and development of Regional Technical Colleges Acts 1992 to 2001 and to defined their functions
Qualifications (Education & Established the National Qualifications Framework; the Higher Education & Training Awards Training) Act 1999 Council; the Further Education and raining Awards Council; Provided for Delegation of Authority to make awards
Ethics in Public Office Act Provides ethical standards in public service (from 2004) 1995; Standards in Public Office Act 2001
Freedom of Information Act Provides for access to information by interested parties
Institute of Technology Act 2006 Allowed for the colleges to be named Institutes of Technology; Amended the functions of the Governing Body including its executive function and strategic plan development; Created a unified strategic framework for higher education in Ireland by bringing the Institutes of Technology and DIT under the remit of the HEA.
Table 3.1 Government Acts that define the Institute’s governance
The Institute produced its own Handbook on Corporate Governance in 2004 as part of its commitment to the implementation of best governance practice. It provides guidance on codes of practice relating to internal audit and procurement functions, along with procedures for tax clearance, disposal of assets, remuneration, reports and accounts, and strategic planning.
50 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.3 Institutional Governance The Governing Body is (collectively) responsible for the management and control of the affairs of the Institute and for ensuring that an effective system of internal financial control is maintained and operated.3 Academic Council is entrusted primarily with the role of protecting academic standards and making recommendations to the Governing Body in relation to academic matters.4 The role and membership of the Governing Body and Academic Council are set out in Chapter 2 of the Institute’s Quality Assurance Procedures Manual and are summarised below.
3.3.1 Governing Body Section 6 of the RTC Act 1992 provided for the establishment of the Governing Body and set out their functions as follows: • To manage and control the affairs of the college; • To approve courses of study as it considers appropriate; • To approve annual programmes and budgets; • To determine numbers and terms and conditions of staff subject to the approval by the Minister.
Section 7 of the IoT Act 2006 added the following functions, within the constraints of the college’s budget: • To control and administer the land and other property of the college; • To appoint the Director (now President) and such other staff as it thinks necessary for the purposes of the college; • To perform such other functions conferred on it by the IoT Act 2006 or any other Act.
The Governing Body consists of a Chairman appointed by the Minister for Education and Science), the President of the Institute and 17 ordinary members comprising: • Six persons nominated by the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) in whose regional area the college is situated. At least three of the six nominated by the VEC must be members of a local authority; • Two academic staff members (with gender balance); • one non-academic member of staff; • Two registered students (one male and one female); • One representative from the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU); • Five persons nominated by such organisations as the VEC considers require representation having regard to the activities of the Institute – such as industry, agriculture, commerce and the professions.
The Governing Body meets on dates agreed at the beginning of each year, typically seven or eight times per academic year. Special meetings may also be arranged by agreement. In addition to the annual report and accounts of the Institution, the Governing Body is required to submit a comprehensive report to the Minister for Education and Science outlining all financially significant developments affecting the Institution in the preceding year. In carrying out its functions, the Governing Body is guided by the guidelines, policies, procedures and advice of HETAC and by the Code of Best Practice for Corporate Governance in Third level Institutions (2004). The current membership of the Governing Body is presented in Table 3.2 below.
Section 10 of the Act (1992) requires that each college haven an Academic Council appointed by Governing Body. Academic Council is entrusted primarily with the role of protecting academic standards and making
3 Section 7 of the Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992. 4 Section 10 of the Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992.
51 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
recommendations to the Governing Body in relation to academic matters. This is discussed in more detail in Section 3.3.1 below.
In 2002, an internal audit committee was established as a sub-committee of Governing Body. This is discussed in Section 3.8 – Audits and Reviews of Management and Administrative Functions.
Name Nominating Body Mr. Tom Clarke (Chairman) Minister for Education and Science Dr. Tim Creedon (President) Institute Mr. Peter Kierans Co. Meath VEC Mr. Seán Ashe Co. Kildare VEC Ms. Marie Griffin Cllr Eamon Tuffy Co. Dublin VEC Cllr. Jim Ruttle Co. Wicklow VEC Ms Darina Kneafsey Engineers Ireland Mr. Peter Byrne South Dublin Chamber of Commerce Mr. John O’Dea Enterprise Ireland Ms. Marie Hill Teagasc Mr. Arthur Hall Irish Congress of Trade Unions Mr. Kevin Moriarty Fáilte Ireland Mr. Martin Nolan Academic Staff Ms. Angela Feeney Academic Staff Ms. Susan Sweeney Support Staff Mr. Ronan O’Sullivan Student Ms. Kiristy Maher Student Mr. Thomas Stone (Secretary) Institute of technology Tallaght
Table 3.2 Governing Body
3.3.2 Academic Council The Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992 provided for the establishment of an Academic Council and defined its function and composition of the Institute’s Academic Council as outlined below: • To assist the Governing Body in planning, co-ordination, development and overseeing of the educational work of the Institute; • To protect, maintain and develop the academic standards of the courses and the activities of the college; • To make recommendations to the Governing Body on programmes of research and development work.
The Academic Council fulfils other roles as specified in the Acts, including the making of academic regulations of the college. The composition of the Academic Council is presented in Table 3.3 along with details of current members. The Director (now President) and the Registrar are, respectively, Chairman and Secretary of the Council and are ex Officio members of Academic Council. The following are also ex Officio members – the Head of Development; Heads of School; Heads of Department; and the Librarian. All other members of Council are elected for a fixed term of office which has been set at three years.
52 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Academic Council has its own constitution. The most recent Constitution and Standing Orders of the Academic Council document was approved in March 2005 to allow for greater representation by academic staff and students to accommodate the increase in the number of Heads of Department due to the growth of the Institute.
Academic Council, following a decision of the Governing Body on 8th May 1997:
“is empowered to set up such additional committees as it deems necessary for the efficient carrying out of its work. These committees are to agree their terms of reference with the Academic Council”.
Sub-committee membership is drawn from: members of Academic Council; members of staff (from every area including academic and administrative staff) who wish to be involved or who can bring special expertise; and outside members (from business, industry etc.) who may be co-opted at the discretion of the sub-committee in order to widen the experience and knowledge base. The President and Registrar are ex-officio members of all sub-committees.
The functions of the sub-committees are focused and are evident in their titles. They share similar generic goals of proposing policies and procedures to deal with issues under their particular remit. The types of sub- committees change as developmental work reaches a conclusion and Academic Council has the power to form new committees dedicated to new issues as the need arises. Individual Programme Boards also report to Academic Council. Table 3.4 below shows the current sub-committees and a summary of their terms of reference.
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No. Membership Category Name
1 President [Chairman] Dr. Tim Creedon
1 Registrar [Secretary] Mr. John Vickery
1 Head of Development Mr. Pat Coman
3 Heads of School Dr. Michael Ahern Mr. Pat McLaughlin Dr. Damien Roche
8 Heads of Department Dr. Phil Mulvaney Dr. Barry Feeney Dr. David Irwin Mr. Adrian Payne Mr. James Wright Mr. John Behan Mr. Martin Nolan Ms. Fiona Cranley
1 Librarian Ms. Gillian Kerins
4 Academic Staff Ms. Catherine Fravalo School of Business & Humanities Ms. Angela Feeney Mr. James Bridgeman Mr. Gerard Phelan
4 Academic Staff Mr. Paul Dillon School of Engineering Dr. Richard Gahan Mr. Gerard Stockil Dr. Yanyi Blake
4 Academic Staff Dr. Edwin Carey School of Science & Computing Mr. Enda Lee Dr. Mary Deasy Dr. Brian Murray
1 Technical & Library Staff Mr. Dave O’ Mahony
1 All Other Staff Mr. Brendan Harte
3 Students Mr. Alan Mulcahy Mr. Ronan O’Sullivan Mr. Gary Lanigan
Table 3.3 Composition and Current Membership of Academic Council
54 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Academic Council sub-Committees Terms of Reference
Constitution of Academic Council • To advise on the constitution and composition of Academic Council. Committee
Standing Committee • To address urgent decisions that must be addressed before the next meeting of Academic Council.
Access, Progression and Transfer • To assist Academic Council in maintaining and developing academic admission, Committee transfer and progression criteria for programmes of the College.
Academic Marks & Standards • To assist Academic Council in maintaining and developing academic standards for Committee courses and activities of the College. • To make recommendations to Academic Council on issues related to the assessment of academic standards to enable the establishment of appropriate structures to implement the courses of study offered by the College. • To assist Academic Council in making the Academic Regulations of the College. • To engage with external academic bodies or accrediting agencies as required by Academic Council or the Registrar.
Postgraduate Policy Committee • To assist the Academic Council in analysis, review and development of strategy in relation to supervised postgraduate research studies. • To make recommendations to Academic Council on issues related to research policy and procedures, regulations and codes of practice as applied to postgraduate research. • To assist Academic Council in the making of Academic Regulations in relation to postgraduate research degree progression and transfer. • To engage with external academic bodies or accrediting agencies as required by Academic Council or the Registrar.
Research and Development • Identification, development and recommendation of policy with respect to Research & Committee Development to the Academic Council. • Advise on expanding, developing and promoting Research & Development within the Institute. • To discuss and make recommendations in relation to research strategy in the Institute and in individual Schools/Departments. • To identify issues in relation to implementation of research policy within the Institute and to make recommendations in this regard.
Ethics Committee • To assist Academic Council to develop, codes and standards of ethics for staff, students, employees, partners and contractors of the Institute. • To make recommendations to Academic Council on issues related to the development and maintenance of codes and standards of ethics. • To assist Academic Council in the making, maintenance, review and updating of a Code of Ethics for the Institute. • To engage with external academic bodies, supervisory or accrediting agencies as required by Academic Council or the Registrar.
Academic Teaching, Learning and • To advise Academic Council on teaching, learning and student support strategies such Student Support Committee that the Institute has a holistic view of its core business.
Table 3.4 Academic Council Sub-committees (this table is continued next page)
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Library Committee • To advise on improving the provision of appropriate and convenient access to library and other learning facilities • To advise on improving the provision of adequate information and communication technology resources and facilities to support ongoing courses provided by the Institute. • To advise on evaluating the adequacy and utilisation of the library and its information resources. • To advise on promoting the library and its resources among the learning community. • To consult with Academic Council on the means of continuing to integrate library resources into the teaching and learning processes.
Irish Language Committee • To assist Academic Council in the drafting of the Statutory Scheme. • To assist the Academic Council in making recommendations to ensure improved availability of Institute services through the medium through the medium of the Irish language. • To assist the Academic Council in making recommendations to enhance the Institute’s ability to provide services through the medium of Irish or English. • To assist the Academic Council in making recommendations to raise staff awareness of the Statutory Scheme through induction and regular communications. • To offer recommendations to Academic Council to enhance staff competency in Irish through training and development. • To engage with external academic bodies as required by Academic Council or the Registrar.
Programme Boards • Monitoring the quality and delivery of the programme. • Maintaining the accreditation and development of the programme. • Planning a timetable of assessment to ensure that there is a reasonable balance and spread of work throughout the semester. • Monitoring examination and continuous assessment results and taking or recommending appropriate action when required. • Reviewing the programme metrics such as, programme uptake, withdrawals, performance, progression, transfer and attendance. • Managing the student induction programme. • Providing information to students about the programme of study and continuous assessment requirements. • Mentoring and supporting students. • Assessing the resource requirements for the programme including equipment, software and library texts to be acquired and making recommendations to the Institute. • Analysing the programme questionnaires. • Monitoring general issues that relate to students and the delivery of the programme. • Referring appropriate matters to Head of Department, Head of School, Registrar or Academic Council. • Identifying training needs. • Identifying action items for continuous assessment. • Producing the Annual Programme Board Report for Academic Council
Table 3.4 Academic Council Sub-committees
56 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.4 Institute Management Structure The approach to management adopted in the Institute emphasises the concept of collegiality, through sharing of information with staff and students and working towards consensus on all major issues. It is also premised on the exercise of delegated responsibility by management, within a clear policy framework and centrally- approved norms and procedures.
The Institute is organised into three Academic Schools and three Supporting Functions and the basic organisational and management structure is shown in Figure 3.1.
Governing Body
Audit Committee Academic Council
President
Head of School Head of School Head of School Secretary/ Registrar Head of Business and Science and Engineering Financial Development Humanities Computing Controller
Head, Department Academic Head of Head of Human Resources Administration & Industrial Liaison Department Department of Mechanical Manager Engineering Student Affairs Manager Management Science Manager Head of Head of Head, Department Finance Head Librarian Estates Manager Department Department Electronic Manager Humanities Computing Engineering
Head of IT Manager Head of Lifelong Department Learning Accountancy & Professional Studies
Head of Department Marketing & Business Computing
Figure 3.1 Institute Management & Organisational Structure
In accordance with the 1992 RTC Act, the Institute has a Director (now President), who reports to the Governing Body. As part of a change across the Institutes of Technology Sector enabled by the 2006 IoT Act, the Governing Body approved a name change in September 2007 from Director to President. The President’s function is to control and direct the activities and staff of the Institute, ensure the efficient and proper
57 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
management of the Institute’s resources and to be responsible for strategic planning in conjunction with Governing Body. The President chairs the executive management team, namely the Senior Management Team (SMT), the Total Management Team (TMT) and Academic Council. The President is also a member of Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) which enables the Presidents of the 13 Institutes of Technology to co-ordinate the work of the Institutes nationally.
Specifically IOTI: • Assists in the development of a common position on higher education policy issues amongst Institutes. • Promotes and facilitates discussion and consultation between representatives of the Institutes and other educational and research bodies in Ireland on matters affecting or relevant to the Institutes. • Advises Government, the Higher Education Authority, the institutions of the European Union and other relevant agencies or bodies regarding the views and policies of Institutes. • Provides information to Institutes and others on important Irish, European and other international educational developments. • Participates in and contributes to international organisations and committees appropriate to the work of Institutes. • Administers research funding programmes on behalf of the Department of Education and Science. • Promotes international relationships with similar organisations in other countries. • Nominates persons to statutory and other bodies at the request of the Minister for Education and Science and other appointing persons or bodies.
The roles and responsibilities of the Institute’s management, including the Heads of School, Heads of Department and Heads of Function, are explained in Chapter 2 of the Institute’s Quality Assurance Procedures Manual. The primary areas of responsibility for carrying out the operations of the Institute are can be broadly broken down and summarised as shown in Table 3.5.
Office Role And Responsibilities
President Leadership and Institute Mission; Strategic, Personnel and Resource Planning; Programme and Budgets
Registrar Academic Planning; Implementation of Strategic Plan w.r.t. Academic Goals; Admissions and Examinations; Academic Quality Assurance; Academic Affairs; Library and Information Resources; Student Support Services; Liaises with HETAC
Secretary/Financial Controller Financial Management; Ensuring Compliance with Legislation; Support Services including Human Resources, Health and Safety (Chair of Health, Safety and Welfare Committee)
Development External Liaison; Promotion of Research; Research Project Administration; International Activities; Adult Education, including Lifelong Learning; Campus Development and Estates Management
Academic Schools Planning, Management and Leadership in the School; Promotion of School and Institute; School Strategic and Quality Assurance Development; Planning for and overseeing the management of research degree programmes
Academic Departments Academic Programme Design, Management, Delivery and Quality Assurance; Promotion of Department, School and Institute; Leading and managing research degree programmes
Table 3.5 Summary Management Roles and Responsibilities
58 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.5 Management Groups In line with the recommendations of the Deloitte and Touche Report on Academic Management Structures in the Institutes of Technology (1998), the Institute has established a number of groups to ensure the good management of the Institute. These comprise the Senior Management Team (or executive) and Total Management Team. The schedule of meetings of the different groups is prepared annually by the Institute President. Some key changes to the management groups in recent years include: • Having regard to expansion in the School of Business and Humanities three new Heads of Department posts were created in 2005; • Having regard to expansion in the number of part time programmes and students, a new post was created and a Head of Lifelong Learning was appointed, reporting to the Head of Development, in the 2006/7 academic year; • In 2007/08 the management group structure was streamlined to ensure more efficient and effective operation. The Academic Management Team (comprising SMT and Heads of Department) was merged with the Total Management Team and the frequency of meetings increased.
3.5.1 Senior Management Team The Institute President is assisted in the management of the Institute by an executive team, namely the Senior Management Team reporting to him consisting of the Registrar, Heads of School, Secretary/Financial Controller and Head of Development. The Senior Management Team (SMT) is collectively responsible for executive decisions in relation to strategy and policy implementation, including the budget. The SMT meet regularly, normally every two weeks during term, to plan and manage the activities of the Institute. Their main responsibilities of SMT are to: • advise the President on matters for decision in accordance with Governing Body policy • develop Institute policy and implement policies adopted by Governing Body • provide, in support of the President, leadership of the Institute • drive the strategic direction of the Institute and the strategic and executive management of the Institute • draft the programme and budget for the Institute, seek the required resources and allocate the agreed resources • develop the overall policies and procedures for quality assurance and take responsibility for their management, monitoring and review • implement the quality policy and develop quality procedures for the Institute • SMT will consider Governing Body agenda items prior to Governing Body meetings and be informed of Governing Body decisions and views following meetings • SMT members will liaise with external agencies and organisations and brief colleagues on their interactions on a regular basis (Institutes of technology Ireland and other sectoral groups, professional bodies, HETAC/NQAI, etc.) • SMT may call special purpose meetings involving relevant members of the overall management team and other officers as appropriate to consider action on specific issues from time to time and establish project teams normally led by an SMT member to deal with specific matters • where the SMT is unable to arrive at consensus, the President has the responsibility to decide on a matter.
SMT members are responsible for: • the implementation of decisions made at SMT
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• advising their staff of executive decisions • involving their staff in their section’s internal management and decision making process • bringing staff views to SMT • detailed allocation of agreed budgets • development and implementation of quality assurance procedures • developing strategic planning for their School or function • providing leadership and effective management and operation of their school or function • chairing appropriate Institute-wide committees.
3.5.2 Total Management Team The Total Management Team (TMT) includes all members of SMT together with Heads of Department and Central Service Managers. The TMT meets every two weeks to discuss academic matters, developmental issues and cross-sectoral protocols. The main responsibilities of the TMT are: • to inform and advise SMT, which is the Institute’s executive body on issues requiring decision, and to allow Institute-wide discussion on external or internal matters which may impact the Institute • to advise SMT on strategic direction and policy • to advise SMT on operational and procedural aspects of Institute-wide policy and on quality assurance • to ensure the cross-fertilisation of ideas and concepts • to ensure Governing Body and SMT decisions are understood and implemented uniformly • to advise SMT on academic matters including - academic strategy; assessment, examinations and results; teaching and learning; research and development; links with industry • to advise SMT on operational and procedural aspects of policy, including quality assurance.
3.5.3 General Committees The Institute also has four General Committees established to achieve specific goals. Table 3.6 sets out the main purpose of each of the General Committees.
General Committee Key Objectives
Health, Safety and Welfare • to promote health and safety issues within the Institute. This committee was established to Committee comply with the consultation elements of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 1989.
Workplace Partnership • promote common ownership by management, unions and staff of the development and Committee implementation of modernisation programmes • to enhance the quality and effectiveness of the services of the Institute • to develop a participative approach to resolving issues and challenges generally • to enhance the quality of the work environment
Student Assistance Fund • to oversee the allocation of grants to students in need of assistance from the Student Committee Assistance Fund provided by the Department of Education and Science
Student Services Committee • to promote, co-ordinate, develop and oversee student activities in the Institute. This is achieved through the development of clubs and societies and the provision of recreational and cultural activities. The Student Services Committee works closely with the Student Union and is funded through student capitation.
Table 3.6 General Committees
60 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.6 Research Management & Organisational Structure The Institute has devised structures at institutional, school, committee and functional levels for the maintenance of high quality and relevant research. The organisational framework to support research is illustrated in Figure 3.2. There are two elements to the management structure for research at the Institute. These are: • The operational management of research activities, including strategy, administration of research funding – managed by the Industrial Liaison Manager who reports to the Head of Development through the Development & External Services Office. • The academic management of postgraduate research degree progrrammes – managed by the Registrar through the Registrar’s Office.
Research Strategy & Policy Governing Body
Research Strategy & Planning President Research Policies Academic Council • Postgraduate Policy Ethics Approvals Senior Management Team • Research & Development Research Ethics Committee • Ethics
Research Programme Research Operations Management: Monitoring & Academic Management of Management Research Delivery Head of Development Head of School Registrar
Registration Approvals Head of Department Operations Research Manager Industrial Liaison Manager Postgraduate Research Board
Research Academics Research Centre Management Committees
Figure 3.2 The Institute Research Management Framework
There are three sub-Committees of Academic Council that are directly involved in the development of research policies and procedures for supervised research studies. The first Research & Development sub-Committee of Academic Council was set up in the mid 1990s, in response to increasing research activity, to deal with all aspects of policy in relation to research and to provide a forum, for staff interested in research, to make their views known. Its remit also included innovation, development and consultancy activities and its workload increased substantially as all of these areas grew and expanded in parallel. Academic Council took a decision in Jan. 2001 to set up a separate dedicated sub-Committee to focus on the academic policies, procedures,
61 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
structures & standards in relation to supervised research degrees. The Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee was formally established in Oct. 2001. In June 2005 a sub-Committee was set up to draw up a policy on ethics for the Institute. There are currently three sub-Committees that are directly involved in the development of research policies and procedures for supervised research studies and more information on these is provided below.
3.6.1 Research and Development sub-Committee The remit of this sub-Committee is to advise on the development, expansion and promotion of research and development and to provide a forum to examine research strategy within the Institute.
Recent Activities of the Research and Development sub-Committee include: • Developed the Institute Intellectual Property Policy; • Made recommendations on research strategy; • Made recommendations on training of academic researchers and postgraduate students; • Made recommendations on the balance of hours assigned to research to teaching activities; • Provided advice on the drafting of the Institute Regulations for Supervised Postgraduate Research; • Provided advice on the drafting of the Institute Ethics Policy and Code of Conduct for Researchers; • Reviewed the status of the Strategic Plan in relation to research and innovation and implementation of specific target objectives in 2006/07 and more recently in 2007/08. • Organised visits by representatives from Research Funding Agencies to the Institute to provide academic staff with additional guidance on funding applications research and to promote the research activities of the Institute to those agencies; • Conducted a SWOT analysis for research as part of the self-evaluation process for delegated authority.
3.6.2 Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee The remit of this sub-Committee is to assist the Academic Council in the performance of its functions in relation to academic matters associated with postgraduate research studies.
Recent Activities of the Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee include: • Development of the Institute Research Regulations; • Development of the Institute Code of Practice for Supervised Research; • Provided advice on the drafting of the Institute Ethics Policy and Code of Conduct for researchers; • Drew guiding documents for supervisors on the following - recruitment of masters and doctoral degree students and the NQAI Level 9 and 10 standards explained for researchers; • Development of Institute Regulations for Taught Masters Dissertations.
3.6.3 Ethics sub-Committee The remit of this sub-Committee is to assist the Academic Council in the performance of its functions in relation to ethical matters, including those associated with research. Recent Activities of the Ethics sub-Committee include: • Drafted the Institute Ethics Policy; • Drafted the Institute Code of Conduct for Researchers; • Drafted the Institute’s Ethics Clearance Forms; • Made recommendations on procedures for dealing with research misconduct.
62 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3.6.4 Academic Management of Research The Registrar is responsible for the admission and registration of students on the Institute’s research degree programmes. He/she also manages the overall examination process. Specifically the Registrar is responsible for: • How the research Regulations & Code of Conduct are communicated to the Schools and prospective & registered postgraduate students, dealing with all breaches of same. • Managing the registration process for research degree programmes within the Institute. • Chairing & managing the activities of the Postgraduate Research Board (that approves admissions for the Institute). • Making recommendation regarding HETAC requirements for the provision of support services & training to the Departments, Schools and the Development & External Services Office for the Institute’s research degree programmes. • Overseeing the monitoring of progress for research degree programmes. • Overseeing and managing the appeals processes that relate to registrations and examinations. • Overseeing and managing the complaints processes that relate to registrations and examinations. • Overseeing & managing the examination and final awards process for the Institute. • Overseeing the promotion the Institute’s research degree programmes to prospective students. • Ensuring that the student is aware of the Institute’s health, safety and welfare regulations. • Ensuring the necessary support & welfare services are made available to postgraduate students for the duration of their studies from the Institute’s function areas, such as Computing Services, Student Services etc. • Submitting to HETAC documentation relating to students and supervisors. • Organising audits to ensure compliance with procedures, to include reporting to senior management on audits and compliance.
A register of postgraduate students is maintained by the Registrar’s Office in the Institute. All applications for admission to a research degree register (accredited disciplines and case-by-case applications in approved disciplines) are evaluated internally by the Postgraduate Research Board (discussed in detail in Chapter 12, Section 12.8.1) before final Institute approval by the Registrar. The Institute has been accredited by HETAC to maintain a research degree register in specific discipline areas. The Registrar is responsible for notifying the Awarding Body HETAC of all applications received in those discipline areas. The Registrar is responsible for the submission of all Institute case-by-case admission applications to HETAC following Institute approval.
The Registrar also chairs the Research Ethics Committee which has been established to review research project proposals of those researchers wishing to conduct research involving human and/or participants and make recommendations to SMT on whether the proposed research of that nature can be conducted at the Institute or not. More information on the Institute’s process and procedures for dealing with ethics in research are provided in Chapter 12, Section 12.10.
3.6.5 Operational Management of Research The Development & External Services Office is responsible for the overall strategic management and promotion of research activities for the Institute. In that context it is responsible for the non-academic or operational management of research degree projects including the administration studentship and scholarship funds. In this role as related to research degree programmes the D&ESO is responsible for: • Development of Research Strategy. • Provision of office-type accommodation for research degree students.
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• Ensuring that the student is aware of appropriate Institutional support systems and sources of advice. • Administration of research studentships and scholarships, including financial monitoring, orders and claims & making this information available to Supervisors. • Overseeing & managing the postgraduate student Induction Training Programme. • Monitoring and implementing the Institute’s policies and procedures in relation to Intellectual Property emanating from results obtained from research degree projects. • Promoting & publishing information on the Institute’s research degree programmes to stakeholders, including prospective students.
Development and External Services also has responsibility for the following aspects of research: • Supporting and coordinating applications for external funding for postgraduate and contract research; • Promotion of research opportunities within the Institute; • Promotion of the Institute as a research centre to industry and funding agencies; • Endorsement and filing of research funding applications; • Financial monitoring and claims. • Procurement. • Recruitment of postdoctoral Fellows, postgraduate students and research personnel. • Working conditions and office facilities of researchers. • Negotiation of applied and commissioned research contracts with industry.
The Schools, Departments, Academic Researchers and the Registrar’s Office work closely with Development & External Services in relation to many of these aspects of research. The Finance Department is responsible for the processing of appropriate fees and payments from studentship funds.
3.7 Academic Administration Organisation The Academic Administration and Student Affairs Manager reporting to the Registrar, co-ordinates the academic administration of the Institute. This includes admissions, registration, examinations, graduation and student records. The day-to-day administration of these areas is carried out by a team of administrative staff as shown in Figure 3.3. This staffing structure arose from the implementation of the Chapman Flood Mazars Report on the administrative and library structures in Institutes of Technology. The division of administrative staff corresponds to a two part structure comprising: (i) administration of the part-time office and (ii) admissions, registration, examinations and graduation.
64 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Registrar
Academic Administration and Student Affairs Manager
Part-time Office Admissions/Registration/ Exams/Graduation
Grade 6 Grade 6
Grade 5 Grade 5 x 3
Grade 4 x 2 Grade 4 x 2
Grade 3 Grade 3 x 3
Figure 3.3 Academic Administration Staffing Structure
The Registrars Office is also responsible for the Institute’s student information system known as Banner, which has had a significant impact on the Registrars Office, particularly in the areas of admissions, registration and examinations. The Banner System is managed by the IT Manager (Chapter 6, Section 6.5.5).
3.7.1 Administrative Support for Research in the Office of the Registrar Administrative support is provided by staff within the Registrars Office, under the supervision of the Administration & Student Affairs Manager. A total of 19 administrative staff have been assigned to the Registrar’s Office. The deployment of administrative staff is carried out through a Grade 7 Administrative Officer. The work assigned to this Officer in relation to postgraduate studies has expanded as a result of an increase in student numbers, particularly in relation to the monitoring and updating of records.
3.7.2 Administrative Support for Research in the Development & External Services Office A significant and growing proportion of research in the Institute is carried out by professional research staff, such as Principal Investigators, post-doctoral researchers and research assistants, as well as postgraduate students and recent years have seen an expansion in the level of administrative support provided to all researchers by the Development & External Services Office. The roles and responsibilities of the administrative support personnel in relation to research are given in Table 3.7. The Development is currently recruiting another Research Administrative Officer.
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Administrative Post Roles & Responsibilities
Research & Senior Staff • Assist with all areas of R&D Officer • Manage and assist with budgets, funding and financial reporting of research projects Grade 6 • Provide assistance, support and help with queries from researchers
Research Assistant • Assist in organising initial set up – including for email access and initiate pay authorisation Grade 4 • Provide researchers with all relevant forms and official letters needed for tax clearance on studentships, visa renewal etc. • Provide researchers with the requisition template for ordering of goods and services (Agresso) and explain the ordering process • Provide the researcher with the Research Student Handbook and direct researchers to relevant contacts in other areas of the Institute
Administrative Support Officer • Organise desk and pc needs Grade 3 • Direct researchers to relevant contacts in other areas of the Institute
Administrative Support Officer • Assist with queries for ordering of goods and services Grade 3 • Process order requisitions
Table 3.7 Roles & Responsibilities of Administrative Support for Research
3.7.3 Administrative Support for Research in the Finance Department A Finance Senior Staff Officer in the Finance Department provides administrative support for the following: • Processing of appropriate fees and studentship funds. • Providing Claims forms. • Setting up on the CORE Payroll system. • Enabling payment for any part time tutorials/labs/lectures. • Arranging conference registration payment. • Applying Tax exemption to your grant payment.
3.8 Audits and Reviews of Management and Administrative Operations Institutional Reviews and the Periodic Programmatic Evaluations (in each of the Institute’s three Schools) undertaken by external panels of experts are the main mechanisms for the ongoing monitoring and review of the Institutes academic programmes and their delivery. Chapter 12, Section 12.5.9 and 12.5.10 section provides details on the programmatic review and institutional review processes and procedures respectively. The quality assurance procedures surrounding audits and reviews are discussed in Chapter 12, Section 12.5.8. A list of internal audits conducted since 2000 is provided in Table 3.8.
66 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Internal Audits
•Part-time courses •Fee collection & registration •Research & Development •Computer Audit •Campus Companies •Completion and uploading of whitesheets •Human Resources Management •Final Broadsheets and Examination Board meetings. •Risk Management of national MIS project implementation •The Examinations System
Table 3.8 Internal Audits 2000 to 2007
Governance, management and administration within the Institute are reviewed on a regular basis through a variety of different formats such as:
3.8.1 Internal Audits by Consultant Auditors The Institute, in conjunction with the Council of Directors of Institutes of Technology, engaged Deloitte and Touche as consultant auditors to provide an independent audit and appraisal of systems within the Institute between April 2000 and October 2005. During that period a series of activities in the Institute were reviewed, including the management of part-time programmes; the examination system; completion and uploading of results (whitesheets); HR management; and a computer audit and an audit of health and safety.
Internal audits were also carried out in the areas of research & development; campus companies; risk management of the National Management Information System (MIS) project implementation; collection of fees; and student registration processes. It is the responsibility of Senior Management Team to review the findings of these audits and to implement follow up actions. The recommendations made by Deloitte and Touche to improve operations and procedures in the areas identified above have been implemented. The implementation process has been reviewed by Deloitte and Touche and documented in their Internal Audit Follow up Report.
As part of the Institute’s 2006 Internal Audit Plan, Mazars were engaged to undertake an assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of (a) the processes in place for the achievement of their strategic objectives, and (b) the arrangements in place for student retention within the Institute.
The Internal Audit Report on Processes for Achievement of Strategic Objectives concluded that the procedures in place within the Institute to support the achievement of strategic objectives were in line with best practices in similar Institutes. The review did not identify any high risk audit findings. The recommendations made by the audit team are currently being implemented by the Senior Management Team and are at various stages of completion, and are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4 – Planning and Evaluation.
The Internal Audit Report on Student Retention identified three medium priority issues which are currently being addressed by Institute management. The audit team noted that a number of significant initiatives to deal with student retention have already been identified, planned and successfully implemented. These are discussed further in Chapter 7, Sections 7.1.5 and 7.1.8.
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Internal audits by Consultant Auditors are also proposed in the following areas before the end of the 2007/08 academic year: • Student Recruitment • Student Services and Support.
In all cases it is the responsibility of Senior Management to review the findings of these audits and to identify and implement follow up actions. The reports of these audits are made available to Governing Body and to the Controller and Auditor General.
3.8.2 Periodic Institutional Audits In addition to the use of internal audits by consultant auditors, the Institute is committed to a periodic review of its activities by a team of experts external to the Institute. These audits form a key component of the self assessment activities in the Institute. The review is a two stage process, consisting initially of an internal self- study followed by an external review. The procedures governing such periodic review audits are set out in the Institute’s Quality Assurance Procedures Manual (pp.173-4). They are conducted in a manner similar to the Institutional Reviews conducted by HETAC.5
3.8.3 Audit of the Comptroller & Auditor General The Institute is audited annually by the Comptroller & Auditor General who issues an annual report for presentation to the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Comptroller and Auditor General reviews Institute activities to ensure: 1. Expenditure is for the intended purpose as stated in the allocation by the Higher Education Authority 2. Financial controls are properly applied 3. Expenditure provides value for money.
3.8.4 Internal Audit Sub-Committee of Governing Body In 2002 an internal audit committee was established as a sub-committee of Governing Body. The purpose of the audit committee is to advise the Governing Body on internal control, corporate governance and any matters referred to it by Governing Body. The scope of the Audit sub-Committee is a review and oversight committee which examines internal audit reports and the responses of SMT on behalf of Governing Body. The sub-Committee consists of members drawn from the Governing Body. It defined the terms of reference as follows with respect to audit: To report to the Governing Body, that - • Approved policies of the Governing Body are being implemented • Adequate internal controls and monitoring procedures are in place to ensure the issues raised in internal and external auditors reports are responded to in an appropriate manner • Management responsibility is clearly identified so that the sub-committee can confirm a successful resolution of the issues they choose to examine or are put before them for their attention.
Issues which have been examined by the Audit Committee to-date include • Issues raised in the Internal Audit Reports • Registration and fee collection for full and part-time students
5 See Chapter 12, Section 12.5.10 for Institute Process and Procedures. See also Policy on Institutional Review of Providers of Higher Education and Training, HETAC, Dec. 2007.
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• Banner Computer System / Management Information Systems • Tendering Process for Reprographics • Fees and Refunds Policy • Recruitment of Staff Policy (emphasis on part time staff recruitment) • Cost Savings Initiatives
The committee is currently chaired by the Chairman of Governing Body who is the designated responsible manager.
3.8.5 Management Quality Review Group In 2005, a Quality Review Group was established to review the development and implementation of quality assurance processes throughout the Institute. The main objective of the Quality Review Group is to ensure that the processes, policies and procedures set down in the Institute Quality Assurance Manual are implemented. Inputs to these reviews include results of audits, stakeholder feedback, performance metrics, status of preventative and corrective actions, and follow-up actions from previous management reviews. Members of the Quality Review Group are appointed by the President and membership includes a member of SMT (Chairperson), two members of management and two staff (one academic and one non-academic). The Chairperson presents a report of the review to the Senior Management Team.
The Institute recognises that governance requires the proper identification of the differing roles and responsibilities of individuals and groups within the organisation, and their interaction with one another and with external stakeholders. The Strategic Plan 2005-2008 outlines ways to develop and raise staff awareness of the appropriate policies and procedures concerning the governance, management and organisation of the Institute, and to engage staff in improving current procedures in their respective areas.
3.8.6 Internal Peer Audit The audit conducted by an internal review auditor takes the form of a peer review in which a member of staff of the Institute, trained in auditing techniques, investigates a process or system for which he/she does not have responsibility. It is the responsibility of SMT to ensure that staff resources are available and that the appointed person is properly trained for audits. Details of audits conducted since 2005 by trained auditors within the Institute are given in Table 12.1, Chapter 12, in the section dealing with how the Institute evaluates its quality assurance procedures.
The Institute has a number of trained auditors, including: Ahern, Mike - Head of Science and Computing; Costelloe, Liam - Lecturer of Engineering; Feeney, Angela - Lecturer of Languages; Kerins, Gillian - Institute Librarian; O'Donovan, Josephine; Cassidy, Gwen - Freedom of Information Officer. Terms of reference (Section 10.4 of the Quality Manual) are as follows: - Improvement of the effectiveness of the quality management system and its processes.
3.9 Management and Governance National Context
The Institute Strategic Plan,6 in tandem with the requirements for modernisation and flexibility outlined under the current partnership agreement, Sustaining Progress, has initiated major changes within the Institute. The
6 The Strategic Plan is discussed in Chapter 4 – Planning and Evaluation.
69 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 3 Governance, Organisation And Administration
Sustaining Progress Agreement requires that modern and appropriate performance and accountability systems are in place at individual, team and organisational level. For the Institute of Technology sector, it specifically recommends the introduction of a structured system of performance management and development for all staff, which is aligned to overall strategic goals.
In accordance with the provisions of Sustaining Progress, the Institute submitted its Third Progress Report to the Education Sector Performance Verification Group (ESPVG) in September 2004. This report outlines the extent of progress and cooperation that has been achieved in the Institute in implementing the specific actions set out in the agreed Action Plan for the Institute of Technology Sector. The Institute made significant and demonstrable progress in the areas defined by the Action Plan. These include specific improvements implemented to enhance modernisation and flexibility, progress in implementing a partnership approach to governance, the development of a performance management development system (PMDS), approved quality assurance procedures, staff development plans and various other innovations and organisational changes designed to improve education service provision within the Institute.
The Sustaining Progress National Agreement came to an end in 2006, and was followed by a new ten year framework social partnership agreement, covering the period 2006 to 2016. The new agreement is called “Towards 2016”, and sets out to Support Modernisation and Flexibility in the public sector, and ensure a Stable Industrial Relations Climate. Under the terms of this agreement, the Institute is required to submit reports, on a 6 monthly basis, showing how it has met the requirements set out under the various headings within the agreement. Three reports have been submitted to date. The Third Progress Report submitted in November 2007 outlines specific improvements made by the Institute that have been implemented in the following areas – teaching environment; development of new teaching technologies; flexible working and customer service.7 The staff handbook has been revamped and made available to staff on the Intranet.
Future developments within the Institute will continue to be guided by the Towards 2016 Agreement. The strategic development of the Institute will also be guided by the advice and recommendations of the Department of Education and Science, HETAC, the NQAI, the state agencies and all other stakeholders. Management and operations in the coming years will be characterised by a cycle of planning, implementing, evaluating and capturing the lessons learned from past experience.
3.10 Future Directions on Management Capacity in the Institute Sector This chapter has reviewed the operation of governance and management within the Institute of Technology, Tallaght and the various systems and mechanisms in place designed to ensure they are effective. New challenges, arising due to cultural and demographic changes, the development of the knowledge-based and innovation economy and lifelong learning, and important changes at an institutional level both nationally and internationally, are initiating important changes within the Institute Sector. From a governance perspective, these developments, along with the challenges of managing a more complex organisation arising due to the increase in student numbers, the evolution of the Graduate School approach to training, 4th Level research education and the range and diversity of courses to be provided within the Sector, present important challenges and offer new opportunities for development.
7 The Institute’s Third Progress Report is available on the staff intranet.
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The management capacity of the Institute of Technology Sector was reviewed in 2007 to look at how the Sector can, through effective management, meet the needs of the changing learner and other stakeholder groups in the future. The review of management capacity project is one of five strands in a SIF funded programme lead by IOTI entitled “The Institutes of Technology Sector Learning Network: Delivering Systematic Change”. The objective of the review was to assess and evaluate management capacity in the sector; to identify gaps going forward in the changing learner and stakeholder environment; and to make recommendations for improvement in order to improve service delivery to students, industry and other stakeholders in a more complex modern environment.
The results of the review are presented in October 2007 Developing and Mobilising Talent and Management Capacity to Exploit Future Opportunities Report. It is evident from the report, particularly in relation to the external environment, that the challenges facing the Sector in the future will be significantly different from those experienced to date. The following were the key recommendations in relation to management capacity: • Develop management capacity and capability in line with the strategic intent of the Institutes; • Align organisational structures to strategic priorities; • Put in place leadership development programmes; • Develop and recruit specific skills to exploit future opportunities including strategic risk management, change management, contract development and IP management, Marketing, PR and branding.
The Institute is committed to the ongoing development and implementation of best-practice in its governance, management and operation. It is also committed to acting on the recommendations presented in the IOTI Report. This is reflected in the development and implementation of the Institute’s Quality Assurance Procedures; the Institutes compliance with various regulations and laws pertaining to education, labour and public procurement as set out in the Institutes Codes of Practice; and the regular reviews of governance, management and administration within the Institute. The commitment to implement best-practice in governance is also reflected in the formal planning and evaluation processes within the Institute.8
8 The quality assurance procedures for evaluating academic programmes are discussed in the Chapter 12.
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72 Chapter 4
Planning and Evaluation
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Chapter 4 Planning and Evaluation
4.1 Strategic Planning in Higher Education Efficient planning and evaluation at regular intervals ensures a more unified, cohesive and coherent approach to delivering on the Institute’s mission and purpose. Successful case studies indicate that strategic planning which enables establishments to prioritise goals and objectives are the key to effective performance. An awareness of stakeholder needs along with staff consultation is also critical. New challenges in the form of increased competition, lifelong learning and pressures to respond flexibly to the needs of industry and the knowledge-based economy have become important in that regard. Embracing these challenges requires the development of new practices within the Institute and heightens the importance of planning, especially strategic planning.
In the past decade, changes to national policy, structures, legislation, funding mechanisms, quality assurance and accountability requirements have fundamentally altered the landscape in which Irish higher education institutions operate.1 The most recent of which is the Government’s seven year commitment,2 to evolve towards a knowledge society, which provides both challenges and opportunities, particularly in the area of planning the way ahead. This has led to the publication of a number of spin-off surveys and reports in 2007 which were designed to act as a guide to those planning in the higher education sector in this changing climate.
In April 2007, the Advisory Science Council published the report Promoting Enterprise-Higher Education Relationships. The report reviewed the relationship between enterprises and higher education (HE) institutions both in Ireland and in a number of comparable countries. The Council found that the two key constraints to the deepening of enterprise-HE research collaborations in Ireland are the low absorptive capacity of enterprises for research, and a gap in the availability of applied research capability that enterprises can readily access. Good practice in other countries is to apply an enterprise driven approach to define and develop thematically-focused joint research programmes.
The HEA launched a more research focused report in October 2007 Research Infrastructure in Ireland – Building for Tomorrow carried out by Forfás which indicates that future planning needs to address infrastructural gaps that still exist in the Irish research landscape. Since funding for research infrastructure has only improved since 1998 we are still in “catch-up” mode whilst at the same time trying to compete with our international competitors. The report will be a key guiding document for the forthcoming cycles of PRTLI funding.
In November 2007 the HEA launched the Prospectus Survey of the Irish Higher Education Sector Lead or Follow? The Global challenge for Irish Higher Education. The objectives of the survey of the Universities and Institutes of Technology were to: • Provide a picture of the current position of the Irish higher education sector, critical issues and views of opinion leaders across the sector. • Identify and understand the key strategic and operational issues facing the Irish higher education sector in the future.
1 These have already been discussed and referenced in detail in Chapter 1 – Introduction. 2 Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 – 2013.
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• Inform the advancement of third and fourth level education in Ireland, in a global context.
It is first report of its kind in Ireland designed to provide a strong and timely poll of views ranging from a macro- level overview of the HE sector to more micro-level areas such as policy, governance, teaching and learning, fourth level, management capacity and organisation development. The report captures the views and opinions of major stakeholders, who are key players in strategic planning, and system leaders in Irish higher education.
A collective strategy aligned with national priorities matched with the expertise within the Institute Sector, has recently been proposed by Instituted of Technology Ireland.3 The strategy which has the following key objectives will act as guide to all Institutes in future strategic planning processes: • Provision of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of study with a strong focus on the needs and requirements of the workplace • Promotion of equality of access and seamless transfer and progression to and through full-time and part- time programmes of study, using the ladder system.4 Recognition and provision of credit for prior experience and learning and providing flexible and innovative industry and society-responsive programmes of study.5 • Promotion of a research ethos aligned with the development of a national innovation system and the promotion entrepreneurship that meets the needs of the individual and of society.6 • Integrating of research and teaching in order to share, apply, test and create knowledge.7 • Enhanced management information systems to provide integrated web-based services to learners and researchers and management of flexible learning environments. • Development of learning communities working to challenging and clear standards of achievement and accountability and supporting balanced economic and societal development.
4.2 Institute Planning Processes In the early years of the college, the Institutional and Programmatic Review self-studies formed the basis for medium, to long-term planning. There are now a variety of planning processes in place that arise at different levels and within different areas of the Institute. The main plans produced by the Institute include: •the Institute Strategic Plan 2005-2008, which charts the development of the Institute over the next four years. The strategic plan includes a medium-term review process and annual operational plans •the Institute Masterplan 2003-2009, which is a revision of the Campus Development Plan (2001) and focuses on the physical development of the Institute8 •the Periodic Programmatic Evaluation Reports, which are carried out at School level and involve a review of the academic programmes being delivered. As part of the Periodic Programme Evaluation each School is required to produce a revised plan, outlining the strategic direction of the School for the next five years period9 • the Institute’s Staff Development Plans which outline the policies and provisions for the training and development of staff within the College • School and Departmental plans, for example, to new programme development, modification of existing programmes and budgeting • Research, Development and Consultancy Plans: the R&D sub-committee of Academic Council examines and advises Academic Council on the strategic direction of research, development and consultancy within the Institute
3 Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy, IOTI, October 2007. 4 This system enables learners to progress to their maximum academic potential while achieving an award at each stage of study. 5 The IoTs and DIT are particularly strong in providing professional qualifications through formal arrangements with professional bodies. 6 Building on the successful development of business incubation centres and innovation partnerships to date. 7 As recommended by the 2006 SSTI strategy. 8 This will be considered in Chapter 6. 9 The procedures for the ongoing monitoring of programmes and periodic programmatic evaluation are set out in Section 6 of the Institute’s Quality Assurance Procedures Manual. These procedures are discussed in Chapter 12 of this self-evaluation report. 75 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 4 Planning and Evaluation
•the Annual Programme and Budget, which is developed each year and submitted to the VEC for approval and then to the Department of Education and Science10 •the Institute-wide Planning Strategies developed by individual service groups within the Institute, including Computer Services, the Library, the Careers Office, Student Services, the Access Office, Sports and Recreation Services, and the International Office.
A lot of planning is also project-based and is reflected in a number of achievements, including the development of the National Pharmaceutical Centre, the Technician Development Centre, the Centre for Applied Microelectronic Fabrication, the Learner Support Unit (recently renamed the Centre for Learning and Teaching) and the M50 Enterprise Programme. Planning effort is also channelled into community and education-based activities which include school outreach programmes and other targeted initiatives to promote education within the Institute’s immediate catchment area.
These various plans and planning processes are interwoven to varying degrees and are guided by the Institute’s Strategic Plan which provides an overall framework for the development of the Institute. The next section outlines the development, objectives and implementation strategy of the current Strategic Plan 2005-2008.
4.3 Development of the Institute Strategic Plan A Strategic Plan enables the Institute to identify and communicate priorities for a defined time period. It can form the basis for sustaining the development of the Institute. The process in generating a Strategic Plan is such that it affords staff the opportunity to work together and think about the future direction of the Institute and thereby take ownership for delivering on the plan. The Strategic Plan is a formal statement of the Institute’s intended direction for the future. It is also a promotional document for the Institute and provides information to stakeholders on what the Institute aims to achieve over a defined time period, normally 3 to 5 years.
The development of an Institute Strategic Plan may be traced to a decision by Governing Body in 2002 to establish a group to address the strategic development of the Institute. This group, which comprised members of the senior management team and two members of the Governing Body,11 marked the beginning of a formal process of strategic planning within the Institute. The plan was produced following extensive consultation with staff through the form of working groups.
Even during of the development stage of the first Strategic Plan, a number of significant improvements were initiated throughout the Institute. For example, during 2002, a working group was established to study the marketing of the Institute. This committee, which involved representation from all functional areas of the Institute, examined external communication systems in the Institute. It recommended a number of positive changes designed to improve the marketing of the Institute, including the development of a more systematic approach to the co-ordination of school visits; the development of a style guide for all Institute publications; an updating of the prospectuses for both full-time and part-time programmes; and the re-development of the Institute logo. The committee also examined the various marketing media employed by the college and suggested ways to improve communications with the Institute’s target audience. The Institute also established a network with guidance counsellors and school principals in the region. The first Strategic Plan was produced in 2004 and this has recently been updated. The core elements of the 2005-2008 Strategic Plan are presented in Figure 4.1.
10 This sets out the Institute’s position in term of current programmes, student numbers and annual teaching hours for the current year. It also provides a schedule of academic programmes that the Institute plans to offer in the following two academic years, accompanied by a forecast of student numbers. The preliminary budget outline document is prepared and submitted in November for the following calendar year. The final budget document is prepared, approved by Governing Body and submitted to the HEA in January of the calendar year. (The Department of Education and Science is no longer involved in budgets). 11 The Chairman and the Head of Department of Accounting and Professional Studies. 76 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Aspitational
Mission
Core Values
Strategic Values Achievable
Development Targets
Strategic Goals
Action Plan for each Goal Specific and Tangible
Figure 4.1 Strategic Plan Layout
The Strategic Plan 2005-2008 identifies ten goals which capture the ambitions of the Institute over the next four years. The ten strategic goals are as follows: 1. Academic Programmes: the Institute will ensure that its academic programs are of the highest quality and are relevant to the needs of current and prospective students, industry and business and society; 2. Learning Environment: The Institute will ensure that academic programmes will be delivered in a supportive, professional and flexible learning environment, and in a manner which is friendly and enriches the lives of our students and staff; 3. Student Access, Diversity and Recruitment: The Institute will widen access to higher education in its region in both full-time and lifelong learning modes. The Institute will develop and sustain an environment in which all members of the Institute community have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, by the active implementation of policies and procedures that promote equality and diversity throughout the Institute; 4. Student Retention and Progression: The Institute will ensure that our students are supported and encouraged to pursue their studies to the levels they desire, and at the pace which suits their individual needs and circumstances. We will continuously develop and implement measures to improve retention and progression at all levels; 5. Lifelong Learning: The Institute will develop a range of educational initiatives to provide a means for individuals to achieve their lifelong learning goals; 6. Staff Recruitment and Development: The Institute values all members of its staff, it is understanding of their personal and family responsibilities and needs, and seeks to support them in their quest for personal and professional development, and job satisfaction; 7. Research and Development: The Institute will grow and enhance its research and development work through a prioritised, strategic approach involving the establishment of designated Institute Research Centres and supporting new researchers;
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8. Innovation and Enterprise Development: The Institute will continue to strive to maximise its economic impact, through its work in innovation, new enterprise development, support for existing enterprise, commercialisation of research and development, technology transfer, consultancy, training and other services to industry; 9. Governance, Management and Organisation: The Institution will be a higher education establishment, with best practice standards of governance, quality assurance, management and leadership, and academic and administrative procedures; 10.Campus Development: The Institute will extend and enhance campus facilities as set out in the Campus Development Plan and will implement a program of improvement of the current resources.
4.4 Strategic Plan Implementation and Evaluation Each of the ten goals in the Strategic Plan is sub-divided into a set of strategic objectives with specific actions. Each of these objectives has a number of strategic projects assigned to it with delivery dates, resources, funding etc. Figure 4.2 presents a flow chart with the key processes involved in progressing from the strategic goal to the implementation stage.
To facilitate the implementation of the specific project actions, each project is assigned a Project Sponsor, who is normally a member of SMT, to support and facilitate the development of the project by providing the necessary resources required (both staff and financial). Each project is also assigned a Project Leader/Team, whose role is to implement the project within the agreed time-frame. The project leader/team is also responsible for managing the financial aspects of the project and may establish a project team to develop and implement the objectives.
Strategic Goal
Strategic Objectives
Specific Project Actions
Project Sponsor Pr
Project Leader/Team
Project Delivery
Figure 4.2 The Planning Process
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Project plans are agreed with the senior management of the Institute and performance against the plans is monitored on an ongoing basis. The progress of the individual projects and of the Strategic Plan overall is to be communicated to staff by the President at established dates during the plan’s timeframe. The SMT is responsible for ensuring that the various goals are achieved. Staff, the Governing Body and other Stakeholders are to be kept regularly informed of the progress of the plan and regular reviews take place to monitor performance against the objectives set out in the plan.
The 2005-2008 Strategic Plan was evaluated in 2007 by the total management team and progress on the implementation was presented to all staff by the President at a number of meetings held in Functional Areas and Academic Schools in December 2007. The Governing Body recently published the Strategic Plan 2005- 2008 Update 2007 which is available to all staff and stakeholders on the institute website. In January 2008 President held a one-day meeting with TMT to monitor on how the specific actions recommended for 2007 – 08 are progressing to ensure timely completion by the end of the academic year. The status of the 2007 – 08 specific project actions for Research and Development and their mid-term status (January 2008) are presented Table 4.1 below. Preparations are already underway for the development of the Institute’s Strategic Plan 2009 – 2013.
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Project Action identified for 2007-08 Current Status (mid-term review)
The Institute will in the first quarter of ’07 develop a detailed strategic plan for Complete: ’08 update awaiting R&D research for the period 2007 to 2011. This strategy will be based on the analysis Committee and Governing Body Approval undertaken in the Institute submission for Delegated Authority, on the Programmatic Reviews in each of the academic schools and on discussion with stakeholders
The Institute will implement a detailed strategy for Teaching and Learning for the Ongoing: Initial T&L Strategy draft drawn further integration of research with undergraduate and postgraduate teaching on up for PRTLI application, to be updated both full and part-time programmes May-June 2008
Review the performance and status of IRCs. To examine the potential for Ongoing: awaiting the submission of consideration and reogranisation with a view to defining selected areas of multi- reports from IRCs disciplinary research focus commensurate with the scale of activity in the Institute
Develop strategic partnerships with other institutions and/or corporations in Complete prioritised areas of research. Particular attention will be paid to strengthening partnerships with DCU, NUIM, and the AMNCH hospital including joint research seminars and funding applications
Expand and improve the physical infrastructure necessary to support R&D including Tech. Transfer Lab. at commissioning the establishment of a dedicated applied research and technology transfer facility stage. 450sq mtr. space to be configured for R&D in ‘08
A submission will be made to PRTLI for funding to establish a centre of excellence in Complete €9.6 million awarded for centre a defined area of applied research and technology transfer for Applied Health Science Research
Seek funding for two additional Applied Research Enhancement programmes Draft submissions in preparation
To undertake initiatives promoting excellence of ITT Dublin as a centre for research Complete: magazine published; CASH to all relevant audiences including publication of a comprehensive review of current Centre promotion and launch done Feb. research 08; PR Campaigns conducted Feb. 08
Seek delegated authority from HETAC to make our own postgraduate research Two step process with step one complete awards (research accreditation) and step two submission near completion
To provide and promote revised seed funding to help new research growth Support provided to 2 projects in throughout ITT Dublin Humanities 07/08
To upgrade the quality of postgraduate training by putting in place the Institutional activity complete. postgraduate research policy, providing training for postgraduate supervisors, and Sectoral proposal approved partnering with other Institutes of Technology involved in the SIF project on research
Table 4.1 Current Status of Strategic Plan Actions for Research and Development
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4.5 Research Planning and Development of an Institute Research Strategy The capability of the Institute to deliver to its strategic agenda as a credible research performer on the international stage is evidenced by the quality of the research outputs that have been achieved, by the level of research collaboration that has been built up and by the demonstrated capacity of ITT Dublin to support and enable high quality research to be conducted by academic, contract and postgraduate researchers. Research capacity and scale are discussed in Chapters 10 (for research programmes) and Chapter 11 (in relation to funding and areas of expertise).
Strategic planning for the development of research goes back further as far as 1998. Early Institutional research Strategy was formulated in the context of existing research activities within the Institute. It also took into account the projections and recommendations of the ‘National Development Plan’ (1999) and the ‘Technology Foresight Reports’ (1999). The first Research Strategy for the Institute was prepared in the context of the 1999 application to HEA PRTLI. This has been updated annually by a working group reporting to the Research and Development Committee of Academic Council to reflect evolving priorities. The working group comprises the Institute President (also Chair of the IOTI Research Strategy Group), the Head of Development, the Industrial Liaison Manager and a number of Academic Researchers. The Institute has just completed the development of its research strategy for 2008 – 2012 in light of the changing climate with regard to the knowledge economy and national policy as previously discussed.
Underpinning all of this has been the commitment of the Irish Government to delivery of the Lisbon agenda. Key elements of this include the unprecedented commitment of resources that has been made by Government through the new National Development Plan particularly through PRTLI and SFI. This will see the realisation of the recommendations of recent key reports and enhanced enterprise support in the Institutes and the continued support for postgraduate research from the Department of Education and Science through the TSR programme.
However, internal focus, initiative and momentum have been as important to the development of research at ITT Dublin as external support. The Institute has invested its own resources to support the growth of a critical mass of research and has created an environment where academic staff are both equipped and motivated to carry out quality research. These initiatives have been:
• Research Seed Fund to support short pilot projects adjudged to have the potential to develop into viable research areas. • Internal PhD Continuation Fund to facilitate exceptional students nearing completion of their research Masters in progressing their project to Doctoral Degree Level, following Institute assessment procedures and successful application to HETAC for transfer to the Doctoral Degree register • Internal Masters: Studentships primarily set up to assist new academic researchers to establish a track record of research outputs, including postgraduate supervision and to enhance their credibility when applying for funding to external agencies • Institute Research Centres (IRC): this is a designation awarded by the Institute on foot of independent adjudication to research groups that are adjudged to have achieved a level of critical mass in relation to number of members, funding, activity and outputs as measured by asset criteria. IRCs are provided with significant resources to assist their growth. Seven groups have been designated IRCs since the start of the scheme in 2005.
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The Institute is committed to matching this commitment by pursuing an appropriate and focussed strategy for the next 5 years that will make a significant contribution to the achievement of national priorities as well as setting new standards for research within an Institute of Technology that directly reflects the purpose and mission of the sector.
4.6 Research and Innovation Strategy 2008 – 2012
4.6.1 Research Mission The research mission of the Institute has been articulated as follows:
“ITT Dublin aims to be a leader in research and scholarly activity in the region, to become established as a Centre of Excellence for targeted research areas which can act as a regional and national resource for industry and other stakeholders and contribute in a unique way to the success of fourth level education in Ireland.”
This mission statement is aligned with the national vision for the role of Institutes of Technology in the development of research in Ireland as articulated in the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation (SSTI).
4.6.2 Research Prioritisation Since 1999, the Institute research strategy has been centred on research prioritisation across the Institute research activities, and the building of critical mass in the areas prioritised. This approach will be continued and strengthened throughout the period of this strategy.
In identifying targeted areas in which ITT Dublin aims to develop deep expertise and ultimately establish centres of excellence. The Institute has looked at a number of factors including pre-existing core research strengths, industry requirements (both locally and nationally) as well as access to collaborators and industry partners. ITT Dublin is also cognisant of the existence of core skills in other third level institution and research centres, and is seeking to carve out innovative and relevant areas of expertise which will add real value to Ireland’s burgeoning knowledge economy. Bearing in mind these criteria, ITT Dublin has chosen to concentrate on three core research areas in Science and Technology and on one in the Business and Humanities area, as well as a number of smaller “prospecting” areas, over a ten year period.
During the life of the new research strategy, i.e. 2008 – 2012, the concentration in Science and Technology will be on the area of Health research with a particular concentration on the three areas that form the new CASH centre. This is a €10 million project to develop a new research centre on the ITT Dublin campus in partnership with DCU, NUIM and AMNCH. The research activities of the CASH Centre are presented in Chapter 11, Section 11.4.1. The goal is to develop the premier research and technology transfer centre for Applied Health Research in Ireland by the year 2013.
The second area of concentration will be selected during the lifetime of this plan. Candidate areas at this point include currently strong research areas in the Institute such as wireless technologies, computing (grid and distributed) and e-learning, and less well developed areas such as energy and environment. A formal process will be designed and carried out to identify the second major area for prioritisation by mid-2009. The selection
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will influence subsequent decisions on matters such as staff recruitment, development of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and purchase of equipment. By 2013, an active multi-disciplinary Institute Research Centre in the selected area will be in place. As with the Health area, programmes at third level will combine with specific enterprise support programmes and technology transfer initiatives to complement a solid, innovative and relevant fourth level research base in this field.
A similar process will be applied in the lifetime of the plan to identify a major area of concentration in the Business and Humanities fields.
A key concept in the delivery of research strategies to date has been the development of inter-disciplinary teams through the creation of Institute Research Centres (IRC) in which coherent groupings of research staff with a specific discipline focus were brought together. Seven centres have been created to date: • Bio-pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Research Centre (BPNR) • Centre for Pharmaceutical Research & Development (CPRD) • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute Centre for Spectroscopy (NMRics): • Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology (CREATE) • Centre of Microbial Host Interactions (CMHI) • Bioengineering Technology Centre (BTC) • The National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies (NCFIS).
The strategy going forward is to support the further development and expansion of these IRCs. The work of the IRCs is presented in Chapter 11, Section 11.3.
The Institute also seeks to expand its applied research base during the lifetime of this strategy. It proposes to expand its close-to-market research base further in the areas of anti-microbial treatments and medical devices. It already has an Applied Research Enhancement programme in Science, which has led to the formation of the Microsensors for Clinical Research and Analysis (MiCRA) Centre (Chapter, 11, Section 11.4.2).
Departments and Schools have also identified research clusters in specialist areas or where research activity is developing and expanding. The key research areas and group activities are discussed in Chapter 11, Section 11.6.
4.6.3 Future Strategy for Research Programmes The Institute is involved in a spectrum of research commensurate with the range of disciplines represented in its undergraduate programme. The Institute conducts a mixture of applied and basic research and is also involved in innovation and commercialisation of research outputs. The Institute recognises the importance of working with and supporting regional and national enterprises. It is setting a target whereby 15% of its research and innovation funding will be associated with projects where there is a significant industrial contribution or which involve commercialisation of research.
The most significant of the research programmes to be developed over the next 5 years will be the PRTLI funded Centre for Applied Science for Health. The Institute will target further expansion of its research in applied science for health as part of its application under PRTLI 5.
Associated with the applied health research focus the Institute currently has an Applied Research Enhancement (ARE) project in the area of Microsensors for Clinical Research and Analysis (MiCRA), two Strand 3 projects from
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TSR an SFI Walton Fellowship, a Stokes Fellowship and a range of other projects. The Institute will develop two further ARE projects over the next three years plus an additional five Strand 3 projects. The ARE projects will be focused in the areas of anti-microbial treatments, medical devices and pharmaceutical production and automation.
Within Humanities and Business research the Institute hosts the National Centre for Franco-Irish studies. The Institute will continue to develop this Centre in partnership with the University of Nantes.
The Institute’s plans with regard to the provision of Doctoral Degree programmes on the 4th level platform are given in Chapter, 7, Section 7.4.4.
4.6.4 Innovation and Enterprise Support The Institute currently has a new innovation centre - Synergy Centre with start-up companies located in a dedicated incubation centre. Through this centre companies receive support and access to research and technical expertise in the Institute
The pipeline of projects coming through the centre is of the highest quality. At this time the current building is over 95% occupied and it will achieve 100% shortly. The Institute proposes to increase its capacity for this type of enterprise support by 200% over the lifetime of this plan. The Institute will develop and submit a proposal in this regard to Enterprise Ireland in line with the scheme for extension of incubation centres announced by the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment in 2008.
To facilitate the development of this enterprise support activity the Institute has put in place a three phase vertically integrated Synergy Enterprise Development system involving: • Phase I: an enterprise Start Programme • Phase II: a twelve month Enterprise Platform programme (M50 EPP) • Phase III: a two year incubator system involving the location of the company in the Synergy building.
As part of the enterprise support initiative the Institute has a suite of innovation laboratories dedicated to joint industry, Institute research projects in the disciplines of ICT, RF Technology, and Sensor Technology. The Institute will develop additional innovation laboratory capacity particularly in those technology or disciplinary areas that are close to commercial exploitation, or support of same, such as RF, Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Product Development and Technology Transfer. This latter centre will be supported by the pilot scale pharmaceutical plant which exists in the Institute.
The Institute aims to have at least three Innovation Partnership, Proof of Concept or Commercialisation programmes on-going from the beginning of 2009. The Institute also aims to become involved as a collaborator in at least one SFI CSET and one SFI SRC during the period of this strategic plan.
4.6.5 Technology Transfer The capability of the Institute in the areas of research performance and enterprise support is developing rapidly as described above. Technology Transfer (TT), the third element of the Innovation System in the Institute, and the piece that connects research and enterprise development, has undrstandably lagged the other two in its development. Indeed, across the IoT sector, Development Offices are struggling to deal with the issues of
84 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
intellectual property management and research commercialisation while trying to meet obligations under the National Codes of Practice and the requirements of grant contracts of funding agencies such as Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. As a result of the new emphasis on knowledge transfer in the major funding programmes such as HEA PRTLI, TT expertise and organisational infrastructure are critical in order to be able to compete for funding from these sources. The Institute therefore recognises the need to develop its capability in TT to maximise the overall impact of its Innovation System.
Support is being received from Enterprise Ireland under the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) Strengthening initiative in this regard since early 2008, although this does not extend to funding for dedicated TT personnel.
ITT Dublin has set ambitious TT targets under this plan: • One award per annum of EI Commercialisation Fund funding, under the Proof of Concept or Technology Development schemes. • 5 patents per annum arising from Institute research; • One license per annum and one spin-out over the lifetime of this strategy. The Institute will endeavour to achieve these targets with existing resources and will take what steps it can in terms of training existing staff to carry out the specialised activities involved. It will also continue to work with Enterprise Ireland to develop the necessary increased capability in this critical area, commensurate with the level of research activity in the Institute.
4.6.6 Broadening Strategic Alliances Long-standing collaborations have been an essential element in the rapid development of research in the Institute. The Institute has strong partnerships with researchers in DCU, NUIM, TCD and UL. It is expected that the CASH Centre, the IRC’s and the EI funded Applied Research Centres will continue to build on existing collaborations with other national research centres and with industry, and establish new ones during the period of this strategy. Examples of existing links with other centres include: • Materials Surface Science Institute, UL • National Centre for Sensor Research • Centre for Research in Engineering Surface Technology • UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research • Physics Department, University of Sheffield.
Through these collaborations the Institute will continue to apply for funding under the major national research programmes such as SFI and PRTLI.
4.6.7 The Research – Teaching Linkage An active research programme is vital in dynamic education systems seeking to respond to the needs of students, employers and society in general, and in enabling educational institutions retain a relevance to the market place. A key ingredient in the Institute’s research strategy is to ensure that the research priorities for the institute link to the undergraduate programmes and to improve the linkage between discipline-based research and teaching at both 3rd and 4th level, through: • New course development at undergraduate level informed by the Institute’s research activities; • A suite of undergraduate research projects linked to the existing Institute research centres;
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• Formalised training modules for postgraduate students; and, • Exposure of researchers at both undergraduate and postgraduate level to resources available in partnering institutions.
The Institute and its collaborators have established a number of key initiatives that have enabled and will further develop the research - teaching linkage. Joint teaching initiatives at postgraduate level will include: • Short postgraduate teaching modules at ITT Dublin open to all postgraduates; • Joint seminars / symposia on “Hot Topics” to stimulate new ideas/partnerships; • Postgraduate participation on 4th level training courses at ITT Dublin and partner institutions; and, • Postgraduate placements at partner laboratories.
Joint Teaching Initiatives at undergraduate level will include: • Student project based exchanges via joint undergraduate teaching programmes and via summer school programmes (i.e. SPUR, UREKA, SURE); • Guest lecturer delivery by partnering institutions on related modules (e.g. guest lecture by AMNCH’s Prof. Philip Murphy on Molecular Diagnostics as part of the B.Sc. (Hons) in Bioanalytical Science course; and, • Joint access and education outreach initiatives as mechanisms to increase participation rates in the Dublin region, such as links between ITT Dublin and Trinity access programme.
4.6.8 Strategic Targets & Goals
Growth Targets For the period of this strategic plan the Institute has identified as growth targets • An expansion of postgraduate numbers to 150 • An increase by 50% in the number of staff engaged in research • A doubling of academic research outputs such as publications • One award per annum of EI Commercialisation Fund funding, under the Proof of Concept or Technology Development schemes. • 5 patents per annum arising from Institute research; • One license per annum • One spin-out over the lifetime of this strategy. • A doubling of research funding income • The creation of a second national research centre on campus • A doubling of incubation centre companies, pending available capacity • Participation as a partner in the development and delivery of 3 collaborative structured PhD programmes.
To achieve these targets ITT Dublin has identified seven goals, and an associated set of prioritised key actions, at the core of its research strategy 2008 – 2012.
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Strategic Goals
Goal One: To carry out research of an international standard that positively impacts upon society in the Institute’s prioritised research areas, whilst identifying emerging thematic research areas in which the Institute can play a role.
Rationale: ITT Dublin can and should deliver research that shows demonstrable value for money by addressing clearly- defined needs. In light of the level and scale of Government investment over the next five years, the outcomes of research must be of a standard that merits such investment. ITT Dublin believes that there is a body of research that it is uniquely positioned to deliver, given its close relationships with industry and insights into its needs. The scale of ITT Dublin enables it to move quickly and flexibly to carry out research and deliver solutions that will meet the needs of industry.
Specific Objectives: To regularly review and re-evaluate the mix of prioritised research that is supported by the Institute, with a view to: • Establishing a centre of excellence in a number of research areas within the Health Sciences through the amalgamation of selected IRCs on campus within a specific research area which has been prioritised by the Institute, in a regional and national context. • Identifying new potential interdisciplinary linkages between groupings, whether IRCs or smaller/younger research groups, and encouraging and incentivising new collaborations. • Consolidating groupings into larger Centres with greater critical mass (ultimately one or more Centres of Excellence) where possible and appropriate. • Ensuring a balance is maintained between establishing a base of knowledge and expertise through fundamental research and the application of that knowledge and expertise through applied research and technology transfer.
Key Actions: • Obtain funding under the Enterprise Ireland Applied Research Enhancement Programme and develop two further applied research centres of excellence in specific technological areas of benefit to Irish industry. • Obtain Strand 3 funding under the Technological Sector Research Programme for the establishment of three new research groups with the potential to develop into Institute Research Centres or add new strengths to existing centres. • Invite input via the R&D Committee from internal and external representatives of all stakeholders to further prioritise research, identify emerging research thematic areas and promote private investment. • Regularly review the Institute’s research performance by external peer review. • Develop and continuously review new forms of internal seed funding to support emerging research areas.
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Goal Two: To develop postgraduate teaching and learning to the highest international standard, and to sustain and improve the linkage between discipline-based research and undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. This will include the development of fourth level teaching and learning to ensure the development of an appropriate blend of discipline-based and transferable skills in postgraduate students.
Context: Teaching and learning are at the core of ITT Dublin’s mission. Fourth level research and learning will be developed on the basis that excellence in one informs and builds excellence in the other. The Institute has always ensured close alignment between its research activities and its teaching and learning remit, and will continue to do so.
Rationale: The integration of research with teaching and learning ensures that the quality of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching and learning is enhanced. Integration of research and teaching is important in supporting the development of a pipeline of researchers by engaging students in research from an early stage.
Specific Objectives: • To develop structures within the Institute that enhance and support integration between third and fourth level. • To achieve the highest international standards for the postgraduate learning experience, including the development of both discipline-based and transferable skills in students. • To engage with all students from first year of entry to develop an interest in and understanding of research as a key part of the curriculum. • To double the number of postgraduate students in the Institute to 150 over the period of this strategy. • Consider and appraise new approaches to PhD study that draw from ITT Dublin’s expertise and innovation in workplace learning. • Consider the development of a collaborative PhD programmes as an element of Institute submissions to PRTLI cycles 5 & 6, with existing PRTLI partner institutions.
Key Actions: • Work with higher education partners in the Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance and the Institutes of Technology Research Alliance to further develop best practice in the educational provision for postgraduate students, including refinement of the current postgraduate induction programme, the development of modules covering generic transferable skills, and training of supervisors to enhance their ability to foster the development of discipline-based skills in students. • Work with DRHEA partner institutions to develop collaborative fourth level programmes in the areas of Chemistry and Biomedical Science. • Work with research partner institutions such as DCU and NUIM to obtain funding for and develop fourth level programmes in selected areas, in particular under the auspices of PRTLI cycles 5 and 6. • Seek delegation of authority to make academic awards for research to PhD level in selected areas. • Regularly review and improve the Institute’s policies and regulations on postgraduate supervision. • Develop a Postgraduate Skills Record System, that will allow effective monitoring of the training received by postgraduate researchers. • Conduct a gap analysis of postgraduate training and skills needs.
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• Continue to provide PhD Continuation funding from internal resources to students who transfer to the PhD Register to whom financial support is not available from external sources. • Liaise with industry partners and other relevant stakeholders to identify needs and opportunities for fourth level workplace learning and roll out programmes accordingly. • Integrate project-based research into teaching, and ensure that the development of basic research skills is addressed at undergraduate level. Sustain and further develop current initiatives in this regard such as the summer undergraduate research scholarship programme, (SURE) in conjunction with TCD and SFI.
Goal Three: To sustain and further develop the physical infrastructural resources within the institute to support its research activities
Context: The unprecedented levels of funding committed by the Irish Government in the past and into the future (2007- 2013) with a view to building sustainable world class research centres of excellence.
Rationale: The Institute’s strategic objectives for research will only be achieved by substantial development of the infrastructure on campus to be funded from a variety of sources.
Specific Objectives: • To ensure that appropriately serviced space and items of equipment are available in a timely manner for all aspects of the Institute’s growing research activities.
Key Actions: • To construct and commission the PRTLI Cycle 4 funded Centre of Applied Science for Health, as an integral part of the expanded Synergy building on campus by the end of June 2010. • To develop new and refurbished research space that will enable continuing growth of research in the Institute, through implementation of the campus development plan by means of the €50M capital development programme for which funding has been assigned by Government, and other capital funding schemes from agencies such as the HEA, EI and SFI designed to meet the research capacity targets set under SSTI. • To develop a further 200 m2 of innovation laboratory space within the expanded Synergy Centre, to add to the 115 m2 developed in late 2007. • To continually identify and secure funding for equipment that will enable continuing growth of research in the Institute.
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Goal Four: To establish structures and processes that will encourage, support and recognise research activity in the Institute.
Context: The scope of the research support function has grown rapidly in recent years. From being a support service for academic researchers, it now incorporates areas such as international alliance building, strategic and commercial relationship management, research staff and student training and professional development and monitoring of research quality and ethics.
Rationale: A more strategic approach is now required to the development and management of the various offices that support research and their staff, in light of the research ambitions of ITT Dublin, to ensure maximum impact of the research investment.
Specific Objectives: • As the scale and quantum of research expands, ensure that the Institute’s management and support structures for research remain commensurate with the scale of activity.
Key Actions: • Regularly review and strengthen research management, administrative and technical support; • Provide and develop new software and hardware resources to effectively monitor and benchmark research and innovation performance within the Institute. • Provide and develop new customer relationship management tools to support technology transfer and the management of strategic relationships with other institutions and industry. • Develop a structured programme of training for researchers and potential researchers in research management and proposal writing. • Enhance internal and external promotion of the Institute’s research activity, using tools such as the web site, newsletters and other PR methods. • Review and improve the incentivisation of researchers to take part in applied / contract research. • Review and revitalise the current sabbatical policy. • Establish a mentoring programme for emerging academic research supervisors.
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Goal Five: To identify, expand and deepen strategic research partnerships with regional, national and international partners.
Context: Partnership and collaboration have been among ITT Dublin’s long-standing strengths, with exemplary working partnerships with other institutions, hospitals and industry partners.
Rationale: The need to develop research collaborations of this type is central to the SSTI and to other statements of current Government policy.
Specific Objectives: • To enhance the current research linkages between the Institute and its partners, particularly DCU, NUIM and AMNCH. • To encourage the establishment of new linkages at individual and research group level. • To increase the international dimension to the Institute’s collaborations, with a view to increased participation in European research programmes such as Framework 7, and other international programmes, and to enrich the research culture of the Institute. Participation in 4 consortia funded under European programmes is targeted. • To gather information from the internal research community and from external sources on contacts with other research organisations or with companies that have the potential to generate larger collaborations.
Key Actions: • To effectively manage and grow the current research linkages between the Institute and its partners within the Centre of Applied Science for Health - DCU, NUIM and AMNCH – by vigorously pursuing the research programme of the Centre and operating the management structures of the Centre in an open and constructive way. • The CASH Centre will actively explore potential connections with European research networks and individual institutions, with a view to becoming involved in 2 consortia funded under FP7, Interreg or similar. • IRCs, ARE Centres and other research groups will be encouraged and incentivised to become involved in international consortia, with a view to realising a further 2 European projects. • Develop a suite of pro forma IP agreements to cover different types of collaborations, and the expertise to negotiate and agree final agreements that will facilitate open and productive collaboration. • Develop a marketing, branding and communications strategy for research collaborations and partnership at ITT Dublin.
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Goal Six: To continue to partner with industry to ensure that the Institute develops a diversified and sustainable research base and that the focus of research is consistent with the challenges set by an innovative and knowledge driven economy.
Context: ITT Dublin has a proven track record in building relationships with industry and enterprise and has directed its research and teaching efforts towards their needs. It will continue to consolidate these relationships to ensure that the focus of research effort within the Institute will be aligned with real needs.
Rationale: The SSTI states that: “HEIs contain the largest pool of scientists and researchers within the national innovation system and it is a key policy aim in most countries to encourage industry to make more use of this resource. It is increasingly recognised that this is essential if significant increases in BERD are to be achieved. A range of current Enterprise Ireland programmes are the principal mechanisms for promoting such interaction, including the Innovation Partnerships scheme and more recently, the Industry-led Networks.”
Specific Objectives: • To sustain existing institutional industrial partnerships whilst identifying new opportunities for industrial collaboration. • To exploit all funding mechanisms available to support HEI-industry collaborative research.
Key Actions: • Liaise with industrial partners and engage proactively with the new industry-led research consortia and initiatives to identify research areas of common interest, with a view to commencing at least 2 Innovation Partnership or directly funded research projects per annum. • Develop the additional Innovation Laboratories referred to in Goal 3, and the support structures necessary to expand the capacity of the Institute to respond to the innovation needs of industry through mechanisms such as Innovation Partnerships, Innovation Vouchers, Fusion and directly-funded research. • Develop at least one SFI-funded Centre of Science, Engineering & Technology on campus in conjunction with the relevant industry sector. • Develop at least one SFI-funded Strategic Research Cluster on campus, again with appropriate industrial involvement. • Promote the Institute’s applied research and technology transfer capacity to industry. • Strengthen the industrial training activities of the institute to complement its research activity and establish it as a key centre of innovation and driver for change in the region.
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Goal Seven: To establish ITT Dublin as a driver for enterprise development in South Dublin County and within the Institute of Technology Sector by developing the expertise to act as a centre of excellence for applied research and knowledge / technology transfer for its region.
Context: Effective knowledge transfer from research institutes to industry and the wider community is a key policy objective of government in the drive to create a knowledge economy.
Rationale: Successful knowledge transfer to enterprise must be a priority in order to contribute to the socio-economic development of the region and to create a research base that is sustainable.
Specific Objectives: • To develop enhanced technology transfer capability within ITT Dublin commensurate with the level of research activity, in collaboration with institutional partners. • To develop the IP management and technology transfer expertise in ITT Dublin to facilitate effective and appropriate working relationships with commercial entities. • To ensure timely identification of potentially valuable IP arising from the Institute’s own research, and proper management and protection of such IP. • Target at least one award of EI Commercialisation Fund funding, under the Proof of Concept or Technology Development schemes per annum. • Generate at least 5 patents per annum arising from Institute research. • Generate one license per annum and one spin-out over the lifetime of this strategy. • Generate 1 HPSU per annum from among the tenant companies of the Synergy Centre, and a further 2 per annum from participants on the Institute-led M50 Enterprise Programme. • Engage with key regional stakeholders in the context of economic development, such as SDCC, Chamber of Commerce, etc. to ensure alignment of strategies supporting economic development, and enabling greater levels of South Dublin coherence in this regard.
Key Actions: • Identify and develop the infrastructure necessary to accommodate the necessary development of technology transfer expertise and resources. • Continue to seek the assistance of Enterprise Ireland under the Technology Transfer Offices Strengthening Initiative to develop the technology transfer and innovation capabilities of the Institute. • Systematically search, with the researchers involved, current and recent research results of CASH, the IRCs, ARE Centres and other research groups for invention disclosures. A significant backlog of research results exists at the time of commencement of this strategy. • Regularly convene the IP Committee to consider potential patent applications based on invention disclosures. • Avail of the EI IP Protection Scheme to fund patent applications. • Maintain the high standard of the knowledge-intensive companies that are selected as tenants of the Synergy Centre • Obtain funding for the expansion of the Synergy Business Incubation Centre to 2,200m2, widely agreed as the approximate minimum size for a sustainable incubation centre.
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• Continue to secure funding to offer the M50 Enterprise Programme to a minimum of 10 knowledge- intensive companies per annum, and to maintain it as one of the leading sources of HPSUs in Ireland. • Work with SDCC and South Dublin chamber to align economic development strategies of all stakeholders where appropriate.
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Academic And Staff Policies
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Chapter 5 Academic And Staff Policies
The Institute’s policy is to be open and transparent to all stakeholders, including Governing Body, students, graduates, academic staff, administrative staff, support staff, and also the Department of Education and Science, NQAI, HETAC, FETAC, Professional Bodies, state and employer agencies and community groups. The Institute aims to respond positively to individuals, organisations and communities and to be respectful of each individual and responsive to his or her needs.
5.1 Policy Framework The Governing Body of the Institute has overall responsibility for the formulation of policies with governance, academic matters and quality assurance. The Senior Management Team has overall responsibility for the execution of policy as determined by Governing Body. The implementation of policy relies on the design of appropriate procedures which set out the method by which policy can be successfully realised. Hence, the Institute’s policies and procedures form the basis of the Institute’s Quality Assurance System, which has been established to provide stakeholders with an assurance that the design of educational programmes and associated standards has been planned and validated by a higher authority, in this case HETAC and the NQAI. Staff and other policies have also been developed to safeguard the interests of those who provide the educational services and support network. Hence, the policy framework is intrinsically linked with the Quality Assurance framework, which will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 12 that deals with the Institute’s Quality Assurance Systems. The Institute policies and procedures are available on the college-wide intranet. This chapter provides information on the academic and other policies, which stem from the Institute’s main policy enshrined in its mission statement as previously described in Chapter 2.
5.2 Academic Policies The Academic Council is at the core of the Institute’s academic structures and quality assurance system. It therefore has a primary role in the formulation academic policies, setting of standards and regulations, which are mostly drawn up by the relevant sub-Committee prior to approval by Council.
Institutes policies and procedures in relation to access, transfer and progression are in accordance with the policies and procedures established by HETAC and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI).
The Institute has, since its establishment, attempted to provide equality of access to its programmes for all learners. To this end the Institute has devised agreed national policies to deal with: • Applications from School Leavers following the traditional Leaving Certificate • Applications from School Leavers following the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme • Applications from Learners with FETAC Level 5 awards • Applications from mature learners • Applications from learners with disability • International applicants (through the common agreed IOTCEF process) • Created clearer progression routes from Level 6 to level 7 and Level 7 to Level 8.
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In addition, the Institute, mindful of its regional role and its specialist facilities has devised special entry procedures for particular groups. These include applications from learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Other access arrangements, e.g. with particular secondary schools; FE colleges; VETOS programmes; Foundation and access programmes/ direct entry initiatives etc., exist as discussed in Chapter 9, Section 9.6 (Student Recruitment).
5.2.1 Institute Admissions Policy It is the policy of the Institute that entry requirements are fair, consistent and transparent, and that all learners should be satisfied that they have been treated justly. Arrangements are in place to ensure equal opportunity, in compliance with equality legislation. The Institute uses the Central Applications Office (CAO) system to offer applicants places on all HETAC approved Higher Certificate and on ab-initio Ordinary and Honours Degree programmes. The CAO admissions process deals with entry to all first year courses (with the exception of Fáilte Ireland) and includes EU and non-EU nationals (who present with school leaving certificate or equivalent qualifications), mature applicants and applicants with a disability. In addition to CAO admissions, the Institute facilitates: • Direct entry admissions • Fáilte Ireland admissions • Admission of part-time students. The direct entry admissions process deals with direct applications for entry to years other than year one, including ERASMUS students applications. The Fáilte Ireland process deals with entry on to two full-time National Certificate courses validated by FETAC. The admission of part-time students is carried out by the Part- time Office. Admission routes are presented in detail in Chapter 9, Section 9.3.2 (taught programmes) and in Chapter 12, Section 12.9.4 (research programmes).
In compliance with Section 46 of the Qualifications Act, the Institute provides information to learners commencing a programme of study of the name of the awarding body, the title of the award, and the transfer and progression opportunities for learners on attainment of the award. These are also published in the Prospectus, General Student Handbook and Postgraduate Research Student Handbook.
5.2.2 Transfer and Progression Arrangements The Institute has the following transfer and progression arrangements in place to facilitate (i) entry at years other than year one (ii) admission of applicants from other third level institutions, (ii) progression to add-on ordinary and honours degrees by continuing students and (iv) transfer and progression for research degree candidates.
5.2.2A Progression Arrangements: Taught Programmes Entry to add-on Ordinary and Honours degrees in the ladder system is managed by the Institute in line with established policy. Typically this is done on the basis of ranking applicants on the basis of their Grade Point Average (GPA) in their previous qualification.1 Heads of Department examine and assess applications and recommend offers of places. The Registrars Office then offers places and makes the appropriate fee decisions. The majority of such applicants are students of the Institute wishing to continue their studies. The Institute publishes criteria for admission to add-on programmes in the student handbook and on the Institute’s website. Press advertisements, notice boards and emails inform applicants of the courses available, the application process and deadlines for applying.
1 For more information refer to the Delegated Authority Submission for Taught Programmes, Chapter 5, Section 5.4.4 on progression criteria and to Chapter 6, Section 6.12 on progression indicators.
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5.2.2B Transfer Arrangements: Taught Programmes Advanced Entry to Years Other Than Year One Applicants with previous third level attainment apply directly to the Institute. Heads of Department assess applications and make recommendations with regard to admission. Based on these recommendations, the Registrar’s Office offers places to applicants and makes the appropriate fee decisions. It is Institute policy to facilitate transfers across disciplines where appropriate. This has been facilitated primarily in the School of Business and Humanities, with transfers into the Higher Diploma in Marketing and the Bachelors in Technology Management from other Business-related programmes.
ERASMUS Students The Institute has developed co-operation with more than 30 higher education institutions throughout Europe. Interested students apply through the International Office to join Institute programmes for a semester or a year. A handbook is provided for Erasmus students and a special induction course is organised in conjunction with the International office.2 The process and induction is reviewed at regular intervals and improvements in processes and procedures made accordingly.
5.2.2C Transfer and Progression Arrangements: Research Degrees The entry requirements for postgraduate students to research degree programmes are compatible with progression routes through the National Framework for Qualifications, at NQAI Levels 9 and 10 for Master’s and Doctoral degree awards. Progression is normally from a Level 8 or equivalent qualification as described in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes, Section 2.1. The qualifications of all applicants who wish to register for research degree programmes are assessed as part of the formal registration application process outlined in Section 2.2 of the Code of Practice. This is conducted at the candidate selection stage before the offer of a studentship.
Transfer between the Level 9 and 10 register is also facilitated and details of the processes involved are given in Section 2.5 of the Code of Practice. Students on the Doctoral Register, who are unable to complete the approved programme within the permitted duration for any reason may through the sponsoring Department, apply to the Registrar for permission to transfer to the Master’s Register as outlined in Section 2.6 of the Code of Practice. The procedures involved in transferring from the Masters to PhD register are discussed in Chapter 12, Section 12.9.5.
5.2.3 Exemptions Policy for Accredited Prior Certified Learning In keeping with its commitment to Lifelong learning it is the policy of ITT Dublin to provide exemptions to students who have recognised Accredited Prior Certified Learning (APCL). APCL will only be granted for prior certified learning that has been attained within the last five years. This position is adopted to ensure that the prior learning is relevant and current within the context of a student’s chosen programme of study. The policy, guidelines and associated process of applying for exemption are included in the application pack a student receives when they express and interest in a course. The onus to apply for exemption and to prove equivalent learning outcome attainment rests solely with the student. The Institute will, subject to resources, provide advice for students applying for exemption such that a student can compile the correct documentary evidence of prior attainment. Students are encouraged to apply for exemption as early as possible and preferably with their course application.
2 As discussed in Chapter 6, Section 6.14 of the Delegated Authority Submission for Taught Programmes, and later in this submission, Chapter 7, Section 7.1 that deals with Leaner Supports.
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5.2.4 Continuous Assessment Policy Each Department has its own local continuous assessment policy which accounts for the differing modes of assessment within the specific discipline areas. However, they are guided by the overarching Institute policy which is outlined in the ITT Dublin Marks and Standards document. The policy includes guidelines on the scheduling of assessments and the feedback to be provided to the student.
5.2.5 External Examiners
Taught Programmes In keeping with its commitment to quality assurance and to ensure consistency of standards across the Institute it is the policy of the Institute to appoint, via its Academic Council, External Examiners to its taught and other programmes. The policy is included in the ITT Dublin Marks and Standards Document (Appendix 1) and includes guidelines on the appointment of examiners and lists their duties in the examinations process.
The Institute also has policies with regard to the examinations themselves, including Institute Marking Policy and Marginal Regrade Policy. These are available to all staff in the Marks and Standards document. The Institute has adopted a policy that, during the three day period following the issuing of results, students should be afforded the opportunity of discussing their results with appropriate staff. This opportunity to discuss results is made available through Heads of Department to students. The policy covers all grades. Policies with regard to the processing of exams appeals are detailed in the Marks and Standards document, including grounds for appeal.
Research Programmes It is the policy of the Institute to have clear procedures in relation to the submission of the research Thesis and its examination. The procedures have been written to comply with the following documents - HETAC August 2005 “Taught and Research Programme Accreditation Policy, Criteria and Processes” and the Institute of Technology Tallaght “Regulations for Supervised Postgraduate Research” in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes. Internal and External Examiners are appointed for each candidate. The criteria and duties of each are outlined in detail in Section 4.4 of the Research Regulations in the Code of Practice.
5.3 Guidelines on the Promotion of Equality of Opportunity The Institute is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusiveness. The quality assurance procedures as outlined in the Quality Manual reflect this commitment. A number of policies have been developed by the Institute in this regard namely: • Equality & Diversity; • Equal Opportunities in Recruitment; • Bullying & Harassment Policy; • Parental Leave Policy; • Students with Disabilities. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring Head of School and the Registrar to promote equality of opportunity in all procedures relating to undergraduate and postgraduate studies, from consideration of candidates at admission through to assessment and appeals. The Access Office co-ordinates and operates a support service for students with a disability or specific learning difficulty following a request from the student through the
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sponsoring School. It also offers advice and information to students directly on disability/specific learning assistance. There is a dedicated Assistance Technology room in the library for use of students with a disability/specific learning difficulty.
5.4 Access Policy The following statement on access and overarching policy has been approved by Academic Council:
The Institute of Technology Tallaght is committed to equity of access to higher education. Through our mainstream strategic priorities, resource allocation, and quality assurance processes, the Institute actively promotes and facilitates widening the participation of student groups currently under-represented in higher education. This commitment reflects our role as a major contributor to the social, cultural, and economic life of South Dublin and the surrounding region.
In keeping with national access policy, and reflecting the diverse population of our region, the Institute will focus on activities with the following: • School-leavers from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds • Mature students • Students with disabilities • Members of ethnic minorities and the Traveller community.
Access activities will continue to consist of a range of pre-entry activities (particularly with local disadvantaged schools), alternative entry mechanisms, and post-entry supports. In developing our Access activities, the Institute will ensure: • collaboration with relevant local and national partners • sustainable projects with Institute-wide participation • information and awareness training for staff • on-going monitoring and evaluation • regular updates to staff
The Institute will develop a three-year Access Plan, with details of the programme of actions to address the needs of each under-represented group; the resources to be committed to these actions; and the means by which the actions will be evaluated.
5.5 Provision for the Protection of Learners The Institute is committed to providing appropriate support and guidance to enable both undergraduate and postgraduate students to complete their programmes once they have been admitted to the register. Student progress is monitored on a regular basis and assessment is conducted fairly and consistently in line with approved Institute and HETAC policy & procedures.3 All students are encouraged to offer informal feedback on their programme of study through their sponsoring Department or for postgraduate researchers, through their Supervisor(s). Each Department is encouraged to seek feedback on a regular basis on topics such as quality of delivery (taught)/supervision (research), support mechanisms and physical resources through Departmental Programme Board and other Institute staff/student group meetings. Students are welcome to offer feedback on Institute-wide issues related to their programme through their sponsoring Head of Department. Appeals
3 HETAC August 2005 “Taught and Research Programme Accreditation Policy, Criteria and Processes”.
100 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
and complaints are dealt with fairly and consistently in line with Institute procedures. These are published in the ITT Dublin General Student Handbook and Postgraduate Research Student Handbooks respectively.
5.6 Staff and General Operational Policies Policies have been developed in the Services, Support and Functional Areas which are available to staff and students on the intranet. These include, but are not limited to those listed in Table 5.1.
Area Policy
Office of the President Policy on External Work
Library Collection Policy Laptop Lending
Computing Services Computer Security and IT Usage Email
Finance Expense Claims Overtime Claims Data Protection
Human Resources Equal Opportunities Policy on Harassment and Bullying Annual Leave for Non-Academic Staff Postgraduate Teaching Leave Related Policies [covering career breaks, parental, maternity, adoptive, carers, compassionate, sick, study, unpaid, job sharing, work sharing, Force Majure, paternity]
Table 5.1 List of Operational Institute Policies
The staff policies form a major part of the ITT Dublin Staff Handbook which is available to all staff on the intranet. Through the Human Resources Department ITT Dublin also subscribes to an Employee Well-Being Programme which is a service all employees, providing confidential, independent advice, support and assistance on any matters impacting on work/personal life.
The Institute has developed a Code of Conduct for Members of the Governing Body and Employees. This Code of Conduct takes account of the implications of the Ethics of Public Office Acts, 1995 and 2001. A copy of the Code is available on the intranet web site. The objectives of the Code are • To set out an agreed set of ethical principles; • To promote and maintain confidence and trust in the Governing Authority/Body and staff of the Institute of Technology Tallaght. • To prevent the development or acceptance of unethical practices; • To promote the highest legal, management and ethical standards in all the activities of the Institute of Technology Tallaght. • To promote compliance with best current management practice in all the activities of the Institute of Technology Tallaght.
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5.7 Development of Policies for Research
5.7.1 Institute Research Policy Statement The Institute is fully committed to research as a core mainstream activity. By supporting the pursuit of excellence in research it seeks to strengthen education and training provision, create and disseminate new knowledge, concepts and applications, and support regional and national socio-economic development. It aims to achieve this through being a leader in the development of research and innovation in the region and establishing itself as a centre of excellence for targeted research areas.4 The Strategic Plan objectives determine how this policy is implemented.
5.7.2 Intellectual Property Policy The transfer of research results to the commercial market place for public benefit, i.e. the commercialisation of research, is an activity of increasing importance for academic institutions. While the primary outputs of academic based research have been traditionally applied to the generation of new knowledge in education, there have been a number of initiatives since the mid-1990s for increasing opportunities to derive economic benefits from the commercialisation of academic research. This means academic institutions can now produce more broadly skilled graduate researchers and make them more attractive to industry. Through the participation of academics in collaborative industry related research, the M50 EPP and the Synergy Centre this Institute has built up a significant knowledge base in conducting applied and contract research, the commercialisation of research, technology transfer, intellectual property management, licensing and campus company formation. In common with the bulk of the Institutes of Technology, this Institute has been slow to develop a policy and establish procedures for the management of intellectual property generated from research. A number of factors have contributed to this: • The lack of a national framework. Until recently, there was no national consensus on best practice in relation to intellectual property. The national code of practice for the management of intellectual property arising from publicly funded research was only put in place in 2004, and the national framework for intellectual property generated by private funding is still in development. • The failure to develop procedures in this area was also due to the lack of expertise within the Institute/Institute of Technology Sector. It was also influenced by the expense incurred and poor outcomes experienced by those institutions that have engaged in external legal expertise to assist in this area.
Notwithstanding these difficulties a working group was established by the Research & Development sub- Committee of Academic Council to develop an Intellectual Property Policy and associated operational procedures for the Institute in 2005. An IP working group comprising members with significant IP experience from their past employment in industry was formed to draw up the policy. Following consultation with the Institute’s legal team, the policy was agreed by the R&D Committee and Senior Management. The complete IP Policy and Procedures Document were adopted by Governing Body in June 2006. The full text of the IP Policy and Procedures document is reproduced in Appendix 2 of this document.
5.7.3 Ethics Policy Ethical issues occur in all types of research. Good ethical practice comes from being aware of regulatory guidelines, statutory prohibitions and Institute policies & best practice. The Institute of Technology Tallaght is
4 Institute of Technology Tallaght Strategic Plan 2005-2008.
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committed to promoting and supporting ethical practice across all of its educational activities, including research. In all cases researchers must comply with the Institute’s Ethics Policy while conducting their research. The policy forms the basis of the Institute Code of Conduct for Researchers which is an integral part of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes. It forms the basis of the Institute’s Ethics Policy for all its research activities, including postgraduate research degree programmes. It draws on a variety of resources as referenced in the footnote below.5 The Ethics Policy is composed of two distinct sections: 1. Code of Good Practice in Research; 2. ITT Dublin Policy and Procedures on the Examination and Resolution of Allegations of Research Misconduct. The Ethics Policy was approved by Academic Council and Governing Body in 2006. The full text of the Ethics Policy document is reproduced in Appendix 3 of this document.
In all cases researchers must comply with the ethics policy while conducting their research. The Institute has a dedicated Research Ethics Committee which is an Executive Committee convened by the Senior Management Team and has been established by them to: • Review project proposals of those researchers wishing to conduct research involving human and/or participants and make recommendations to SMT on whether the proposed research of that nature can be conducted at the Institute or not. The Research Ethics Committee has a number of primary aims: 1. To protect the rights and welfare of human and animal participants in research studies or trials conducted by or involving ITT Dublin researchers. 2. To facilitate the conduct of ethically sound, legally compliant research at the Institute in accordance with national and EU legislation. 3. To advise the Ethics sub-Committee and thereby Academic Council on the development of ethical policies and procedures at the Institute where required.
This is discussed in more detail in Chapter 12 – Quality Assurance, in Section 12.10 on Process and Procedures for the Management of Ethics in Research.
5.8 Adult and Continuing Education Policy The Institute subscribes to the European Commission’s definition of Lifelong Learning, as
‘‘all learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective’’
It works with this definition in a context of individual development, active citizenship, social inclusion and the economic well-being of society as a whole.
The Policy outlines the Institute’s commitment to Lifelong Learning as follows: • The Institute will ensure appropriate operational structures are in place to support lifelong learning. • The Institute aims to be the Institute of first choice in our region for the provision of high quality, accredited, higher education opportunities.
5 Taken from • http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm199697/cmselect/cmstand/688/code1.htm, • http://www.public-standards.gov.uk/ • http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/parlment/nolan/nolan.htm • http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD002753.html: Wellcome Trust Guidelines on Good Research Practice, January 2002 103 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 5 Academic and Staff Policies
• The Institute will implement flexible and cost effective modes of course delivery both on and off campus, using new technology and partnerships where appropriate. Course design and delivery will maximise the potential for participation of lifelong learners by, for example, providing learning materials and support for off-campus students. • The Institute will actively promote lifelong learning opportunities within the region through marketing activities aimed at specific target groups.
The policy, which is presented in full in the Charter for the Institute of Technology Tallaght, sets out the guiding principles for supporting the concept of lifelong learning by delivering it’s academic programme in a wide range of modes, which are flexible, meet the needs of a wide variety of learners, and provide opportunities for the personal and professional development of individuals, and for the development of business, industrial and community organisations.
5.9 Communications Processes and Institute Policies on Consultation and Co-Operation
5.9.1 Communications Processes It is Institute policy to be open and inclusive in its management and operations. Each Functional Area and Academic School is now required draw up an annual communications plan. It is accepted that a lesser reliance on the use of email might be desirable. Hence, in 2007, the Institute President held meetings with each Academic School, which took the format of a presentation, followed by a question and answer session. School and Functional Area meetings were held during the academic year. New developments discussed at management meetings are communicated to staff by their Head of Department/Function. Each Head of Department holds at least one meeting with per semester to keep staff up-to-date on developments within the Institute, School and Department.
Management has drawn up an agreed template for keeping minutes of meetings. Minutes are circulated to staff following the meeting. All Academic Council minutes and those of Governing Body are placed on the staff intranet which is updated regularly. It is also proposed to produce a bi-annual staff newsletter. A list of the main communications mechanisms and how they are planned are provided in Table 5.2.
104 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Communications Planning and Events/Forum Organised
Plan of meetings for Academic Council, sub-Committees, Senior Management Team, Annually Total Management Team, Governing Body
Plan for each Functional Area Annually
President meets Staff in each Functional Area and School Annually
Services Managers meet with functional groups Annually
Each Head of School draws up a communications plan Annually
Each Head of School holds a School meeting Each semester
Each Head of Department holds a number of Departmental meetings At least once a semester
Registrar meets with staff Annually
An Alumni Magazine produced with input from staff Every 2 years
Research Magazine produced with input from staff and students Annually
Partnership Meetings – Sustaining Progress now replaced by an IR Forum Several meetings a year
Table 5.2 Staff Communication Events
5.9.2 Institute-wide Consultation and Co-Operation
Policy Statement: The Institute is committed to consultation and co-operation with staff, students and their representatives in all matters where it is reasonable to expect this to occur. The aim of the consultation is to enable the Institute, its staff and its students to share views on developments, proposed changes or situations that might arise and on the options being considered.
Principles 1. To provide fair and transparent processes for consultation and co-operation within the Institute. 2. To allow for open communication and discussion between parties in the processes of consultation and/or co-operation. 3. To support informed decision-making in the Institute.
Process While recognising the wealth of mechanisms available to support consultation, the process of consultation will normally include: • A determination of which groups or individuals should be consulted in particular cases. • meetings (taken to include e-meetings) between the parties to consider matters • provision of appropriate information by the Institute to enable those being consulted to develop an informed response
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• provide for confidential consultation where appropriate or necessary that recognises the responsibilities of those so consulted • an agreed timeframe for these matters to take place.
The Institute will give serious consideration to what is provided by way of submissions or recommendations. Notwithstanding this, the final decision relating to any change shall be the responsibility of the Institute.
5.9.3 External Consultation and Co-Operation6
Policy Statement The Institute’s strives to achieve the widest stakeholder engagement process it can. Its procedures are ongoing and will be frequently reviewed and developed. The Institute views its engagement with stakeholders as an integral part of its overall strategic planning.
Principles The Institute is committed to consulting with its external stakeholders to ensure 1. The continuing relevance of its programmes to national and regional needs 2. The relevance of its provision for the economic, technological, scientific, commercial, industrial, social and cultural development of the State, with particular reference to the region served by the Institute.
Process Consultation with external stakeholders regarding the performance of the Institute’s functions the may include, inter alia • Such agricultural, commercial, technological, scientific, industrial, educational, social and cultural groups in the region served by the Institute, or nationally, as might have views on particular issues or developments in the programmes, research or other activities of the Institute. • Relevant stakeholders will be consulted at the design stage of new programmes, they will be involved in programme validation processes and will be consulted at least on a quinquennial basis at times of programme, quality or institutional review. • The Institute will make a determination of which groups or individuals should be consulted in particular cases. • Relevant stakeholders will be consulted at an early stage. • A variety of consultation methods will be employed to include, panels of business people, entrepreneurs, industrialists and other professionals so as to check opinions regularly in a flexible and quick manner. • The Institute will facilitate feedback of views from stakeholders on an on-going basis and will also be used to seek views on particular developments. • Invitations to participate in consultation processes will be published on the Institute’s homepage and will include details of the time available for consultation and the process to be followed. • Sufficient time will be allowed for consultation to reach its objectives. • The Institute will provide feedback after consultation. • Review of the effectiveness of the consultation procedures. • Feedback on the Graduate Survey.
6 With the community (including commercial and industrial interests) in the region served by the Institute.
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5.10 Staff Training and Development Policies and Overview A Staff Training and Development Policy has been developed to support our commitment to providing opportunities for staff to develop their knowledge, skills and competencies. This includes upgrading of qualifications and the acquisition of new or upgraded skills. The Institute has established formal methods for tracking staff development and we are currently in the process of implementing a Performance Management Development System (PMDS).7
5.10.1 Management of Training and Development The Human Resources Department is responsible for the management of the cross-collegiate training and development budget in the Institute. Approximately 362 employees work on campus, consisting of 22 management, 210 lecturing staff (70 part-time) and 130 support staff (Administration, Building Services, Library and Technical). Support for staff training and development can take place in many ways including: • Approved leave to participate in training and development activities • Payment of all, or a contribution towards: - the cost of training and development activities - the cost of travel and accommodation associated with training and development activities - the cost of textbooks, equipment or other materials and expenses • Entitlements for leave and payment of certain fees for certain award courses approved by the relevant Head of School • Development and delivery of Institute-wide in-house training and development activities • Contracting of external trainers to provide specific training and development activities • Opportunities for individual development through project work, acting in a higher position, institutional visits, on-the-job learning and mentoring/coaching by more senior staff.
The total direct expenditure on all staff training and development over the years 2001 to 2007 was as follows:
Year Total Expenditure on Staff Training & Development 2001 €164,021 2002 €213,301 2003 €98,747 2004 €179,541 2005 €177,500 2006 €173,060 2007 €349,373
Table 5.3 Total Expenditure on Staff Training & Development
The process of managing staff training and development has changed in recent years. In previous years, the planning and provision of training and staff development was organised on a decentralised basis across the different schools and functional units within the Institute. However, the development of the Institute Strategic Plan highlighted the need for a more broad-based, cross-collegiate approach.
7 Discussed in the Delegated Authority Self-Evaluation Report, Chapter 11, Section 11.16
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In December 2004, a Staff Development Committee was established to inform the Institute Strategic Plan 2005-2008. The objective of the committee was: • To oversee the development of a training strategy, training plan and training needs analysis within the institute, and • To implement the various initiatives identified.
The Staff Development Committee comprised members of management and staff representatives from three unions: the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) representing academic staff; IMPACT representing the administrative staff; and AMICUS representing the Institute’s technicians.
Training Needs Analysis were first submitted in May 2004 to each Department and Functional area, to cover the period up to December 2005. Based on the information obtained from the different departments/functional areas within the Institute, the HR Section produced a report entitled, Cross Collegiate Training & Development Activities for 2004/2006. A number of areas were identified, which met the requirement of being cross-collegiate in scope. To enable the Committee to deliver on the Training Needs Analysis, the Senior Management Team have allocated a budget of approximately €177,500 to staff development.
The Institute has increased this figure over the past three years. Total funding is divided between Functional Area/School specific funding and cross-collegiate funding. Cross-collegiate training has been provided in the following areas: • Teaching/Pedagogical Skills Courses • Project Management • Increasing Awareness of Equality and diversity • Training staff, students and management in the area of Bullying and • Harassment • Agresso • MIS System. It is proposed to hold an annual Induction Course for all Associate Staff from October 2008. The course will be compulsory and will include the following areas: • Teaching Methodologies • Examination Process • Completion and uploading of white sheets.
5.10.2 Staff Training & Development: Teaching & Learning The Centre for Learning and Teaching organises the Institute training and development workshops and courses for all staff (More details are given in Chapter 7, Section 7.1.5). The Centre has: – Created a Staff Development Portal – Created new and consolidate existing staff training materials/resources – Created collaborative staff training processes and events – Investigated certification for staff development
108 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Support for Teaching and Learning Staff Supports in place since 2007 include: – Staff Development Programme generated from meetings with Heads of Department/Section in early 2007 – 47 Staff Development Events run since May 2007 – Attendance to-date = 523 (245 different staff, 23 from other Institutes) – Events aligned with PMDS – Distribution of learning and teaching resources (email and hard copies in Centre for Learning and Teaching) – Resources stored on Moodle (http://elearning.it-tallaght.ie/moodle/login/index.php) – Although focussed on ‘innovation in teaching’ and ‘inclusive education’, delighted that Administrative, Library, and Technical staff have participated in events – Investigating certification for minor award (e.g. PGCHET) with HETAC (JV), and CPD, together with SIF LIN Project.
5.10.3 Staff Training & Development: Research Staff development and training for all members of staff, including research supervisors, is provided for on an ongoing basis by the Institute. All academic staff are requested to submit a Training Needs Analysis Form to their Head of Department on an annual basis. This is the main forum that currently exists for academic supervisors and potential researchers to identify their training needs in relation to research.
The Development and External Services Office also notify staff of any grant or research proposal workshops being organised externally. Staff are normally supported from Departmental Staff Development budget to attend such external workshops.
Academic Staff qualifications are presented in Chapter 10, Section 10.1.5 along with a profile of research supervisors by School and Department. Supervisory training has been introduced in recent years and research specific training has been augmented as discussed below.
The Institute recognises that whatever future strategies are devised to improve the quality of research student training, their successful implementation will also depend on the quality of the supervisory training of the academics themselves. This is supported through the Staff Development budget.
The internal evaluation conducted for the Institute’s Application to Maintain a Research Degree Register indicated deficiencies in supervisory training and plans to address them were presented in the submission documentation. The lack of a formal approach to supervisory training, at that time in terms of the provision of structured workshops/seminar programmes was highlighted, and plans were put in place in 2007 to address this as follows: • Development of an Academic Researcher/Supervisor Training Programme: this was rolled out in Feb. 2007 [Programme of in-house events organised given in Appendix 4]; • Formal Research Supervisors Workshop organised and attended by supervisors and staff interested in becoming involved in supervision of postgraduate research supervision (Sept. 07 and Jan. 08). Links have been established with Prof. A. Fell, Bradford University,8 for the development and delivery this comprehensive training programme [RSW Programme in Appendix 5]; • The Institute was a founding member of the recently funded SIF IoT Research Alliance – main objective being the development of an accredited Graduate Research Education Programme across the sector, with modules to be delivered to supervisors as well as postgraduate students. Details on the modules and supervisors programme are given in Chapter 7, Section 7.4.4.
8 Graduate Education Advisor at the University of Bradford, UK. He is responsible for policy development in all aspects of graduate education, including the training and career development of doctoral candidates and post- and initiated a generic model for developing Research Supervisors at Bradford, shared with Universities throughout the UK and Ireland.
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The research environment in relation to new technologies is constantly changing so staff, and in particular research active staff, are constantly engaged in professional development both to keep up to date with changes through participation in training courses and research conferences. Financial support is provided by the Staff Development fund as administered by the Human Resources Department. In 2005 specific research spending was determined for the first time. The majority of this spend was to support attendance at research conferences and a small amount was used to finance attendance at courses or workshops. The total amount spent on research specific training came to €39 K in 2007 which is approximately 11% of the total Staff Development budget.
5.10.4 Institute Support for Staff Conducting Postgraduate Studies A fee waver scheme is in operation for any staff member who undertakes a postgraduate degree within the Institute. There are currently two staff members registered on research Masters programmes and one on a Doctoral programme at this Institute. The Institute also provides financial support for staff that up skill in terms of research degree qualifications to provide for an expansion of its academic capacity in this sphere in the future. It has allocated a small portion of its staff development budget to provide funding towards the registration costs of those staff undertaking postgraduate studies going back as far as 1995. A total of €165K has been made available to support staff postgraduate studies up to and including 2007. This allocation has increased from €7620 in 1995 to €17K in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Table 5.3 shows the number of staff currently being supported in this manner.
Award Being Pursued 2007/8 Number Higher Certificate 1 Diploma 3 Bachelors Degree 2 Honours Bachelors Degree 2 Postgraduate Certificate 1 Masters Degree 7 Doctoral Degree 3
Table 5.3 Detail on Staff being assisted in undertaking Postgraduate and Further Studies at other Academic Institutions
5.10.5 Other Staff Training & Development Specific training and staff development programmes in support systems occurs on a regular basis for both Support and Administrative Staff and Academic users. In 2007 the following were organised: • MIS Training • Banner • Millennium •Core • Agresso
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Administrative and Technical Support staff are encouraged to attend external training and development events on a regular basis. Financial support is also facilitated for attendance at Conferences. Some recent examples of events attended by support staff in 2007 include: • FOI Training • Presentation Skills Training • Interview Skills Workshops • Cisco Training • Moodle Worskhop • AV Training Workshop • NetSkills Workshop • Cross-collegiate Health and Safety Training
Equipment training, maintenance and other discipline specific events are organised by equipment and software suppliers and attended by all relevant staff.
A Health and Safety Course was run at the Institute for all Committee members. Enterprise Support Training events organised by the Synergy Centre via Enterprise Start and M50 Programmes are also open to attendance by staff.
Management training events are organised by Human Resources, and have included the following in the last twelve months: • Strategic Planning • Project Management • Meetings.
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112 Chapter 6
Facilities And Resources For Teaching And Research
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Chapter 6 Facilities And Resources For Teaching And Research
The Institute exists in a very competitive environment with four universities, Dublin Institute of Technology, two other Institutes of Technology in the Dublin area, all drawing students from and supplying graduates to the same market. Nonetheless, at regional level it is now the first choice college for students entering third level education, particularly in the Dublin 24, (Tallaght) and Dublin 22 (Clondalkin) areas.1
The Institute has grown from modest beginnings to be a third-level college with a student body of more than 3800 in number and is now operating at full physical capacity. The long-term target of the Institute2 is to increase the teaching and student resource facilities by up to 50% in the next 5 years to allow cater for a higher student intake. It is also intended to double postgraduate research student intake, i.e. increase to an annual cohort of 150 students before 2012.3
A profile of the current facilities and resources available to support teaching and research is given below, with particular emphasis on key areas such as the Library and Information Technology. The allocation of financial resources and their management is also discussed, along with campus development plans.
6.1 Campus Environment The campus covers an area of 18.3 hectares. The main building has a total floor area of 15,700 m2 housing facilities teaching, research, office and learner support services. In addition there is a Students Union Building on site with a floor area of 160 m2. In 2007 the Institute has acquired additional office accommodation Icon Court, adjacent to the college. Sports and recreational facilities are predominantly rented by the Institute and are all off-campus, except for some sports pitches and associated changing facilities.
The Synergy Centre (Business Incubation Centre) is also located on campus which is a three-storey building with a floor area of 1,013m2. This building was 90% funded by the Enterprise Ireland - EU Regional Development Fund with 10% coming from private sources. The focus of the Incubation Centre is to generate and develop technology based enterprises in the South Dublin region and catchment area of the Institute. These include research spin-off enterprises and enterprises that are considered high potential start-ups under Enterprise Ireland guidelines. The Centre also provides space and support for industrial research involving high levels of collaboration between the staff of the Institute and enterprises located in the region. Information on the current activities of the Synergy Centre is presented in Chapter 7, Section 7.6.1.
The Technician Development Centre (TDC) is a 428 m2 facility shared with Mechanical Engineering. While the TDC supports undergraduate educational and training programmes, primarily electrical trade programmes, its facilities are available to research students where required. The main objective is to establish a centre of excellence in electric power engineering by providing vocational training to craftspeople as well as promoting student and staff interest in power engineering education and research. The electrical power group is centred
1 Figures taken from “Who went to college in 2007 Report” which was published in Dec. 2007 and presented in more detail in Chapter 9 –Taught Programme Profile. 2 Strategic Plan 2005 – 2008, Update 2007 Section dealing with Development Targets. 3 ITT Dublin Research Strategy 2008 – 2012. 114 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
in the Technician Development Centre in this off-campus location close to the college in the Whitestown Industrial Park. The TDC is used for the delivery of the apprenticeship programmes in electrical trades.
6.2 Campus Development Plans The Institute’s commitment to the expansion and enhancement of the campus is demonstrated in one of the key goals of the current Strategic Plan, which sets out the campus development goal as follows:
“We will progress the physical development of the campus in accordance with the Institute’s Development Control Plan 2003 – 2009 and the recommendations contained in the HEA Review and Prioritisation of Capital Projects in the Higher Education Sector.”
In 2001, the first Master Development Plan for the Institute was finalised having been agreed by the Governing Body, South Dublin County Council and the Department of Education and Science. Phase 1 of the plan indicated the proposed development of the campus to be in line with the report produced by the Steering Committee on the Future Development of Higher Education (June 1995) which recommended that the Institute should grow to 3,000 full-time students. In 2003 the Institute drew up a Development Control Plan for 2003 – 2009 and made submissions to the HEA Capital Review and Prioritisation Working Group. In September 2004 the HEA review committee recommended an expenditure of €45.96 million for campus development. In December 2005 the Department of Education and Science gave the go-ahead for 35 major building and development projects in third level institutions, including three for the Institute of Technology Tallaght, as part of a €900 million funding package over the next 5 years. Funding of €48 million has now been allocated to deliver on this capital project through public private partnership (PPP) scheme. Detailed output specifications have been developed for the completion of the project. A map outlining plans for the proposed campus development is shown in Figure 6.1.
Multi-Purpose Student
Engineering Creche
Student Accommodation
Incubation Centre
Commercial Catering and Development Tourism
Figure 6.1 Proposed Campus Development Plan
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In addition the Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform has approved an indicative amount of €1 million towards the establishment of a childcare facility at the Institute. Planning permission has been applied for to South Dublin County Council. The premises will be located on the campus and will be separate from the main building.
Details of the areas prioritised for expansion are given Table 6.1. This will enable the Institute to increase the full-time student population to over 3000 which is in line with its development targets.
Priority No. Area Description
1 Enabling Infrastructure To enable the orderly development of the campus over all phases of implementation - The provision of new entrances roads, drainage, water, gas and electricity mains, lighting, boundary treatments, trenching and ducting, infrastructural landscaping, fibre optic loop and external sports facilities.
2 Catering & Tourism Building 3600 m2 facility including kitchens and ancillary areas, lecture theatres, classrooms, bar, restaurant and training bedroom, staff accommodation, student food hall and computing laboratories.
3 Engineering Building 5210 m2 building including laboratories, staff office areas, classrooms, lecture theatres and computer laboratories.
4 Multi-Purpose/Student 4000 m2 building including sports/multi-purpose hall, student restaurant, Services Centre student’s union and welfare offices. The hall will be used for sports/recreation activities, exhibitions, conferences, examinations, conferring ceremonies and concerts.
Table 6.1 Campus Development Plan Priority Areas
6.3 Research Facilities and Resources The Institute allocation of facilities and resources specifically dedicated to research has grown particularly since 2001 with the development of a strategic approach to research. Information on the facilities available to postgraduate researchers and academic supervisors at this Institute are provided in Section 6.3.1 below. The awarding of HEA PRTLI funding of €9.26 million for a dedicated research building (Section 6.3.2) along with recent successes in December 2007 in securing EI and HEA capital equipment funding for dedicated research equipment in Science for the advancement of applied research will enable improvements to existing facilities in the near future. HEA funding of €250 K has been secured for a MALDI Mass Spectrometer, with matching funding being provided by this Institute, while EI funding of €208 K has been secured for a new SEM instrument. Resources including Library and Information Technology are described in Sections 6.4 and 6.5 respectively.
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6.3.1 Current Research Facilities by Department Research facilities in the Institute fall into three broad categories namely:
6.3.1A Laboratory Facilities and Bench Space A summary of the current research facilities by Department is given below:
Department of Electronic Engineering Laboratories • Microprocessor and Electronics Laboratory • Electronic Construction Laboratory • Year 5 (B. Eng) and Research Project Laboratory • Communications Laboratory • Control and Analogue Electronics Laboratory Each of these laboratories has a comprehensive range of industry-standard equipment. A number of computer laboratories with a comprehensive suite of software packages are also available.
Centre for Applied Microelectronics has facilities for conducting research in an advanced semiconductor fabrication environment. The Microelectronics Centre is constructed to an extremely high standard and is a completely independent, fully integrated plant with its own waste disposal and utilities systems. Supporting state of the art education and training, the 125.5 m2 facility is comprised of a Class 10,000 laboratory area, a Class 1000 lithographic area, a furnace room and a gowning area. In addition to wet chemical benches, the Centre is equipped with a 3-stack furnace, an advanced sputtering unit, a mask alignment system and many different pieces of analytical apparatus. The laboratory is also furnished with a suite of software tools allowing simulation of the complete fabrication process.
Radio Frequency Technology Centre has a laboratory which acts as a test and measurement resource for research and industrial projects. The Centre offers RF circuit design skills up to 3GHz.
Department of Mechanical Engineering Laboratories • Metrology • Manufacturing • Materials • Automation • Control • Thermodynamics/Fluid Mechanics • Workshop for Projects • Manufacturing Laboratory
Each laboratory is equipped with industry-standard equipment. A number of computer laboratories with a comprehensive suite of software packages are also available.
Rapid Prototyping Centre: This contains the single most noteworthy item of equipment, i.e. the Selective Laser Sintering machine (DTM Sinterstation 2500 Selective Laser Sintering with Breakout Station), which was installed in January 2001. It is capable of producing complex three-dimensional parts layer by layer using a
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combination of fine powders and a single point laser beam, and is also capable of constructing metal matrix materials suitable for injection mould core and cavity plates.
Department of Science Within the Department there are laboratories and specialist facilities that are dedicated to research activity. They have state-of-the-art equipment and include the following: • Biology Research Laboratory • Microbiology Laboratory • Cell Culture Facility • Synthetic Chemistry Laboratory • Electroanalytical Laboratories • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Laboratory • Scanning Electron Microscopy Laboratory.
Physical resources that are shared with undergraduate students include: • Advanced Instrumentation Laboratory; • Preparatory Laboratories in Biology, Chemistry and Physics Areas; • Materials Laboratory with specialist equipment and capacity for 16 students; • PC laboratory with capacity for 24 students.
National Pharmaceutical Education Centre: This is comprised primarily of an integrated pilot scale Bio/Pharmaceutical Technology facility, designed with a strong emphasis on the support of teaching, training, research and development and industrial applications. It currently supports research carried out in the areas of bio/cell technology and process analytical technology. The main facilities within the Centre are: 1. A Pilot Manufacturing Plant for bio-processing and formulation, inclusive of automation laboratory, utilities centre and waster facility. 2. A Development Laboratory to support the Pilot Plant. This comprises an Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, a Research and Development Laboratory and a twenty station Automation Laboratory. Researchers in the Department also have full access to additional off-campus resources through their collaborative ventures at DCU in the National Centre for Sensor Research and National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology, and also at NUI Maynooth and DIT.
Department of Computing The research facilities are shared with students on undergraduate programmes and include the following: • 7 Computer Laboratories with overall capacity for over 200 students • Server room with supporting equipment. The Department has state-of-the-art networking equipment. It has site licenses for 15 software packages along with numerous other specific packages to support research and teaching activities. The Department also has hardware specifically for research, including a range of specialist digital imaging and mobile communications equipment.
Department of Humanities and Business-Related Departments Extensive computer laboratories with a comprehensive range of business and enterprise software are available for teaching and research in the business-related departments of the School. In the Department of Humanities, facilities used to support teaching and research include:
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• Language Laboratories with Computer-aided Language Learning • Multimedia resources, • Television/Video Production facilities • Radio/Audio Production facilities • Photographic laboratory.
6.3.1B Office and Information Technology Facilities The provision of research office facilities is coordinated by the Development & External Services Office, while the provision of IT facilities is coordinated by the Computing Services Department. All academic staff involved in research, including post-doctoral fellows, are assigned high-quality workstations in an open-plan environment within the academic staff areas, with comprehensive computing, networking and communications facilities. Postgraduate students are assigned dedicated desks in temporary accommodation outside the main building, again with comprehensive computing, networking and communications facilities. They postgraduate offices will be housed in the main building from Sept. 2008, following the move of administrative staff from the Finance Department to Icon Court during the summer.
6.1.3C Applied Research and Innovation Laboratories The Synergy Centre has a suite of applied research and innovation laboratories dedicated to joint Industry- Institute research projects in the disciplines of ICT and Sensor Technology. The Institute plans to develop additional applied research laboratories in disciplines such as Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Product Development and Technology Transfer (to be supported by the pilot scale pharmaceutical plant which already exists in the Institute). In addition, the college is funding approximately 180m2 of additional Innovation Space (similar to the laboratories created in Synergy).
6.3.2 Centre of Applied Science for Health The Institute has received funding to develop a new building to house a Centre for Applied Health Research. This building will accommodate an additional 20 postgraduates plus 4 post-doctoral fellows and 2 research assistants and a centre manager.
The Centre of Applied Science for Health building will be approximately 870m2 over 3 floors. Approximate use of space is defined in the draft schedule of accommodation in Table 6.2 below.
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Accomodation Size m2 Office – Centre Manager 18 Office - Administration 11 Office – Research Leaders & Post Doctoral Fellows 55 Office – Research Assistants / Technical Support 24 Office – Postgraduate Student Area (open plan office) 120 Meeting / seminar room 1 40 Microbiology/Fermentation laboratory 60 Autoclave room 10 Biochemistry laboratory 60 Cold room 10 Dark Room 12 Tissue Culture laboratory 22 Synthetic Chemistry laboratory 70 Instrumentation laboratory 35 Surface Analysis laboratory 22 Analytical/Sensor Research Laboratory 52 Medical Device Laboratory 33 Chemical Store 1 30 Mechanical Plant Room * 30 Electrical Plant Room * 20 Cleaners Store * 10 Toilets * 40 Circulation Areas * 183
Table 6.2 Centre of Applied Science for Health Building Layout and Dimensions
The major items of equipment, i.e. items of Capital Equipment costing more than €30,000 that will be housed in the building include those listed in Table 6.3.
1. Capital Equipment Item Description (outline) Number of items Cost €(inc VAT) Particle image Velocimetry 1 86,420 LC Mass Spectroscopy System 1 307,009 Atomic Force Microscope 1 200,000 500mHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectrometer with LC 1 500,000 Upgradable Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope 1 275,625 FPLC Protein Purification System 1 71,836 1,440,890 2. Total cost of items of Capital Equipment costing between €15,000 and €30,000 250,000 (equipment items costing less than €15,000 must be included in the recurrent bid)
3. Grand Total of all Capital Equipment items 1,690,890
Table 6.3 CASH Centre Major Capital Equipment
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6.3.3 Future Plans for Additional Research Facilities To achieve the growth in postgraduate numbers and research outputs proposed in the 2008 – 20112 Research Strategy the Institute must develop increased physical capacity, increased equipment facilities and increased capacity to manage research programmes and postgraduate students and support structures to ensure the quality of the programme.
The Institute currently has approximately 450 m2 of research laboratory space. As a result of relocation of administrative space it is intended in 2008 to convert an additional 400 m2 of existing space to research space and postgraduate accommodation. This will allow for an additional 25 postgraduates. The Institute was recently awarded €1.4 million under the Research Facilities Enhancement Scheme for to fund the proposed expansion. This will utislied for the conversion and re-configuration of existing resources to create up to 25 additional new researcher spaces, effectively equipping those spaces to support funded research programmes, and targeted enhancement of research infrastructure to support the advancement of current and emerging interdisciplinary research activities. The underlying needs behind this are as follows:- a. Shortage of dedicated laboratory research space at ITT Dublin; currently research is at or very close to maximum capacity with 68 science & engineering researchers using 432 m2 of laboratory space (approx. 6.5 m2 per researcher compared to national norms of ~8-10m2 per researcher). b. A need to upgrade or replace ageing pieces of equipment vital to the ongoing support of current activity. c. Enhancement of the capital infrastructure for science and engineering research to support current and emerging areas of activity. d. Facilitating the development and strengthening of inter-institutional collaborations to maintain competitiveness nationally and internationally.
In 2011 the Institute will complete a major capital development programme involving a 50% increase in teaching space. This will enable the Institute to allocate an additional 400 m2 of space to research.
The Institute will increase its capacity to manage an expanded research programme by increasing the number of academic staff engaged in research by 50% through a programme of mentoring and institutional initiatives and also through an increase in the numbers of post-doctoral fellowships and principal investigators. The Institute is a partner in a sectoral project led by IOTI – Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy - to develop training and support materials for staff engaging in research projects.
The Institute will require an investment of approximately €8 million over the 5 years of this plan to ensure that its technology base for research is commensurate with the development of quality research. Both Enterprise Ireland and the HEA are providing funding to the HE sector to ensure that an appropriate technology base for R&D is put in place.
The research achievements of the Institute to date have been realised despite constraints derived from the lack of capital funding for its research activities. The Report of the Working Party on Research Infrastructure in Higher Education (Feb. 2005) highlighted the specific infrastructural needs of the Institute of Technology Sector as one of its main issues.4 It said that these would need to be addressed to support collaboration with industry and with other third level institutions. It recommended that failure to address these needs would restrict regional development. The Council of Directors (now IOTI) have established a Research Strategy Group to investigate how research issues, including improvements to infrastructure, can best be addressed for the Sector in general. The group is chaired by the President of this Institute which clearly demonstrates a commitment to
4 Report of the Working Party on Research Infrastructure in Higher Education, Feb. 2005.
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research from the highest level within this organisation. The group identified the following key actions in relation to improved facilities and resources for research in their recent report Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society – Building Research Capacity.5 1. Enhanced funding for the Sector to be divided between the provision of infrastructure and funded programmes of research; 2. Refurbishment, upgrading and re-equipping of current research space in the Institutes; 3. Expansion of the linkages between Institutes of Technology and Universities under PRTLI and SFI with better distribution of capital and infrastructure investment across the partners; 4. Seeking targeted investment to build research capacity in strategic areas within each Institute; 5. Recurrent Floor Funding for R&D from the Department of Education and Science as part of annual budgets; 6. Overhead cost allocation.
An expansion in research and innovation space is seen by Government as a key enabler to drive the knowledge economy. Balanced regional development is a Government priority and the Institutes of Technology have a unique and critical role to play in achieving this goal. The Government Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation recommended that we focus on building up the research and innovation functions of Institutes so that they can nurture start-up companies and develop innovative solutions for existing companies.
Incubation Centres, like the Synergy Centre are excellent examples of how this investment supports high technology and knowledge intensive enterprises that have real potential to foster innovation, create jobs and generate export potential. Innovative research is seen as a key enabler to sustaining the Institute-sector research base in the future.
Enterprise Ireland is committed to ensuring that the Institutes of Technology have the resources to engage with industry to perform relevant research and development. It has invested over €100 million in enterprise- focussed programmes delivered through the Institutes of Technology to date. At the opening of the Synergy Centre at the Institute on February 28th 2008 it announced a call for applications to the Research Equipment grant, which has a cumulative value of €10 million. Successful applicant Institutes will receive up between €50,000 and €250,000 to fund research equipment.6 In addition the Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment announced details of Enterprise Ireland’s €50 million boost to the development of enterprise in the regions through the Institutes of Technology. The €50 million will support enterprise-focused activity in three ways; • Funding the purchase of industry-relevant research equipment • Providing more incubation space for start-up companies • Establishing market-focused research groups in the Institutes. There are also plans for an extension to Synergy Centre to double its size, through the applications to EI for funding to extend existing campus incubation facilities in a call that was launched in April 2008.
6.4 Library and Information Resources The library mission is to promote, advocate and consistently work to achieve the highest level of library service to the Institute and its learning community. It is located adjacent to the Institute’s main entrance and is accommodated on two floors, covering a total of 985 m². In 2000, the mezzanine level of the library was opened and includes group study rooms, a silent study area, an open access computer lab/training room, a dedicated assistive technology area and additional study carrels. The book and journal collections, photocopiers
5 Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society – Building Research Capacity, May 2006. 6 Press Release 28th February 2008 - Minister Martin Announces €50 Million in Regional Enterprise Funding. Minister Unveils Enterprise Ireland Funding Package to Give Institutes of Technology Key Role in Development of Regional Business at Official Opening of Synergy Centre at IT Tallaght.
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and a silent study area are located on the ground floor. The library provides a valuable reading space with access to print resources and to a variety of academic online databases that can be accessed at any time via the library catalogue.
6.4.1 Library Organisation and Staff There are currently eight full time and six part time members of library staff. The Head Librarian reports to the Registrar. Figure 6.2 gives a breakdown of the staff structure for the library.
Registrar
Head Librarian
Deputy Head Librarian
Systems Librarian Assistant Librarian
Senior Library Assistant
Library Assistants
Library Attendants
Figure 6.2 Library Organisational Chart
The responsibilities attached to each of the posts are summarised in the Table 6.4 below.
Position Responsibilities
Institute Librarian Manages and has responsibility for every aspect of the library service
Deputy Librarian Deputises for the Institute Librarian and has main responsibility for acquisitions and information literacy
Assistant Librarian Manages the day-to-day running of the library, Inter library Loans and Serials
Systems Librarian Manages the library management system and library website
Senior Library Assistant Manages the library desk and provides systems support
Library Assistants Provide cover for the library desk and are involved in the administration of Serials, Inter- library Loans, Acquisitions, Exam Papers, Book Scheme and the Library Website
Library Attendants Duties include shelving, monitoring noise, security and supervision of students, maintaining photocopiers in library and book repairs
Table 6.4 Description of Posts and Responsibilities
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Each Librarian also acts as a Subject librarian. The Subject Librarians are assigned to each academic department. They consult with the department in relation to library stock, library skills training, and subject/ information queries.
The library staff work together as a team and participate in a number of institutional and external committees, including Academic Council, the R&D sub-Committee, Total Management Team, Health, Safety and Welfare Committee, HEAnet LIR Group, Irish Innovative Users Group, Library Association of Ireland etc.
Staff utilise a variety of means to keep up-to-date on developments in their areas of responsibility and general library issues. These include: • membership of professional bodies and committees • membership of professional electronic mailing lists • attending and presenting at conferences Library staff also attend training courses and regular team meetings - these are usually held once a month during term.
6.4.2 Library Collection Profile The library hosts a book stock of more than 30,000 titles. The vast majority of these books are loaned out with a small number of reference texts accessible only within the library. The library also subscribes to over 100 print journals and a variety of Online Subscription Databases that include full text journals (see Section 6.4.3 for those of relevance to research). The library also has an on-line library catalogue. This allows users have on- campus and off-campus access to the library website and catalogue. The library redesigned and improved its website and is available at http://library.ittdublin.ie/ Some new features of the website include: • Easier access to past exam papers • Access to Subject Portals • Up to the minute feeds from news, business, and subject sources • Library Blog
The library also has a number of guides (see Appendix 6) including writing style guides and for thesis production.
The library collection is constantly monitored and material that is out of date is removed from stock in line with the library Collection Management Policy.7
In order to obtain a complete picture of the library collection, Figure 6.3 breaks down the library stock by material type. The largest proportion of library stock consists of printed books and journals.
7 This is available at http://library.ittdublin.ie/screens/colldev.html Existing document currently being updated and reviewed.
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2%
27% Printed materials
DVDs & Video
Audio/CD
1% Journals (Print & Online) 1%
69% Online Files
Figure 6.3 Library Stock by Material Type
The age profile of the library collection is very recent, with the focus on providing access to up-to-date material. This is particularly important in the technical fields. 60% of the stock has been published since 2000.
6.4.3 Dedicated Library Facilities and Information Resources for Researchers The library offers enhanced loan and study facilities to postgraduate students and researchers. Library resources and services include: • Online databases • Journals • Subject librarians • Subject specific online resources • Information literacy training • Inter-library loans.
Many library online resources, such as online databases, may be accessed both on and off campus via the library website. Using the library web catalogue, one can check what books, journals, videos, student projects etc. the library holds. It tells one whether an item is in stock, if it is on loan, how many copies are available and where it is shelved. It has a collection of more than 200 print journals and also provides access to over 9,000 electronic journals or e-journals through the electronic databases it subscribes to including Infotrac, Science Direct, IEEE Communications, Business Source Premier, Metals Infobase, Scirus and Web of Science. Specific information on library resources specific to research is provided in Appendix 6.
Subject specific guides and resources are available through the library website. General information on library services for researchers is given to new students at induction.8 In addition the library staff also provides 2 hour small group sessions with newly registered students the most recent of which took place in November 2007. A Subject Librarian has been assigned to assist researchers in the main research areas. This person can assist researchers with their research, particularly in terms of search strategies, and with identifying appropriate information sources relevant to their subject. Staff, students or researchers may suggest the addition of
8 The provision of Library and Information Training is dealt with in Chapter 7 under the heading Postgraduate Training.
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resources by contacting the subject librarian for the relevant subject. Materials not held in the Institute library may be requested through the inter-library loans Service.
All of the postgraduate students and academic researchers involved in the NCSR and NICB have full access to library facilities in DCU.
Inter-library Loans If the library does not have a book or journal article it can be acquired in most cases through inter-library loan. Subito supplies most of the requested material. The library absorbs the cost of this service. Table 6.5 provides a breakdown of requests by library user. Postgraduates are the main users of this service.
Library User No. of Requests Postgraduate students 701 Academics 266 Library 4 Other students 102 Total 1073
Table 6.5 Breakdown of Inter-library Loan Requests by User in 2007
Usage by department (Table 6.6) indicates that the Science Department is the highest user. The high number of requests by this Department is linked to the large number of researchers in this area.
Department Total Humanities 65 Management 47 Science 704 Computing 17 Mechanical Engineering 156 Electronic Engineering 52 Accounting 32 Total 1073
Table 6.6 Breakdown of Inter-library Loan Requests by Department in 2007
Overall 80% of inter-library loans requests received are for journal articles with an average fill time of eight days.
Planning and Producing Theses and Dissertations Students are encouraged to get a feel for previous work done in their field by reading the student projects, dissertations and theses available in the reference area of the library.
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6.4.4 Library Committee The library has a number of continuous improvement and feedback mechanisms in place in order to evaluate the provision of service on a regular basis. It takes feedback through its website and conducts surveys to monitor performance, the most recent of which was conducted for the 2006 application for delegated authority (taught programmes). A Library Committee was established in 2004 as a sub-committee of Academic Council. This committee meets at least once a Semester and reports back to Academic Council. Its remit is to advise on: • improving the provision of appropriate and convenient access to library and other learning facilities and resources for staff and students • improving the provision of adequate information and communication technology resources and facilities to support ongoing courses provided by the Institute • evaluating the adequacy and utilisation of the library and its information resources • promoting the library and its resources among the learning community • identifying means of continuing to integrate library resources in to the teaching and learning processes in consultation with Academic Council.
6.4.5 Links with Other Libraries In order to enhance the provision of library services, the Institute library has developed links with other Institutes of Technology, Higher Education Institutes outside the IoT sector, and local libraries.
An agreement exists among the Institute of Technology libraries whereby students and staff from each Institute of Technology can use the facilities of the partner institutes for study purposes. They are also entitled to borrow normal loan books through an inter-library loan scheme. This service offers a significant cost saving for inter- library loans. The catalogues for each member of the partnership is accessible on-line through a link from the library’s catalogue.
Students from the Institute can also visit the Libraries of other Higher Education Institutes on production of their current student identity card and a letter of introduction from the Institute’s Librarian. These letters can be obtained at the Library Desk.
The library works closely with libraries in the local area and initiated the set up of TALL24. TALL24 constitutes Tallaght County Library, Adelaide Meath National Children’s Hospital (AMNCH) Library, Loctite and the Institute of Technology Tallaght. This local network has coordinated shared training sessions for library staff, site visits and access to collections.
6.4.6 Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) The Irish Research eLibrary (IReL) is a research electronic library an initiative developed by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) Librarians’ Group and funded jointly by the SFI and the HEA. Its aim is to significantly increase the availability of a wide range electronic journal services to Irish university libraries. The Registrar of the Institute is Chairperson of the Institute of Technologies and DIT Librarian Group which has been involved in discussions with the HEA to roll out this library initiative across the sector. Agreement has been reached to provide the following resources in Science and Technology along with Arts and Humanities.
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Resource Name: Science & Technology IEL Online (IEEE) Science online Springer online - Journals Springer online - e-books Springer online - e-books series archive ScienceDirect backfiles ACM Digital Library J. of Biological chemistry Royal Soc. Chemistry J.s ScienceDirect electronic reference Scientific american archive Synergy STM (Blackwell) Synergy (Blackwell) legacy backfiles Wiley electronic reference Amer.Chem. Soc. J.s Amer.Inst.Physics J.s CRC Press Nature Pub Group J.s Oxford UP J.s Scifinder scholar Wiley interscience J.s Wiley J. backfiles Biochemical J., Biochemical Society Transactions Cancer research and clinical cancer research EI VillageInspec EI VillageCompendex EI NTIS, Patents Infection & immunity, J. of bacteriology, J. of Virilogy, Molecular & cellular biology Web of knowledge
Resource Name: Arts & Humanities Resources Humanities SS Sage Books and Journals Online Cambridge Journals Online BSP/ASP Megafile Business Source Premier Academic Source Premier Taylor & Francis Online Oxford online EconLit PsychInfo Social Science Citation Index Psychbooks Digital Dissertations Irish Newspaper Archive
The availability of the above additional journals/databases will considerably augment the information resources available to researchers at the Institute in the future and will mean a significant reduction in the number of interlibrary loan requests and time spent at other libraries.
6.5 Information Technology Facilities and Resources The Computing Services Department enables and supports the use of computing and information technology by all sections within the Institute. The Department is responsible for the provision of: • A secure and resilient network infrastructure to service the needs of all users • Security services including firewall, VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network), DMZ’s (Demilitarised Zones), IDS (Intrusion Detection System), controlled web access and secure access to systems and services • E-mail, printing and copying services • Hardware and software selection, installation and support • Directory services, home directories and mail services for staff and students • Maintenance of an inventory of all hardware and software, including licence and maintenance agreements • Provision of back-up services which provide archive and recovery for all servers • Provision of three server rooms with high standards of environmental facilities to house all servers • Management Information Systems (MIS) • Web Services including internet and intranets for staff and students • Video conferencing • Services to computing technicians in Academic Schools. The Computer Services Department serves a number of different customer groups including staff, students, students with special needs, external users and computing specialists/researchers in the Academic
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Departments. The Department strives to achieve an exceptional customer service standard, by providing a courteous, efficient, effective and reliable computer support service. The Department values all customer comments and where appropriate use them to measure performance and improve services. The main IT support is provided from the Technician Centre on the second floor of the Institute.
Postgraduate students use the Institute network facilities on a day to day basis, in conducting their research. The Computing Services Department provides support for the network infrastructure, wireless connectivity and email4life. For School of Business and Humanities Postgraduate students the Computing Services Department also provides network accounts, storage space and PC support. Support for Postgraduate students in the School of Engineering and the School of Science is provided by the local technicians in each School.
Once Postgraduate students have been registered with the Institute their details are automatically transferred to the Computing Services Department who then configure the email4life system enabling account set up. They are also set up as external recipients on the exchange staff mail system. This ensures that Postgraduate student names appear on the mail address book and the ‘Everyone’ distribution group.
6.5.1 Staffing The IT Manager has responsibility for the overall management of the Computer Services Department and reports to the Registrar. The IT Manager is currently supported by: • 9 Computing Technicians (including one senior technician) • Webmaster • MIS Manager9 • 1 Computing Technician assigned to MIS project • 1 Computing Technician assigned to HEANET/ITNet • 1 Grade III providing administrative support to the department • 2 Reprographics room operatives employed by the Reprographics company.
6.5.2 Network Infrastructure The Institute utilises a best of breed approach to its Local Area Network (LAN) requirements. A Cisco powered switched network provides LAN services to approximately 1,200 nodes. The user areas connect over a category 5 structured cabling infrastructure, while the edge devices connect to the core via a fibre optic mesh which ensures at least 2 diverse paths to the network core. The core of the network is based on a 32 Gb Ethernet backbone with 2 diversely located central switches acting as failover protection for each other, with multiple Gigabit links between them.
The network is segmented into a number of Virtual LAN’s (VLAN’s) for security purposes. The VLAN segmentation is mainly between staff and students, although further segmentation can be introduced when required. VLAN’s currently in place include: • Servers • Academic Staff x 2 • Business Student x 2 • Engineering Student • Computing Student
9 For more information on MIS – Management Information Systems, see Section 6.5.5.
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• Administration x 2 • Secured Services • Wireless •Printing • Postgrad • Remote Access • 3 DMZ’s for external facing services User requests for access across VLAN are subject to rigorous scrutiny to ensure that our security is not compromised.
The Institute uses best of breed monitoring tools to ensure that the health of the network is constantly monitored and managed. Tools in use include: • HP OpenView for back end reporting and service monitoring • CiscoWorks for configuring and deploying software to our Cisco devices • Crannog Software’s NetWatch for primary alerting and utilisation information • Crannog Software’s NetFlow tracker for detailed analysis of the traffic profiles and historical trending • MRTG for basic traffic monitoring • Totaliser with MRTG to review the total traffic volumes where needed. The Department can track the level of traffic across the primary network back bone and analyse this out by individual hub room.
The Institute has made significant investment in Sniffer tools for proactive monitoring for problem traffic flows on the network as well as for forensic investigations of traffic patterns. This is a system that works in harmony with the LAN infrastructure in place to make the most accurate information available at all times.
The Institute is a client of HEANet, the Institutes of Technology network, and a 45Mb access circuit enables high speed access to the internet worldwide. This circuit provides direct links to the other Institutes of Technology, E-Government and Irish, European and worldwide education and beyond. The Institute is represented on the Management Committee of HEANet and two technicians provide the support services for this network.
6.5.3 Security In terms of IT Security, the Institute has both legal and professional obligations to meet and abides by all relevant Irish and EU legislation. These include, but are not limited to, the obligations as laid out in the acts and standards listed in Appendix 10 of the Computer Services Department Report 2005.
With regard to central information technology services, the IT Department has attended to a considerable portion of the fundamental IT security requirements. Constantly faced with new threats, it is an area that has grown considerably in recent years and requires increased resources in the form of dedicated security specialists. The Department implemented a range of initiatives and provides guidance to staff and students on – internet traffic; email security and anti-spam. Access to server room is controlled and limited (via magnetic swipe access control) by the Department. Significant improvements have been implemented in recent years to deal with spam filtering and anti-virus control.
130 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
6.5.4 Other IT Resources
Laboratory Facilities: The Institute has Computer laboratories to support research degree programmes as previously described in Section 6.3.1. Some of these are shared with undergraduate students, particularly for Science, Computing and Engineering. The Department of Computing has seven laboratories, while Business related computing is supported in four laboratories. The Audio visual programmes are supported through two computer laboratories with media and specialist print facilities. The Library has two dedicated open access computing laboratories.
World Wide Web Access: As well as having access to computer networks within the Institute, access is also available to the World Wide Web, which allows for the acquisition of information suitable for student project and research work. Internet access is controlled and monitored to ensure proper usage of the Institute’s facilities. The Institute has had a web presence for a number of years and currently has three primary in house web services:
• http://www.it-tallaght.ie/Public Website • http://intranet.it-tallaght.ie/staff/Staff Intranet • http://intranet.it-tallaght.ie/student/Student Intranet.
Content is sent from user Departments to the Webmaster who then publishes it to the relevant site. Some websites are self maintained (careers, chaplaincy, examination results, examination timetables, human resources, restaurant, new staff e-mail request, spots, staff online phone list and accommodation listings). The provider inputs the information directly to the website.
Software is in place to monitor the traffic on the website. Feedback forms are also available to visitors who can send comments on the site or the content of individual pages.
The Computing Services Department is in the process of introducing a new way of offering web services throughout the Institute. A Content Management System (CMS) has been introduced. The CMS software allows users to add and/or manipulate content on the website without needing the expertise of HTML or specialist web software like dream weaver. As part of the CMS introduction, the Department sought the views of staff and students. An open meeting was held where staff could have input into the new site design and this project and staff/student involvement is ongoing.
Network Access: Each full time registered student has a unique ID and password, which allows access to the Institute’s network. Each student has access to store research project related work on the network.
Printing Facilities: Printing is available in all computing labs and postgraduate office accommodation. The Reprographics Centre maintains all printing and copying devices in the Institute. The Reprographics Centre is managed by NRG and is located on the first floor.
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6.5.5 Management Information Systems (MIS) Since 2001, the Institute has fully engaged with the national MIS programme for the Institute of Technology sector. This programme aims to establish a set of sector-wide standards and to implement common management information systems in all Institutes. Sourcing of software solutions and their implementation has been managed by a company, An Chéim, on behalf of all of the Institutes of Technology. The Institute was among the first of the Institutes of Technology to implement the management information solution developed by An Chéim. The project includes the management of student, library, finance, and human resource information through the provision of four interfacing systems, modified specifically for the Institutes of Technology. These systems are: Millennium (Library System), Core (HR/Payroll System), Banner (Student System) and Agresso (Finance System).
When initially implemented all server hardware associated with the MIS systems was located within the Institute. This included database servers, application and web servers. Early in 2005 a decision was taken by the Institute of Technology sector to centralise the hardware for all of these applications in one site and to provide a managed service to all Institutes in the sector. The contract for this service was awarded to Hewlett Packard by An Chéim. This project is now complete and the Institute’s payroll system is now run from a HP Data Centre in Citywest. Agresso, Banner and Millenium have also migrated to the Data Centre. The centralised servers are located in a class A Data Centre with HP managing all security back-ups and providing full redundancy within the centre. Additional redundancy is provided by a further back up centre in Swords.
6.5.5A Millennium Millennium library is an integrated system that supports teaching, learning and research services by providing prompt and comprehensive delivery of information, on and off campus. Millennium has the advantage of being user-friendly. It provides library users with a self-service facility to renew or reserve items and enables them to access a comprehensive range of specialist websites through links.
6.5.5B Core Core provides pay and HR facilities that help control payroll inputs, increase staff productivity and capture critical payroll information. It has provided the Institute with the ability to produce ad-hoc, management and forecast reports. It has the capacity to reduce the payroll administration workload when the employee self service module is introduced.
6.5.5C Agresso Agresso was implemented in April 2005. It provides the Institute with enhanced management and costing capability, a chart of accounts, an on-line interactive information resource, an appropriate costing process and a set of integrated transaction processes including purchase orders to pay. It provides these facilities while providing support for statutory and management reporting. All postgraduate students on research grants with a materials budget process all their orders on Agresso. A research assistant in the Development and External Services Office is responsible for the administrative work involved, once orders are submitted.
6.5.5D Banner Banner provides for the Institute’s needs in the areas of admissions, registration, fees and examinations. It allows for effective tracking of trends and of students across academic years and programmes. Banner enables the Institute to provide a better customer service to students.
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Banner provides additional impetus to the drive in the Institute to tighten up procedures to ensure the quality of data. The introduction of Banner has made the collection of metrics using the system feasible and the Institute is now building on the experience. There is a continuing improvement of the metrics being issued to fit the needs of the Institute and meet reporting needs to outside agencies, including the Department of Education and Science, HETAC, the Department of Social Welfare and the HEA. The MIS Manager and the computing technician assigned to MIS work very closely with the Banner Support Team in Student Services. In particular, the Computing Services staff are responsible for co-ordination of all activities with An Chéim. They also ensure that all issues logged by users are followed up.
6.5.5E MIS System Recent Developments New Developments are listed below: Since 2006 • Centralised our MIS systems into a HP managed environment • Completed testing a disaster recovery plan for all MIS systems - pay roll, purchasing, library and student systems • Completed an upgrade of our student system from version 5.4 to version 7.2. • Made significant strides in rolling out the on-line systems to students- releasing exam results on-line only, piloting on-line applications and gathering of socio economic data for full time new entrants on-line. • Implemented new and additional functionality and systems to reduce costs and introduce efficiencies - XML returns from the student system to the HEA, FAS XML data load, student grants, new student card software • Implemented internal printing the European Diploma Supplement introducing cost savings and efficiencies • Devolved responsibility for functionality to the registrar's and schools offices. • We have moved from being a support focussed team to a project focussed one while continuing to support the business. • MIS team has completed a train the trainer course. This has led to a review of all training given and training is being re-engineered so improvements are incorporated in all future training. The IT Manager recently announced the introduction of the new online facility for admission to add-on Ordinary and Honours Degree Programmes. The facility has been available from Monday 3rd March 2008. Applications will only be accepted online and no paper applications will be accepted. Academic staff have inform their students of this facility. The closing date for receipt of applications was 5.00pm on Thursday 1st May 2008.
The online application process will significantly improve the processing of these applications. We are the first Institute in the country to pioneer online only applications and all of this groundbreaking work was done by our inhouse team. It is the culmination of a significant amount of work by our MIS team, the Registrars office and School office staff.
Future plans • Rolling on-line application to all non CAO applicants to the college giving them 24-7 access to apply for our programs on-line • On going process review of all day to day processes to document current processes and identify improvements • Further responsibility for functionality will be passed to the registrar's office, schools and finance - e.g. fee assessment • Further functionality will be rolled out - student system - BIPS (Banner improved invoicing), Digitary - online digitally signed electronic documents e.g. EDS, Student portal etc., HR - employee self service
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• Roll out of interfaces between all MIS applications - Core, Agresso, Banner and Millennium • Implementation of Business Intelligence software allowing more real time reporting to users of all levels.
6.5.6 Recent Developments in Computing Services Significant improvements have been made in recent years. The Department has: • Upgraded and improved network resilience to the point where network up time is now 99%. • Reduced average support call resolution time by over 50%. • Introduced more stable operating systems on both servers and desktops. • Developed a strong customer service ethos within the department. • Commissioned a number of external reviews of the Department’s activities, including environment, security and backup systems. • Commenced the introduction of a Student Support Desk to improve the quality of our service delivery. • Provided a secure environment for all users by implementing appropriate firewall, antivirus and web screening hardware and software. • Expanded the availability of services by the introduction of wireless and remote access mechanisms.
6.5.7 Student Support Service Students in Institute can avail of many technology resources to aid them in their studies. File storage devices include network storage space, USB memory sticks, CD-Rom and floppy disks. Students have access to a free e-mail4life account with 15MB storage space and also access to network resources and the Internet.
Student Support Desk: Computer Services provides a support drop-in service where students can request help with any computer related problem. Some of services provided include: • E-mail and login password reset service • Recovery of corrupted data from Floppy and Zip disks • General application support for students • Support for USB devices • Setup of student laptops onto the Institute’s network.
Support for Students with Special Needs: The Department provides additional support and resources for students with special needs. The Institute has an assistance technology laboratory with 2 PC’s, printer and scanner that is dedicated to the needs of special needs students. This laboratory is maintained by Computer Services and includes the following specialised software packages: Dragon Naturally Speaking 8 (a state of the art voice recognition application), Zoom Text (a text enlargement application) and Kerzweil Text (a text reader application).
Computer Services also support and maintain laptops that are distributed by the Access Officer to students with special needs and socially disadvantaged. These laptops are initially setup with a basic installation but are then configured for the individual need of the special need student. Currently, there are 51 laptops in use by students with many different needs.
Video Conferencing: The Computing Services Department has introduced the capability for the delivery of multi-media classrooms, utilising video conferencing at TV quality for the delivery of lectures and tutorials to
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virtual classrooms and allowing for virtual meeting rooms. The Institute has been at the leading edge in the use of video conferencing for a number of years and currently uses this method to deliver a number of courses in collaboration with other institutions, including a Higher Certificate in Health & Safety which is provided in collaboration with UCD. Video conferencing equipment can be provided at any location in the Institute and four technicians are trained in the technology.
Service Requests: Computing Services is responsible for the selection, installation and support of all staff computer equipment in the Institute. The Department strives to provide users with a quality service and ensure that all calls are responded to as quickly as possible. Service requests are entered into a HelpDesk software package (RMS) in order of receipt, whether by phone, e-mail, or walk-in. The RMS system and Helpline are run by the IT administration. When entered in the system an e-mail confirmation of the request being logged is sent to the customer. If a request includes a customer stated deadline or urgency, Computing Services will try to meet those needs. Computing Services also operates the following support services:
IT Support Desk The IT Support Desk is a facility that provides staff and students with face to face, e-mail and telephone communication for all Computing and Information Technology related issues.
Opening Hours The IT Support desk is open from 9am -1pm and 2pm-7pm (in semester) Monday to Thursday. The support desk is closed at 5pm on Fridays. Please bring your student ID with you to avail of our wide range of services.
Self Service Kiosk This facility allows students to reset all passwords, access exam PIN numbers and check registration status.
Kiosk Locations: Second floor corridor (top of yellow stairs) Ground floor corridor (outside AV room 014)
Remote Access: ITT Dublin Weblink Weblink provides a secure access to Institute resources from the home PC. Students can also get access to Institute applications and web resources.
6.5.8 Additional Information Technology Services for Postgraduate Researchers Information Technology is a key aspect of a research degree programme, and the Institute is equipped with the most up-to-date systems to meet those needs. All registered postgraduate students have access to industry standard hardware (personal computers, printers, scanners etc.) and software, (word processing, accounting spreadsheets, database, statistics, computer aided design, graphics programming application, etc).
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The IT Department provides a wide range of services across the entire campus to students and staff. These include: • Assistance with access to wireless network connectivity • Technical advice • Password reset and login account management • Assistance with file storage • ITnet (E-mail) support • Online call logging services using Trackit • Digital signage information system (plasma screens) • Self Service Kiosk • Student software & Hardware special offers.
Postgraduate students from the Schools of Engineering and Science & Computing have their own dedicated technicians that can be contacted via the School offices or at the following mail addresses. The postgraduate research student handbook provides students with step-by-step details of how to: • Logon to a pc • Register for your email account • Access the wireless network • Store computer files. All postgraduate students can avail of the IT Support Desk, Self-service kiosk and remote access facilities (Section 6.5.7).
6.5.9 Printing & Copying Services for Postgraduate Researchers Printing is available in all computing labs and postgraduate office accommodation. The Reprographics Centre maintains all printing and copying devices in the Institute. The Reprographic Centre is located on the first floor beside the Student Health Centre.
The Reprographic Centre provides a print copy and finishing service. Do it yourself printing and copying are available at all time around the Institute, with help available during office opening hours. Opening Hours During Semester: Monday to Thursday 8.30am-8.00pm During Semester: Friday 8.30am-5.00pm Out of Semester: Mon-Friday 9.00am-5.00pm
The postgraduate research student handbook provides students with step-by-step details of how to: • Print from any Institute pc • Manage their Reprographics account.
6.6 Financial Resources and Management The Secretariat (Financial Controller’s Office) is responsible for the management of the functions and personnel in the following departments: • Finance Department • Human Resources • Freedom of Information Office.
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The main services provided by the Secretariat are: • Supervision of the Human Resources Department, Finance Department and Freedom of Information Office • Communication with the Department of Education and Science and other relevant bodies • Administration and secretarial services to the Governing Body of the Institute • Health, Safety and Welfare - the Secretary/Financial Controller is the Institute’s Health and Safety Officer • Communications with internal and external auditors. • Management of the legal affairs of the Institute. • Administration of all insurance matters within the Institute.
Administrative support for the Secretariat/Financial Controller is provided by a Grade 5 Staff Officer.
6.6.1 Services Provided by the Finance Office The Finance Department is responsible for the day to day management of the finance function of the Institute. This involves monitoring and control of income and expenditure in all areas. Table 6.7 outlines the key services provided, with a description of these activities.
Service Description of Activity
Financial Accounting Preparation of annual accounts, budget reports, and other submissions that may be required by the Institute, Department of Education and Science, Auditors and other organisations.
Banking Operation and reconciliation of all Institute Bank Accounts.
Payroll Processing The Payroll Section is responsible for the payment of salaries and wages, the administration of the Local Government Superannuation code and the discharge of Statutory and non- statutory deductions. Payroll accounts for a significant proportion of the overall expenditure of the Institute.
Travelling and Maintenance Calculation and payment of staff travelling & maintenance expenses in accordance with the Expenses regulations of the Department of Finance.
Student Grants Payment of student grants as authorised by the Vocational Educational Committees.
Debtors Invoicing customers and collection of amounts due.
Full and Part-Time Fees Receipt and reconciliation of course fees
Government Grants Receipt and allocation of operating income
Projects Recording of financial information on the various projects ongoing in the Institute, e.g. Research & Development, European funded projects, Graduate Training Programmes, etc.
Table 6.7 Services Provided by the Finance Office
6.6.2 Finance Staff The staffing and organisational structure of the Finance Department is outlined in Figure 6.5 below. The Finance Manager reports to the Secretary/Financial Controller and has responsibility for the overall management of the finance section. The grade seven manages and operates the Departmental and Institute budgets as well as supervision of staff on a day-to-day basis. The grade six manages the payroll function with
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the assistance of a grade four. The grade five manages the creditors again with the assistance of a grade four. Debtors and ESF (European Social Fund) maintenance grants are managed by the remaining two grade fours.
Secretary/Financial Controller
Finance Manager
Grade 7 Grade 6 Grade 5
Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4 Grade 4
Figure 6.5 Finance Staff Organisation Chart
6.6.3 Institute Finances The Institute submits its annual budget is provided by the Higher Education Authority. The following is a summary of the allocation to the Institute for 2008:
Higher Education Authority 2008 €000’s Pay 21,068 Non-Pay 5,781 Total Grant 26,849
Table 6.8 Institute of Technology Tallaght - Gross Budget 2008
Each department and function within the Institute submits an annual budget proposal to SMT and following a negotiation and consultation process a budget for each section is determined.
6.6.4 Financial Returns The Finance Department is required to make returns on a regular basis to the Revenue Commissioners. These include: • PAYE/PRSI (Monthly and Annual P30’s, P35’s, P45’s, P60’s) • VAT (Bi-monthly and Annual) • Professional Services Withholding Tax (Monthly and Annual) • Relevant Contracts Tax (Monthly and Annual) Finance must also submit reports to the HEA and Department of Education and Science on a regular basis, including a monthly bank monitoring report, ESF Grant reports and tuition fee reports.
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6.6.5 Internal and External Audits
The Institute is currently involved in a sector wide internal audit programme through Deloitte and Touche.10 The purpose of the programme is to ascertain and establish best practice throughout the sector and also to advise the Institutes of any control weaknesses or exposures.
The external audit of the Institute’s Financial Statements is performed by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). The CAG checks the Institute’s compliance with public sector matters, such as procurement and implementation of pay scales from the Department of Education and Science. It also examines internal control procedures and conducts a detailed examination of transactions.
The Institute may be subject to external audit by other funding agencies, such as the European Social Fund Control Unit based in the Department of Finance (in relation to EU funding) and other agencies that provide research funding such as Enterprise Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. The Finance Department has already developed a staff intranet page, which provides information on policies and procedures in relation to finance, as well as expense reimbursement forms, over-time forms and other relevant information. This facility is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
6.6.6 Research Support Registration and capitation fees apply to all postgraduate students. In the majority of cases, research students are on a funded studentship, which provides • A monthly stipend to the student • Funding for materials, small items of equipment and travel to off-campus facilities/conferences • Institute and HETAC Fees.
A Finance Senior Staff Officer has been assigned to look after the following in relation to research degree students: • Processing of appropriate fees and making payments from studentship funds. It works closely with the Development and External Services Office (who manages the studentship funds) and the Registrar’s Office (Fees management) in that regard • Processing of claims from studentship funds for travel to conferences/off-campus research facilities • Arranging conference registration payments • Enabling payment for any part time tutorials/laboratory demonstrations/lectures given by the research student as part of their generic training • Applying tax exemption for researchers on studentship grants.
10 Previously discussed in detail in Chapter 3 – Section 3.8, that dealt with Audits and Reviews of Management and Administrative Operations.
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140 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 7 Learner Supports and Services
140 Chapter 7
Learner Supports and Services
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Chapter 7 Learner Supports and Services
The Institute is committed to providing a supportive environment conducive to learning and research. The 2005 - 2008 Strategic Plan outlines the specific goals and objectives for the enhancement of the learning environment. In relation to learner supports it seeks to implement an organisation wide learning support structure and to further develop the learning environment paying special attention to supporting the needs of students with disabilities and/or special needs. The Strategic Plan also indicates continuing support for the development of student services.
Specific project actions in 2007-08 for achieving the learning environment goals and their mid-term status (January 2008) are presented Table 7.1 below.
Project Action identified for 2007-08 Current Status (mid-term review) We will ensure all persons within or interacting with the New Equality and Diversity Policy approved 20071 college are treated equally and fairly. To deliver on this aspiration we have established an Equality and Diversity Committee, which is responsible for putting in place appropriate policies and procedures.
With the diversity of students now availing of our education Complete programmes we will provide English language support to students where required.
We will set up a Customer Services Group responsible for Complete (see Table 7.2 for details) identifying 3/5 priority actions and ensuring there are implemented.
The Disability Officer will oversee the implementation of the Draft document available; Gap analysis to be conducted to Policy on Students with Disabilities over the next 2 years. look at a new policy on admissions with reference to applicants with disabilities
We will continue to develop modern teaching technology Ongoing under SIF (Continue) Project (Section 7.1.7); within our teaching facilities and we will conduct a review Training and awareness sessions conducted and ongoing; and expansion of the pilot e-learning programme. E-Learning technologies in place; expansion of e-learning programme proposed. HEA Funding for e-Learning Projects – total of €105K since 2006
Table 7.1 Current Status of Strategic Plan Actions – The Learning Environment
The provisions currently in place are described in this chapter and are subject to ongoing review. Learner Supports and Services are frequently augmented to enhance the advice and resources available. A snapshot of recent improvements is outlined in Table 7.2.
1 See Chapter 5 for more information.
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Development Year Department of Lifelong Learning established and new Part-Time Office opened; 2006 Head of Lifelong Learning Appointed
Business Incubation Centre opened on campus 2006
Remit of the Learning Support Unit expanded and it recently became a Centre for 2007 Learning and Teaching
Disability Officer appointed and Office set up 2006
Range of improvements to Information Technology Services2 - IT Help desk, off-site 2006 access to network and email for staff and students through WEBLINK, self-service kiosk
Range of new student support structures put in place – Maths, Academic English, Study Skills, Revision & Exam Techniques, Career Planning 2007
Institute website revamped 2007
Information Screen Points set up 2007
AV Services for teaching improved and expanded upon 2007
Bank of Ireland located on campus 2007
Table 7.2 Recent Developments in Learner Support and Services at ITT Dublin
Learner supports and services are discussed in Sections 7.1 and 7.2 respectively. Additional supports and services specific to researchers are discussed in Section 7.3. Enhancement of researcher training will be a significant factor in higher education in the next decade and the Institute’s plans in that regard are discussed in Section 7.4, along with current training provision for postgraduate training. Supports for the commercialisation of research and innovation are discussed in Section 7.5.
7.1 Learner Supports The Institute serves a diverse and multi-cultural learner community on its full-time and part-time programmes. There are currently 71 different nationalities represented on programmes of study at the Institute. Hence, the Institute is consistently trying to respond to community needs by modulating its teaching and learning approaches and providing innovative student supports. Hence, there is a demand for: • flexible delivery modes • innovative pedagogical approaches • formal student support systems • targeted staff development processes • responsive organisational structures and • support higher levels of participation in lifelong learning.
2 Already discussed in Chapter 6.
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ITT Dublin has been at the forefront of national initiatives to improve access and retention of students. The Access Officer works closely with 2nd level schools, adult education groups, community groups and welfare agencies, to promote third level education in areas where participation rates are low. Prospective students are assisted in making the decision to become a third level student. The Institute has a close working relationship with the Tallaght ACE (Access to College Education) group of schools, and with the CHEAP (Clondalkin Higher Education Access Programme) group. Institute students who attended these schools can benefit from a wide range of extra supports, financial, personal and academic, from the Access Office. Any student from a disadvantaged background is welcome to avail of the various supports administered by the Access Office, for example the Department of Education Student Assistance Fund, which is designed to help with the cost of books, equipment, transport etc. Local Area Partnerships operate a Millennium Fund, to support students from their areas at third level. Information on these funds, and on Social Welfare entitlements and other sources of assistance is also available.
The Institute has developed a number of linked initiatives briefly described below to enhance the teaching and learning process, improve flexibility of access and improve student retention. • Mentorlink (access & retention) • FLASHE and FLITE (access & teaching & learning) • MAP (part-time access) • One Step Up (part-time access) • CeLT3 formerly the Learning Support Unit, LSU (retention & teaching and learning).
Additional supports are provided by the Access Office (See Section 7.2).
7.1.1 Mentorlink ITT Dublin is the home of this national support and networking groups for female engineering students and graduates. Academics in the Department of Mechanical Engineering are particularly active in Mentorlink, which aims to address the following areas: • The lack of young women entering engineering programmes • The retention of female students in engineering courses • Equality of opportunity and support structure for female graduates entering the workplace.
This innovative project is based on the need for a support structure for young women entering the engineering field, whether as a student or in the world of work. It is widely acknowledged that mentoring on an individual basis provides this support but no provision exists for this at present. Funding for mentoring through this 3 year project has been provided the Equality for Women Measure of the National Development Plan through the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
Based on the Mentorlink experience, we are piloting an ePDP solution with female engineering students. This is part of the SIF CONTINUE Project. Depending on how the evaluation goes, we hope to be able to offer an ePDP solution to all students in the future.
3 Centre for Learning and Teaching.
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7.1.2 Flashe & Flite The FLASHE and FLITE programmes are funded by the HEA. The courses have been designed to provide flexibility in attendance times and progression rates. The principle is that the students may construct a convenient timetable around other aspects of their working and personal lives thus allowing maximum engagement.
The FLASHE (Flexible Access to Higher Education) Higher Certificate in Electronic Engineering is an innovation from ITT Dublin which gives mature students control of when, where and how they study. Requiring only eight hours a week attendance at the Institute during each semester, this programme allows mature students to reap the benefits of a recognised and internationally accredited qualification in engineering in just over two years. Students enroll with the college in the normal manner but it is not necessary to attend full-time classes between 9am and 5pm. Instead, the timetable is spread across the whole week with repeated classes during the day and evening and at both ends of the week. The FLITE (Flexible IT Education) B.Sc. in IT Management programme is a HEA funded access programme for part-time students in Computing. Additional CA and tutorial supports are offered as part of the programme. Catch-up classes are made available at weekends. Work placements and projects are facilitated according to the student’s schedule.
7.1.3 MAP The national Modular Accreditation Programme (MAP) has been developed through the Higher Education Authority. This innovative initiative provides support for individuals who want to access part-time, flexible, affordable career development opportunities, by offering: • Part-time courses, designed to meet the needs of the individual, from single subject certification to a full degree • Flexible and supportive delivery, built around the life of the student • Tutor support and guidance.
ITT Dublin is the first 3rd level college to pilot the MAP initiative providing opportunities for career development in the Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Sector. The educational programme selected for this pilot is the Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Technology and there are currently a number of students pursuing their studies via the MAP route. Students can register for modules from the pool on offer of the appropriate course. Credits towards an award can be completed at each individual’s own pace.
7.1.4 One Step Up One Step Up is the FÁS’ response to the report of the Enterprise Strategy Group “Ahead of the Curve, Ireland’s place in the global economy”. All FÁS programmes and initiatives are aligned to the One Step Up concept that training and development programmes assist individuals to build on their competency levels and obtain a recognised qualification within the National Framework of Qualifications. FÁS provide financial support4 towards the cost of eligible training.
4 Up to 70% of the agreed cost for certified programmes where the individual is working for a Small to Medium Sized Company (SME) i.e. 250 employees or less.
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7.1.5 Centre for Learning and Teaching (CeLT) The Centre for Learning and Teaching has evolved from the Learning Support Unit (LSU), which was originally designed to provide a scaffolding to support first year students in meeting the challenges involved in more independent learning. Since the remit of the LSU has expanded since it was established, the LSU has now become a Centre for Learning and Teaching. The structural units of the Centre are given in Figure 7.1.
Building on a number of successful pilot projects previously run through the LSU, the Institute secured funding under Strategic Innovation Funding in 2006 to head up a collaborative network for teaching Innovation with neighbouring Institutes, which feeds into this Centre. The SIF funded CONTINUE Project is ‘Collaborative Network for Innovation in Teaching and Inclusive Education’ and the partner institutes are Blanchardstown, Carlow and Dun Laoghaire (Section 7.1.7).
Centre for Learning and Teaching
Learner SupportAcademic Staff Learning Technology Development
Figure 7.1 Centre for Learning and Teaching Structural Units
The services of CeLT are available to all full-time students however many activities are focussed on helping students during the transition from second level into higher education and during their first year. The following services are provided: • ‘Head-start’ workshops, prior to start of academic year. • Organisation of Orientation activities. • Study skills advice and guidance – individual & group. • Organisation of additional tutorials, upon request. • Progress monitoring and follow-up. • IT workshops. • Mentor programme. • Revision clinics and support. • Information communication via email and text.
A list of additional tutorials is circulated on a regular basis by email. Text messaging is widely used to communicate with students about events and changes in the timetable. Throughout the academic year a variety of academic supports will be organised for students to ensure that students have the opportunity to realise their full potential.
Learner Support The supports for learners implemented to date include specific subject tutorials, provision of materials, learning style screening, provision of software support packages (Table 7.3). The Centre also uses Moodle (discussed under Learning Technologies) as an electronic forum for students for the provision of support to students.
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Timetabled Maths Support Centre hours
Files, dividers and pads on entry (good academic practice!)
Student bookmark outlining learner supports
LSU renamed to ‘Centre for Learning and Teaching’
Purchased and implemented Study Skills Toolkit (Southampton)
Student screening (see Learning Styles Theme)
Emotional Intelligence screening (EI theme)
Regular communications (text, email, telephone, and letter)
Attendance monitoring and follow-up (using KELPIE and manually with Postcards)
MapleTA software to pilot development of Maths resources and implementation
ePDP based on Mentorlink, for female Engineers (pilot) – professional skills development
Moodle site for Science teachers – 26 secondary schools
Table 7.3 Supports for Learners
Academic Staff Development The Centre supports staff development primarily through the forum of targeted workshops and seminar events. It set up a Staff Development Programme in 2007, following consultation with Heads of Department/Function. A staff development website is currently under construction. A total of 47 Staff Development events have been organised and run since May 2007. Attendance to-date = 523 (245 different staff, 23 from other Institutes). The resources from the events are stored on Moodle for access by staff. The Centre is currently investigating how the events can be certified for minor award with HETAC.
Learning Technology The Institute has been actively involved in the development of new e-learning technologies for a number of years. Recent initiatives to support and enhance e-learning within the Institute include the Moodle Learning Management System (LMS), which was initially implemented by the Department of Computing and now extensively used throughout the Institute; and the CompuPharma Learning Management System, developed and implemented within the Department of Science.
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7.1.6 E-Learning Supports Moodle is a web-based LMS that allows lecturers to create a course website and provide access control to enrolled students. It offers a variety of tools to make courses more effective, for example, it offers an easy way to upload syllabi, lecture notes and assignments. It also enables lecturers to give and receive assessments online, and to record grades online. By allowing students engage with course material outside of class time, the Moodle LMS facilitates independent learning and makes additional time available for discussions, questions and problem solving, in a face-to-face setting. From a departmental and academic perspective, Moodle also provides: • logs for monitoring student activity • notice boards with e-mail capacity for communicating with students • a means of identifying which resources are being accessed by students most frequently • a facility for providing access to course material for repeat students • a powerful tool for communicating with part-time students.
In 2004 a Pharmaweb Campus was established to support pharmaceutical programmes in the Department of Science. Full-time and part-time students on pharmaceutical programmes can access lecture notes and use state of the art e-lessons. Students can access the compuPharma LMS through the internet to download interactive e-lessons and take on-line assessments as part of their continuous assessment evaluation. The Institute has a library of over 130 e-lessons created by CompuPharma Ltd.5 in conjunction with academics from this Institute covering topics such as Laboratory Techniques, Microbiology, Safety, Clinical Trials, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Pharmaceutical technology.
The success and experience gained through the Pharmaweb Campus has provided a foundation to expand e-learning to the traditional science full-time programmes. A new LMS (SkillPRO) has been installed to provide interactive e-lessons on specific courses as well as laboratory practices and procedures and laboratory sessions.
The Learning Support Unit (Engineering) also developed and implemented a Class Management Tool, which contains a list of all students, with their group allocation and contact information, as well as a facility for lecturers to produce class sign-in sheets, input session attendance information, produce group email/sms messages, and produce absence reports and other information that are used by ELSU for scheduled follow-up with students. In 2005, this was integrated with the Kelpie functionality, a web-based front end developed by Glasgow Caledonian University. This enables the efficient production of attendance letters for students and reports. This has now been expanded across other academic departments and discipline areas.
An online assessment tool has also been developed, Mark IT. This tool was developed in response to student requests for early feedback on performance. Lecturers create quizzes which students can take at regular intervals. The advantage is that students get immediate feedback on performance while lecturers can monitor individual and group performance and gauge levels of learning.
The Teaching Undergraduate Programming Using Learning Objects (TUPULO) project run through the Department of Computing proposes to analyse the challenges faced by learners of software development at introductory level on a cross-institutional basis. This analysis will assist TUPULO in designing and developing an innovative e-learning tool, based on reusable learning objects and an appropriate instructional design methodology. This international collaborative project is funded via the SOCRATES - MINERVA programme and is led by three academics in the Department of Computing.
5 CompuPharma is a limited company established in 1998 by Dr. Ed Carey, a lecturer in Department of Science at ITT Dublin. The company, which arose from research activity within the Institute, develops, publishes and markets technical software training solutions for the global pharmaceutical, bulk chemical and healthcare manufacturing industries. The company has grown to become a total training solution provider, offering not only e-Learning but a Learning Management System (Skillpad), Instructor-Led Training, an SOP conversion service and training consultancy. 148 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
7.1.7 Collaborative Network for Innovation in Teaching and Inclusive Education The Strategic Innovation Fund set up by the Government and administered by the Higher Education Authority aims to stimulate innovation in higher education and research through collaboration between institutions. In October 2006, the Minister announced details of an allocation of over €42 million to fourteen projects under the Cycle 1 of SIF. This Institute as the lead partner in a 3 year project received €2 million to improve learner and staff supports with Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Institute of Technology Carlow and the Institute of Art, Design & Technology Dun Laoghaire as partners.
The learner and staff support theme6 fits directly with the goals identified in Institute of Technology Tallaght Strategic Plan 2005-2008. In relation to learner supports, the Institute commits to: • Ensuring that its programmes will be delivered in a supportive, professional and flexible learning environment • Widening access to higher education in the region and greater diversification in its student population • Continuously developing and implementing measures to improve retention and progression at all levels • Helping individuals achieve their lifelong learning goals.
The organisational structure for the Network is given in Figure 7.2, along with the goals for each theme. The project is lead by the Head of School of Engineering, who initiated the pilot LSU project. The network has a co-ordinator based this Institute, who is also the programme manager for the Centre for Learning and Teaching. A project assistant and a learning technologist have also been employed to support the network.
The work of the network is underpinned by the activities of the Centre of Learning and Teaching in each of the thematic areas. Learner support progress was already presented in Table 7.3. Outcomes falling under staff development are given in Table 7.4.
There are five themes in the CONTINUE Project: • Learner and Staff Supports • Problem-based Learning • Learning Styles • Emotional Competence • Assistive Technologies.
The work on the learning styles theme is led jointly by IT Carlow and Blandchardstown. It seeks to build two pilot projects that already exist at those institutions and extend the programme and training models to all Institutes, namely: • PACTS: Partners Collaborating in Training for Individuals with Specific Learning Difficulties, EU-funded (INTERREG IIIA) cross-border project between Ireland and Wales. • E4: Education for employment project involving ITB, DIT and international collaborators.
The CONTINUE project also collaborates with the SIF Learning Innovation Network, with other IoTs and DIT, in the development of formal certified opportunities for staff in teaching and learning, and CPD programmes.
The significant deliverables from the five thematic areas are given in Table 7.5.
6 Discussed in Chapter 5, Section 5.10.2 – Staff Training and Development: Teaching & Learning.
149 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 7 Learner Supports and Services
Collaborative Network for Teaching Innovation ITT Dublin
Learner and Learning Styles Problem-based Emmotional Assistive Staff Supports ITB Learning Competences Technologies ITTD ITB/ITC ITC IADT
GOAL: GOAL: GOAL: GOAL: GOAL: - Improve retention - Extend PACTS and - Develop engineering - Develop emotional - Raise awareness of - Staff Development E4 to all and science competencies AT in our institutions - Establish a - examine learner and curriculum models - assess EC - Benchmark needs of community of lecturer behaviour - Improve 1st year contribution to students with practice for each retention performance at disabilities and sub-theme - Develop problem year 1 extend to others, pools and metrics e.g. late learners
Figure 7.2 Collaborative Network for Teaching Innovation: Organisation, themes and goals
Staff Development Programme generated from meetings with Heads of Department/Section in early 2007
47 Staff Development Events run since May 2007
Attendance to-date = 523 (245 different staff, 23 from other Institutes)
Distribution of learning and teaching resources (email and hard copies in Centre for Learning and Teaching)
Resources stored on Moodle
Investigating certification for minor award with HETAC
Table 7.4 Staff Development Outcomes - Progress to date
Staff training conducted
Student screening on learning styles conducted
Interactive learning room set up at ITTD to support problem-based learning
On-line coaching module being developed
Analysis conducted of students with disabilities
Staff awareness guide under development
Table 7.5 Deliverables from Thematic Areas 2 – 5 to date
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7.1.8 Department of Lifelong Learning and Student Support Services ITT Dublin appointed a Head of the Department of Lifelong Learning in September 2006. This new Department was setup to develop the Institutes existing part-time provision, workforce development and e-Learning (through involvement in the NDLR project).
The Department works in partnership with academic schools and service providers to ensure programmes and services meet the needs of part-time students. There are currently 4 Grade 3 Administrative Staff (3 part-time, 1 full-time), and one Grade 4 and Grade 6 working in the Department.
Promotional Activities The Department of Lifelong Learning takes a proactive approach to promoting part-time programmes. A yearly prospectus detailing all the courses available, delivery timetable and costs is produced to be available from the beginning of March each year. A number of open evenings are held (April, June and September). These advisory evenings present an excellent opportunity to discuss for individual to discuss programme options in detail with the Programme Leader, Head of Department or with a representative from the relevant Professional Institute. Staff promote programmes through targeted events, e.g. Tallaght Square Shopping Centre, FÁS Opportunities, newspaper advertisements. Programmes are also promoted through each Academic School by direct discussion with industry.
Student Supports The number of students engaged in part-time programmes increased by around 12% last year to 1600. Some programmes that have seen a fall in numbers nationally, such as electronic engineering, attracted more students than the previous year. Much of this is because of the flexibility of access to part-time courses (previously discussed in Section 7.1.1 to 7.1.4 above). The Department of Lifelong Learning, in conjunction with the Centre for Learning and Teaching, has put in place a range of supports in 2007 that seek to boost academic performance and help the students gain the most out of their time at the Institute. Support is provided in the form of drop-in centres manned by academics and workshops and is available to part-time and full-time students. The Department of Lifelong Learning co-ordinates support for part-time students in the following areas: •Maths • Academic English • Study Skills • Revision and Exam Techniques • Career Planning • Statistics.
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Maths Support Centre The Department provides support to students who need additional help in all areas of mathematics. There are two types of support available:
1. Maths drop-in Centre This is a drop-in centre staffed by mathematics lecturers who will help students with any problems they may have. The staff have a great deal of experience in boosting the confidence of adult learners returning to higher education.
2. CALMAT A computer based learning environment used by ITT Dublin to provide maths support for the past 10 years, CALMAT has been particularly successful with adults returning to study.
Academic English Support Centre Many students returning to study require some support with structuring reports and assignments. ITT Dublin has an Academic English Support Centre to give them any help they may require, especially in the early stages of their programme. The drop-in centre supports students who need help with all aspects of academic writing and communication including:
- Use of technical language - Presenting your argument - How to structure essays/reports - Interpreting exam questions - How to link ideas - Interpreting CA guidelines - Expression in English - Presentation of written work - How to evaluate/critique effectively - Spelling and punctuation - How to summarise well - Oral communication
Where English is not a student’s first language, the Academic English Support Centre will give them any help they need with written English.
Study Skills Workshop These interactive workshops are designed to help students find out what type of learner they are and how to get the most out of their college experience. Areas the workshops cover include Motivation & Time Management, The Study Environment, Taking Notes in Class, Research & Writing, Effective Memory Techniques and Presentation skills.
Revision & Exam Techniques Workshop This workshop is for students who need pointers on how best to revise and prepare for exams. When studying part-time, we recognise that there can be many demands on student’s time and it is therefore important to take control and implement an effective revision and exam strategy. During these sessions students are given practical advice on revision techniques and preparing for exams.
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Career Planning Workshop These workshops provide students with an excellent opportunity to look at self assessment, including making informed career decisions and determining what they really want to do. During the sessions students also look at active job searching skills including networking and how to make recruitment agencies work for them. This workshop provides students with an excellent opportunity for students to look at: 1. Self Assessment - Making informed career decisions - Determining what you really want to do.
2. Active Job Search Skills - Networking – how to do it well - The employers labour market – how it works - Recruitment agencies – making them work for you - Getting a competitive edge - Learning from job application rejections - Sources of vacancies, industry and academic.
3. Career Statements - Why use them? - What can they do for you? What is my key message to employers?
The Department of Lifelong Learning gives a Student Guide & Planner to all students registered on part-time programmes, which includes details of dates/times for all support services on offer. In addition the Full-time and Lifelong Learning Part-time Programmes Prospectus’ respectively provide details of the academic services provided.
Statistics Support The Statistics Clinic is an opportunity for students to get some statistical support with any research project they might be undertaking, whether big or small. Similar to a visit to a GP, students sit down and have a chat about their project. Help and advice can be given on all areas of statistics including the collecting and organising of data as well as analysis.
Head Start Programmes The Department, this year for the first time will run a number of ‘Head Start’ programmes in early September 2008 for students who want to refresh their skills in Maths and Academic English prior to starting their programme at the institute.
The Department is also involved in the co-ordination of the following: - Access learning - Workforce development - Training services to employers - Advisory evenings for intending applicants.
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7.2 Learner Services The Institute provides a comprehensive range of student services to the student body including, postgraduate research students. The capitation fee paid by each student helps provide financial funding for these services.
General student services come under the remit of the Registrar’s Office and are managed by the Academic & Student Affairs Manager. The staffing and organisational structure for general student services is outlined in Figure 7.3 below.
Registrar
Academic & Student Affairs Manager
Health Centre Nurse/Doctor Student Counsellor
Careers Officer Disability Officer
Alumni Officer Chaplain
Access Officer Sports & Recreation Officer
Figure 7.3 Student Services Organisational Structure
Student services currently encompass: Access Office and Disability Support Service: The Access Office was established in October 2001. The Office is responsible for encouraging greater participation by students from groups that are traditionally under-represented at third level. The Office is staffed by one full-time Access Officer and a part-time Disability Officer, with administrative assistance from the Registrar’s Office. The Access Office also facilitates access and provides support to: Students in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance; Students in receipt of Lone Parents Allowance and Students who have been referred and recommended for support by external sources (e.g. Local Area Partnerships). These students receive supports from the Access Office in the form of free books, extra tuition and the loan of a laptop if required.
The Access Office also provides services for students with disabilities and specific learning difficulties such as – pre-entry consultation and information service; post-entry learning support and information service along with training for staff in supporting students with disabilities. An assistive technology room is available in the library for students as recommended by the Access Office. This Office also offers an information service to mature students.
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Student Counselling Service: The Counselling service provides a safe and supportive environment where a student can come and talk about any issue that is bothering him/her. The service offers individual counselling and workshops on a range of areas including study skills, exam techniques, stress management and assertiveness.
The full-time counselling psychologist is a member of both the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) and an executive committee member of the Irish Association of University and College Counsellors (IAUCC). As such the counsellor operates within both the PSI code of ethics for psychologists and the IAUCC guidelines for student counsellors. The following services are provided by the Institute’s counselling psychologist: • one-to-one counselling during Institute hours to the full-time students; • advocacy on behalf of students where appropriate; • liaison with other institute staff where appropriate; • information on and referral to external agencies; • information and guidance for staff who have concerns about students well-being; • study skills workshops.
Health Services: The Student Health Service was established in 1992. It was initially a part-time service but has evolved over the years to become a full-time service offering 12 hour daily opening. The Health Centre provides the following services: Medical attention to all students who feel unwell or become ill on campus; Emergency medical treatment for accidents occurring within the Institute; Medication for minor illnesses that arise during Institute hours; Information and appointment scheduling for local medical facilities e.g. dentists, physiotherapists, hospitals, clinics etc.; Health promotion and encouragement of a healthy lifestyle; Access to General Practitioner (GP) services (clinic located on campus 3 days a week). Additional services provided by the Health Centre include: • The provision of information and advice in areas such as nutrition and the encouragement of a healthy lifestyle; • The provision of forms and advice on medical cards and entitlements; • Health information lectures/displays and the organisation of Health Awareness and Feel Good Days; • Assessment of Student Health Questionnaires and follow up where necessary; • Provision of first aid lectures to relevant student groups in the Institute: professional cookery students, hospitality students, science students and students involved in sports; • In 2005 the Health Centre co-ordinated an Asthma Clinic supported by Allen & Hansbury Pharmaceutical Company. The clinic was held on a monthly basis and was well attended; • A Physiotherapy service was introduced in 2007.
Chaplaincy Service: The Chaplaincy service is provided to facilitate the social, human and spiritual development of students within the context of their own religious traditions. All beliefs are equally esteemed and services are provided for people of all denominations and those who adhere to no denomination. The service is staffed by a full-time Catholic Chaplain. A Church of Ireland Chaplain (from St. Maelruains Church, which is located just beside the Institute) also visits on a regular basis and can be contacted by phone at all times. Where a Church does not have its own Chaplain visiting the Institute, the chaplaincy service is available to help establish a link with the student’s faith community.
The Chaplain is involved in all aspects of college life, including the promotion of social projects and other initiatives which contribute to development of students. Strong links are established with the local St. Vincent De Paul (SVP) Society. In 2002, a Remembrance Garden was opened to recall the role of deceased students and staff and to provide a sense of community and solidarity within the Institute. Remembrance services are held annually.
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An important function of the Chaplaincy is to foster relationships with all levels of academic support activity, including student services, clubs and societies and the students union. In particular, the Chaplaincy provides a pastoral counselling bridge to, and support for, professional counselling. The full-time Chaplain also plays an important role as a member of the Student Services Committee (SSC), the Student Assistance Fund Committee (SAF) and the Child Care Assistance Fund Committee (CAF).7
Sports and Recreation Service: The Institute encourages students to take responsibility for their own self- development during their time in education by participating in both academic and non-academic activities. Participation in non-academic activities is an important part of the holistic development of students and an important factor in their personal development. Through involvement in student activities, including sports activities and various clubs and societies, students develop a wide range of skills (social skills, leadership and communication skills and team-building skills) that contribute to their personal development. The sports and recreation service is managed by a full time Sports and Recreation Officer who is assisted by one full-time development officer for GAA and one part time development officers Rugby.
Careers and Appointments Service: The Careers Service is an important element of the Student Support Services available in IT Tallaght. All registered full-time students are entitled to avail of the Careers and Appointments Service. The primary role of the Careers Service is to provide an effective and efficient Careers Service through the dissemination of information and advice to students and through the maintenance and development of a Careers Information Service. The Careers Information Library is a dedicated area located in the main college library.
Most of the activities of the Careers Office are directed at final year (Certificate/ Degree) and postgraduate students, although students of earlier years are encouraged to use the careers library and to attend careers talks. The Careers Service is staffed by one full-time Careers Officer with administrative support from the Registrar’s Office. The following services are provided: • Careers advice/guidance. This is available on both an individual and group basis. All final year students across all disciplines within the Institute are provided with group advisory sessions. • Information on careers and appointments opportunities. A Careers Information library is available with open access by all students. A Careers Newsletter is also published fortnightly, with information on both permanent and temporary job vacancies for students. • The Careers officer maintains links with potential employers and with relevant Professional Institutes. • A number of students transfer to other institutions each year. Student’s can use the Careers Office for information and advice on follow-on courses available at home or abroad. • The Careers Officer also notifies final year students of application procedures and deadlines for relevant post-graduate courses via notice-boards, careers newsletters (fortnightly) and email. The Careers Office maintains up-to-date prospectii for other third level institutes in Ireland and a significant number of UK colleges. Reference material on European and other college directories is available in the Careers Information Library. Application forms are supplied and students are assisted with their application. • The Careers Office organises and facilitates seminars, guest speakers and information sessions by other Higher Education Institutions (such as the Smurfit School of Business) and Professional Bodies (such as the Engineers Ireland and the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants), to advise and inform relevant groups of students on post-graduate studies and continuing professional education programmes. • One-to-one individual mock interviews are available by appointment. • Interview skills workshops are organised and open to all students during the year. These workshops are usually class/discipline specific.
7 The role of the Chaplaincy is defined in Section II of the Draft Memorandum of Understanding on the Chaplaincy in the Institutes of Technology.
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• Specific group workshops involving employers are organised for final year students. • A database of graduate’s first destination statistics ahs been developed and analysed by the Careers Office. This is based on the annual Graduate First Destination Survey. The Careers Office also: (i) Disseminates application forms and job descriptions for companies; (ii) Provides interview facilities; (iii) Liaises with Development and External Services and the Industrial Liaison Manager to build company contacts in industrial estates and business parks in close proximity to the Institute; (iv) Facilitates employers’ recruitment needs by providing information and advice on the Institute, answering queries with regard to educational programmes and facilitating contact with academic staff.
Alumni Association: In 2005, the Institute established and formally launched the Institute’s Alumni Association. The key objectives of the Alumni Association are: • To provide a forum for graduates of the Institute to meet after they have finished their studies; • To provide graduates with a means of engaging in lifelong learning and personal development; • To provide a means by which the Institute can readily have access to an up-to-date database of graduates; • To provide information to graduates of the Institute on career opportunities, research and development within the Institute, and other relevant information;
An Alumni Officer was appointed in May 2005 to manage the Alumni Association.
7.3 Additional Researcher Supports and Services
7.3.1 Postgraduate Scholarships The Institute operates two postgraduate studentship schemes, namely the Internal Masters Scholarship and PhD Continuation Funding Schemes. These were set up to • Foster and encourage research across all Departments in the Institute • Reward academic excellence by allowing high achieving Masters students the opportunity of progress to the higher Doctoral Degree register.
Internal PhD Continuation Fund: to facilitate exceptional students nearing completion of their research Masters to progress to Doctoral Degree Level, following Institute assessment procedures and successful application to the Institute/HETAC for transfer to the Doctoral Degree register.
Internal Masters: Studentships primarily set up to assist new academic researchers to establish a track record of research outputs, including postgraduate supervision and to enhance their credibility when applying for funding to external agencies.
Stokes PhD Studentship: a 3 year studentship has been set up, to support the 2008 Stokes Postdoctoral Fellow, funded by Science Foundation Ireland.
More information on these schemes is presented in Chapter 11 – Research Profile, Section 11.1.2 dealing with internal funding for Research.
157 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 7 Learner Supports and Services
7.3.2 Statistics Support ITT Dublin provides a Statistics Clinic anyone who might require additional support with any research project. The Statistics Clinic is an opportunity for students to get some statistical support with a research project.
The typical work of the clinic involves individual consultations focussing on the statistical aspects of specific research projects. Seminars, short courses and Q&A sessions are provided on request to research groups and teams. The clinic provides support in such areas as experimental design, response modelling, data collection and organization, and the formulation and testing of hypotheses. The clinic also provides support for the use of statistical software. It is primarily used by academic and post-graduate and final year undergraduate researchers in each of the three Academic Schools. Statistics support has been used mostly by undergraduate researchers in engineering disciplines as shown in Figure 7.4.
18%
31% Postgrad
Staff
Undergrad
51%
1% 5%
36% Business
Engineering
Science
Library
58%
Figure 7.4 Usage of Statistics Support Clinic by Department and User (Client) Type
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7.3.3 Career Planning Workshop for Postgraduate Students Purpose: to assist Postgraduate students in adopting a proactive approach to career planning. It provides guidance in how to make the right career choice for your personality and interests and students the job search tools, CV writing skills and interviewing skills to make that happen. Topics covered include: • Self Assessment • Active job search skills • Getting your CV ready • Interview Skills
The first 1/2 day workshop was held in November 2007 with 20 attendees (limited by venue).
7.3.4 Academic English Support for Postgraduate Researchers The drop-in centre offers support to postgraduate students who need help with all aspects of academic writing and communication and includes the following of relevance to postgraduate research students: • Using technical language • Presenting your argument • How to structure reports • How to link ideas • Expression in English • Presentation of written work • How to evaluate/critique effectively • Spelling and Punctuation • How to summarise well • Oral communication.
Individual assistance is provided with regard to structuring and wording of the written task on hand. Academic English workshops are also scheduled on alternate weeks twice a semester, and include those listed in Table 7.6.
Academic Writing (General)
Getting Started (including the literature survey)
How to put together a poster
Writing Abstracts
Table 7.6 Academic Writing Workshops 2007/08
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7.4 Strategic Innovation Funded Projects
The third level sector is facing well documented ongoing and heavy demands for funding if it is to play the part earmarked for it in meeting the strategic economic and social objectives set by the Government.8 The Government itself has recently taken a number of ground breaking initiatives to provide major multi-annual funding to the sector. The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Programme established by the Government in April 2005, dedicated funding of €510 million over 7 years to support innovative programmes that will enhance the quality and effectiveness of Irish higher education and research. Matching funds are also committed from the HEIs. SIF has been set up specifically9 to: • Enhance capability of institutions and the sector; • Deliver the fundamental mission of teaching, research and societal need; • Improve the educational learning experience for students.
The overarching criteria for SIF Cycle 1 funding included: • Stimulating innovation and creativity; • Increased strategic focus from institutions; • Increased focus on collaboration between institutions.
A total of €42 million was allocated to 12 lead HEIs in Cycle 1 of SIF in 2006. The funding distribution for Cycle 1 SIF projects is given in Table 7.7 and it shows the IoT Sector secured 24% of the funding.
Restructuring Enabling 4th Level Teaching & Learning Access € M € M € M € M
University Sector 8.9 9.7 6.9 6.6
IoT Sector 3.8 0.295 2.4 3.6
TOTAL 12.7 9.995 9.3 10.2
Table 7.7 SIF Cycle 1 Funding Distribution by Thematic Area10
The Institute of Technology Tallaght is involved in a number of the SIF Cycle 1 projects. These are listed in Figure 7.5. Cycle 2 SIF funding awards were announced in March 2008 and the Institute’s involvement in those future projects is also shown in Figure 7.5.
The Institute is lead Institute in the CONTINUE project as described in Section 7.1.7 previously. The SIF Strategic Alliance Project is funding 7 members of our staff on the NUIM Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning.
Information on the Institute’s involvement in SIF projects which impact on research enhancement is provided in Section 7.5.4 (Research Alliance project); Section 7.7.1 (Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy) and Section 7.7.2 (Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance).
8 “Supporting Investment in Higher Education” Report of the Working Group convened in 2006, published by the HEA 2007. 9 Presentation by Mr. F. Costello, of the HEA on Strategic Innovation Fund at the Colloquium entitled Developing Research in Institutes of technology, 14th Feb. 2008, Cork Institute of Technology. 10 Presentation by Mr. F. Costello, of the HEA on Strategic Innovation Fund at the Colloquium entitled Developing Research in Institutes of technology, 160 14th Feb. 2008, Cork Institute of Technology. Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
IOTI Enhancement SECTORAL of Learning PROJECT
Dublin Centre E-learning for Academic ITTD Development Continue Rose Cooper
Graduate DRHEA Education GMIT/DIT Learning Innovation Network Widening Rose Cooper Participation STRATEGIC Access SIF 1INNOVATION SIF 2 FUND NUIM Strategic Alliance Internationalisation Tom Stone
EASTERN ITC SLIGO REGIONAL Repositioning Research Alliance ALLIANCE Assessment Mary Deasy for Learning
ITB Transition
Cork REAP Consolidating Services To Improve Capacity
Figure 7.5 Flowchart which show the involvement of ITT Dublin in SIF Cycle 1 and 2 Projects
7.5 Researcher Training & Skills Development The quality of postgraduate researchers produced is influenced by a number of factors including the training received as part of working on a specific research programme. Training of the postgraduate student throughout their studies is vital to ensure the student: • Has an understanding of the role of research in their discipline and its application in the broader community; • Develops the ability to carry out independent research; • Gains from the overall research experience; • Generates results from their research and completes their programme within the appropriate timeframe.
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Training of researchers, particularly doctoral degree students, is now evolving from the research apprenticeship model to a multi-stranded educational model as HEIs move towards implementing 4th level education. Strategies and initiatives for the enhancement of core transferable skills, augmented training and professional development are now at an advanced stage of development and the Institute’s plans in that regard are discussed in Section 7.5.4.
In the current apprenticeship model academic supervisors draw on their own research expertise and research/industrial experience to ensure that postgraduate students gain knowledge of recent advances in their own specialised fields, and an understanding of relevant research methodologies and their application appropriate to their research topic. Through the mechanism of regular meetings and day-to-day informal discussions with the postgraduate student they actively encourage and guide the research student to show initiative, to work independently on their project tasks and in the presentation of their results and to draw on available supports as appropriate. The training of the student is ongoing and goes beyond the initial induction training received as shown in Figure 7.6.
Training and Skills Development
Project-Specific Induction Generic Training & Discipline - Training & Skills Training Skills Development Specific Training Development
Institute One-Day Academic English / Networking and team Project discussions Programme Literature Survey meeting discussions and seminars
Information and Communication and Departmental and External Conferences / Library Presentation Research Centre colloquia Seminars / Workshops
Ordering of Research Teaching Skills External Conferences / New Technical and Materials Colloquia Research Methods
Health & Safety for Science and Career Development Ethics Training Publication of results Engineering
Equipment Induction Thesis Structure and Thesis and Viva Training Viva Preparation Preparation
Figure 7.6 Postgraduate Students Training and Skills Development Flowchart
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Generic skills such as - communication, technical writing, how to be a team player and networking skills are also developed during the research programme. In the past this has been conducted primarily by the supervisor. The Research Centres have taken a greater role in that regard in the last five years, and also provide a range of project specific skills and methodologies appropriate to the research project.
Pedagogical training from a practical perspective is normally provided through the postgraduate student’s involvement in the supervision of undergraduate laboratory practical sessions. They are mentored by Academic staff in this regard.11
HETAC adopted the National Framework of Qualifications award-type descriptors as standards for the Masters and PhD research degrees in 2004. These new standards emphasise the traditional research degree outputs (advanced research training, depth of knowledge and contribution to knowledge) but also breadth of knowledge and transferable skills. The Post-graduate Policy sub-Committee of Academic Council drew up a detailed document in 2007 indicating where each of the HETAC standards is met during the course of the appropriate research degree. These are available to each student in the Postgraduate Research Student Handbook and are also given in Appendix 7 of this submission.
7.5.1 Induction Training The purpose of Induction Training is to aid the adjustment of the new postgraduate researcher into their new environment within the Institute & sponsoring School. The role of the induction progamme is to familiarise the postgraduate research students with: a) the Institute Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes, including information on student expectations and entitlements; b) the Institute resources available to support their research activity; c) the research environment and provide initial generic training in basic research skills to support their programme.
It is compulsory for each new postgraduate student registered on a research degree programme to attend the induction programme which normally runs once/twice a year as required.
The induction programme comprises three elements and is organised jointly by the Development & External Services Department and the Registrar’s Office: 1. Postgraduate Induction Course (2 half-day sessions); 2. Library & Information Resource Training (2 hour session); 3. School Specific Health & Safety Session (workshop for Science and Engineering Students / Pharmaweb Campus e-learning modules on H&S).
At the Postgraduate Induction Course each attendee receives a copy of the postgraduate student handbook which includes the Institute’s Research Regulations and Code of Conduct for Postgraduate Researchers. Details on the structure of the Postgraduate Induction Course are provided in Table 7.8. Feedback on the programme is also obtained and is used to inform future events. Overall there has been a positive response to the induction training programme.
11 The amount of time that a research student may allocate to other duties such as teaching and demonstration must be agreed by the Supervisor(s) and is determined by the Institute’s Postgraduate Student Teaching Policy.
163 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 7 Learner Supports and Services
Postgraduate Research Induction Programme 8th November 2007 Day One
Time Session Presenter
10.00 – 10.15 Welcome and Introduction T. Creedon
10.15 – 10.45 Getting to know your Research Environment12 M .Deasy & P. O’Donnell
10.45 – 11.00 Research Regulations J. Vickery
11.00 - 11.20 Managing Your Time on Your Research Project J. MacDonagh
11.20 – 11.40 “BREAK” Refreshments Provided in the Hungry Bear
11.40 – 12.25 Good Research Practice & Ethics in Research J. MacDonagh
12.25 – 12.45 Intellectual Property and Postgraduate Research P. O’Donnell
12.45 – 13.05 General Health & Safety Issues P. Campbell
13.05 – 13.15 Making the Most of Your Library P. Russell
Postgraduate Research Induction Programme 9th November 2007 Day Two
Time Session Presenter
10.00 – 10.40 Using Statistics in Research – Experimental Design J. Reilly
10.40 – 11.00 Equality and Diversity P. McLaughlin
11.00 – 11.20 “BREAK” Refreshments Provided in the Hungry Bear
11.20 – 11.50 Academic Writing & Presenting Research Results M. Thornton/ M. Deasy
11.50 – 12.50 Services Available to Postgraduate Students13 V. Lennon +
12.50 - 13.05 Sports & Recreation & S.U T. O Connor / R. O’Sullivan
13.05 - 13.25 “My Experience as a Postgraduate Student at ITT Dublin” D. Barry – Q&A Session A. Martin S. Enright
13.25 CLOSE & Distribution of “ITT Dublin Postgraduate Induction Course Completion Form” to be signed by each attendee
Table 7.8 Postgraduate Induction Course Schedule
12 ITT Dublin Organisational Structure; Research Project & Student Supervision; Annual Assessment Reporting & Renewal of Registration; Management of Studentships; Reporting to Studentship Funding Authorities ; Ordering of Research Materials. 13 Administration/Finance; Computing Services; Careers & job opportunities; Counselling; Access & Disability; Academic English Support; Health; Chaplaincy.
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7.5.2 Generic & Discipline Specific Training Training is conducted on an ongoing basis with the primary focus on specialist or core skills specific to the research project and transferable or generic skills specific to the discipline area.
Core skills training specific to the project is normally provided throughout the project under the guidance of the supervisor(s) as mentioned previously. In some discipline areas this is achieved by attendance at specific short courses provided within the Department or Research Centre/Group. It is also augmented by seminars from postdoctoral fellows, other Institute academic staff and external recognised experts in thematic areas of research which are normally organised within the sponsoring Department or Research Centre/Group. Research Centres also host educational programmes for postgraduate students.
An essential part of the ongoing training of the postgraduate student in presentation skills is their preparation for and participation in regular in-house seminars (as mentioned previously) where they are required to present results from their research project at least once during their programme. They receive guidance and training in that regard from their Supervisors. Presentations are followed by a question and answer session where the work is thoroughly investigated by the audience which is normally made up of other academics, postdoctoral and postgraduate researchers. Examples include those listed in Figure 7.7.
Annual Science Research Day
Bi-annual Mechanical Engineering Research Centre Group Meeting Research Day Presentations
Electronic Engineering Breakfast Seminar Research Centre Educational Seminar Series Events for Programmes / Workshops Researchers
Departmental Seminar Series – Presentations by Academics and External Speakers Postdoctoral Fellows
Humanities Cross-Institute Postgraduate Day
Figure 7.7 ITT Dublin Seminar Programmes for Researchers
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Departmental Seminars Each Department hosts discipline-specific seminars on an annual basis. A structured approach to the internal seminar programme has been in operation for five years in the Department of Science who hold an annual Postgraduate Research One-Day Meeting where new postgraduate students present their results in a poster session while the remainder make oral presentations.
The students give presentations. Prizes are awarded to the best presentations in each category and the event is sponsored by local industry and the Department of Science. In Engineering a one-day research meeting was held in 2005 where all postgraduate students made oral presentations. A bi-annual seminar series in Mechanical Engineering has been in operation since September 2007. The Department of Electronic Engineering hosts a breakfast seminar series, where students are on a rota to present every three weeks on their research progress. The Department of Computing runs a seminar series that caters for postgraduate students registered on taught and research programmes together. The Business and Humanities School regularly host guest lecture series and seminars to promote research within their School. The Department of Humanities hosts an annual one-day seminar programme for postgraduates from this Institute and Dun Laoighre and Dundalk Institutes of Technology.
Joint AMNCH hospital-ITT Dublin events have also been hosted to encourage cross-fertilisation and more joint project collaboration in Biology and Bioengineering areas primarily.
Bioengineering Technology Centre (BTC) Centre members use their expertise to provide training for research degree students in programming, advanced CAD tools, FEA analysis and Advanced Manufacture Technologies (Rapid Prototyping & Manufacture) and bioengineering techniques.
NMR - Education and Training Spectroscopic techniques in general, and NMR in particular, are an essential part of modern taught and research programmes, at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. For postgraduates, basic NMR training is provided to significant users by the Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute Research Centre (NMRics). Users with only an occasional requirement are typically provided with an experienced postgraduate to assist them. This has been backed up in the past year with theory classes in the Winter Semester, taken with the 4th Year of the BSc(Hons) in Applied Chemistry, via the Advanced Spectroscopic Problems module. This approach was designed in particular to meet the increasing diversity of postgraduate intake and to serve as a refresher course for those of our own BSc (Hons) graduates who have become postgraduates.
More specialist training is given to postgraduates who need to do advanced NMR techniques on a one-to-one basis. In addition it is intended in the next two years to provide training courses tailored to the needs of: 1. Supervisors of research heavily dependent on NMR – to update their advanced NMR base skills; 2. Supervisors of students who do less synthesis but are nevertheless heavily dependent on NMR characterization of the identity and purity of the compounds they work on; 3. Technical Support Staff within the Department.
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Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology Educational Programme Centre members have formed collaboration with the Australian Research Council (ARC) through its International Linkage progamme. This will provide high level training to future undergraduate and postgraduates in technologically important topics in the area of materials chemistry, fundamental physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and electrochemistry.
Centre for Pharmaceutical Research & Development Education and Training: Training in biological screening is provided by Centre members to chemistry postgraduate researchers at ITT Dublin and NUI Maynooth. Training is also given to postgraduate student members of the Centre in project planning, use of on-line and library based literature sources, safety assessment and risk assessment of chemical/biological and experimental procedures.
The multi-disciplinary nature of the projects ensures that all students gain relevant and up to date experience in different areas of organic and inorganic synthesis, analytical methodologies, microbiology and cellular biochemistry, so as to broaden their career prospects.
Centre of Applied Science for Health Educational Programme: A seminar series was launched in April 2008 and includes topics such as Bioethics, Intellectual Property and research-specific seminars and case-study sessions. In addition researchers can also attend educational programmes of the collaborators at DCU, NUI Maynooth and Tallaght Hospital (AMNCH).
Educational Programmes at Collaborating Institutes National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) Postgraduate Education Programme The aim of the NCSR Postgraduate Education Programme is to provide NCSR Staff, post doctoral fellows and postgraduate students (both at DCU & ITT Dublin) with a multidisciplinary programme of modules covering the core competencies of sensor research. All modules are delivered by NCSR researchers and each of the eight clusters provides a module. It is envisaged that these modules will be developed into a master’s programme in sensors technology. Modules delivered in the series over the past five years include: Introduction to sensors and their applications; Micro Total Analysis Systems; Electrochemical Sensors; Bioreceptors-Beyond Genomics; Molecular Recognition & Transduction; Biosensors; Surface Characterisation; Separation Science; Optical Sensing Techniques.
National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) Educational Programme The NICB organises seminar-type educational programmes which are attended by postgraduate students from this Institute primarily in Biology. Topics covered include: Signal Transduction & Apoptosis pathways; Stem cells, cloning, transgenics; Transcription. A one-day Wyeth case-study workshop has also been organised.
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Professional Development The professional development of postgraduate students is catered for through attendance at workshops or seminars on writing and presentation skills as organised within the sponsoring Department and School. More recently Institute-wide generic communications and writing skills training has been centralised as previously discussed in Section 7.3.4. Career planning workshops are organised on an annual basis for postgraduate students, as previously discussed in Section 7.3.3.
Industrial Placement Pfizer Loughbeg API plant, Cork have established links with the Department of Science and have committed to taking 3 PhD students in Chemistry on industrial 3 month placement - 2 in Jul-Sep, and 1 in Oct-Dec. 2008. It is proposed to place 3 students with this company on an annual basis. Students will be from year 2/3 of their programme. The students selected for 2008 went through a formal interview process and are in the latter half of their final year of their PhD.
Other Training and Skills Development Information skills training sessions specifically aimed at postgraduates are provided on an ongoing basis not only at induction by the library but at any time during the project at the request of the Supervisor. This is normally conducted by the appropriate Subject Librarian. These can be conducted in a group or one-to- one environment.
Attendance and presentation at national and international conferences is strongly encouraged and is normally organised by the Supervisor(s) and funded by the project funds. However, the sponsoring Departments have traditionally provided financial support for attendance at Colloquia which ran between 1998 and 2005.
Where multi-disciplinary training (for example across Departments/Schools) is required the Supervisor(s) normally arrange this in consultation with the appropriate Head of Department.
Guidance and training on the standard norms and methods for presenting research results from the specific project, in the form of reports, articles for journals and reviews is provided throughout the project by the appointed Supervisors, who also direct the students to copies of relevant texts etc. in the library. In addition, the Principal Supervisor guides the student in the preparation of (a) transfer reports and (b) a thesis, detailing how to write an abstract, introduction, discussion, results and experimental sections, where required, and suited to the level of award sought by the student. Training in writing styles for theses is provided by the Institute library on a needs basis, following recommendation and referral of the student by the Supervisor(s). Thesis and viva preparation information sessions are scheduled for April 2008 for those in the final year of their research degree.
A recent addition to generic training has been the area of ethics in research. This is delivered through an interactive 3 hour workshop, and while organised through the Department of Science is open to all postgraduates of the Institute.
168 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
7.5.3 Future Plans for Training of Postgraduate Researchers To improve postgraduate skills training and their continuing professional development, the Institute plans to: • Augment researcher training programmes and introduce 4th level graduate research education programmes (see Section 7.5.4); • Set up a Postgraduate Skills Record System – allows for effective monitoring of the needs of postgraduate researchers and identify changes as required.
The Institute plans to conduct a gap analysis of postgraduate training and skills needs, through the Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee of Academic Council. It seeks to augment discipline specific training and run discipline training workshops in areas such as: • Enterprise development and commercialisation pathways • Bioethics • Personal and Professional Development • Research Methodologies • Data Handling and Analysis.
While much of the current discussions in national and international arenas has focused on enhancing PhD training in the context of the 4th level graduate, it is also important to consider an enhancement to training for Masters students. Postgraduate students will be encouraged to use a Postgraduate Skills Record in the future, to assist them in obtaining the necessary skills sets and training throughout their research degree programme and as a basis for capturing information of their continuing professional development.
A continuous skills audit is a vital part of any research degree programme. For the student it has immediate value in maintaining an awareness of strengths and weaknesses, and in highlighting developing skills. In the longer term, it serves to point out that generic skills, can be used to enhance the employment prospects of postgraduates.
Future graduates need to be equipped with a wide range of skills in this ever-changing world of work and continuous learning. Building a profile of skills forms the basis of lifelong learning plans. A Skills Profile will prove invaluable in: - carrying out research effectively; - applying for a job or preparing curriculum vitae; - identifying Continuing Professional Development needs; - applying to a professional body for membership; - seeking promotion.
A Postgraduate Skills Record template will be given to all postgraduates and will include a variety of headings, for example: • Handling information • Communication skills (oral and written) • Improving learning and performance • Planning and organisation • Working with others • Discipline-specific skills • Project-specific skills
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Skills and training requirements will be agreed by the student in conjunction with the supervisor at the start of the project and reviewed on a regular basis. The record will explain how students can: • assess their skills according to statements in each section; • Note areas where they need to develop skills or learn a new skill; • Set targets for development; • Seek opportunities to develop new skills; • Build a record of their skills achievement and a Skills Profile.
7.5.4 4th Level Education Provision The research training experience is a fundamental factor in enhancing the research environment and the provision of high quality research outputs. In 2001 the Research Councils and the Arts & Humanities Research Boards in the UK set out a joint statement of the skills that doctoral research students funded by them would be expected to develop during their research training.14
The purpose of the joint skills statement was to give a common view of the skills and experience of a typical research student thereby providing academic institutions with a clear and consistent message aimed at helping them to ensure that all research training was of the highest standard across all disciplines. This led to the development of a strategic approach to the provision of research skills training across research degree programmes in the UK in the form of the UK GRAD programme. Through Government funding there and policies of the Roberts Forum, the UK GRAD programme has been instrumental in ensuring there has been significant progress in improving the research straining of all postgraduate researchers.15
A strategic approach to research training has also been adopted in a number of Australian universities to help create a positive impact on performance and quality of research outputs.16 A number of initiatives have been launched within the wider academic community here in Ireland to enhance the training of researchers, particularly at Doctoral Degree level. Indeed the synergy between research, at doctoral level, and training has recently been identified by a number of reports as being a critical element for generating more rounded research graduates in the future.17
There has been a great deal of discussion nationally on the need to formalise transferable skills training for researchers, moving towards more structured programmes. The OCED review of Higher Education in Ireland was a benchmark document that is now being implemented in the SSTI Government plans going forward. The OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland Report in 2004 concluded that Ireland’s tertiary education system is at a crossroads particularly with respect to the higher education and training of graduate researchers. Since the publication of this report there have been a number of responses and government actions that will have an impact on the structure of research degree programmes in the future. The new vision for post-graduate study is:
14 Joint Statement of the research Councils’/AHRB’s Skills Training requirements for Research Students, UK GRAD Programme, 2001. 15 Report of Proceedings UK GRAD Programme, Roberts Policy Forum, January 2005, Rugby, UK. 16 The University of Tasmania, Research, Research Training Management Plan 2005 – 2007; James Cook University Research Training Strategic Plan; James Cook University 2005 Research and Research Training Management Report; University of Canberra Research and Research Training Management Report, July 2005. 17 Postgraduate transferable and Generic Research Skills Training Implementation Working Group, Audit and Needs Analysis – Update Report, J. Turner, July 2003; OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland, 2004; Observations of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) on the recommendations in Chapter VII (Research, R&D and Innovation) of the OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland, Discussion Paper, Dec. 2005; Bergen Council of Ministers, May 2005, Short Summary of the Parallel Session on Doctoral Training and the Synergy between Higher Education and Research, Dr. S. Reichert; IUA Reform of 3rd level and Creation of 4th Level Ireland, Oct. 2005; HEA Graduate Education Forum – Key Guiding Principles, Feb. 2006; Proceedings of the HETAC Colloquium on Research Skills Needs, Sept. 2006. 170 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
“the establishment of a world-class 4th Level Sector characterised by internationally competitive masters and PhD level programmes that will deliver the next generation of entrepreneurs and leaders capable of the knowledge absorption, generation and utilisation that will be critical to Ireland’s future success.”
The proposals will have the most impact on the Level 10 doctoral programmes. An outline description of the proposed new 4th Level graduate from doctoral programmes is given in Table 7.9.
Structured PhD Programme
• First year of PhD programme dominated by structured ‘taught courses’ in generic and domain-specific areas organised on a trans-institutional basis?
• Decision point at end of first year when student has the option of either entering the workforce with a masters degree or progressing to a full PhD degree?
• Years 2-4 of PhD training characterised by a high quality research experience supplemented by formal training in key technologies, management and communications.
Table 7.9 Proposed New Fourth Level Graduates
Structured graduate research education will be a key contributor to the development of Ireland’s knowledge economy and international competitiveness. The proposals above pose a challenge to this Institute in relation to the provision of postgraduate research degree programmes in the future, in particular in relation to quality enhancement and the broadening of the focus and training experience of the postgraduate researcher.
The provision of advanced courses that would lay the foundations for research is infeasible for most Departments within the Institute sector working independently because of their small size; therefore there is a compelling case for collaboration. The Institutes of Technology recently formed a Research Alliance, an initiative funded under the Higher Education Authority Strategic Innovation Fund to provide sector-wide supports to researchers, both students and staff so as to deliver the new 4th level graduates required.
The Institutes of Technology Research Alliance is an initiative where all of the Institutes have come together to promote activities to improve and develop research programmes in the IoTs. It is funded under the Strategic Innovation Funding Scheme primarily to formalise this consortium into a Research Alliance. It aims to enhance the rate, scope and depth of the sector’s strategic and professional approach to the delivery of postgraduate research degree programmes in the context of 4th education provision.
The Institute of Technology Tallaght is an active participant of this alliance which is led by the Sligo Institute of Technology. The Alliance is mentored by collaborators in NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, the University of Ulster and the University of Melbourne. HETAC, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and DIT joined the Alliance in January 2008.
The Alliance also provides support and training in coordination, benchmarking, training and dissemination of best practice. The main strands of the Research Alliance are presented in Figure 7.8.
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Institutes of Technology Research Alliance
Centralised Graduate Research Establish an annual Formalise links with communications Education Programme IoT Research Industry network for Development Colloquium researchers
GOAL GOAL GOAL GOAL Develop and Deliver - Website - Hold an annual - Hold industry Programme for - Discussion forum colloquium on meetings Students and research topics and - Host an industry Supervisors best practice colloquium
Figure 7.8 Research Alliance Objectives and Goals
The first ever annual Institutes of Technology Research Alliance Colloquium took place at the Cork Institute of Technology in February 2008. The Colloquium, ‘Developing Research in the Institutes of Technology’ focussed on research practice in the third level sector, looking at current practise in research and research education. It brought key stakeholders and research personnel together to hear about latest developments in the area of graduate research. The colloquium examined the sector’s strategic and professional approach to research in the context of improving the quality of education and structures for the delivery of post-graduate education and research across the Institutes of Technology in Ireland.
The overarching objective of the Alliance is to improve the quality of education and structures for the delivery of post-graduate education and research across institutions. It is believed that an accredited transferable skills programme would give the student the transferable skills that they need early in the programme, allowing the research team (supervisor and student) to focus on the expert area studies. The staff development part of the programme will also improve the research by keeping staff up to date with latest developments through a mechanism that adds value to the day-to-day teaching and research, without the stress of a full time programme.
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An Accredited Level 9 Course in Transferable Skills for Research Students and Staff The Research Alliance is currently putting together a programme for research students and staff. It has the following design characteristics: • A six module, 60 credit Special Purpose Award at Level 9 • Delivered by distance learning, with manuals and web support • Delivery from a variety of Institutes • Each module extending over 10-12 weeks, with 2-3 days of workshop contact. • 3 core modules (Research Methods, Research Management, Personal Development) • 3 elective modules to be selected from a suite (initial programme accreditation options are Data handling and Analysis, Creativity and Entrepreneurship, Communications, in the long-term, there will be over 20 electives to choose from) • Skills delivered to students at a time when they can make maximum use of the knowledge to further their expert studies/research.
Module authors have been identified from across the Sector (Figure 7.9) and work on each of the modules is near completion. A submission document is in the early stages of preparation for submission by HETAC in June 2008.
Work on the website is underway and it will include a discussion forum for supervisors. The next colloquium will be on Supervisory Practice. Industry meetings have also taken place.
Diploma in Research Practice
Core Modules Elective Modules
Personal Development Research Management WIT Lead for Researchers CIT Lead
Data Handling and ITTD Lead Creativity and IT Dundalk Lead Analysis Entrepreneurship
Communicating and IT Sligo Lead Research Methods Disseminating GMIT Lead Research Findings
Figure 7.9 Graduate Research Education Programme Details
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7.6 Innovation and Enterprise Support Research has traditionally been associated with the generation of new knowledge and up to the mid-1990s the applications of research were predominantly taken outside the academic institution into industry where product development and manufacture took place. Innovation is also about the creation of new knowledge but also includes the use of that knowledge, primarily in the area of product development. Research and innovation activities are inextricably linked particularly for those working on applied research projects that have potential to generate outputs that downstream could be commercialised. The Institutes’ of Technology were predominantly involved in research with a product or industrial focus since the start and indeed this is where the OECD would have us concentrate our efforts in the future. As applied research in technological areas matured and advanced in the mid-1990s a number of initiatives were funded by TSR (Strand 2) programme and Enterprise Ireland to promote and enhance resources in the area of innovation and enterprise development. These activities are not only the province of industry now but are seen as an essential support element to bring academic research closer to the market place.
The innovation activities of this Institute are managed by the Industrial Liaison Manager within the Development & External Services Office. Although the range of innovation activities are outside the remit of the Academic Council, the R&D Committee is still used as a forum for discussion of innovation issues, such as intellectual property, the commercialisation of research and campus company policy. These initiatives are a resource that can be used by all researchers within the Institute. This valuable resource covers the commercialisation of research, technology transfer, intellectual property (IP) management, licensing and campus company formation. Also included are business incubation and enterprise development for both campus and external companies.
The research of a number of research groups within the Institute is maturing to a point where commercialisation is a real possibility. The nature of the industrial contacts being established, the tightening of intellectual property management and the withholding of publications, indicate that a number of groups believe they have reached this stage. The recent internal competition for the right to apply to the Enterprise Ireland Applied Research Enhancement Programme, a new large-scale multi-annual scheme to establish applied research centres of excellence in specific areas in the Institute of Technology sector, demonstrated clearly that at least four groups within the Institute have developed technologies with considerable commercial potential.
The Development and External Services Office has a number of ongoing initiatives that are designed to broaden the culture of researchers to include entrepreneurship, innovation and ultimately product development for commercial application. Information on these are presented below.
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7.6.1 Synergy Centre The Institute currently has a new business support centre with 10 start-up companies located in a dedicated incubation centre (Table 7.10). In 2001, the Institute was awarded a grant of €2.54m to design, construct and manage an incubation centre on campus. This grant was awarded through the Enterprise Irelands Scheme for Regional Innovation Strategies, funded under the National Development Plan. A further €0.5M towards the cost of the Incubation Centre was raised through contributions from industry and from the Institute’s own resources.
The Centre (called The Synergy Centre) is approximately 1,000m2 in area and comprises 16 flexible enterprise units, nominally 25m2 in area, along with other spaces for applied research. It also includes concept desks and corporate standard meeting and training rooms.
Through this centre companies receive support and access to research and technical expertise in the Institute. The institute proposes to increase its capacity for this type of enterprise support by 200% over the lifetime of this plan.
Company Name: Business Activity: Cleartone Technologies Hearing test technology.
Documation Limited Web-based system for creating and customising documents for print.
Global Security Devices Design & develop wireless security systems.
IDIRO Technologies The development of software to enable companies to profile and segment their customer base according to social groups.
Renewable Power Generation Fixed cost renewable energy to industry.
Skupe Net Ltd Online systems to create classified and directory websites.
Technology and Internet Purpose built intelligent gateway solutions for voice,Data & video services. Property Services PLC(TIPS)
Minola Technology Sap integrated PCC and IPR software to minimise customs duty payments.
Wirelite Sensors Remote energy usage monitoring and efficiency provision for large users.
Ethanol Ireland Production of ethanol fuels.
Table 7.10 List of companies located currently in Synergy Centre
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Synergy Centre Management and Strategic Direction The strategic direction and governance of the Incubation Centre is the responsibility of an Advisory Board, consisting of representatives from the founding partners, the Institute, Enterprise Ireland and other development agencies, as well as respected entrepreneurial and business figures. The day-to-day activities are managed by a Centre Manager.
The following supports through the Centre are provided to enterprises: • Mentoring, enterprise development training, access to know-how networks and assistance with accessing sources of finance and intellectual property rights; • Physical infrastructure, IT facilities, meeting rooms, access to ITT Dublin resources; • R&D and technical expertise, with access to equipment and testing facilities; • On-going monitoring of business development needs and progress reviews; • Flexible tenancy terms, and follow-on support for enterprises that graduate from the Centre; • Integrated delivery of primary and secondary infrastructure i.e. campus-based and external (Enterprise Ireland, County Enterprise Boards etc.).
Synergy Centre Support for Researchers Synergy Centre liaises with academics and students, for example: referring research projects too and from contacts, taking lecturers onto our Enterprise Start Programme, assisting with student enterprise projects, talks to students. The Centre houses the CeltNet Programme and the seminar rooms of the National Pharmaceutical Education Centre.
The Global Security Devices/ITT Dublin innovation partnership in the area of Radio Frequency is a joint Synergy Centre venture with Electronic Engineering, which employs two research assistants. Synergy also has plans for training in the areas of Intellectual Property and commercialisation.
As part of the enterprise support initiative the Institute has a suite of innovation laboratories, located in the Synergy Centre, dedicated to joint industry, institute research projects in the disciplines of ICT and Sensor Technology. The Institute will develop additional innovation laboratories in disciplines such as Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Product Development and Technology Transfer. This latter centre will be supported by the pilot scale pharmaceutical plant which exists in the Institute.
It is envisaged that as the issue of generic training of research degree students advances in the near future that these resources will become involved in the provision of some of this training in the area of entrepreneurship in particular. There are a number of ways in which innovation activities feed into postgraduate training. • Key subject areas can be taught through the Centre, such as business planning, intellectual property protection, technology transfer and licensing; • Members of the M50 team, including the Industrial Liaison Manager and the Programme Manager can use real case studies and examples; • Assistance and advice on commercial aspects to drafting research proposals. This has already been given to teams of potential research students preparing entries for the Enterprise Ireland Student Enterprise Awards. Market guidance and related assistance was also provided to the EI Applied Research Enhancement Programme applicants in the recent competition to secure commercial research funding.
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Technology Transfer Support For reasons of scale, it would not be cost-effective to deploy dedicated professional expertise in technology transfer, IP management, licensing etc. in any one Institute of Technology. The Institute of Technology Tallaght has in tandem with other Institutes, has been successful in securing funding for technology transfer resources on a shared basis across the sector. Enterprise Ireland is seen as the logical provider of these resources, as it already provides this type of resource to the university sector (for example, Enterprise Ireland personnel are seconded to the UCD Nova Centre). It would also clearly be in line with the mission of Enterprise Ireland to advance the commercialisation of research and the generation of knowledge-based ventures in the Irish economy. It is also worth noting that the OECD report identified Enterprise Ireland as the proper organisation to provide any recurrent funding for research or related activities to the sector. Funding from EI has recently been secured by the Microsensors Centre for the preparation and submission of a number of patents.
Campus Company Policy The Institute’s campus company policy is widely seen as being too onerous on candidate companies and too rigid in its proposed operation. The working group convened for the DA taught programme evaluation of Innovation activities recommended that this policy be revised and that the guiding philosophy should be the generation of commercial activity, while not jeopardising the Institute’s assets or good name. The working group also took the view that the requirement for the Institute to nominate a Director of the company is also likely to be a major disincentive to the formation of campus companies. It is also increasingly unreasonable to expect Institute employees to accept such a nomination in light of the increased corporate governance responsibilities and potential personal liability of company directors.
In view of these recommendations, some minor amendments were made to the Institute’s campus company policy and a full review will be undertaken by the R&D Sub-committee of Academic Council with a view to recommending possible further changes.
Promotion of Stronger Links between Enterprise Development and Research A greater mutual awareness and cooperation between the M50 participant companies and future Incubation Centre clients and the research community within the Institute, is seen as beneficial to all and would lead to synergies, particularly from the point of view of identifying commercial opportunities. It is recommended that a concerted effort be made to bring the two communities together. Mechanisms such as better dissemination of the activities of each group on the internet/intranet and the holding of events designed to interest both groups are some of the avenues that can be used. These recommendations are currently being developed as part of a wider strategy to promote a greater coupling between research and enterprise development within the Institute through the Development and External Services Office.
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7.6.2 The M50 Enterprise Platform Programme Prior to the opening of the Synergy Centre, the Institute’s involvement in enterprise development was primarily through the M50 Enterprise Platform Programme (EPP). The M50 EPP was established in 2000 by the Institute of Technology Tallaght, the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and Dublin City University (DCU). In 2003, University College Dublin (UCD) joined the partnership between these three academic institutions. The Institute of Technology Tallaght is the lead organisation in the project. The focus of the M50 Programme is high potential knowledge-based start-ups (HPSUs). Participants on the M50 Programme are graduates and the programme targets high-calibre individuals with extensive business experience in indigenous and/or multinational corporations.
The M50 Programme is managed by a full-time manager reporting to the Industrial Liaison Manager of the Institute. In addition to training, business coaching and mentoring, the programme provides financial support and incubation facilities to entrepreneurs over a twelve-month time-span. The M50 Programme was originally funded under Strand 2 of the Technological Sector Research Programme. For the period 2001-2003, the programme received funding of €495K to support ten entrepreneurs each year on the programme. The Institute secured an additional €841.5K in the follow-on competition in 2004, for the years 2004 to 2006. Funding of €155 K was recently secured for an extension to the programme in 2008. A key objective of the M50 programme is to commercialise the results of R&D in the third level sector and to promote synergies between academia and industry.
7.7 New Initiatives for Graduate Education and Institute-wide Research Support The Strategic Innovation Fund (Section 7.4) paved the way for HEIs to develop innovative programmes to enhance the quality and effectiveness of higher education and research. In the recent Cycle 2 announcements the Institute of Technology Tallaght will be key players in the projects summarised below.
7.7.1 Addressing the Needs of the Knowledge Economy This project has been funded to the tune of €9.5 million of which €1.45 was for the establishment of a Research Co-ordination and Support Office for the IoTs and DIT. The proposal consistes of three integrated sub- strands addressing how the Sector can develop a knowledge society and transfer knowledge and technology:
1. IOT Flexible Learning Network – the core of the proposition is to establish an Open Institute of Technology which will be committed to mainstreaming supported flexible learning within and across the Institutes as an innovative and complementary mode of delivery, co-existing with established programmes and delivery methods. It seeks to provide this innovative supported learning environment through the mechanism of an ‘Open Institute of Technology’ Gateway. The aim of the initiative is to contribute to an integrated national system of lifelong learning by ensuring equity of access for learners, enabling integration and cost efficiencies across institutions, and by responding to the national needs of business, industry and learners in the workforce for flexible applied education.
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2. Research Co-ordination and Support Office – the aim of which is to foster a research ethos and culture of creativity which will: • attract and engage increased numbers of staff within the individual Institutes; • develop a professional interface with policy makers; • create an environment for the enhanced operation of research; • develop priority research areas; • analyse and benchmark against international models; • develop policies and processes for growing research capacity; • develop a research brand image; • create a forum for industry to enhance participation and develop supports within the IoTs for more interaction; • support technology transfer and innovation and develop capacity to commercialise research; • facilitate recruitment and retention of researchers by individual institutions.
The Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) and DIT will govern the Research Co-ordination Support Office through a Steering Committee, with Tallaght as administrative lead, reporting into the Steering Committee and channeling all funding.
Significant outcomes will be - that the Institute Sector will have clearly defined research priorities that will be embedded in institutional strategy; they will have achieved critical mass in their research efforts and will be seen as pivotal partners for industry, regional economic and social development, as well as knowledge transfer. Such is the commitment to success that, if the need for the office remains, the partners will fund a continuation of the network office through their own resources.
3. Enhancement of MIS Capabilities – the main objective is to create additional capacity by: creating a business driven IT access system; addressing fragmentation of user identity; rebalancing the burden of regulation, audit, compliance and implementation of security best practice etc.
7.7.2 The Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance. (DRHEA) The Government’s 2002 National Spatial Strategy and the regional development strategy within the National Development Plan 2007-13 both emphasise the need for coherent, coordinated frameworks to achieve economic growth, social cohesion and balanced regional development. The Dublin city region is Ireland’s most dynamic economic zone, the main destination of foreign technology investment, and the source of most innovation contributing to the emergence of Ireland’s knowledge-intensive economy. At the same time, however, the Dublin city region also exhibits substantial pockets of poor economic achievement, educational exclusion, social disadvantage and poverty. This project secured €43 million in SIF Cycle 2 funding announced earlier this year of which ITT Dublin has been awarded €1.1 million.
In order to sustain the competitive advantage that the Dublin city-region has acquired it is now proposed to strengthen the region’s higher education sector through the establishment of a strategic alliance which will enhance the sector’s contribution to achieving the high level goals set out in the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and other supporting strategies such as the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006- 2013. The Higher Education sector in the region includes four universities and their linked Colleges (TCD, UCD, DCU, NUIM) and four Institutes of Technology (DIT, IADT, ITB, ITT Dublin), many with long established and internationally renowned reputations for excellence in teaching and research. These institutions have now come together to establish the Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA).
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Objectives The rationale for establishing the Alliance is to further strengthen the contribution which the higher education sector is making to the establishment of the Dublin city-region as an internationally recognized centre of knowledge creation and innovation. In particular the Alliance will provide a structure through which • The impact of the SIF on higher education in the Dublin region can be maximized, • Strategic priorities and supporting collaborative actions can be agreed and implemented, • More efficient dissemination and sharing of the outcomes from SIF Projects can be facilitated through an enhancement via networks of the social capital component of the regions higher education system.
The city-region has a population that is expected to grow to over 2 million persons over the next 15 years. The region’s highly-educated work force sustains a range of economic activities which underpin the region’s high-productivity knowledge-intensive economy. It is the primary location in the State for inward investment and it has the highest levels of national and international connectivity by air and sea. The city-region is also the hub to which the majority of immigrants are attracted, a characteristic shared with many other creative and competitive cities across the globe. Despite the acknowledged strengths of the higher education institutions, and the extensive nature of the contacts that many have with other key stakeholders in the region, there are also high levels of unevenness in third level participation rates throughout the region, with particularly low levels in some disadvantaged socio-economic areas.
Programme of Work For this round of the Strategic Innovation Fund the eight members of the Alliance have identified four strands of activity where there is an immediate need for resources to enable collaborative actions (see Table 7.11): 1. Enhancement of Learning 2. Graduate Education 3. Internationalisation 4. Widening Participation
Governance and Management The Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA) will be governed by a Board (see Figure 7.10 for organisation and structure) comprised of a Senior Academic Officer of each of the participating Universities and Institutes of Technology; a Student Representative; the President of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, or nominee; the Dublin City Manager, or nominee; a Representative of the IBEC National Partnership. The Board will be supported each year by the academic administrative office of one of the four universities on a rotating basis.
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Strand Lead Colleges Objective
Enhancement DCU and IADT The fundamental underpinning innovation is the foundation of the Dublin of Learning Centre for Academic Development. This virtual centre will bring together new and existing academic development expertise from the participating institutions, to create academic training and development resources.
Graduate Education UCD and ITT Dublin The DRHEA will radically reposition the Dublin region as an international centre for graduate education, and PhD education in particular, by combining the strengths of five participating institutions (DCU, DIT, NUIM, TCD and UCD). It will deliver a general, cost-effective and scaleable approach to inter- institutional graduate programmes, encompassing advanced taught courses as a platform for research, which will far exceed the potential of five individual institutions working separately.
Internationalisation DIT and NUI The DRHEA will collaboratively develop and internationally market the brand, Maynooth ‘Dublin: International Knowledge Region’, as a centre for world-class higher education and research. It will do this by combining institutional international office resources to develop a coordinated, Dublin-wide, infrastructural capacity to promote, market and to support international student growth and to enhance the international student experience.
Widening ITB and TCD The Alliance is proposing the establishment of a Higher Learning Network Participation (HLN) which will link DRHEA institutions with other education providers across the greater Dublin region. This network aims to (i) improve access to and progression through higher education by the above target groups, (ii) develop more flexible work or community based and e-learning provision to meet the needs of these target groups, (iii) enhance and simplify provision of information of learning opportunities in higher education, and (iv) develop more agile response mechanisms to meeting skills gaps identified by employers- in both the public and private sectors- within the greater Dublin region.
Table 7.11 Summary of DRHEA Strands
In relation to research, the two strands of importance to enhancement of the student experience at ITT Dublin include:
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Graduate Education Strand: The proposal will have long-term impacts beyond graduate education. The very high levels of co-operation and inter-operability required to develop collaborative graduate education will build strong links between the different Schools and Departments across the Alliance. The institutions will use this as an opportunity to establish joint strategic planning across the network for different academic disciplines, facilitating and accelerating a natural process of specialisation and differentiation, ensuring diversity and breadth across the system while facilitating strength and specialisation in the individual institutions. The proposal is fully aligned with the recommendations of the HEA graduate education forum of March 2006. A comprehensive range of advanced courses will be developed and made available to PhD students in five disciplines across the Dublin area. Inter-institutional courses will be developed for postgraduate researchers in Biology, Chemistry and Biomedical Science by UCD and ITT Dublin. This will enhance the quality of PhD education in keeping with the 4th Level provision.
Internationalisation Strand: Under this strand of the project the DRHEA will provide funding for PhD studentships for students to be based at ITT Dublin. A website is to be developed for the DRHEA as part of a brand development project. Overseas Liaison Offices are to be established to promote the DRHEA colleges and postgraduate programmes primarily. Other initiatives to be developed include the establishment of: • Joint Promotional Programmes • Needs Analysis of Students • Training and Awareness Programmes.
182 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
External Chair
Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance Board Governance
Chair
Management Committee
Management DCU IADT UCD ITTD DIT NUIM ITB TCD
membership: Strand Co-ordination Conveners (8)
Conveners: Conveners: Conveners: Conveners: DCU & IADT UCD & ITTD DIT & NUIM ITB & TCD Strand Co-ordination Strand Co-ordination Strand Co-ordination Strand Co-ordination Committee Committee Committee Committee Management
Enhancement Graduate Widening Strand of Learning Education Internationalisation Participation
Projects Activity DCAD Co-ordination Committee Projects Projects Projects
E-Learning Network Committee
Figure 7.10 DRHEA Organisation and Structure
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184 Chapter 8
Public Responsibility And Integrity
185 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 8 Public Responsibility and Integrity
Chapter 8 Public Responsibility And Integrity
The Institute is governed by the Code of Practice for the Governance of Third Level Institutions (2004) and complies with all relevant legislation, including Freedom of Information; Data Protection; Health, Safety and Welfare; and Employment and Equality legislation. The Institute’s commitment to equality of opportunity in education was already discussed in Chapter 5, Section 5.3. The Institute recognises that a comprehensive policy on equality of access is essential to its efficiency and effectiveness as a provider of education. The policy statement on access was presented in Chapter 5, Section 5.4.
The Institute Handbook on Corporate Governance1 specifies the formal codes and procedures to be adhered to across a wide number of areas. The integrity of the Institute and its collegial decision-making processes are described in Sections 8.1 to 8.3 below. The responsibility of the Institute in providing comprehensive information to the general public through its Marketing and Public Affairs Office, regarding its programmes of education and training, and its resources and facilities are given in Section 8.4. In order to ensure that the Institute can meet its obligations under the Freedom of Information Acts, 1997 and 2003, a Freedom of Information Office was established in 2002, the functions of which are described in Section 8.5. The Institute’s commitment to Health, Safety and Welfare are discussed in Section 8.6. Specific information on the promotion of research and its outputs is given in Section 8.7.
8.1 Financial Reports and Accounts The Institute is required to operate in accordance with the principles of good governance and to comply with such guidelines and practices as deemed appropriate by the Department of Education and Science. The Comptroller and Auditor General audits the accounts of the Institute to ensure that funding granted by the State has been properly used for the purposes for which it was granted.
The Governing Body has established an audit committee, called the Internal Audit Committee, to ensure that the issues raised in internal and external auditors’ reports, including the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, are responded to in an appropriate manner.2
8.2 The Towards 2016 Partnership Process and Interactive Governance
The implementation of the Towards 2016: Ten-Year Framework Social Partnership Agreement 2006-2015 in the Institute is designed to guarantee collegiality and integrity in the Institute’s decision-making processes and operations. The use of the partnership framework to address issues facilitates a process whereby a wide range of people throughout the Institute have an input into the way the Institute undertakes its various tasks and plans for the future. Hence, no particular individual or group(s) can dominate decisions within the Institute, and the knowledge, talent and expertise that exists throughout the Institute can be fully utilised.
1 As discussed in Chapter 3, the Institute is governed by the Code of Practice for the Governance of Third Level Institutions (2004) and by the Ethics in Public Office Act, 1995. In September 2004, the Institute produced a Handbook on Corporate Governance, detailing codes of conduct for members of Governing Body and all employees, along with codes of practice relating to internal audit and procurement functions, tax clearance procedures, disposal of assets, remuneration, reports and accounts, and strategic planning. 186 2 Previously described in Chapter 3, Section 3.8 – Audits and Reviews of Management and Administrative Operations. Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
8.3 Communications and Publications It is the policy of the Institute to communicate continuously and effectively with all of its stakeholders so that its mission, operation and activities are known and understood.3 A key enabler in that regard has been the establishment of a Marketing Office within the Institute in 2005.
The minutes of Governing Body and Academic Council are made available to staff and students on the Institute’s intranet. Increasingly, the deliberations of other groups within the Institute are being placed on the website, along with Institute policy documents e.g. Finance Policies, Governance Policies, Quality Assurance Procedures and Human Resource Policies. The Institute’s external website makes available the Institute’s Strategic Plan, the Institute’s Master Plan, the Prospectus of Full-time Courses, the Guide to Continuing and Professional Education Part-time Programmes, and other documents. Through the dissemination of information, the Institute aims to ensure that its actions, plans and procedures are open and transparent.
8.4 Marketing and Public Affairs Office The Marketing & Public Affairs Office works with Offices, Schools and Departments in co-ordinating, overseeing and supporting activities relating to marketing and advertising, communications and events in the Institute’s annual calendar.
The Marketing & Public Affairs Office operates from the Development and External Services Department. Its compliment of staff is an Administrative Officer and Schools Liaison Officer reporting to the Head of Development & External Services. It has an annual non-pay budget of €100k.
Marketing & Public Affairs also co-ordinates, manages and supports event management in Institute of Technology Tallaght.
8.4.1 Public Affairs Section Public Affairs is responsible for building public awareness of the mission and core values of Institute of Technology Tallaght. Our goal is to promote the Institute, its programmes, people, events, achievements and developments to a variety of audiences. These audiences include students, staff, government leaders corporations, prospective students and their parents, the media and general public.
This is accomplished by: • Working co-operatively with the media in providing information and press releases. • Publishing editorials for the media. • Maintaining the Media Directory • Corporate introductory meetings with the President of Institute of Technology Tallaght. • Maintaining relations with public representatives and Government Ministers. • News Publications e.g Strategic Plan Update.
Public Affairs assists staff and other members of Institute of Technology Tallaght with their communications needs. Public Affairs also manages the public relations activities of the Office of the President.
3 Policies in that regard were already discussed in Chapter 5, Section 5.9.
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8.4.2 Marketing Section Marketing of prospective students for the academic year 2008/2009 commenced in September 2007. Activities to-date include: • Publication of the full-time prospectus. This publication provides details of the Institute’s programmes, application and registration procedures and student support services. Twenty thousand copies were published of which copies have been sent to 400 schools in Leinster. • Letter sent to Schools Guidance Counsellors in ITT Dublin’s catchment area informing them of changes to and new programmes. The letter also included a Schools Visit Request Form.
The Higher Options Exhibition is the biggest exhibition for prospective third level students. This exhibition takes place each September in Dublin over three days and expects 10,000 visiting students, teachers and parents. ITT Dublin, once again, hosted a stand which was manned by both administrative and academic staff. 3500 students sought ITT Dublin’s prospectus.
Exhibitions/Careers events also take place in second level schools. Some of these host the event for all schools in their catchment area, others just host it for themselves. Schools exhibition events attended by ITT Dublin in 2007 are listed in Table 8.1. To-date 52 schools have been visited and given a presentation by ITT Dublin, with details given in Table 8.2.
Event Location Date
Clane Community School 18/10/2007
Ballyfermot Community Civic Centre 18/10/2007
Patrician Secondary School Newbridge 22/10/2007
Colaiste Eoin Cappagh Road Finglas 23/10/2007
Tallaght Careers Exhibition 23/10/2008
Coolmine Community School 24/10/2007
Castleknock College Exhibition 27/10/2007
Belvedere Careers Night 28/10/2007
Gorey Exhibition 29/11/2007
Wicklow- Dominican Convent Exhibition 17/1/2008
Table 8.1 School Exhibition Events Attended by ITT Dublin
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School Visited Date School Visited Date
Colaiste Bride, Clondalkin 26/09/2007 Castleknock College 27/11/2007
Newpark Comprehensive School 5/10/2007 Belvedere College Careers Exhibition 28/11/2007
Our Lady’s Templeogue 05/10/2007 St. John's Ballyfermot 28/11/2007
Colaiste Bride, Parents Night 11/10/2007 Blakestown Comm School 29/11/2007
St. Mary’s, Naas 17/10/2007 Gorey Open Day 29/11/2007
Collinstown College, Clondalkin 17/10/2007 St. Kevin’s VEC Clogher Rd 29/11/2007
St. Paul’s Greenhills 22/10/2007 Our Ladys of Mercy Drimnagh 30/11/2007
Colaiste Ciaran, Leixlip 25/10/2007 Loreto College Crumlin 30/11/2007
St. Paul’s GBrunswick St. 25/10/2007 Blakestown CS 03/12/2007
St. Kevins Clogher Road 03/12/2007 St. Dominics VTOS Tallaght 4/12/2007
Notre Dame Churchtown 07/11/2012 St. Paul’s CBS Nth Brunswick St. 04/12/2007
St. Kevin’s CC 08/11/2007 Clane CC 05/12/2007
CBS James St. 09/11/2007 St. Louis Rathmines 06/12/2007
Kylemore College Ballyfermot 09/11/2007 Blakestown CS 03/12/2007
Sancta Maria Ballyroan 13/11/2007 St. Aidans Collins Ave 12/12/2007
St. John’s Ballyfermot Open Evening 15/11/2007 Collinstown Park CC 09/01/2008
Kylemore Ballyfermot 15/11/2007 St. Mary’s Rathmines 10/01/2008
Old Bawn Community School 16/11/2007 St. Johns, Ballyfermot 22/1/2008
St. Dominics Ballyfermot 19/11/2007 Goatstown 14/2/2008
Community College Lucan 19/11/2007 Notre Dame 20/2/2008
St. Killians Deutche Schule 22/11/2007 Loretto College Foxrock 28 /29 Feb
St. Aidan’s CS 23/11/2007 St. Colmcilles Knocklyon Feb.08
Notre Dame Churchtown 23/11/2007 Beaufort College Feb.08
St. MacDaras 23/11/2007 Rathmines Senior College Feb.08
Dunshaughlin CC 26/11/2007 Portmarnock Community School 14/3/08
Table 8.2 List of Schools Visited by ITT Dublin
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ITT Dublin held its annual Open Day on 20th October 2007. A letter and flyer was sent to all secondary schools in Dublin and Leinster. Weeks prior to the open day advertisements were placed in the Echo & Gazette Group Newspapers. The use of “promobikes” in local schools prior to the open day provided an alternative advertising medium and flyers were also distributed throughout those schools.
This is a great opportunity for us to display courses, facilities and careers that are available to potential students. Each Department had its own individual stand providing information and displaying material relating to its courses. Each Department also organised talks to highlight their respective courses and answer any queries that potential students might have. Talks are repeated throughout the day to facilitate student attendance in the afternoon. Some Departments organised a number of tours of laboratory facilities to run throughout the day also. Approximately 1600 students from schools in Dublin and Counties Meath, Kildare and Westmeath attended the open day.
The Institute courses and programmes and ITT Dublin profile are advertised on the website –http://www.daycourses.com/profiles/cao/ittdublin/index.html This is the most prominent website in Ireland for third level education. The view statistics for ITT Dublin to Nov 07 are given in Table 8.3:
Census Date Number (in thousands)
11-2007 189.324
10-2007 243.657
09-2007 289.360
Table 8.3 Views Sept 2007 – November 2007
Prior to the CAO closing date in January 2008 the following advertising was conducted: • Promobikes at Young Scientist Exhibition. • Advertisements in Echo & Gazette Group Newspapers. • Science Spin Magazine – Advertisement for Science & Computing. • Radio Advertisement Campaign – Spin FM & 98FM. • Television Advertisement – Setanta Sports. • South Dublin Chamber of Commerce Careers Expo in ITT Dublin – promotion stand.
ITT Dublin hosted two Dinners in Scholars Training Restaurant. Guidance Counsellors on 31st January 2008 and Principals on 7th February 2008. It provided an opportunity to mingle, network and promote programmes and developments in a relaxed atmosphere.
ITT Dublin hosted a stand at the FÁS Opportunities Exhibition which took place in Croke Park from 29th February to 3rd March inclusive. The event was an opportunity to promote both full and part-time programmes.
Representatives from ITT Dublin attended the Institute of Guidance Counsellors AGM and Conference 6-8th March 2008. ITT Dublin in partnership with IT Carlow sponsored the IGC Event.
190 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
8.5 Freedom of Information The Freedom of Information Officer assists students, staff and the general public with any requests for information under the Freedom of Information Acts. It is the policy of the Institute to communicate continuously and effectively with all of its stakeholders and to avoid necessarily having to invoke the freedom of Information Acts. All student examination scripts are available for review by students following consideration by examiners and Examination Board Meetings. Members of staff seeking feedback on staff interviews may also receive marks and comments sheets upon request. The Institute’s policy is to ensure that its actions are as open and as transparent as possible and to foster and develop a culture of openness, transparency and accountability in all of its activities.
A Freedom of Information Office was established within the Institute in 2002. A Freedom of Information Officer was appointed to develop and execute a plan to enable the Institute to fulfil its obligations under the Acts and to assist individuals in exercising their right to access information. Part of this plan was an Institute-wide training and awareness programme. Components of this programme include presentations to staff and a consultancy service on any matter they wish to have explained or clarified.
8.5.1 Institute Obligations under the Freedom of Information Act The Institute is committed to making available to the public information to the widest extent possible, consistent with the need to protect the right to privacy of the individual and the obligations placed on the Institute to protect certain types of information (subject to a public interest test).
Under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts, 1997 and 2003 members of the public have a right of access to the following records held by or under the control of the Institute, unless such records are exempted under the Acts or otherwise publicly available: • All records created after the commencement of the Act i.e. 22 October 2001 • Such records of a non-personal nature created before that date as may be required to understand records created after the commencement of the Act
The Act also confers members of the public with the following rights: • Reasons for decisions of Institute of Technology Tallaght affecting individual members of the public. • Correction of personal information that is inaccurate, incomplete or misleading.
The following information is not covered by the Act: • Information that has already been published and is available from the Institute • Non-personal information created before commencement date – 21 April 1998 • Personal information relating to anyone other than the person requesting the information (there are some exceptions) • Sensitive information excluded by the Minister under the terms of the Act • Personal records regardless of when created.
Applications forms for use by the public, which have been prepared for their convenience when making an application under this legislation, are available from the FOI Officer, or on the Institute’s website.
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8.5.2 Freedom of Information Requests A total of thirty six FOI requests have been received by the Institute since its implementation in October 2001, with four of these requests in 2006, and seven requests in 2007. These requests are a mixture of personal requests, non-personal requests and requests that were officially withdrawn by the requester. A number of other FOI requests for general information were also received by the Institute, and in keeping with the spirit of the Acts and endeavouring to place as much information as possible in the public domain, a number of requests were dealt with outside of FOI.
Details of the functions, structure and services provided by the Institute and how they may be availed of are outlined in a guide published in accordance with Section 15 of the Act. This document, A Guide to the Structure, Functions, Services and Records of the Institute, is available from the FOI Office and also on the Institute’s website.4 In addition the website provides the following information in relation to the submission and processing of requests under FOI: • FOI at ITT Dublin • Section 15 and 16 Manuals (FOI Act) • Institute record Management Policy and Procedures • Data Protection Policy • How to Submit FOI Requests • Request Forms.
The Section 16 Reference Manual is intended as a practical guide to the services of Institute of Technology Tallaght, to assist individuals in ascertaining the information which is held by the Institute and how individuals can access it. This document is entitled A Guide to the Rules, Guidelines and Practices Governing the Activities of the Institute.
Within each School/Function of the Institute, Officers have been designated with responsibility for ensuring requests received, which relate to their particular School/Functional Area, are dealt with in an expeditious and efficient manner, having regard to the time limits imposed by the Act for the processing of requests. There is also an internal appeals procedure (Internal Review) where a request is refused on the grounds that the application falls within the exempt provisions of the Act or is otherwise invalid. FOI Decision Makers and Internal Reviewers have been appointed for the Institute by the President.
8.5.3 Role of Information Officer In 2003 the role of the Freedom of Information Officer was changed to Information Officer to reflect the broader responsibilities of the post. The Information Officer reports to the Secretary/Financial Controller and performs the following: • Formally receives and processes any FOI requests for access to information under the Acts and ensures the strict timescales enforced by the Acts are followed. • Operates and monitors the electronic FOI Request Register. • As required by Section 15 and Section 16 of the FOI Acts, the Information Officer is also responsible for updating and maintaining both manuals and ensuring manuals are available on the Institute’s website. • Provides advice and training to the Decision Makers and Internal Reviewers and also to staff. • Maintains the Institute FOI webpage and ensures that information is up-to-date.
4 http://www.it-tallaght.ie/GeneralInformation/AboutUs/FreedomofInformation/
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• Under the FOI Acts the Institute is obliged to comply with legislation and publish a Records Management and Retention Policy to ensure that the Institute manages information which it generates and receives in the course of its business in an effective and secure manner and also makes this information available to the public in response to specific requests. The Governing Body noted these policies in December 2002 and they were put on the Institute’s website. The Information Officer is responsible for maintaining the policy and Records Retention Schedule and ensures that staff are adhering to the policy and retention guidelines. • The Information Officer is also the Data Protection Liaison Officer and maintains the annual Data Protection renewal application; processes any Data Protection requests (no requests have been received by the Institute); deals with Data Protection queries from staff and students and updates the Institute’s Data Protection Policy.
The Information Officer is a member of the Institute’s of Technology FOI Network. The Network meets approximately 3 times per annum to discuss FOI issues in each of the Institutes. The Information Officer also has responsibility for the following areas:- • Preparation and completion of THAS Annual Returns • Preparation and compilation of Annual Reports • Institute SOP Log – compilation and maintenance of log5 • Web Content Management – ensures content pages of Institute website are accurate and up-to-date.
8.5.4 Development of Standard Operating Procedures The Information Officer has developed the following Standard Operating Procedures and they have all been approved by the President: • SOP Training for Decision Makers and Internal Reviewers • SOP Processing Requests by Decision Maker/Reviewer • SOP Processing FOI Requests by Information Office • SOP FOI Statistics • SOP FOI Data Protection • SOP FOI Annual Returns
8.5.5 Freedom of Information Training All Decision Makers and Reviewers have received initial FOI training. This training was provided by the FOI Officer or by FOI trainers both in-house and off-site. Training documentation is available on the Institute’s FOI webpage.
Some Decision Makers and Reviewers have attended Advanced FOI Training which is provided by CMOD. This training has been offered to all Decision Makers and Reviewers.
The Information Officer has prepared an FOI Reference Manual for Decision Makers and Reviewers and is available to assist with any FOI queries. Staff Guidelines have also been prepared by the Information Officer and are on the Institute’s FOI webpage.
5 See Chapter 12 for more information on Standard Operating Procedures in the context of Quality Assurance.
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8.6 Health, Safety & Welfare The Institute has developed a Safety Statement based on the identification of hazards, assessment of risks and the identification of controls employed to ameliorate these risks. The Safety Statement comprises a Parent Safety Statement with accompanying statements from the Schools. The Safety Statement is available in the Library and in each School office. It is being reviewed and updated currently following an audit of the Institute and its facilities by external consultants.
The Secretary/Financial Controller is the Institute’s Health, Safety and Welfare Officer. The Institute, as a matter of procedure regularly monitors various aspects of health, safety and welfare. The Health, Safety and Welfare Committee meets on average fours time per year. Membership of the Committee comprises the following: • Secretary/Financial Controller (Chairperson) • Head of Development • One nomination from each School and Support Function Health, Safety & Welfare Committee (not being a member of TMT) – a total of 6 members • Health & Safety Co-ordinator • Human Resources Manager • Students Union President and his/her nominee • Staff Representatives – one from each Trade Union (max. of 3).
A centralised and comprehensive structure was put in place in 1998 to enable the accurate recording of accidents/incidents within the Institute. The Student Health Centre Webpage provides comprehensive information on the location, staffing, opening times, functions and services offered by the Health Centre. It also provides information on local medical facilities, information on medical cards and application, and information on men’s health and women’s health topics. A Student Health Centre leaflet is also provided with information on these issues and information is also contained in the Student Handbook.
The Health Centre also prepares an Annual Report each year with information on attendance figures for the Student Health Centre, as well as the number of referrals, attendance at GP clinics, etc. This information is an important source of feedback for the Health Centre.
The main areas where accidents occur are in sports, science laboratories and catering (the class kitchen). Accident and emergency referrals have fallen in the last two years, possibly as a result of efforts to increase health and safety awareness among staff and students in the relevant areas. Students who have an injury must complete an accident/incident form and note the root cause of the accident. This is important if corrective action is to be taken to avoid future recurrence.
194 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
8.7 Promotion of Research The Institute website and all promotional documentation contain significant information on research activities, programmes and performance in specialist areas. Detailed information has been published on: • Research Centres and Specialist Areas • Innovation and Exploitation of Research • Postgraduate Research Information • Research Facilities • Research Funding • Research Strategy • Research News and Events • Resources for Research • Research Opportunities.
Details of the Research Regulations, programmes of study at Masters and Doctoral Degree levels and the postgraduate student handbook are also published on the website, which also includes contact details for potential applicants.
Academics integrate the research conducted in the Institute into the wider academic and industrial community. The Institute recognises and encourages the principle that dissemination of research outputs should be used for the greatest public benefit. The participation of staff in national and international conferences is therefore actively encouraged and supported. The value of international student and staff exchanges for the advancement of research is recognised as enhancing the research reputation of the Institute and is also facilitated.
8.7.1 Research Awareness There are a number of channels for promoting an awareness of the research activities within the Institute. At an academic level, staff and research degree students use the mechanism of internal seminar programmes to create awareness for specific areas of research activity. Details are often placed on the open research web pages. The Department of Science has been hosting an Annual Postgraduate Research One-Day Meeting since 2003 where postgraduate researchers present results to a wide target audience across the Department, which is sponsored by local industry. The School of Engineering held a Research Seminar ‘Convergence’ Day in 2005 to communicate research findings across the School.
An Institute-wide Research Symposium was held in June 2007 to foster greater research awareness and to encourage more internal collaborations across discipline areas. A number of joint seminar events have also been organised in the biomedical and applied science for health areas which have included speakers from collaborating institutions such as the AMNCH, NUI Maynooth and DCU.
In addition Schools and Departments actively encourage researchers to present at national and international conferences, and have provided financial support for some of these in the past (see Chapter 5). The Department of Mechanical Engineering hosted the 22nd International Manufacturing Conference “Challenges Facing Manufacturing” in August/September 2005 where the majority of the academic staff presented their research results. In Engineering and Science there is a particularly strong awareness of the research conducted within specific discipline areas as a large number of final year Level 8 and 9 projects are focussed on research topics. Those students gain firsthand experience on the day-to-day running of a research
195 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 8 Public Responsibility and Integrity
degree project as they are often integrated into a research group or team for the duration of their project. They are also actively encouraged to attend research seminars.
8.7.2 Promotion of Research The Development & External Services Office heads up the promotion of research activities across the Institute and to external stakeholders. It does this through the Industrial Liaison Manager and the Marketing Office predominantly. Promotional material for supervised postgraduate research is included in the general student prospectus for potential full-time applicants to taught programmes. In addition the part-time prospectus includes material on research. The Institute is committed to attracting highly motivated and academically qualified postgraduate research students to its research degree programmes. All studentship and contract research positions are advertised in the national press, and are often financed by the Institute. Research positions for larger programme-based schemes are often advertised internationally. In addition all research opportunities are published on the Institute’s website which has a dedicated section detailing the activities of Research and Innovation.6 The annual Research and Innovation Magazine and the Alumni Association Magazine also include promotional information on research.
8.7.3 Research Dissemination The dissemination of research outputs is encouraged at School and Department levels particularly in publications that are peer reviewed. The participation of staff in national and international conferences is also actively encouraged and supported. Full details on research outputs, including an analysis of performance are presented in Chapter 11 of this submission.
Within the Institute outputs from research activities have traditionally been published through the Academic Schools and Departments in Programmatic Review documentation and brochures for specific taught programmes of study. The Development and External Services Office has been collating information on Institute-wide research outputs since the TSR Strand 1 programme started in 1996. This is updated annually, in consultation with Academic Supervisors, Departments and Schools and is published as a separate document and sent to academic staff. In addition the Research and Innovation pages of the Institute’s website and on the staff and student intranet service provides some detail on outputs. The most recent collation of research outputs occurred as part of Institute submission for the 2008 TSR Strand 1 applications and the current delegated authority self-study process. The Institute hosts a number of national and international conferences on an annual basis and information on research is always included in any marketing documentation prepared for attending delegates. A list of conferences and workshops hosted by the Institute in 2005/7 is given in Table 8.4 and 8.5 respectively.7
6 http://www.it-tallaght.ie/ResearchatITTDublin/ 7 Workshops organised by the Learning and Teaching Centre are listed in Chapter 7, Section 7.1.7.
196 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Conference Title Target Audience Training for Compliance: GMP Compliance Systems National
SciFest Young Scientist Competition (annual event) Dublin/Greater Dublin Area
3rd Annual Bionet Conference: The Biotechnology Showcase National
22nd International Manufacturing Conference International
Maths and Statistics Service Teaching Community of Practice National
National Instruments Biomedical Measurement Event National
Organocatalysis, RSC joint meeting hosted by ITT, Dublin and UCD National
Chemistry and Cancer, RSC joint meeting hosted by ITT, Dublin and UCD National
Table 8.4 Conferences Hosted by the Institute 2005/8
Conference Title Target Audience Institutes of Technology Mathematics Workshop 2006
IoT Language Policy & Planning Network Workshops 2 in 2006 3 in 2007
Creating chart animations in Excel” as part of the 2008 Mathematics and Statistics Community of Practice
Table 8.5 National Workshops Hosted by the Institute 2005/8
The Institute facilitates its staff and provides support for academic book launches which is another avenue used to promote its research activities. All achievements and successes in relation to funding acquisition are notified to all staff and research students of the Institute by email. It has been recognised that an Institute-wide research magazine would enhance this awareness in the future. The first issue of a new Institute research and innovation magazine “Research and Innovation at ITT Dublin 2007” was published in 2007, and calls for articles to be included in the 2008 edition of the magazine were sent out to all researchers and staff in April 2008.
197 Part One: Operation And Management Chapter 8 Public Responsibility and Integrity
198 Part Two Education and Training Programmes
199 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes
200 Chapter 9
Taught Programme Profile
201 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
9.1 Introduction This chapter outlines the main disciplines of study within the Institute and provides a portfolio of programmes available both in full-time and part-time mode. The development of new programmes at under-graduate and post-graduate level reflects the growth and maturity of the Institute and the commitment to continuously adapt to the changing needs of learners and of society.
Key aspects of education provision within the Institute are highlighted and the strategic goals for its enhancement are discussed. A profile of the learner population at the Institute, distinguishing between full-time, continuing education and international students is also provided. The most recent registration and graduation statistics are also presented along with information on student retention.
The enhancement of learning and teaching activities is a key facet of the Institute’s mission, as stated in Strategic Goal 1 of the Strategic Plan 2005-2008. The overall aim is the provision high quality taught programmes with a practical and professional focus relevant to the needs of industry, business and society. The establishment of the Centre for Learning and Teaching (previously discussed in Chapter 7, Section 7.1.5) is a direct response to that strategic goal. The Centre assists the Academic Schools in the delivery of programmes in areas such as the: • giving direction to the enhancement of teaching and learning • evaluation of pedagogic practice related to innovation in teaching and learning.
Programmatic Reviews are undertaken in all Schools on a regular basis, as discussed in Chapter 12, Section 12.5.9.
9.2 Disciplines of Study and Programme Portfolio The Institute is organised academically into three Schools as shown in Table 9.1. Within each School there are separate Departments who are primarily responsible for monitoring and administering their own academic programmes.
Each School is managed by a Head of School with the assistance of Heads of Departments and administrative staff.
202 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
School of Business and Humanities
• Department of Accountancy and Professional Studies
• Department of Management
• Department of Marketing and Business Computing
• Department of Humanities
School of Science and Computing
• Department of Science
• Department of Computing
School of Engineering
• Department of Electronic Engineering
• Department of Mechanical Engineering
Table 9.1 Academic Schools and Departments
Some Departments encompass a wide range of discipline areas, for example: • The Department of Humanities is responsible for a broad range of courses including Languages, Audio Visual Media, Catering, Hospitality and Tourism. • The main discipline areas within the Department of Science include Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Statistics. • The Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed courses in manufacturing, mechanical and electromechanical areas.
Each School offers a range of undergraduate programmes from Higher Certificate (Level 6) to Honours Degree (Level 8) level both in full time and part time modes and postgraduate taught Masters (Level 9). As part of the process of ensuring that academic programmes within ITT Dublin reflect current and emerging knowledge, and that they meet regional and individual needs, the Institute regularly develops new programmes across the three academic schools in addition to updating existing curricula. The main mechanisms through which programmes are monitored are the Programme Boards and the Periodic Programmatic Reviews.1
Following the establishment the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) in 2003/4, the Institute reviewed all of its programmes, including course content, learning outcomes, methods of delivery and progression criteria, to ensure that they meet the standards defined in the NFQ. Furthermore all Schools undertook Programmatic Reviews.
1 Academic Quality Assurance Procedures are discussed in Chapter 12, Section 12.5.
203 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
The following tables show the range of taught educational programmes on offer under delegated authority from HETAC for the 2007/08 Academic Year in full-time and part-time mode in the Institute. The development of new programmes is discussed in Chapter 15 – Implementing Delegated Authority.
School of Engineering
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Engineering in Electronic Engineering (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Engineering in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Higher Certificate in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering Bachelor Degrees Add-on (Level 7) Bachelor of Engineering in Electronic Engineering Bachelor of Engineering in Electro-Mechanical Systems Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Technology Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Technology Honours Bachelor Two years Add-on Degrees (Level 8) Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Manufacturing Engineering Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Mechanical Engineering
School of Business and Humanities
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Business Accounting (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Marketing Higher Certificate in Business Administration Higher Certificate in Audio Visual Communications Bachelor Degrees Add-on (Level 7) Bachelor of Business in Accounting Bachelor of Business in Marketing Bachelor of Business in Management Bachelor of Business in Management Technology Bachelor of Arts in Audio Visual Media Ab-initio Bachelor Degree Bachelor of Business in Bar Management Honours Bachelor Add-on Degrees (Level 8) Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Accounting Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Marketing Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Management Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Audio Visual Media Bachelors of Science (Honours) in Management Technology Ab-intio Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Languages Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in European Studies
204 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
School of Science and Computing
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Science in Applied Biology (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Science in Applied Chemistry Higher Certificate in Science in Good Manufacturing Practice & Technology Higher Certificate in Science in Computing - Information Systems Bachelor Degrees Add-on (Level 7) Bachelor of Science in Bioanalysis Bachelor of Science in Chemical Analysis Bachelor of Science in Bio Analysis and Chemical Analysis Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Technology Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management Bachelor of Science in Computing - Information Systems Honours Bachelor Add-on Degrees (Level 8) Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Bioanalytical Science Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Chemistry Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing - Information Systems Ab initio Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Pharmaceutical Science
Table 9.2 Portfolio of Full-time Taught Programmes
School of Engineering
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Engineering in Electronic Engineering (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Engineering in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Higher Certificate in Engineering in Maintenance Technology Bachelor Degrees Higher Certificate in Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (Level 7) Add-on Bachelor of Engineering in Electronic Engineering Bachelor of Engineering in Manufacturing Engineering Honours Bachelor Two years Add-on Degrees (Level 8) Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Manufacturing Engineering Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in Electronic Engineering
205 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
School of Business and Humanities
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Business Accounting (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Marketing Higher Certificate in Business Administration Higher Certificate in Primary School Modern Language Teaching (Spanish) Bachelor Degrees Add-on (Level 7) Bachelor of Business in Accounting Bachelor of Business in Marketing Bachelor of Business in Management Bachelor of Business in Technology Management Bachelor of Arts in Audio Visual Media Ab-initio Bachelor Degree Bachelor of Business in Bar Management Honours Bachelor Add-on Degrees (Level 8) Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Accounting Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Marketing Bachelor of Business (Honours) in Management Bachelors of Science (Honours) in Technology Management Ab-intio Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Applied Languages Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in European Studies Masters Degree Master of Arts – Interactive Multimedia (Level 9)
School of Science and Computing
Higher Certificates Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice & Regulatory Affairs (Level 6) Higher Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice & Technology Higher Certificate in Science in Good Manufacturing Practice & Technology Higher Certificate in Sterile Services Technology Bachelor Degrees Add-on (Level 7) Bachelor of Science in Bio Analysis and Chemical Analysis Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Technology Bachelor of Science in Sterile Services Management Higher Diploma Higher Diploma in Pharmaceutical Production* (Level 8) Masters Degrees Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Production (Level 9) Master of Science in Distributed and Mobile Computing
* A follow-on programme for holders of a Primary Degree in Science or Engineering. Applicants should also be employed in a relevant industrial sector.
Table 9.3 Portfolio of Part-time Taught Programmes
206 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Programmes leading to FETAC awards are offered through the Department of Humanities and Electronic Engineering as listed in Table 9.4.
National Framework of Qualifications Named Award Programme Title Level and Award-type Level 6, Advanced Certificate in Tourism Advanced Certificate in Tourism Advanced Certificate & Hospitality Studies & Hospitality Studies Advanced Certificate in Advanced Certificate in Professional Cookery Professional Cookery Electrical Trades Electrical Trades Level 6
Table 9.4 Portfolio of FETAC Programmes
Title Award Certificate in Auctioneering and Estate Agency IPAV Accounting Technician IATI Cisco CNNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) Diploma in Financial Management ACCA Certificate in Production and Inventory Management IPICS Certificate in Personnel Practice CIPD Certificate in Employment Relations, Law & Practice CIPD Certificate in Supervisory Management IMI European Certification for Informatics Professionals Irish Computer Society Certificate in Management of Food Hygiene in the Hospitality Industry National Hygiene Partnership National Certificate in Professional Cookery (Apprenticeship Programme) FETAC FÁS Electrician Apprenticeship FÁS Website Construction ITT Dublin Certificate of Attendance Certificate ipav
Table 9.5 Portfolio of Professional Development Programmes
207 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
9.3 Programme Structure The Institute operates a fully modularised semester system in all Schools and Departments. The academic year is divided into two semesters and students sit examinations at the end of each semester. Students pass or fail the academic year on the basis of aggregated performance in both semesters. Assessment is primarily based on a mix of formal examination and continuous assessment. The merits of a semester system, which incorporates a strong continuous assessment component, include reduced pressure on students to perform well in a single written examination, greater continuity in learning throughout the year, and a fairer assessment of student performance, aptitudes and progress.
In keeping with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) the academic year has 60 credits available (normally, but not exclusively 30 per semester). Full-time students must accumulate 60 credits to pass in a given academic year, in addition to having a Grade Point Average (GPA) greater than or equal to 2.00 in each semester and no F grades. Student performance is represented by the Grade Point Average (GPA) system whereby the GPA values that students acquire determine the level of their award. Table 9.6 shows the awards classification and GPA thresholds which are took effect from 1st September 2005.2
Award Level GPA Value
Pass Certificate/Diploma 2.0 Pass Degree Merit II Certificate/Diploma 2.5 2.2 Honours Degree Merit I Certificate/Diploma 3.00 2.1 Honours Degree Distinction Certificate/Diploma 1.1 Honours Degree 3.25
Table 9.6 Award Classification Categories
The grading system used to reflect student performance in individual course modules and the equivalent percentage bands for examination grades are shown in Table 9.7 below.
Grade Percentage Band Grade Point Value
A ≥80 4.0 B+ 70<80 3.5 B 60<70 3.0 B- 55<60 2.75 C+ 50<55 2.5 C 40<50 2.0 D ≥35 but <40 1.5 F <35 0
Table 9.7 Grade Point Values
2 Available to all staff in the Institute Marks and Standards Document.
208 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
9.3.1 Routes to Award HETAC and the Institute of Technology Sector pioneered the development of a flexible ladder system whereby students can progress from two-year Higher Certificates to add-on Ordinary Bachelor Degrees and Honours Degrees. Unlike the ab initio degree system, students have the option to take time out to work or pursue other activities at the end of year 2 or year 3, having achieved a recognised award. The Ladder system of two year Higher Certificate programmes with progression to add-on Ordinary Bachelor Degree and Honours Degree programmes is the most popular entry route for applicants to the Institute. The introduction of ab initio Ordinary and Honours Degrees, in keeping with the Bologna process, is a more recent development and it is expected that there will be continued demand for both types of provision to degree level in the future.
A number of programmes have embedded awards, for example some students can graduate with a Level 6 or 7 award though originally registered for a Level 8 ab initio programme.
Minor and special purpose awards are also facilitated, particularly for part-time programmes. Table 9.8 provides a list of the Minor and Special Purpose programmes that have been validated to date.3
Department Programme Title Award Type Computing Certificate in Web Design, Development and Maintenance Special Purpose Award Computing Certificate in Network Management with Wireless Networking Special Purpose Award Computing Certificate in Java Development Special Purpose Award Science Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice & Regulatory Affairs Minor Award Science Certificate in Good Manufacturing Practice & Technology Minor Award
Table 9.8 Validated Minor Award/Special Purpose Programmes
All modules on Institute part-time programmes4 are available to learners through the Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects Scheme (ACCS). All ACCS programmes are broken down into modules i.e. single subjects taken over a semester. Each module successfully completed gains a number of credits for the student. On successful completion of a module, learners receive single subject accreditation, accumulating credits toward an overall award.
The Institute’s ACCS programmes replicate much of the full-time HETAC programmes in part-time mode, with participants attending the Institute during weekday evenings. Participants may also attend modules during the day-time if they wish. All of the Institute’s programmes comprise separate modules and a part-time student is free to study some or all available modules of a programme. This offers considerable flexibility and facilitates access to students who may wish to combine study with work and/or family and social commitments.
3 Chapter 15, Section 15.5 has the listing for new minor and special purpose awards as recommended by Academic Council. 4 All HETAC and FETAC programmes.
209 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
9.3.2 Collaborative Programmes The Institute has been proactive in the development of several types of educational programme ventures, such as:
Collaborative Programmes which are through partnership with national professional bodies, national and international third level institutes and industry. The majority of collaborative programmes arises within the School of Business and Humanities and are managed by the Department of Accounting and Professional Studies. This Department manages the delivery of programmes leading to the awards of Professional Institutes, such as the Irish Management Institute (IMI), the Institute of Accounting Technicians in Ireland (IATI), the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD) and the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV).5
Cross-faculty Co-operation in Education Provision with Industrial Involvement: This is an important feature of Institute programmes. Examples of cross-faculty co-operation in education provision, which have involved collaboration with industry over the past 5 years, are:
• BSc. in Pharmaceutical Science: This was developed through the involvement of a Pharmaceutical Education board, with industrial input, chaired by a member of senior management at Wyeth Biopharma.
• Intel People Management Programme: The Diploma in People Management (now the Bachelor of Business Ordinary Degree in People Management) is a programme that was developed in collaboration with Intel and the Irish Business Employers Confederation (IBEC). This programme is no longer running.
•The Bachelor of Arts Degree (Ordinary) in Technology Management and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Technology Management. These programmes are offered by the Department of Management and the Department of Engineering.
•The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Programme. This course, which has a strong practical focus, is offered by the Department of Computing and the Department of Electronic Engineering. It is validated by the networking solutions company, CISCO Systems Incorporated, the world leader in computer networking solutions. The Institute is an official Cisco Local Academy and has been certified by Cisco to offer courses of study leading to CCNA certification. While the CCNA programme prepares students to take CCNA certification examinations, graduates may also receive single subject certification enabling them to gain exemption from programmes in both of these departments.
•The Higher Certificate Programme in Safety & Health at Work. The Department of Science collaborates with UCD in the delivery of a Higher Certificate programme in Safety & Health at Work. The Institute is a tutorial centre for this programme, which is delivered in distance mode by UCD.
•A Higher Certificate in Bio and Pharmaceutical Analysis was recently developed and approved for employees of Wyeth Biopharma.
5 A total of 371 students are enrolled on the Professional Institute Programmes for the 2007/8 academic year.
210 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
International collaboration: In addition to international collaboration with other third level institutions under the EU Socrates Programme, the Institute has established a strong partnership with a US university, The Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken. The Institute of Technology Tallaght recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Stevens Institute to form the International Centre for Pharmaceutical Education (ICPE) to deliver programmes in distance mode to pharmaceutical companies on a world wide basis. The initial goal is to deliver distance programs in New Jersey area, then expand within the US, before launching onto a world wide market. The development of the first pilot programs is underway. These programs will be delivered in the US using Stevens Institute of Technology established Web Campus distance education platform.
The Institute is at an advanced stage in negotiating franchise and articulation opportunities in the Pharmaceutical Science and Engineering areas with Higher Education Institutions in China, including:
Nanjing University of Technology – This is a large university with engineering as its primary focus. The University was established by merging the Nanjing University of Chemical Technology and the Nanjing Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering. The University has nineteen colleges with 26,000 students including almost 3,000 PhD and Master Degree candidates. In total there are 2,200 faculties within these disciplines which cater for fifty five Master Degree programmes, sixty undergraduate programmes and twenty three PhD programmes in discipline specific programmes. Currently there are approximately 2,200 faculty and lecturing staff. Of these, 550 are full or associate professors. A number of these professors are members of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Engineering. Within the Institute there would be approximately sixty PhD supervisors with an additional four hundred supervisors of students pursuing Masters’ Degrees by research.
9.4 Student Numbers and Demographics The student population has grown four fold (Figure 9.1) since the Institute first opened its doors, from 969 in 1992 to 3979 in 2007.
Total numbers reached a peak in 2001, rising to 4093 (full-time and part-time). The total enrolment that year exceeded capacity figures (in terms of facilities and support service provision) primarily due to the admission of a larger cohort of students to programmes in the Business School. This had a knock-on effect for the next 3 years in that the first year intake in that School was capped slightly to accommodate the increased numbers in subsequent years of those programmes. The total number has effectively averaged out at approximately 3500 since then, though a slight decline was noted in the 2005/6 academic year. This was primarily due to a slight fall in full-time rather than part-time numbers.
The Institute is committed to life long learning and the rapid growth in the number of part-time students especially during the initial years is quite impressive. In 1996/7 the number of students on the part-time programmes matched the number of students on the full-time programmes. There was a slight fall in student numbers from 2002/3 to 2005/6. The Continuing Education Programme is organised on a self-financing basis and in 2002/3 and 2003/4 some part-time programmes were ceased because they were not financially viable. However, with the opening of the Part-time Office and the appointment of a Head of Lifelong Learning in 2006, numbers have begun to increase again. The growth and trend in enrolments to research degree programmes is discussed in Chapter 10.
211 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
4500 4000 3500 3000 3000 2500 2000
No. of Students 1500 1000 500 0 1992/3 1993/4 1994/5 1995/6 1996/7 1997/8 1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 Academic Year Full Time Part Time Total
Department Full-time Part-time Total 1992/3 1589 380 969 1993/4 1032 610 1642 1994/5 1344 934 2278 1995/6 1428 1200 2628 1996/7 1484 1500 2984 1997/8 1553 1509 3062 1998/9 1793 1274 3067 1999/0 2045 1471 3516 2000/1 2302 1598 3900 2001/2 2367 1726 4093 2002/3 2482 1465 3947 2003/4 2395 1213 3608 2004/5 2476 1111 3587 2005/6 2297 1181 3478 2006/7 2317 1557 3874 2007/8 2292 1687 3979
Figure 9.1 Institute Student Numbers 1992/03 to 2007/08
212 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
A comprehensive analysis of the learner profile with trends by year, Department and mode of study formed a significant part of the Institute Self-Evaluation Report for Delegated Authority to Level 9 (Taught).6 Statistics for the current academic year are presented below.
There are currently in excess of 3,900 students undertaking a range of taught programmes in full time and part-time mode and through industrial professional programmes. Student enrolment (taught programmes) details for the 2007/8 academic year are presented in Tables 9.8. Overall, the gender balance within the Institute has remained relatively constant at 60% male and 40% female approximately, as shown in Figure 9.2.
Full-time Part-time Total
2292 1687 3979 Male Female Male Female Male Female 1367 925 1002 685 2369 1610
60
50
40 Male
% 30
20 Female
10
0 1998/9 2003/4 2007/8 Figure 9.2 Institute Numbers by Gender
The students are distributed between the core Academic Schools as outlined in Table 9.9, with 59% registered on programmes in Business & Humanities, including 437 registered on professional institute programmes and another 78 registered on Failte Ireland programmes. A total of 88 students are registered in Electronic Engineering as apprentices on Electrical Trades programmes.
6 Full-time and part-time evaluations are discussed in Chapters 6 and 7 respectively. Examination data, including yearly completion rates, is included for each of the Institute’s Departments. Learner registration data and trends in CAO applications were also analysed.
213 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
School Full-time Part-time Total
Science & Computing 464 407 871 Engineering 398 351 749 Business & Humanities 1430 929 2359 Total 2292 1687 3979
Table 9.9 Student Enrolment for the Institute 2007/8 by School7
The part-time figures refer to students registered on programmes up to and including Honours Bachelors (Level 8) predominantly. The data presented in Figure 9.3 show that by far the most students have registered for Level 7 Degree programmes in full-time mode.
1200
1000
800 Full Time
600
400 Part Time No. of Students
200
0 L6 L7 L8 L9
Programme Level
Figure 9.3 Breakdown of students registered on taught programmes 2007/8
A total of 47 students are registered on Level 9 taught Masters Degrees in the School of Science and Computing, as follows: • MSc in Mobile and Distributed Computing 21 students • MSc in Pharmaceutical Production 26 students.
The breakdown of students registered on taught programmes in full-time mode by year of study is given in Table 9.10. Honours Degrees (Level 8) in Engineering are 5 year programmes. First year students account for 39% of the total full-time student population.
7 Figures taken from Banner on the March 08 census date.
214 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Year Business & Engineering Science & Total Humanities Computing 1 516 135 186 837 2 275 82 125 482 3 329 93 91 513 4 232 40 62 334 5 48 48
Table 9.10 Breakdown by Year of Study (Full-time)
9.5 Learner Diversity The profile and background of students attending the Institute has changed over the years due to a combination of factors, including an increase in the number of non-traditional students attending the Institute; increased participation by international learners with different cultural and educational backgrounds; and the prevalence of a mixture of abilities and achievements in prior education.
Figures provided from the 2007/2008 academic year show that 63 % of the Institute’s students (full-time and part-time) enrolled in taught programmes live within its primary catchment area of South County Dublin. The majority of SDC applicants live in the Dublin 24 (Tallaght) postal district.
The figures also show that over 32 % of students come from within the combined Dublin Metropolitan & Greater Dublin Areas (which includes County Kildare, Meath and Wicklow) reflecting the regional nature of the student intake.
Dublin 24 7% 5% 1% Dublin 22 3% Dublin 12 Dublin 10 25% Dublin 16 14% Dublin 14 Dublin 8 Dublin 20 4% Dublin 6W 4% Co. Dublin 1% 9% Other Dublin 2% Co. Wicklow 3% Co. Meath 9% 10% 3% Co. Kildare Other Nation
Figure 9.4 Student Demographics (2007/08) by Postal District
215 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
There is a focus on increasing access by mature students, students with disabilities, students from disadvantaged backgrounds and international students. The Institute has contributed greatly to extending educational opportunities to people within its immediate catchment area. It has also initiated a variety of initiatives to improve access to education at School and Department level and through the Institute’s Access Office.8 The age profile of students registered for 2007/08 is given in Figure 9.5.
1% 0% 6% 3% 3% 16 30% 1% 17 1% 18 3% 19 5% 20 21 22 23 13% 24 25-30 30-40 34% Over 40
Figure 9.5 Age profile of registered students 2007/08
The Institute’s success in promoting access through these initiatives was evaluated by The Review of Higher Education Participation in 2003, (HEA, 2005). It found that between 1998 and 2003, admission rates from designated areas in Tallaght increased by 10%, from 26% to 36%. This is a testimony to the institute’s proactive response to educational disadvantage in its region. However, social disadvantage is a multi-faceted phenomenon and a major challenge to the Institute in the coming decade is the alleviation of social and educational disadvantage in some parts of the County. The educational needs of the local population are diverse and with the recent rapid physical and demographic expansion of the county, the educational needs of local communities are increasing rather than decreasing. The Institute plans to make a major contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of South Dublin County and its surrounding region over the coming decade by improving the range of educational facilities at the Institute; channeling increased resources into research, development and innovation; and increasing interaction with local community and business organisations so as to develop state-of-the-art programmes.
9.6 Student Recruitment It is the policy of the Institute that entry requirements are fair, consistent and transparent, and that all learners should be satisfied that they have been treated justly. Arrangements are in place to ensure equal opportunity, in compliance with equality legislation.
The Institute uses the Central Applications Office (CAO) System to offer applicants places on all Institute approved (under delegation of authority from HETAC) Higher Certificate and on ab-initio Ordinary and Honours Degree programmes. The majority of CAO applicants are standard applicants who have completed the Leaving Certificate examinations. The Institute also has a number of other admission routes to taught programmes of study. The admission routes for entry to academic programmes are given in Figure 9.5.
8 Refer to Chapter 7, Section 7.1.
216 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
CAO Leaving Certificate Applicants Advanced entry/Previous third level
Failte Ireland IOTCEF ITT Mature Direct Admissions Dublin Disability Courses Access Programmes (ACE\CHEAP)
Other/Non Standard Applicants Other Access Programmes
FETAC General Certificate of Education (GCE)
Figure 9.6 Admission Routes
The CAO admissions process deals with entry to all first year courses (with the exception of Fáilte Ireland) and includes EU and non-EU nationals (who present with school leaving certificate or equivalent qualifications), mature applicants and applicants with a disability. Offers of places are made each year in August and applicants are offered places on the basis of points achieved in the Leaving Certificate or equivalent examination. The Senior Management team fo the Institute, in consultation with Academic Management, decides on potential numbers to be admitted to programmes. Minimum entry points are set for each programme and places are offered accordingly.
Using the agreed minimum entrance requirements for Level 6, 7 and 8 courses, the CAO applies the nationally agreed scoring system for the GCE and converts grades into points. Offers of places are made each year in August with standard leaving certificate applicants through the CAO.
The recent CAO statistics indicate that Level 8 applications for the 2008/9 academic year are up by 63% on 2007, with first preferences up by 45% (Table 9.11). Level 6/7 applications are down slightly by 34%, which may be due to the fact that some programmes have not been offered for the next academic year.
Applications 2008 Applications 2007
Level No. P1 P2 Level No. P1 P2 Level 8 2410 351 319 Level 8 1478 242 189 Level 6/7 4851 909 853 Level 6/7 6505 1119 1146 Total 7261 1260 1172 Total 7983 1361 1123
Table 9.11 CAO Application Statistics
217 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
Direct entry admissions are facilitated for years subsequent to year one. This would include ERASMUS student applicants. The admission of part-time students is carried out by the Part-time Office, which is managed by the head of Lifelong Learning.9
The Institute of Technology sector is experiencing an increasing number of applications from non-nationals. Following a proposal from the Institute in 2000, the Institute of Technology sector agreed to set up a Central Evaluation Forum (IOTCEF) for applicants presenting with other European school leaving qualifications and applicants from the rest of the world. The purpose of the IOTCEF is to provide a central scoring system for applicants presenting with school leaving qualifications other than Irish Leaving Certificate and to provide an open and transparent process to determine the minimum level of points, which equate with their performance in their school leaving examination of their country. Staff from the Institute are actively involved in the Forum and the range of countries covered in the scheme has increased from 54 in 2002 to 103 in 2005. The Institute implements the score determined by the IOTCEF and offers of places are made in line with this system.
Following an initiative approved by Academic Council, the Institute facilitates access to higher education by students from local disadvantaged areas. Two places are set aside for students who do not meet the minimum points set for the programme in each of the six schools that participate in the Institute’s access programmes (ACE and CHEAP).10 These places are subject to each student achieving a specific predetermined level of points in the Leaving Certificate examination in addition to satisfying any special course requirements. Students are admitted through the CAO process.
Following an initiative approved by Academic Council a number of places on engineering courses are offered to students who successfully complete agreed post- leaving certificate programmes (PLC) in two local colleges. The programmes are monitored and externed by staff from the School of Engineering and places are offered to successful applicants through the CAO.
The Higher Education Links Scheme enables students who have received a FETAC level 5/6 award to apply for a place in a higher education institution. The Institute reserves a quota of 10% of places on Higher Certificate and ab initio Ordinary Degree courses, for applicants presenting with FETAC level 5/6 awards. FETAC applicants are assessed separately from all other applicants. Applicants must have obtained a full level 5/6 award and are scored by the CAO in accordance with an agreed national agreed scoring system for the calculation of points. Some courses require specific awards and details are shown in the full time prospectus or in the FETAC Guide to the Higher Education Links Scheme (2003). In recent years the quota of 10% has been achieved in Business and Audio Visual Media programmes, but not in Science, Engineering or Computing programmes.
The Institute reserves a minimum of two places on each programme for applicants who have a disability and do not meet the minimum entry point requirements. These candidates may not be required to meet the minimum entry points for an individual programme in a particular year. Applicants with disabilities are advised to inform the Institute, by ticking the relevant box on page one of the CAO application form. The CAO then contacts the applicant to obtain further details and then supplies these details to the Institute, to allow the Institute to make provision for an adequate level of supporting services should the applicant gain a place. Applicants with disabilities are advised to visit the Institute prior to the CAO offer round to determine what facilities are available.11
9 See Chapter 7, Section 7.1.8 for more information 10 These initiatives were discussed in Chapter 7, Section 7.1 and fall under the remit of the Access Officer. 11 Access initiatives for students with disabilities and/or specific learning difficulties were considered in Chapter 7.
218 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Admission to Fáilte Ireland courses is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding formalising the consortium agreement between Institutes of Technology and Fáilte Ireland, in relation to their individual roles and responsibilities in providing higher education and training programmes to meet the needs of the hospitality industry in Ireland. Applicants for Fáilte Ireland courses apply directly to Fáilte Ireland (and not to the CAO). The Institute is subsequently advised of the applicants to be admitted.
The Institute reserves up to 10% of places for mature students12 who do not meet the minimum entry point requirements. Mature applicants may not be required to meet the minimum entry requirements specified for standard applicants. Applicants are considered on their merits, taking into account work and life experience and are judged on their individual merits i.e. their suitability for higher education and not for a specific course application. Offers of places are made in the first round of offers along with standard applicants.
No-standard applicants with grades from an acceptable alternative examination to the Leaving Certificate (e.g. Matriculation, Senior Certificate) can be considered for entry to the Institute.
Table 9.12 shows some of the main schools from which the Institute received students in 2007, indicating the number of students who accepted places at the Institute and the percentage of the leaving certificate cohort in the school that they represent.
A high percentage of students from local schools in the immediate catchment areas of Tallaght and Clondalkin accept places at the Institute. The Institute also receives a high percentage of leaving certificate students from Templeogue College and Terenure College. Table 9.12 represents those schools who placed ITT Dublin as the college of first choice for 2007. A significant number of students from some of the private colleges, including Bruce College, Belvedere College and Stratford College, also attend the Institute. Therefore, from a socio-economic perspective, the student population is quite diverse.
12 A mature applicant is defined as a person who, by January 1st of the year s/he seeks admission, has reached the age of 23 years.
219 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
No. Students who sat Total % who went No. who accepted School District Leaving Certificate to 3rd Level at HEI places at ITT Dublin
125 48 25 St. Marks Community School, Dublin 24 Tallaght. 31 55 7 Colaiste De Hide Dublin 24 129 51 19 Colaiste Bride, Clondalkin. Dublin 22 63 60 4 Colaiste Cillian, Clondalkin Dublin 22 109 50 17 Moyle Park College, Dublin 22 Clondalkin. 66 76 25 Firhouse Community School, Dublin 24 Tallaght. 99 46 24 Mean Scoil Iongaid Ris Dublin 12 - - - Rathmines College, Dublin 6 Rathmines 110 52 29 Old Bawn Community Dublin 24 School, Tallaght. 95 85 29 Templeogue College, Dublin 6W Dublin 6W. 107 83 20 St. Mac Daras Dublin 6W 91 101 24 Terenure College Dublin 6W 68 50 15 Community School, Tallaght. Dublin 24 97 59 11 St. Pauls Secondary School, Dublin 12 Greenhills, D6W. 73 38 19 St. Johns College Dublin 10 38 63 13 Ballinteer Community School Dublin 16 95 86 19 Knocklyon Community School Dublin 16 60 20 8 KillinardenCommunity Dublin 24 School, Tallaght. 13 69 4 Rockbrook Dublin 16 35 37 19 Jobstown Community Dublin 24 College, Tallaght 45 33 12 Collinstown Park, Dublin 22 Clondalkin. 33 24 6 St. Aidan’s Community Dublin 24 School, Brookfield, Tallaght. 101 43 3 Rathcoole Dublin 24 34 29 6 St. Kevins Dublin 22 50 20 4 Deabsrath Dublin 22 46 20 7 Synge St. Dublin 8
Source: Information derived from the “Who Went to College in 2007”Published by the Irish Times Dec.2007
220 Table 9.12 Recruitment from Local Schools 2007/8 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
9.7 Transfer and Progression The Institute has the following transfer and progression arrangements in place to facilitate (i) entry at years other than year one (ii) admission of applicants from other third level institutions, (ii) progression to add-on ordinary and honours degrees by continuing students and (iii) for transfer from the Masters to the Doctoral Degree register (Chapter 10).
Direct admissions to Add-On Ordinary Degrees and Honours Degrees Entry to add on Ordinary and Honours degrees in the ladder system is managed by the Institute in line with an established policy. Typically this is done on the basis of ranking applicants on the basis of their Grade Point Average (GPA) in their previous qualification. Heads of Department examine and assess applications and recommend offers of places. The Registrars Office then offers places and makes the appropriate fee decisions. The majority of such applicants are students of the Institute wishing to continue their studies. The Institute publishes criteria for admission to add on programmes in the student handbook and on the Institute’s website. Press advertisements, notice boards and emails inform applicants of the courses available, the application process and deadlines applying.
Registrations from 2007 to add-on programmes and Honours Degrees are done online. The Institute is to first in the sector to provide online registrations of this kind.
9.7.1 Transfer Arrangements: Taught Programmes
Advanced Entry to years other than Year one Applicants with previous third level attainment apply directly to the Institute. Heads of Department assess applications and make recommendations with regard to admission. Based on these recommendations, the Registrars Office offers places to applicants and makes the appropriate fee decisions.
ERASMUS Students The Institute has developed co-operation with more than 30 higher education institutions throughout Europe. Interested students apply through the International Office to join Institute programmes for a semester or a year. A handbook is provided for Erasmus students and a special induction course is organised in conjunction with the International Office. The process and induction is reviewed at regular intervals and improvements in processes and procedures made accordingly.
9.7.2 Progression Arrangements
Taught Programmes: Progression Criteria For progression from a Higher Certificate to an Ordinary Degree programme a student must have achieved a pass in the Higher Certificate, or hold an equivalent qualification. Where places on degree programmes are limited, they are offered on an ‘order of merit basis’. Places on Honours Degree programmes may also be limited. In general, admission to Honours Degree courses (one year add on to the Ordinary Degree), is restricted to students who have achieved a Pass in an appropriate Ordinary Degree Course. However, in the case of Engineering (2 years add on to Ordinary Degree), the minimum requirement for progression is a GPA of 2.75 and an average B grade in Mathematics at Ordinary Degree level or an equivalent Mathematics standard.
221 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
All modules on Institute part-time programmes13 are available to learners through the Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects Scheme (ACCS). All ACCS programmes are broken down into modules i.e. single subjects taken over a semester. Each module successfully completed gains a number of credits for the student. On successful completion of a module, learners receive single subject accreditation, accumulating credits toward an overall award.
The Institute’s ACCS programmes replicate much of the full-time HETAC programmes in part-time mode, with participants attending the Institute during weekday evenings. Participants may also attend modules during the day-time if they wish. All of the Institute’s HETAC programmes comprise separate modules and a HETAC part-time student is free to study some or all available modules of a programme. This offers considerable flexibility and facilitates access to students who may wish to combine study with work and/or family and social commitments.
9.8 Completion Rates A sector wide study, published in May 2006 on Completion Rates for Students Taking Full-time Programmes of Study in the Institutes of Technology showed that for this Institute: • Completion rates rose from 54.3% to 77% in six years from 1999 to 2004. This is greater than the national average 75%. • Certificate and diploma completions rose 25% above previously reported OECD sector figures.14 • Degree level completion rates rose to 94% in 2004, which is 18% above the OECD sector mean.
The study was based on the three years of graduation 2002, 2003 and 2004. ITT Dublin statistics and comparison with the national average is shown in Table 9.13.
2002 2003 2004
Level Level All Level Level All Level Level All 6/7 8 6/7 8 6/7 8 National Averages 69.4 87.7 73.3 70.0 86.8 74.5 70.4 87.4 74.8 ITT Dublin 76.6 91.5 79.6 75.8 105.3* 81.5 72.0 93.7 77.0
* The 105.3% arises because of student transfers from other courses in an Institute, or from other Institutions. Table 9.13 Percentage Completion Rates (weighted) 2002 – 2004
13 All HETAC and FETAC programmes. 14 From data reported most recently by the OECD in 2005.
222 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The most significant fall out is seen in first year and the report found that improvements in retention were related to the efforts made by Institutes in supporting “at risk” students. The establishment of the Learning Support Unit has been highly effective in recent years here at this Institute, along with other interventions and supports previously discussed in Chapter 7 – Learner Supports and Services. The most significant interventions include: • Working with Guidance Councilors at second-level to ensure greater awareness and information before entry to third-level; • School visits and information sessions; • Orientation programmes for all years, including first years; • Staff training in teaching and learning skills and staff consultation on student progress; • Student attendance monitoring; • Extra tuition for students experiencing learning difficulties.
A comprehensive analysis of retention and completion rates was included in the Taught Delegated Authority submission.15 It showed that approximate average yearly completion rates for the various examinations are Year One (67.8%), National Certificate Award (84.3%), National Diploma (Bachelors Level 7 Degree) Award (86.4%) and Honours Bachelors (Level 8) Degree (93.8%).16 As a general trend, completion rates are lower in first year, however, as students progress to Certificate to Degree levels, completion rates improve, with the highest yearly completion rate at Honours Degree level.
15 Chapter 6, Section 6.11 of Delegated Authority Self-Evaluation Report, Feb. 2006. 16 This is based on the average completion rates (over six years) of the different departments. Refer to the final column in the table below Figure 6.15, Section 6.11 in reference 15 above.
223 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
224 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 9 Taught Programme Profile
224 Chapter 10
Research Degree Enrolments and Graduates
225 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
Chapter 10 Research Degree Enrolments and Graduates
Extensive data has been compiled on the scale of the Institute’s research activities across all Departments, for the purposes of the accreditation to maintain a research degree register and delegated authority submissions. This chapter sets out to evaluate the Institute’s research degree programmes under the following headings: • Postgraduate Enrolments • Graduation Numbers.
The results of postgraduate research have also informed a number of teaching programmes in the Schools of Engineering and Science & Computing. Hence, the impact of research on the Institute’s taught programmes is also discussed.
There is a significant amount of research being conducted in the area of teaching and learning at the Institute which has led to a number of important outputs in recent years. Much of this work falls under the area of educational research and it has helped enhance best practice in the teaching and learning cycle in a number of areas here in recent years. A summary of this type of research activity is also included.
10.1 Postgraduate Enrolments A cumulative total of 222 students have been admitted to the research degree register leading to postgraduate award to date. The Institute has experienced a steady growth in the number of research students particularly over the last five years. The growth in the number of students registered on research degree programmes in the Institute over a 10 year period to 2007/2008 is shown in Figure 10.1.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0 No. of Students on Live RDP Register 1994/5 1995/6 1996/7 1997/8 1998/9 1999/0 2000/1 2001/2 2002/3 2003/4 2004/5 2005/6 2006/7 2007/8 Academic Year Figure 10.1 Live Register Data for Students Registered on Research Degree Programmes
226 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The numbers have risen from 11 in 1997 to 80 in 2007/8. This is directly related to the increase in the number of external funding awards secured for postgraduate research projects. Calls for research funding are normally cyclical and take place over the whole year. Hence, recruitment does not take always place at the start of the academic year. Studentship posts are filled on an ongoing basis throughout the year. So by the end of the 2007/8 academic year 12 more candidates will have begun their postgraduate research, pending a successful outcome to the recruitment drives currently in progress and their admission to the research degree register.
The most recent information published by HETAC placed ITT Dublin 3rd within the IoT sector, after the largest colleges CIT and WIT (Table 10.1). Doctoral degree students account for 20% of the total number of 618 learners currently registered in the Institute Sector. ITT Dublin postgraduate researchers account for 13% of the total figure. This data was published by HETAC on 16/01/2008. At ITT Dublin 22% of those currently registered for research degrees are on the PhD register.
Institute Name Masters PhD Total
Athlone Institute of Technology 38 5 43 Institute of Technology Blanchardstown 12 2 14 Institute of Technology Carlow 19 14 33 Cork Institute of Technology 96 29 125 Dundalk Institute of Technology 26 4 30 Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology 70 5 75 IADT DunLaoghaire 10 10 Institute of Technology Sligo 25 7 32 Institute of Technology Tallaght 61 17 78 Institute of Technology Tralee 21 5 26 Letterkenny Institute of Technology 9 2 11 Limerick Institute of Technology 18 3 21 Waterford Institute of Technology 91 29 120 Total 496 122 618
Table 10.1 Registration Status of Institute Sector Research Learners
10.1.1 Historical Information New enrolments have shown a steady increase since 1993 as shown in Figures 10.2. The peak in registrations for 1996 was directly related to the attainment of the first Technological Sector Research (TSR) Strand I awards in that year. The upsurge in enrolments from 2001 to 2003 was due to the amount of high level funding secured through programme-based rather than project-based mechanisms, specifically through the PRTLI and TSR Strand III collaborative ventures. This allowed for a number of students to work in a particular thematic area and set up the framework for the establishment of critical mass in targeted areas.
227 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
In 2004 a lot of effort was expended on unsuccessful applications to the SFI/IRCSET Basic Research Grants Scheme, with the result that fewer applications were made to other programmes. In addition, the Institute did not secure programme-based funding that year. The majority of the projects funded were under Strand I that year. The call for this scheme was late in the academic year therefore most of these studentships were not filled until the first half of 2005. This is responsible in part for the increase in the 2005 enrolment figure.
35
30
25
20
15
10 No. of New Admissions
5
0 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year Figure 10.2 Trends in New Admissions to Research Degree Programmes
The slight decline in 2007 is due to the fact that limitations in physical resources in Science meant less funding applications were submitted to TSR Strand 1 programmes. The 2007 figure can be augmented by the 9 students who transferred to the PhD register. In addition recruitment drives are still in progress for new students to work on the 2007 Strand 3 and PRTLI funded projects (see Section 10.1.3 for more information).
The breakdown of Masters enrolments by award shows that the greatest number of students registered initially for research degree programmes leading to M.Sc. (Figure 10.3).
20 18 16 14 MSc 12 10 MEng 8
No. of Students 6 MA 4 2 0 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Year of Admission Figure 10.3 New Admissions to Masters by Research 1994 - 2007
228 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Table 10.2 presents the breakdown of Masters enrolments by Department and shows the greatest number to have been in Science, though in recent years numbers have risen significantly in Humanities and Mechanical Engineering.
Department No. of Admissions
Humanities 13 Electronic Engineering 22 Mechanical Engineering 21 Computing 25 Science 111
Table 10.2 Masters (Research) Admissions by Department 1994 - 2007
The first admission to the PhD register via the transfer route from Masters was in 1998, with 28 between 2003 and 2007. This is in accordance with the Institute regulations which requires all candidates to register for Masters Award on entry unless they already hold a Masters by Research. In 2007 over 32% of the total number of registered Masters Students successfully transferred to the Doctoral Degree register. An analysis of admissions to PhD degrees is presented in Figures 10.4 and 10.5.
9
8
7
6 Direct Admission 5
4 Transfer from Masters 3 No. of Students 2 Total PhD
1
0 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006
Year of Admission Figure 10.4 New Admissions to PhD 1994 – 2007
229 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
24%
Direct Admission
Transfer Route
76%
Figure 10.5 Admission Routes to PhD
The majority of admissions to PhD have been in Science as shown in Table 10.3 which presents detail on PhD admissions by School and Department.
Department No. of PhD Admissions
Direct Transfer Humanities 1 Electronic Engineering 1 Mechanical Engineering 1 Science 9 29 • Biology 6 8 • Chemistry 2 21 • Mathematics 1
Table 10.3 PhD Admissions by Department
The following diagram (Figure 10.6) shows the growth in supervised research studies by School since 1993. It demonstrates that growth has been experienced across all schools. The most notable growth has been in Science enrolments, indicative of the funding secured by that Academic School.
120
100
80 1994-1999
60 1998-2001
40 No. of Students 2002-2007 20
0 Science & Computing Engineering Business & Humaities
Year of Admission Figure 10.6 Trends in Enrolments across Schools 1994 - 2007
230 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The first enrolment to Engineering took place in 1994. Growth has been significant particularly since 2001. The first enrolments for research masters degrees in the School of Business & Humanities took place in 2001 in the Department of Humanities. Within the School of Science and Computing, the majority of registrations were for research programmes in Science, again most notably in Biology and Chemistry, with admissions to Computing accounting for 18% of the total number (Table 10.2).
10.1.2 Current Live Register Records from the Registrar’s Office show there were 64 students registered for Masters and 16 students registered for PhD qualifications by research for the 2007/8 academic year. These students are undertaking supervised research study on a full time basis predominantly, and are at various stages of completion. There are currently 4 students enrolled in part-time mode. The figures presented in Table 10.4 which show the breakdown of registered students between Departments and Schools for the 2007/8 academic year. Appendix 8 shows the complete list of current research degree projects with details of students and supervisors.
School/Department Masters Students Registered PhD Students Registered
School of Business & Humanities 7 2 Humanities 7 2 School of Engineering 16 1 Electronic Engineering 7 Mechanical Engineering 9 1 School of Science & Computing 42 13 Science 38 13 Computing Science 3 Institute Total 64 16
Table 10.4 Details on the 2007/8 Register for Research Degree Programmes
The majority of those students currently registered have studentship grants from a variety of funding agencies as shown in Table 10.5. A total of 7 students are self-funded, primarily in Computing and Humanities. In addition the Institute is supporting 4 members of staff in their research studies.
Funding Source Engineering Business & Humanities Science & Computing
Institute PhD Continuation Funding 5 TSRI Strand 1 5 5 24 TSRI Strand 3 1 3 Embark (IRCSET) 2 3 HEA PRTLI 1 1 Enterprise Ireland (AREP) 1 AMNCH 1 Industry 1 IMP 1
Table 10.5 Analysis of Funding of Current Postgraduate Students by School 231 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
10.1.3 New Enrolments and Future Trends The number of postgraduate students on the live register for research degree programmes is set to increase further before the end of the current academic year. New recruitment drives are currently in progress to fill studentship posts as a result of recent successes in securing HEA PRTLI funding for new postgraduate research projects – 1 in Mechanical Engineering, 3 in Chemistry and 5 in Biology. An additional Biology PhD project is to be funded by the Institute as part of its commitment to support the SFI Stokes Fellowship in that area. Two PhD candidates are also being recruited for TSR Strand 3 projects in Biology.
Looking ahead to 2008/9 2 additional studentship posts will be filled under the HEA PRTLI programme. A total of 32 new applications were submitted for funding to the TSR Strand 1 programme in February 2008. In addition a number of candidates have already applied for ITT Dublin PhD Continuation Funding to continue their studies at Level 10.
10.1.4 Non-Completion Ensuring successful and timely completion of research higher degrees is a major objective of the Institute. While there have been many studies and surveys conducted in the area of non-completions on taught higher degree programmes within the Institute sector,1 little has been done in the area of Level 9 and 10 research degree non- completions, both within the sector or indeed the University sector here. One international study conducted in New Zealand indicated that there can be a low rate of PhD student completions for candidates registered in part-time mode, with up to 39% not completing their studies, while 71% of those initially enrolled on full-time doctoral degrees submitted a thesis for examination.2 The Study of Non-Completion of Research Higher Degree Candidature at the University of Melbourne indicated that there was a substantial level of non-continuance among research higher degree candidates, i.e. 43% at Masters (research) level and 36% at PhD level.3
Of the total Institute enrolment to date 29 research degree students did not complete their programme. This represents a total of 14% over a 13 year time period which compares well by international standards. Students withdrew predominantly during the first year of their postgraduate degree programme. A smaller number of students allowed their registrations to be lapsed, i.e. 13 students (6%). The information presented in Table 10.6 shows the breakdown of withdrawals and lapsed registrations by Department. Thhighest drop out rate has been experienced by the Department of Computing, while the Department of Science experienced the highest number of lapsed registrations.
1 Completion rates for Students Taking Full-time Programmes of Study in Institutes of Technology, A study carried out for the Council of Directors of Institutes of technology and the Dublin Institute of technology, May 2006; Non-Completion In Institutes of Technology: An Investigation of Preparation, Attitudes and Behaviours Among First Year Students, Educational Research Centre, May 2002. 2 Retention, Completion and Progression in Tertiary Education 2003, A Report Prepared for the Ministry of Education, New Zealand, Mar. 2004. 232 3 A Study of Non-Completion of Research Higher Degree Candidature at the University of Melbourne, by the Centre for the Study of Higher Education and School of Graduate Studies, Mar. 2002. Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Department Withdrawal Lapsed Withdrew but transferred Total to another Academic Institution Masters PhD Masters PhD Masters PhD Humanities 2 1 3 Electronic Engineering 2 3 5 Mechanical Engineering 2 2 4 Computing 9 1 2 12 Science 6 7 5 18 Total 21 1 13 7 42 Table 10.6 Withdrawals and Lapsed Registration Breakdown by Department 1994 - 2007
A total of 17% of the total drop out figure transferred to research degree programmes in other academic institutions. The majority of the withdrawals took place prior to 2002. There were no withdrawals/lapsed registrations between 2002 and 2005. The live register for 2005/06 showed no withdrawals/lapsed registrations. In 2006/7 there were 4 lapsed registrations (Science) and the withdrawals as follows – 1 M.Eng., 2 M.Sc. The registrations of three students fell lapsed in Science in 2007/8 and there were 2 withdrawals from M.Eng. programmes. When those students who had withdrawn were questioned, they cited health and work commitments as reasons for not completing their studies, and not dissatisfaction with the programme.
10.1.5 Student Demographics on Entry to Research Programmes Details on where postgraduate students were previously based prior to entry to the Institute’s research degree programmes shows that the majority of students to date have progressed from the Institute’s own taught programmes (Figure 10.7 and 10.8) and lived predominantly in the Dublin 24 postal district on entry to their research degree programme (Figure 10.9 and 10.10).
17% ITT Graduates
Graduates from other 6% National Academic Institutions
3% Industry
61% Staff of ITT Dublin 13% Graduates from International Academic Institutions
Figure 10.7 Progression to the Institute’s Research Degree Programmes
233 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
The Institute has had a good progression rate from its own taught Level 8 programmes across Schools and Departments. This trend has begun to change in the Department of Science, particularly since 2002 where there has been an increase in the number of applicants from international educational institutions (Breakdown by country or origin given in Figure 17.1 in Chapter 17). Postgraduate researchers from industry study in part-time mode predominantly and have conducted research in Computing, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Mathematics and Physics. The Institute’s research degree programmes have also attracted 13% of its applicants from other national academic institutions, including other Institutes of Technology, DIT, TCD, UL and the NUI universities.
The majority of international applicants to date have come from both Poland, India and Pakistan. In terms of those staff enrolled on the Institute’s Masters programmes, five were from the School of Engineering and two were from the School of Science and Computing. There have been two staff enrolments to Doctoral programmes from the School of Science and Computing, one whose research is ongoing and one who has already graduated.
In the last two years the intake from international academic institutions has increased while that from our own Level 8 programmes has fallen slightly.
14
12
10 2006 8
6 2007
4 No. of New Admissions 2
0 ITT Dublin National Industry Staff International
HEI Figure 10.8 Trends in Admission 2006 and 2007
A total of 45% of the students lived in the Tallaght or surrounding region (i.e. in South Dublin County) on registration to their Level 9 and 10 research degree programme. This is compatible with the Institute’s mission to be a major provider of education through teaching and research to South County Dublin and the surrounding region to the highest level. The Institute is committed to increasing the participation rates in higher education by those living in its catchment area, particularly in Tallaght (D24) and Clondalkin (D22) which are designated as disadvantaged areas.4 It is encouraging to see that graduates from these two regions have pursued or are currently working towards research degrees at the Institute. They account for 62% of the total number on the 2007/8 live register.
4 Institute of Technology Tallaght, Delegated Authority Submission, 2006, Chapter 2, Section 2.2.9.
234 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
14% D24
28% Other SDC 9%
Other Dublin
Other GDA Counties
16% Other National 17% International 16%
Figure 10.9 Research Degree Student Intake by Location5
International applicants make up 14% of the total and that number is on the increase (Figure 10.10). The intake from D24 is down on 2006, but the intake is higher from the GDA Counties for 2007.
9
8
7
6 2006 5
4 2007 3
2 No. of New Admissions 1
0 D24 Other SDC Other Dublin Other GDA Other International Counties National
Figure 10.10 Research Degree Student Intake by Location 2006 and 20076
10.1.6 Numbers of Research Active Staff/Supervisors From the beginning the importance of research to the Institute was reflected in the recruitment of high calibre staff from both industry and academia with the capability to carry out basic and applied research. This has helped create a sound base from which the critical mass of research active academics has grown and expanded over the years. The Institute currently has 171 full-time academic staff (including Heads of Department & School) of which 89% hold a postgraduate degree qualification. This demonstrates a capacity to expand our research base in the future, be it through research or taught degree programmes or institute-industry collaborations in line with the Institute’s current Strategic Plan. The qualifications profile for full time academic staff is presented in Figure 10.11.
5 SDC = South Dublin County. Other GDA Counties = Greater Dublin Area Counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow 6 SDC = South Dublin County. Other GDA Counties = Greater Dublin Area Counties of Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.
235 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
1% Diploma 10% Degree 1% Postgrad Diploma
Masters
26% 62% PHD
Figure 10.11 Staff Qualifications Profile
The balance of PhD to Masters Qualifications is greatest in the School of Science & Computing which is where the highest level of research activity exists as shown in Table 10.7.
Academic School Masters PhD Bachelors / Other
Business & Humanities 55 8 12 Engineering 35 9 5 Science & Computing 17 27 3 Total 107 44 20
Table 10.7 Breakdown of Masters to PhD Staff Qualifications by School
In addition there are 11 members of staff currently pursuing Masters Degrees [two at ITT Dublin] and a further 4 studying for PhD qualifications [1 at ITT Dublin]. In the Business area, the majority of academics holding Bachelors Degrees qualifications have professional qualifications that are Masters equivalent, e.g. in Accounting.
In recent years international academic institutions have defined a number of criteria to determine who is deemed to be research-active and who is not. Some of these institutions employ complex definitions in this respect while others incorporate a more limited number of criteria with score weightings, like the Research Assessment Exercise in the UK.7 Some Australians institutions use a modification of the UK RAE system.8 Some smaller UK institutions9 use specific criteria to be met with no score weightings. The aim is to encourage and facilitate as many staff as possible in this regard and not to use the definition to militate against non-research active staff from becoming involved in research. For the purposes of this submission the Institute employs the definition of ‘research active’ staff as shown in Table 10.8 below:
7 The Research Assessment Exercise is a UK government sponsored assessment of research quality which rates academic institutions based on the following metrics - number of academic staff by category, staff publications, the numbers of research students, research fellows and assistants, the level of external research income, and the research environment within the institution. It employs a volume x weighting scoring system. The most up-to-date guidelines appear in the document entitled RAE 2008 Guidance on Submissions. 8 The University of Sydney www.usyd.edu.au/su.reschols/research/active.htm ; Monash University www.infotech.monash.edu.au/research/internal-info/ranking/research-active-definition.html 9 Middlesex University, Academic Policy Statement, 2001. 236 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
A Research-active staff member is an employee of the Institute of Technology Tallaght, who in the previous 12 months has achieved one of the following:
- met UK Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) ‘research active’ criteria in publishing at least one high quality research output per year (the term ‘output’ here used to denote a research paper, book, chapter, performance, item of fine art, etc.). - reached an advanced stage of completing a PhD or research masters degree. - produced high quality work but not in such quantity as to qualify for RAE submissions (i.e. research output produced once every two or three years, and presentations of papers at research conferences and research seminars). - been actively supervising research students but who is not necessarily publishing at RAE rates or even those indicated above. - involved in high quality contract research but who is not publishing at the above rates but who is producing research reports. - has completed a PhD but who has not yet begun to publish because they are relatively inexperienced in that respect but the prospect of early publication of research is good. - has published in the past and who is actively involved in the management of research but who is not necessarily any longer publishing at RAE rates. - been involved in the development of knowledge or technique in a professional capacity but who is not producing the type of research output indicated above.
Table 10.8 Definition of Research-Active Staff
From modest beginnings in the area of research the Institute now has 88 academic staff involved in research activity with 41% of those involved in the supervision of research degree programmes. The number of research active staff represents 51% of the total academic staff number. Table 10.9 shows the number breakdown between Schools.
School Research-Active Staff Total Academic Staff10
Business & Humanities 20 75 Engineering 25 49 Science & Computing 43 48 Total 88 172
Table 10.9 Research-Active Staff Profile by School
The majority of Academic Supervisors, i.e. 67% hold PhD qualifications themselves, while 33% hold Masters Degrees by Research. The greatest number of academic supervisors exists in the Department of Science (Table 10.10). Academics from NUI Maynooth, DCU, DIT, the AMNCH (Tallaght Hospital) and TCD act as co- supervisors on some projects in Science and Engineering.
10 Full-time staff
237 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
Department Academic Research Supervisors
School of Business & Humanities 5 Humanities 5 School of Engineering 14 Electronic Engineering 5 Mechanical Engineering 9 School of Science & Computing 23 Science 20 Computing Science 3 Institute Total 42
Table 10.10 Details on 2007/8 Research Supervisors
Academics have also acted as co-supervisors to research degree students registered at other academic institutions. Academics in Biology and Chemistry have also been involved in the direct supervision Masters and Doctoral Degree students on collaborative projects between the Institute of Technology Tallaght and Limerick Institute of Technology and the University of Dublin Trinity College respectively. Academics in the Department of Humanities are currently involved in supervision of research degree students registered in the University of Limerick Waterford IT, and Limerick IT. Two Academics in the Department of Computing are Supervisors on Masters and PhD programmes with Dublin Institute of Technology and Dublin City University respectively. Academics in the Departments of Science and Computing have acted as external examiners to research degree candidates in other academic institutions.
10.2 Graduation Numbers
10.2.1 Graduation Statistics and Analysis 1996 – 2007 Postgraduate degrees by research have been awarded since 1996, with 70 graduates - 67% of the awards at Masters Level and 33% at PhD. The breakdown by specific degree shows that by far the greatest number of awards was for Masters Degrees in Science, including Computing (Figure 10.12). All of the PhD awards to date have been in Science, except for one in 2007 in Electronic Engineering. Overall, 75% of the graduates came from this School. The majority were the result of research in Science in the areas of Biology & Chemistry. Almost a quarter of the graduations at Masters Level have been in Engineering to date. The first graduation in Humanities occurred in 2004, and a number of projects are also ongoing in this Department.
238 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
20%
MA 3% MEng
MSc
PhD 44% 33%
Figure 10.12 Graduation profile by Higher Degree
The profile of research degree awards by School and Discipline are presented in Tables 10.11 and 10.12 below. The majority of graduates in Science came from the discipline areas of Biology and Chemistry. Computing has the highest number of MSc graduates after Chemistry.
School No. of Graduates
Business & Humanities 2 Engineering 15 School of Science & Computing 53
Table 10.11 Profile of Research Degree Awards by School 1996 - 2007
Discipline Masters PhD
Humanities 2 Electronic Engineering 6 1 Mechanical Engineering 8 Computing 8 Biology 7 9 Chemistry 15 12 Mathematics 1 Physics 1 Total 47 23
Table 10.12 Profile of Research Degree Awards by Discipline 1996 - 2007
239 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
The general trend in graduation numbers for the Institute from 1996-2007 is presented in Figures 10.13 and 10.14.
18
16
14
12
10
8
6 No. of Graduates 4
2
0 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
Year of Graduation
Figure 10.13 Overall Trends in Research Degree Awards for the Institute
The peak in graduation numbers in 1999 and 2004 were directly linked to the completion of TSR Strand I projects. In 2004 the highest number of awards was made with 14 at Masters Level and 2 at PhD Level. There has been a slight increase in PhD awards made since 2003 as TSR Strand 3 and HEA programme based research began to take effect (Figure 10.14). In 2007 the Institute had its the largest number of PhD graduates to date. The lower number of Masters Awards is due to the fact that many students successfully transferred to the higher degree register (Section 10.1, Table 10.3).
10 9 8 MA 7 6 MEng 5 4 MSc
No. of Graduates 3 2 PhD 1 0 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 Graduation Year
Figure 10.14 Profile of Research Awards by Higher Degree
240 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
10.2.2 Submissions for 2008 Graduation Details of those who propose to submit a thesis for examination for graduation in 2008 are given in Table 10.13.
Award Session M.Eng M.Sc. PhD
Recommended in Feb. 08 1 June 08 4 2 6 Sept 08 1 2 Total 4 4 8
Table 10.13 2008 Recommendations for Graduation
10.2.3 Destination of Graduates 1996 - 2007 The first destination information to hand for graduates from the Institute’s research degree programmes shows that following graduation the majority of graduates from Masters programmes took up careers in industry. Almost all of the graduates from PhD programmes have pursued careers in research. The breakdown figures for Masters and PhD graduates in relation to where they went post-graduation are given in Figures 10.15 and 10.16 below. Appendix 9 provides a list of graduates with information on where they went post-graduation.
The majority of the PhD graduates to date have pursued careers in research, with a large proportion, 52%, going on to become Research Fellows in academic institutions such as the Harvard Medical School (one of the Biology PhD graduates), the University of Liverpool in the UK, Monash University in Melbourne Australia and the University of Otaga in Dunedin, new Zealand (Figure 10.15). Three of the Biology PhD graduates were awarded Newman Scholarships in UCD. Others secured research posts in National Research Centres, such as the National Diagnostics Centre in NUI Galway. One graduate has pursued a career in teaching at second level. A significant amount of PhD graduates (25%) took up posts in local chemical companies such as Henkel-Loctite, and Wyeth Grangecastle, along with companies in the Greater Dublin Area, for example Schering, Rathdrum.
The aim of Masters Degree programmes traditionally has been to increase the supply of graduates with the necessary skills to provide the advice and technical support which industry requires to become and to remain competitive. The figures show that the majority of the Masters graduates, 68%, went on to work in industry, predominantly in the Dublin or Greater Dublin area in companies such as Intel, Wyeth and Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). Hence, the Institute has contributed in delivering on its mission of producing highly skilled graduates with high quality R&D training within its region.
241 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
Industry 4% Academic 52% 12% Research Centre
Hospital 4% Univ. Post-Doc
24% Other 4%
Figure 10.15 Breakdown of where PhD graduates went post-ITT Dublin
A total of 16% went on to complete Doctoral Degrees at other academic institutions such as DCU, UCD and TCD. A small proportion of graduates took up academic lecturing roles or took up employment positions in National Research Laboratories such as the National Metrology Laboratory.
Industry 2% 2% PhD Study 5% Academic 7% Research Centre
Hospital
16% 68% Teaching
Figure 10.16 Breakdown of where Masters Degree graduates went post-ITT Dublin
10.3 Impact of Research on Teaching and Learning
As detailed in the Institute’s research strategy our vision is to cultivate and sustain a research programme to international standards which will support and enhance its undergraduate programmes, thus ensuring that research outcomes are reflected at undergraduate level. We recognise that winning the engagement of students at an early stage is critical to ‘priming the pipeline’ of future researchers. A key ingredient of the research strategy is to link discipline led research with teaching and learning through measures which include new course development, undergraduate projects, generic fourth level training modules, summer placements, Research Initiation Programmes, industrial visits/tours for undergraduate classes, research seminars and collaborative inter-disciplinary research projects. These mechanisms deliver integration of research with pedagogical goals, ensuring an enhancement in the quality and relevance of the undergraduate experience. The impact of research on the Institute’s taught programmes is discussed below.
242 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
10.3.1 Research in the Teaching and Learning An active research programme is vital in a dynamic education system seeking to respond to the needs of students, employers and society in general, and in helping educational institutions retain a relevance to the marketplace. Therefore a key ingredient to the Institute’s strategy is that research impacts upon the teaching activities of the institute as a whole at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. To this end both academic management and lecturing staff at the Institute have been proactive in strengthening the link between research and undergraduate teaching. In particular both departments in the School of Engineering and the Department of Computing have been involved in a number of collaborative projects set up to research and develop new methodologies for use in undergraduate teaching, training and science programmes. These have been funded through a number of EU programmes (Chapter 11, Section 11.1) in particular LEONARDO DYNLAB, since 1998. A summary of some of these projects is presented below:
• The BIOS & Environment Transnational Network funded under the LEONARDO programme in 2002 involved staff in Mechanical Engineering whose aim was to look at the development of training materials and methods for promoting increased awareness of the environmental industry at regional, national and European levels. This project was carried out in collaboration with a group of organisations in the public and private sector in 16 European countries.
• The Envirotel programme involving Mechanical Engineering academics was funded in 1995 to look at the development of training modules in Environmental Technology. An information resource CD was developed at the Institute in association with educational establishments in Italy, Belgium and Finland.
• Another related project involved a study of construction waste in relation to categorisation of waste, recycle and re-use and elimination to enable the development of the necessary education and training infrastructure within local authorities and local Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This was carried out in collaboration with M. Murphy Associates, the North West Institute of Further Education in N. Ireland and collaborators in Italy and Portugal.
• An ADAPT project in the Departments of Computing and Science between 1997 and 1999 looked at the development of best practice methodologies for the use of on-line and blended learning methodologies for the development of the workforce in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Two e-Tutors projects have received funding in Engineering to build knowledge of the issues associated with the development of staff to act as on-line engineering tutors using case studies, on-line resources and best practice guides. Results of these projects have been used to inform thinking in relation to on-line learning strategy in Engineering. An online portal of resources for e-Tutors was developed in collaboration with educational institutions in Portugal (main contractor), Spain, France, Germany, Romania and Italy.
• A Business Continuity Planning project was funded in 1998 which involved the School of Engineering at the Institute to help owner-managed SMEs plan for the future to keep the business alive in the generation after the current owner/manager. The role of Institute Academics in this project was to create the technical infrastructure and enable a user portal to be created. This project was carried out in collaboration with BIC Galway, NWIFHE, Derry, N Ireland (main contractor) and collaborators in Spain and the Netherlands. The development of the Engineering Learning Support Unit was a local Institute of Technology Tallaght outcome of the approach used in this project. Information on the research carried out through the ELSU is provided in the Engineering accreditation submission.
243 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
• A Sidae project in Engineering carried out between 2002 and 2004 focused on the development of a portal to resolve technical, managerial and financial issues for engineering SMEs in collaboration with companies in Portugal, Italy, Germany and Romania.
The Institute is actively involved in two major collaborations, funded under the Higher Education Authority Strategic Innovation Fund to advance graduate education in general as described in Chapter 7 previously, namely: • The Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance (DRHEA) • The Institutes of Technology Research Alliance.
10.3.2 Impact of Research on Undergraduate Programmes Research impacts strongly upon teaching activities within the Institute at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The various tools that are employed to ensure the attainment of this objective and hence the successful implementations of the teaching programme are as follows: i) New course/module development ii) Relevant undergraduate research projects iii) Research seminars iv) Workshops and specialist teaching modules.
There are a number of means by which individual courses may be updated and/or changed and these are: • Institutional Review every 5 years • Programmatic Review every 5 year • Re-submissions every 5 years
In the School of Engineering a number of new modules have resulted from research conducted within the School which have been included in course programmes by the mechanisms above. These include the following: 1. Environmental Technology module in year 2 of the Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering Degree (Level 7) developed as a result of research results from EU LEONARDO 2002. 2. Metrology in Higher Certificate in Engineering use elements of research results from project funded by EI Applied Research Grant 2000. 3. Manufacturing Processes use elements of research emanating from project funded by EI Applied research Grant 2000. 4. Rapid tooling research used in laboratory practicals from results generated by EI Applied research Grant 2000. 5. A new Bio-Engineering module in the Level 8 Honours Degree in Mechanical Engineering following research conducted in the 2006 SFI E.T.S. project.
Undergraduate courses are also informed by research through Departmental seminar programmes, where results from research degree projects are presented by research students and Postdoctoral Fellows on a regular basis. Seminar programmes are substantiated by external seminars from recognised experts in thematic areas of research. Details on research seminars was already presented in Chapter 7, Section 7.5.2.
244 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Final year undergraduate projects are an ideal medium to maximise the interaction and strengthen the links between research and teaching/learning. In Science these projects account for 15% of credits at Ordinary Degree and 25% at Honours Degree while in Engineering they account for 16% and 20% respectively. Therefore undergraduate projects are a substantial component of both qualifications. The majority of final projects in Science directly support and feed into the current research in the department. A number of 5th year projects in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering tie in with Masters projects running through the Bioengineering and Technology Research Centre. The same is true to a lesser extent for the other research active departments.
A positive research project experience can influence a students desire to pursue research to a higher level. Earlier in this chapter (Section 10.1 and Figure 10.9) figures were presented which indicate that the majority of the research postgraduates recruited progressed from the Institute’s own taught programmes. This confirms that exposure to research in the final undergraduate year has been influential in attracting our own graduates onto research degree programmes. It can only help build a critical mass of potential postgraduate students for the future.
245 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 10 Researchprofile I: Enrolments and Graduates
246 Chapter 11
Research Funding And Areas Of Expertise
247 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
Chapter 11 Research Funding And Areas Of Expertise
This chapter presents a summary evaluation of the scale of research and brings together its outputs from an Institute perspective under the following headings:
• Sources of Funding • Performance Indicators • Research Centres and Areas of Expertise • Contract and Postdoctoral Researchers • Consultancy Related Research.
Commercialisation of research was previously discussed in Chapter 7, Section 7.5.
11.1 Sources of Funding for Research
11.1.1 External Funding Relative to its size, the Institute has been highly successful in obtaining research funding from public funding agencies and from industry. The early focus was on applied research funded by Enterprise Ireland and industrial partners. Oriented basic, or strategic, research grew in the late nineties to surpass applied research activity. Much of this research is now maturing, and moving towards the application development and pre- commercialisation stage as a result.
The Institute has been repeatedly successful in securing programme and project-based funding from several external sources. The complete picture from 1993 to 2007 is shown in Table 11.1. It is the success of the Institute in securing such funding that is directly responsible for the high level of postgraduate research activity. The complete listing of external awards secured in 2007 research is given in Table 10.14. Figures for SIF projects for the enhancement of research degree programmes are not included (already discussed in Chapter 7).
248 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Funding Agency Amount (€)
EU 2,311,179 Strand III 2,385,635 Strand I 3,693,693 HEA 12,213,420 Irish Research Council 441,006 Enterprise Ireland 4,783,665 Health Research Board (HRB) 83,924 National Advisory Committee on Drugs (NACD) 650,000 Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) 90,000 Other 234,520 Total 26,887,042
Table 11.1 Summary of Research Funding by External Source 1993-2007
The Institute began to take a strategic approach to research funding since 2000 and the growth in research income is evident from the summary data presented in Figure 11.1. The data presented show that an Institute strategic approach to research activity resulted in a more than a five-fold increase in income obtained from external funding agencies up to 2005, with an even greater increase evident in the last 2 years as a result of high level funding awarded under PRTLI and EI Applied Research Enhancement Programmes, which also included capital funding. In 2005 considerable overhead costs were secured for the first time by the Institute for research for the first time through the acquisition of EU ENV LIFE, Minerva and Marie Curie awards. The Department of Science secured their first specific research equipment awards from both the HEA and Enterprise Ireland at the end of 2007, for the purchase of a MALDI Mass Spectrometer and Scanning Electron Microscope respectively.
Research projects funded by Industry and the local AMNCH hospital make up the €234 K funding in the category of “other” in Table 11.1 above.
16.00
14.00
12.00 Funding
10.00
8.00 Millions 6.00
4.00
2.00
0.00 Before 1st Phase of Strategic Strategic 1996 Project-Specific Programmes Programmes TSR 1996-2000 2001-2005 2006-2007
Figure 11.1 Growth in research funding for the Institute up to 2007
249 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
The Institute has established a strong reputation in research, particularly in the Biology, Chemistry, and Engineering fields. It has won substantial funding from the TSR Strand 1, HEA, Enterprise Ireland and EU programmes (for basic and educational research). The greatest share of the external funding for research has come from the HEA PRTLI programmes. Enterprise Ireland funds programmes in Computing, Science and Engineering predominantly. Figure 11.2 outlines the trend in external funding received on an annual basis from 1993 to 2007. From 1993 to 2000 a total of €2.02 million was secured from external funding agencies for research. The majority of the funding has been obtained in the last 7 years.
12.00
10.00
8.00
6.00 Millions 4.00
2.00
0.00 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07
Figure 11.2 Trends in External Funding 1993 - 2007
The €2.5 million in awards obtained in 2001 included €634K secured from two TSR Strand 3 awards and the first HEA PRTLI award, which funded a number of postgraduate degree students and projects, along with €650 K from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs for research in Mathematics (Clinical Statistics). The €2.7 million received in 2002 included €1.7 million from the HEA PRTLI scheme while €785K was secured through Strands 1 and 3. While the figure for 2003 seems low at €544K, this was first year an IRCSET award was obtained. The figure of €487K in 2004 was largely due to the acquisition of TSR Strand 1 funding. Data for 2005 shows that €2 million was awarded, predominantly from EU and the TSR Strand 1 programmes. EU funding came from programmes such as ENV LIFE, 6th Framework - Marie Curie and Celt-NET. The total funding secured in 2006 included the first Enterprise Ireland award for the commercialisation of research under the 5 year Applied Research Enhancement Scheme and two TSR programme based Strand 3 awards. The 2007 figure is augmented by the HEA PRTLI Cycle 4 award, along with two other programme based awards – TSR Strand 3 (Biology) and an EI Innovation Partnership (Electronic Engineering).
Details on the acquisition of external funding for research were presented and analysed in the Research Accreditation Submission 2007 Report which was submitted to HETAC for accreditation to maintain a research degree register. A summary of the funding secured by each Department is shown this document only. Table 11.2 presents information on the funding agencies who have funded projects by field of research, highlighting the figures received and number of awards.
250 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
DepartmentFunding Agency No. of Awards Total €
Humanities Irish Research Council 1 6,000 TSR Strand 1 5 228,000 EU 2 281,052 Total 8 515,052 Accounting & Professional Studies South Dublin County Council 2 136,970 Total 2 136,970
Electronic Engineering EU1 6 191,000
TSR Strand2 1 300,000 TSR Strand 1 9 341,900 HEA RETENTION 2 190,000
HEA PRTLI3 1 9,600,000 Embark (IRC) 2 114,300 EI Applied Research Grant 5 245,885
EI Applied Research Enhancement4 1 1,625,000 EI ATRP 1 84,308 EI Innovation Partnership 1 218,457 Total 31 11,448,350
Mechanical Engineering EU5 9 1,192,952 TSR Strand 1 8 314,569 EI Applied Research Grant 7 214,350 EI Innovation Partnership 2 67,107 EI PATs 1 90,000
SFI6 2 99,120 IMP 1 27,550
HEA PRTLI3 1 9,600,000 AMNCH Hospital 1 27,000
Other7 2 378,000 Total 34 12,010,648
251 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
Department (cont) Funding Agency (cont) No. of Awards (cont) Total € (cont)
Computing EU8 3 475,919 TSR Strand 1 5 140,839 Embark (IRC) 1 44,910 EI Applied Research Grant 6 153,675 EI Innovation Partnership 2 94,118 Total 17 909,461 Science EU Marie Curie 1 221,516 TSR Strand 3 7 2,264,852 TSR Strand 1 71 2,223,695
HEA PRTLI9 4 11,679,420 HEA Research Equipment Grant 1 260,000 Embark (IRCSET) 4 172,692 EI Applied Research Grant 9 173,873 EI Applied Research Enhancement4 1 1,625,000 EI Research Equipment Grant 1 215,000 EI International Collaboration 4 22,080 EI Innovation Partnership 1 9,000 EI Basic Research Grant 2 170,520 National Advisory Committee 1 650,000 on Drugs Industry 2 102,000 Health research Board (HRB) 3 83,924 Australian Research Council 1 17,500 Total 109 19,891,072
1 E-TUTOR, E-ADAPT and E-LEONARDO. 2 Partner with Chemistry Academics as Lead. 3 Partner with Department of Science as Lead; 4 Partner with Chemistry Academics as Lead. 5 E-LEONARDO, MENTOR, BCP PRIMA; ENV LIFE; CELT NET; Marie Curie with DCU. 6 Walton Visiting Professorship Award predominantly. 7 Government; FUSION Programme; 8 E ADAPT, LEONARDO, P MINERVA. 9 Three with DCU as lead; one with ITT Dublin Department of Science Academics as lead
Table 11.2 Breakdown of External Funding by Department 1993 - 2007
252 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Enterprise Ireland funding has been secured under a number of initiatives going back as far as 1994. Indeed EI funding was the predominant source of funding for research in the Institute prior to the Technological Sector Research Programme in 1996. In 2006 a team of Academics from Chemistry (lead) and Electronic Engineering were awarded €1.2 M, plus 30% capital/overheads from the EI Applied Research Enhancement Programme to commercialise their research in the area of micro sensors for clinical analysis. Five other Institutes were successful in securing this 5 year funding.
The Technological Sector Research (TSR) programme is funded under the National Development Plan by the Department of Education and Science, through the Council of Directors (now IOTI). There are three strands to the TSR programme, two of which are directly related to research (the third is in the area of Enterprise Development): • The Postgraduate R&D Skills Programme (Strand 1) • The Core Research Strengths Enhancement Programme (Strand 3)
Strand 1 funds individual Masters Projects, while Strand 3 has provided funding for a stream of projects in an area of research strength within an Institute. Overall 14% of the total funding has come from this Scheme mainly in the areas of Biology and Chemistry.
Benchmarking figures shown previously indicate that relative to the rest of the Sector this Institute is one of the leading Institutes in securing Strand 1 funding in the Science and Technology area. The leading performance has continued each year since the programme began. The Institute secured its greatest number per year to date, i.e. 16 Strand 1 award, in May 2006. This was the highest number awarded to the Institute after DIT as indicated in Table 11.3.
Institute Total Funding allocated (€) Total awards per Institute
AIT 204,000 6 CIT 238,000 7 IT Carlow 34,000 2 DIT 816,000 24 DKIT 136,000 4 GMIT 102,000 3 IADT ITB 68,000 2 LYIT 34,000 1 LIT IT Sligo 34,000 1 IT Tralee 34,00 1 IT Tallaght 544,000 16 WIT 102,000 3 Total 2,380,000 70
Table 11.3 2006 TSR Strand 1 Performance (Science & Technology)
253 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
Over €2.26 million has been secured for seven Strand 3 programmes since funding was first awarded in 2001. These have been awarded to Science researchers in Biology and Chemistry. One of the 2006 Strand 3 awards involved collaboration with researchers in Electronic Engineering.
HEA Programme for research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) funding to the value of close on €2.1M has been secured predominantly by researchers in Biology and Chemistry prior to 2007. PRTLI Cycle 2 funding led to the establishment of the National Centre for Sensor Research. The National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology was established from the PRTLI Cycle 3 funding. Funding was secured by Electronic Engineering under the HEA Retention Scheme. In 2007 the Institute was awarded €9.6 million under PRTLI Cycle 4 to set up the National Centre of Applied Science for Health. Details of the Centre collaborators are given in Section 11.4.
Prior to 2005, only one award had been received (in digital communications) under the Embark Initiative's Postgraduate Research Scholarship Scheme operated by the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET). Since 2005, IRCSET Embark Postgraduate Scholarships have been allocated to support research in Computing, Science, Mechanical and Electronic Engineering. Four Embark Scholarship awards have been awarded in Science, with two of these to support students who wished to transfer to PhD.
The funding of €650 K received from the National Advisory Committee on Drugs was awarded to support research in Applied Mathematics. The award was made to investigate the correlation between demographics and drugs of abuse.
A total of 17 European projects have been funded since 1994 to support educational research activities under such schemes as ADAPT, NOW, BCP PRIMA, LEONARDO, TUTOR, and P. MINERVA. In 2005 significant funding for two basic research projects was secured, one in Chemistry (6TH Framework, Marie Curie) to the value of €222K and the other in Mechanical Engineering (ENV LIFE) worth €300K. In addition a research and development project in Mechanical Engineering was funded in May 2005 – CELTNET, a collaborative project with the Coleg Meani, Wales and Welsh SMEs. This programme is part funded by the Welsh European Funding Office and by this Institute.
The greatest number of European awards has been obtained for educational research under the LEONARDO Scheme. A total of 8 separate projects were funded under this scheme between 2000 and 2004, predominantly in the School of Engineering, with extensive external collaboration.
Some early funding was also secured from the Health Research Board between 1993 and 1995. Direct industry funding has been substantial. The input from industrial partners to the various Applied Research and Innovation Partnerships projects is difficult to value, as it includes monetary and ‘in-kind’ contributions. It would, however, be conservatively valued in excess of €250,000.
An industry funded research bursary in semiconductor fabrication, sponsored by Intel Ireland, was awarded to a student in Electronic Engineering in 2003, bringing with it direct mentoring and substantial support for the research activity from industry. In August 2004 Loctite provided funding for a research studentship in the area of Chemistry.
The breakdown of total funding for 2007 is shown in Table 11.4. Projections for funding in 2008 and a list of funds already awarded in the first quarter are given in Table 11.5.
254 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
In December 2007 the Government of Enterprise, Trade and Employment announced awards of €44.55 million, for the creation of 67 new research posts in Higher Education Institutes, under the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Stokes Professorship and Lectureship Programme. The programme which will support 32 Professorships and 35 Lectureships is aimed at recruiting senior, world-class research academics as well as entry-level academics and senior post-doctoral researchers. The programme will be a key element in meeting the objectives of the Government’s Strategy for Science and Technology Innovation (SSTI). Successful candidates are internationally-competitive, research-active academics, performing at the highest level appropriate to their career point. The Institute has recently been awarded one Stokes Fellowship Award in Biology. It means the Institute gets its first Research Lectureship on a five year contract from June 2008.
Funding AgencyAmount (€) No. of Awards Research Area
EI Innovation Partnership €218,000 1 Electronic Engineering TSR Strand 3 €377,890 1 Biology TSR Strand 1 €917,390 12 1 Humanities 3 Chemistry 1 Physics 2 Mechanical (Biomedical) 3 Electronics 1 Computing 1 Biology AMNCH Hospital €27,000 1 Mechanical (Biomedical) Embark (IRCSET) €144,018 2 1 Chemistry (Transfer to PhD) 1 Mechanical (PhD studentship) 1 Biology (PhD Studentship) Industry €47,000 1 Chemistry HEA PRTLI €9,260,000 1 Science/Mechanical/Electronics IMP €27,550 1 Mechanical (Biomedical) HEA Research Equipment €260,000 1 Biology €215,000 1 Chemistry Institute Total €11,297,648
Table 11.4 2007 External Awards for Research
255 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
The injection of over €26 million in funding has transformed the research base here at the Institute, particularly in the last seven years. One of the recommendations of the Forfas Report on Research Infrastructure in Ireland 2007 pointed out that improved funding was necessary at national level to address historical deficits in research infrastructure at HEIs, to include updating and renewal of research equipment. The Institute is now focussed on building up its research infrastructure to the highest level and cater for significant expansion. It secured in excess of €500 K from the HEA and EI respectively for dedicated research equipment in 2007. Funding was recently secured from the HEA Facilities Research Enhancement Programme, to the tune of €1.4 million, to enhance infrastructural capacity and for the creation of 25 additional spaces for research. Details of the space to be provided are given in Appendix 10.
Funding AgencyStatus of funding Amount (€) No. of Awards Research Area
HEA Research Facilities Approved 1,400,000 1 Science/Computing/ Enhancement Mechanical/Electronics SFI Stokes Fellowship Approved 450,000 1 Biology (Microbial Pathogenesis) TSR Strand 1 Applications 1,472,000 32 3 Humanities submitted 1 Marketing 3 Electronics 1 Management 5 Chemistry 2 Biology 1 Mathematics 8 Mechanical 1 Physics 5 Computing EI Research Equipment Applications 1,750,000 4 - Process Analytical Technology Research Group submitted - Microsensors MiCRA Group - Antimircobial Area (CPRD and BPNR Centrers) - Bioengineering Technology Centre
Table 11.5 2008 Funding Awards and Projections based on Applications Submitted
256 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
11.1.2 Internal Research Funding The Institute has invested its own resources to support the growth of a critical mass of research and has created an environment where academic staff are both equipped and motivated to carry out quality research. These initiatives have been:
11.1.2A Seed Fund The Seed Fund supported short pilot projects that were adjudged by an internal panel to have the potential to develop into viable research areas. Projects were funded on a competitive basis to a maximum of €3,800 each. The scheme operated annually from 2000 to 2002 across all disciplines with an annual budget of €38,000. The breakdown of this funding by Academic School is presented in Table 11.5 below. A number of these projects generated results which were used to direct future applications for research funding, particularly for TSR Strand 1 funding.
Acadmic School 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002
Business and Humanities 5 3 4 1 1 Engineering 4 4 4 2 1 Science and Computing 7 5 5 6 7 Total 16 12 13 9 9
Table 11.5 Breakdown of Seed Fund Allocations by Academic School
As success in obtaining external funding grew, particularly for projects leading to Masters Degrees, the new priority was adjudged to be the facilitation of a proportion of exceptional students nearing completion of their research Masters in transferring to the PhD Register and completing to doctoral level. Hence, there have been no further calls for funding under this scheme.
11.1.2B PhD Continuation Fund This fund was established in 2001. Since 2002 the number of Seed Fund applications diminished and all of that allocation went to the PhD Continuation Fund Scheme. A total of €347 K in funding has been provided under this scheme, and 23 students have received support, of which 13 have graduated to date with PhDs. In 2006 the first Engineering and Humanities students secured funding under this scheme. The 2007 awards all went to support Chemistry students who transferred to the PhD register.
Year No. of Awards Total Awarded €
2001 2 45,470 2002 2 27,926 2003 6 107,583 2004 4 43,520 2006 4 43,520 2007 5 78,712
Table 11.6 Institute PhD Continuation Funding 2001 - 2007
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11.1.2C Internal Masters Programme The Internal Masters funding scheme was established to assist new researchers to establish a track record of research outputs and supervision of a research student, to enhance their credibility when applying for funding to external agencies. Four studentship awards were made following assessment and adjudication by three external panels. A total of €30K in direct project funding (studentship and materials); €100K in supervision costs and programme fees (€4,400 - €7,440 per project) are to be paid by the Institute under this scheme on an annual basis. All three panels were highly complimentary of all the applications received. They were genuinely impressed by the quality of the proposals, particularly as all the applicants were new researchers under the criteria of the competition. The awards were made to researchers in Computing, Humanities, Electronic Engineering and Accountancy & Professional Studies.
11.1.2D Institute Research Centres Significant resources have also been provided to the Institute Research Centres that have been established, in the form of 4 hours additional relief from teaching duties for the Centre Coordinators, to facilitate management and promotion of the Centres. The work of the IRCs is discussed in more detail in Section 10.5.
11.2 Performance Indicators
Researchers at the Institute have an excellent record of publishing in both peer-reviewed journals and at conferences. The publication record for the Institute is shown in Tables 11.6 and 11.7 below where research outputs have been measured by the traditional research performance indicators. Performance indicators up to 1996 relate to research activities of researchers from their previous roles in academic/industry.
Research Performance Indicator Total up to 1996 Total 1996 - 2006 Total 2007 Overall Total
Peer Reviewed Journal Papers 158 307 43 508 Conference Papers 74 287 48 409 Conference Posters 43 79 9 131 Patents 10 22 2 34 Book Chapters 7 20 6 33 Reports 2 15 17 Other Articles (including communications, 1 58 6 63 non-peer reviewed etc.)
Table 11.6 Total Research Publications of Academic Staff
258 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Research Performance Indicators Business & Humanities Engineering Science & Computing
1996-2006 2007 1996-2006 2007 1996-2006 2007 Peer Reviewed Journal Papers 78 9 51 3 174 31 Conference papers 25 25 140 7 122 8 Conference Posters 0 3 2 76 7 Patents 0 11 11 2* Book Chapters 9 10 2 9 Reports 4 0 11 Other (incl. communications, 7 2 1 50 4 non peer reviewed etc.)
* Applications approved by Institute and submitted.
Table 11.7 Total Research Publications of Academic Staff
The performance is highest for staff in the School of Science & Computing which reflects the greater level of activity in terms of funding and students to date. Engineering have concentrated most of their efforts into the presentation of research results at conferences. Peer reviewed journal articles from Humanities make up most of the total figure under the heading Business & Humanities. Though research activity is lowest in Business & Humanities the overall number of reports published is higher than those areas where there is more research activity, indicating that even though there has been little funded research in Business & Humanities this has not prevented publication activity from occurring.
The total number of patents in the above tables relate to research activities of academics which occurred at other Institutes/Industry. Though the patents are not with this Institute they have informed research programmes in some areas most notably in engineering and science. There is one patent application pending from research in Biopharmaceuticals. Two patent applications have recently been submitted from the Microsensors Group.
120
100 Peer Reviewd Journal Papers 80 Conferences 60 Total
Numbers 40
20
0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 Year of Publication
Figure 11.3 Trends in Publication Activity for Research 2000 - 2007
259 Part Two: Education And Training Programmes Chapter 11 Research Profile II: Funding and Areas of Expertise
11.3 Institute Designated Research Centres A key concept in the delivery of the Institute’s research strategy to date has been the development of inter- disciplinary teams through the creation of Institute Research Centres (IRC) in which coherent groupings of research staff with specific discipline focus were brought together. The introduction in 2005 and subsequent evolution of the Institute Designated Research Centre (IRC) model has been of paramount importance to the success of research prioritisation within the Institute. The definition of an IRC is
“a sustainable research group, in one of the prioritised areas of research listed in the Institute’s strategic plan”.
The main aim was to develop research groups with critical mass in selected research thematic areas and niches, allowing them to compete effectively for funding from national and international research funding agencies. A further aim was to promote interdisciplinary research, significantly increasing the potential for innovation and technology transfer.
Designation as an IRC requires endorsement by independent external evaluators selected by the R&D Committee of Academic Council and approval by the Senior Management Team. The formation of an IRC is based on a number of criteria: • A minimum of 7 researchers and a defined internal management structure; • A defined programme of collaborative research which is both sustainable and relevant to external societal needs (i.e. enterprise, government, community); • High impact upon the teaching activities of the Institute at all levels; • Output of highly skilled and motivated technologists required for society; • Synergistic with other research centres and have a capacity for interdisciplinary research.
The case for the establishment of Institute designated research centres has been founded on the fundamental premise that there was a wealth of “world-class” research expertise existing within the Institute. The successes in that regard are not only reflected in the expertise of academics have built up over a number of years, but also on the quality of the external collaborators who are willing to conduct research with ITT Dublin academics. Seven IRCs have been created since 2005 and a summary of the activities of each is given below.
11.3.1 Bio-pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Research Centre (BPNR) Focus of Research: Identification and purification of anti-microbial peptides Size of Research Team: 9 Academic Members: Dr. Mary Costello (Biology); Mr. John Behan (Biology); Dr. Fintan Kelleher (Chemistry) Postgraduate Researchers 07/8: 7 Funding: €2.845M plus partners in €9.26 M funding from HEA PRTLI, Cycle IV
Current Collaborators Academic partners include the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Montpellier, France; and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Conway Institute at UCD. On the industry side, the BNPR collaborates with Crossvetpharm, one of the country’s leading veterinary companies.
260 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Summary of Research Activities The aim of the Biopharma and Nutraceutical Research (BPNR) centre is to develop novel and improved antimicrobial agents for application in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, as well as in a clinical setting with, for example, the potential to treat MRSA. The research record of BPNR members to date includes 34 peer-reviewed journal publications and 57 conference presentations. Three of the team members have a total of 19 patents between them as a result of commercialising pharmaceutical research carried out in previous employment.
The academic members of the Centre have been involved in the supervision of 13 postgraduate research students up to 2007 in biopharma and nutraceutical project areas.
The BPNR works closely with internal and external research teams. The Centre is part of a major joint research project with Dublin City University and NUI Maynooth (through membership of the National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology) in the area of microbial pathogenesis. It is engaged in joint research with the microbiology department at the Adelaide Meath incorporating the National Children’s Hospital at Tallaght (AMNCH). These studies allow antimicrobial peptides to be screened against a range of bacteria and fungal species, the results of which are used to classify peptides and identify potential applications for them.
The Centre makes good use of the facilities in the National Pharmaceutical Education Centre in ITT Dublin including a bioprocessing suite (with scale-up facilities to 100 litres) for optimisation and scale-up work. Such facilities provide considerable scope for industrial partnerships and the commercialisation of selected areas of research.
Key Publications: 1. Cooke, G., Behan, J, Clarke, N., Gorman, W, & Costello, M. Comparing the gut flora of Irish breastfed & formula-fed neonates aged between birth and 6 weeks old. Microbiol Ecology in Health & Disease. 17:163- 168 (2005) 2. Maher S. and McClean S. (2006) Investigation of the cytotoxicity of eukaryotic and prokaryotic antimicrobial peptides in intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. Biochem Pharmacol. Apr 28; 71 (9): 1289-98 3. F. Kelleher & S. Kelly, “Spirobicyclic diamines 1: synthesis of proline-derived spirolactams via thermal intramolecular ester aminolysis”, Tetrahedron Letters, 2006, 47, 3005-3008. 4. F. Kelleher & S. Kelly, “Spirobicyclic diamines 1: synthesis of proline-derived spirolactams via thermal intramolecular ester aminolysis”, Tetrahedron Letters, 2006, 47, 3005-3008.
11.3.2 Centre for Pharmaceutical Research & Development (CPRD) Focus of Research: Development and application of agents with antimicrobial and anti- cancer activity. Member Institutes: ITT Dublin, DIT, NUI Maynooth Academic Members: Dr. D. Egan (Toxicologist); Dr. M. Walsh (Inorganic Chemist); Dr. Ed Carey (Organic/Computational Chemist); Dr. M. Deasy (Organic Chemist); Dr. M. McCann (NUIM, Inorganic Chemist); Dr. K. Kavanagh (NUIM, Microbiologist); Prof. M. Devereux (DIT, Inorganic Chemist). Postgraduate Researchers 07/8: 19 Funding: €5.8 M plus partners in €9.26 M funding from HEA PRTLI, Cycle IV
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Current Collaborators Internal: Dr. B. Creaven - Inorganic Chemist & NMR; Dr. B. Murray - Organic Chemist & NMR; Dr. A. Fleming- Organic Chemist & NMR; Dr. G. Crispino - Bio-statistician; Ms. M. O’Donoghue - Microbiologist.
External: Dr. R. O’Connor (DCU and NICB) - Pharmacologist; Dr. B. Duffy (CREST)* - Surface Chemist; Dr. D. McCabe (AMNCH) - Consultant Nueurologist; Dr. I. Fichtner (Germany)* - Experimental Pharmacologist; Dr. O. Barry (CCRC, UCC) - Pharmacologist; Prof. V. McKee (Loughborough Univ) - X-ray crystallographer. * Centre for Research in Engineering Surface Technology based at DIT.
Summary of Research Activities The CPRD's mission is to: • Provide a coordinated R&D base for the development of agents with defined pharmaceutical properties • Identify the biochemical processes central to disease control • Commercialise research within clinical, pharmaceutical and healthcare environments
Since 2002, the members have contributed to several strategically important research areas including the development and application of agents with antimicrobial and anti-cancer activity with a view to commercialising them. CPRD members have had more than 250 publications in peer-reviewed international journals, with 75 published since 2004 from research specific to this Centre. Currently the main focus of the research is on the development of novel pharmaceuticals, i.e. chemotherapeutics and antimicrobials, and a detailed evaluation of their action using both in vitro and in vivo systems. This work to-date has identified a number of complexes possessing potent anti-microbial activity against the clinically important MRSA and Candida albicans. In association with an industrial partner, funding has been secured to investigate the use of selected agents in the development of antibacterial surface coatings suitable for clinical environments.
The Centre plans to continue developing expertise in these areas, along with identifying other key research areas, including the influence of growth factors in tumour spread and biomarker discovery for tumour diagnosis and prognosis, as well as identifying other potential applications and developing product formulations. There are 17 research students working in CPRD, who are at varying stages in their research, ultimately leading to the award of either MSc or PhD. Research funding has been secured from a range of sources including national and international funding bodies, along with industrial partners.
An important part of CPRD's remit is to educate and train postgraduate students. The multi-disciplinary nature of the projects ensures that students are exposed to different areas of organic and inorganic synthesis, analytical methodologies, microbiology and cellular biochemistry, so as to broaden their career prospects.
Key Publications 1. Thati, B., Noble, A., Creaven, B., Kavanagh, K., McCann, M., Walsh, M. Egan, D.A. Apoptotic cell death: A possible key event in mediating the in vitro anti-cancer properties of a novel copper(II) complex, [Cu(4-Mecdoa)(phen)2] (phen = phenanthroline, 4-Mecoa = 4-methylcoumarin-6,7-dioxacyetate), in human malignant cancer cells. Eur. J. Pharm. 569 (2007), 16-28. 2. Thati, B., Noble, A., Rowan, R., Creaven, B.S., Walsh, M., McCann, M., Egan, D., Kavanagh, K. Mechanism of action of coumarin and silver(I)-coumarin complexes against the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, Toxicology In Vitro, 21 (2007), 801-808.
262 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
3. Curran, R., Lenehan, J., McCann, M., Kavanagh, K., Devereux, M., Egan, D.A., Clifford, G., Keane,
K., Creaven, B.S., McKee, V. [Ag2(aca)2]n and [Ag4(aca)4(NH3)2] (acaH = 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid): synthesis, X-ray crystal structures, antimicrobial and anti-cancer activites, Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 11 (2007), 1149-1153. 4. Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Copper(II) and Silver(I) Complexes of Hydroxynitrocoumarins:X-ray crystal structures of [Cu(hnc)2(H2O)2]x2H2O and [Ag(hnc)] (hncH = 4-hydroxy-3-nitro-2H-chromen-2-one). B. S. Creaven, D. Egan, K. Kavanagh, M. McCann, M. Mahon, A. Noble, B. Thati, M. Walsh. Polyhedron, 2005, vol. 24, issue 8, Pg. 949-957 5. Synthesis, superoxide dismutase mimetic and anticancer activities of metal complexes of 2,2,- dimethylpentanedioic acid (2dmepdaH2) and 3,3- dimethylpentanedioic acid (3dmepdaH2): X-ray crystal structures of [Cu(3dmepda)(bipy)]2.6H2O and [Cu(2dmpeda)(bipy)(EtOH)]2.4EtOH(bipy = 2,2’ bipyridine).M. Devereux, M. McCann, D.O’Shea, A. Kellett, M. Walsh, M. O’Connor, D. Egan, C. Deegan, E. Kiely, V. McKee, D. Naughton, A. Fischer .Bioinorganic Chemistry and Applications, 2006, in press (ms. BCA 51112) 6. Synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, anti-fungal and anti-cancer activity of [Ag2(NH3)2(salH)2] (salH2= salicylic acid). Coyle, B., McCann, M., Kavanagh, K., Devereux, M., McKee, V., Kayal, N., Egan, D., Deegan, C. and Finn G, J. Inorg. Biochem., (2004), 98,1361-1366. 7. Daphnetin induced differentiation of human renal carcinoma cells & its mediation by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. Finn, G., Creaven, B.S. and Egan, D. Biochem. Pharm. 67 (2004) 1779-1788. 8. In vitro anti-tumour effect of coumarin-3-carboxylic acid and three of its hydroxylated derivatives, along with their silver-based complexes, using human epithelial carcinoma cell lines. B. Thati, A. Noble, B. Creaven, M. Walsh, M. McCann, K. Kavanagh, M. Devereux, D.A. Egan. Cancer Letters (MS: CAN-D-06-00277. 9. Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of a series of substituted coumarin-3- carboxylatosilver(I) complexes B. Thati, A. Noble, B. Creaven, M. Walsh, M. McCann, K. Kavanagh, D.A. Egan. Inorganica Chimica Acta (Ms.ICA-D-06-00125).
11.3.3 Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute Centre for Spectroscopy (NMRics) Focus of Research: NMR studies for supramolecular chemistry; pharmaceutical R&D and biotechnology Size of Research Team: 18 Academic Members: Dr. Brian Murray, Dr. Bernie Creaven, Dr. Adrienne Fleming (all Chemistry) Postgraduate Researchers 07/8:16 Funding: €332 K in its first year, plus partners in €9.26 M funding from HEA PRTLI, Cycle IV
Current Collaborators Molecular Design and Synthesis Group; CREATE Centre (ITT Dublin); CPRD (ITT Dublin); TCD; DCU, NCSR and NUI Maynooth; Henkel-Loctite, IT Tralee.
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Summary of Research Activities The Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Institute Centre for Spectroscopy (NMRics) was established in 2005 with a dual remit: • To conduct research in advanced Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, a basic research tool that underpins much of the Institute's postgraduate research programmes involving chemical synthesis and analysis • To support cross-departmental research in conjunction with external research groups from local industry and other academic institutions. The Centre is run by three leading academics who are very active in chemical synthesis and analysis and it has strong links with NUI Maynooth through project work done in conjunction with an academic staff researcher there.
Its research focuses on a small number of closely-linked strategic research areas within the Science Department: Supramolecular chemistry -design and synthesis – and the related area of sensors; Pharmaceutical R&D and Biotechnology, particularly peptides.
The Centre supports several taught postgraduate programmes, including the Higher Diploma and Taught Masters in Pharmaceutical Production. Prior to its establishment, the Centre's members collectively had secured over €1 million in grant funding, supervised over 30 postgraduate students and produced 50 publications. In its first year, the centre increased its academic and postgraduate membership, secured €332,000 in grant income, produced 32 publications (including 13 papers in international peer-reviewed journals), and established new joint research projects.
Recently, it was a key component of the Institute’s successful bid under Cycle 4 of the HEA's Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions. This has secured funding for a new 500 MHz NMR spectrometer to sustain and advance our capabilities, as well as those of our collaborators in CASH, internal and external.
Other highlights this year include the largest ever graduation of PhD's in Chemistry and Biology (November 2007), with several supervised by NMRics members, and others by associated staff heavily reliant on NMR.
Key Publications 1. Broderick, E., Murray, B. A., and Hall, M.*:“Application of a Novel Covalently Modified, Amphiphilic Alginate Derivative to Delivery of Water Soluble and Water Insoluble Vitamins.”Submitted to Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2006. 2. Broderick, E., Lyons, H., Pembroke, T., Byrne, H., Murray, B. A., and Hall, M.*: “The Characterisation of a Novel, Covalently Modified, Amphiphilic Alginate Derivative, which retains Gelling and Non-Toxic Properties.” Journal of Colloid and Interface Science (2006) 298, 154. 3. Creaven, B. S.,* Gernon, T. L., McCormac, T., McGinley, J.,* Moore, A.-M., and Toftlund, H.: “Unusual reactivity of copper(I) complexes of functionalised calix[4]arenes.” Inorganica Chimica Acta, 2005, 358, 2661. 4. Creaven, B. S.,* F. Mahon, M. F., McGinley, J.,* and Moore, A.-M.: “Copper(II) complex of a tridentate N- donor ligand with unexpected Cu–H interaction.” Inorganic Chemistry Communications, 2006, 9, 231. {#20 in Top Downloads from this Journal, January-March 2006}. 5. Creaven, B. S.,* Gernon, T. L., McCormac, T., McGinley, J.,* Moore, A.-M., and Toftlund, H.: “Wide- and Narrow-rim Functionalised Calix[4]arenes: Synthesis and Characterisation.” Tetrahedron Tetrahedron, 2006, 62, 9066. 6. Fleming, A.,* Kelleher, F., Mahon, M. F., McGinley, J.,* and Prajapati, V.: “Reactions of bis(tetrazole)phenylenes. Surprising formation of vinyl compounds from alkyl halides.” Tetrahedron, 2005, 61, 7002.
264 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
11.3.4 Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology (CREATE) Focus of Research: The centre is focused on several key research thematic areas and these include; Nanostructured materials, fundamentals and applications; Microsensors for clinical analysis; Electrocatalytic Materials, Environment and Sustainable Energy Size of Research Team: 13 Academic Members: Dr. Eithne Dempsey; Dr. Tim McCormac (all Chemistry) Postgraduate Researchers 07/8: 9 Postdoctoral Fellows 07/08: 4 Funding: In excess of €3.6M since 1997. Drs McCormac and Dempsey were two of the key authors of the Institute’s recently successful HEA PRTLI Cycle IV application for €9.26 M.
Current Collaborators Internal: Dr. Fathi Akkari, Dept. Electronic Engineering; Dr. Mary Deasy, Department of Science.
External: 1. Professor Alan Bond, University of Monash, Melbourne, Australia. 2. Prof Gérard Bidan, Centre d’Etudes Nucleaires, Grenoble, France. 3. Drs Eddy Dumas and Anne Dolbecq, University of Versailles, France. 4. Dr Tia Keyes, Dr. Fiona Regan, Dublin City University, Ireland. 5. Dr. Fiona Regan, NCSR, Dublin City University. 6. Prof John Lowry, NUI Maynooth, Ireland. 7. Dr Carmel Breslin, NUI Maynooth, Ireland. 8. Prof Joseph Wang, University of Arizona, USA.
Summary of Research Activities The Centre for Research in Electroanalytical Technology (CREATE) applies the tools of synthetic chemistry, electrochemistry and material science to design a range of useful multifunctional materials for sensing and molecular electronics applications. Since 1996, ITT Dublin researchers working in this area have attracted over €3.6 M in funding from both national and international sources, published over 65 scientific papers in internationally peer-reviewed chemistry journals with 800 citations and established joint research projects with top national and international research teams. During 2005-2006, the Centre secured €1.25 M under Enterprise Ireland’s Applied Research Enhancement Programme (AREP) which has enabled the establishment of the ARE centre Microsensors for Clinical Research and Analysis (MiCRA) under Centre Manager Dr. Oliver Worsfold. As well as working with the Department of Science and the Department of Electronic Engineering within ITT Dublin, the Centre's research team has forged strategic links with scientists at several other national and international research groups.
The Centre has an important education and training role. It supports the physical chemistry and bioanalysis modules of undergraduate programmes and final-year projects are often conducted in specific areas of research taking place through the Centre. In addition, the centre is involved in the SFI funded SURE programme with Trinity College Dublin. All researchers, whether at undergraduate or postgraduate level, are exposed to state of the art instrumentation within the centre and gain in depth knowledge of materials chemistry, fundamental physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry and electrochemistry.
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Key Publications
1. Immobilisation of the Polyoxometalate Cluster, K6NaH[Sb2W20Fe2O70(H2O)6].29H2O, in a Polypyrrole Film, Kevin Foster, Timothy McCormac, Electrochimica Acta “in press” 2008 2. Electrochemical studies of Osmium-(pyrrole-methyl) pyridine-co-polymers deposited using the membrane template method, Susan Warren, Rodica Doaga, Timothy McCormac, Eithne Dempsey Electrochimica Acta “in press” 2008 3. Electrochemical Behaviour and Multilayer Assembly Films with Fine Functional Activities of the Sandwich-
Type Polyoxometallate [Sb2W20Fe2O70(H2O)6]8-, Lihua Bi, Timothy McCormac, Sergey Beloshapkin, Eithne Dempsey, Electroanalysis “in press” 2007 4. Fe2 and Fe4 Clusters Encapsulated in Vacant Polyoxotungstates: Hydrothermal Synthesis, Magnetic, Electrochemical Properties, and DFT calculations, Céline Pichon, Anne Dolbecq, Pierre Mialane, Jérôme Marrot, Eric Rivière, Monika Goral, Monika Zynek, Timothy McCormac, Serguei A. Borshch, Ekaterina Zueva, Francis Sécheresse, Chemistry – A European Journal “in press” 2007. 5. S. Warren, T. McCormac, E. M. Mihaylova, E. Dempsey. Investigation into Charge Transport Dynamics of
[Os(bpy)2(picolinate)]Cl Nafion films, Electroanalysis 18, 2006, 1778-1785. 6. Electrochemical Characterisation of an Os (II) Conjugated Polymer in Aqueous Electrolytes, Timothy McCormac, John F. Cassidy, Karl Crowley, Lise Trouillet, Frédéric Lafolet, Stephane Guillerez, “in press” Electrochimica Acta 9, (2006) 7. ‘Photophysics of Ruthenium Polypyridyl complexes formed with Lacunary Polyoxotungstates with iron Addenda’ Nigel Fay, Michael Seery, Tia Keyes, Robert Forster, Timothy McCormac, Eithne Dempsey Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys (2005) 7 3426-3433. 8. ‘Solution and solid phase electrochemical behaviour of [Os(bpy)3]3[P2W18O62], Nigel Fay, Eithne Dempsey, Timothy McCormac, Electrochimica Acta 51/2, 2005 281-288. 9. ‘Microchip Capillary Electrophoresis Coupled with Electrochemical Detection for Analysis of Synthetic Oestrogen Mimicking Compounds’ Avril Collier, Eithne Dempsey, Dermot Diamond and Joseph Wang, accepted for publication Anal. Chim Acta June 2005. 10.‘Assembly, Electrochemical characterization, and Electrocatalytic ability of multilayer films based on [Fe(bpy)3]2+ and the Dawson Heteropolyanion, [P2W18O62]6-.’ Nigel Fay, Eithne Dempsey, Timothy McCormac, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry Volume 574, Issue 2, 1 January 2005, Pages 359-366. 11.‘Investigation of Novel Mediators for Glucose Biosensor based on Metal Picolinate Complexes’ Susan Warren, Tim McCormac and Eithne Dempsey Bioelectrochemistry Volume 67, Issue 1, September 2005, Pages 23-35.
11.3.5 Centre of Microbial Host Interactions (CMHI) Focus of Research: Understanding the interaction between pathogens and host cells in order to develop more effective antimicrobial treatments and/ or vaccines. Size of Research Team: 11 Academic Members: Dr. Maire Callaghan (Biology); Dr. Siobhan McClean (Biology); Dr. Gloria Crispino (Mathematics); Dr. Aine Allen (Physics); Dr. Emma Caraher (Stokes Lecturer, Biology) Postgraduate Researchers 07/8: 5 Funding to Date: €2.8M plus partners in €9.26 M funding from HEA PRTLI, Cycle IV
266 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Current Collaborators There are strong and active links through joint postgraduate research projects with the Adelaide Meath incorporating the National's Children’s Hospital in Tallaght (Dr. Philip Murphy, AMNCH); Queen's University, Belfast; DCU; Departments of Biology and Chemistry at NUI Maynooth; and the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, UCD.
New collaborations include – Drs. Trinidad Velasco Torrijos and John Stephens (chemists at NUIM); and AMNCH collaboration extended to include Maria O Sullivan.
Summary of Research Activities The Centre of Microbial Host Interactions (CMHI) was established in 2006 to explore the interaction between pathogens and their host cells in order to develop vaccines and/or novel immunotherapies to fight these infections. Current projects include: Penetration of bacteria through the lung and disruption of lung tissue; Examination of the host immune response to infection; Bacterial biofilms; Use of mathematical and statistical models to simulate the spread of the disease within the lungs and among the general population; Surface interactions between bacteria and human tissue.
The Centre builds on the work done by ITT Dublin researchers over a number of years in relation to cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is the most common life-threatening genetically inherited disease in Ireland, affecting one in 1,461 live births, and Ireland has the highest incidence of CF in Europe.
Working closely with the Department of Microbiology at the Adelaide, Meath and National Childrens Hospital (AMNCH), the Centre has evaluated the virulence of many Irish strains of CF pathogens. The Centre also evaluates the interactions of non-CF lung pathogens and other pathogens that attack other mucosal surfaces, including intestinal pathogens. Recently, biofilm forming bacteria isolated from industrial sources have also been characterised.
The work done at the Centre complements that of the Biopharma and Neutraceutical Research Centre (BNPR) team which focuses on novel antimicrobial peptides. The Centre has undertaken joint projects with the BNPR as well as with DCU as part of ongoing HEA/PRTLI-funded projects in the DCU-based National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) of which CMHI is a member.
Significant international links have also been cultivated by CMHI personnel in recent years. The team co- ordinators are active participants of the International B. cepacia working group. Another team member, Dr Gloria Crispino, has access to supercomputer clusters at Los Alamos National Labs, Arizona State University, which can simulate the epidemic spread of infection.
The Centre also has an important educational and training role, helping MSc and PhD students build competence in three areas: key scientific skills; sourcing and analyzing scientific information and data; and developing effective oral and written scientific communication skills. This will deliver highly skilled and competent 4th level graduates for the Biopharmaceutical and Healthcare sectors.
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New research themes: Infectious IBS in gut epithelia forms basis of collaborative project with AMNCH; Examination of other emerging CF pathogens including Pandoraea spp.
Publications since Jan 2006: 10 in Peer-reviewed journals.
Key Publications 1. Caraher E, Collins J, Herbert G, Murphy PG, Gallagher CG, Crowe MJ, Callaghan M, McClean S. Evaluation of in vitro virulence characteristics of the genus Pandoraea in lung epithelial cells. J Med Microbiol. 2008 Jan;57(Pt 1):15-20. PMID: 18065662 . 2. Maher S, McClean S. Melittin exhibits necrotic cytotoxicity in gastrointestinal cells which is attenuated by cholesterol.Biochem Pharmacol. PMID: 18068148. 3. Mullen T, Markey K, Murphy P, McClean S, Callaghan M. Role of lipase in Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) invasion of lung epithelial cells. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2007 Dec;26(12):869-77. PMID: 17874328. 4. Caraher EM, Gumulapurapu K, Taggart CC, Murphy P, McClean S, Callaghan M. The effect of recombinant human lactoferrin on growth and the antibiotic susceptibility of the cystic fibrosis pathogen Burkholderia cepacia complex when cultured planktonically or as biofilms. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2007 Sep;60(3): 546-54. PMID: 17595284 5. Maher S, Feighery L, Brayden DJ, McClean S. Melittin as a permeability enhancer II: in vitro investigations in human mucus secreting intestinal monolayers and rat colonic mucosae. Pharm Res. 2007 Jul; 24(7): 1346- 56. PMID: 17380268. 6. Maher S, Feighery L, Brayden DJ, McClean S. Melittin as an epithelial permeability enhancer I: investigation of its mechanism of action in Caco-2 monolayers. Pharm Res. 2007 Jul;24(7):1336-45. PMID: 17373574 7. Caraher E, Reynolds G, Murphy P, McClean S, Callaghan M. Comparison of antibiotic susceptibility of Burkholderia cepacia complex organisms when grown planktonically or as biofilm in vitro. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2007 Mar;26(3):213-6. PMID: 17265071. 8. Duff C, Murphy PG, Callaghan M, McClean S. Differences in invasion and translocation of Burkholderia cepacia complex species in polarised lung epithelial cells in vitro. Microb Pathog. 2006 Oct-Nov;41(4-5):183- 92. Epub 2006 Aug 30. PMID: 16938423. 9. Caraher E, Duff C, Mullen T, Mc Keon S, Murphy P, Callaghan M, McClean S. Invasion and biofilm formation of Burkholderia dolosa is comparable with Burkholderia cenocepacia and Burkholderia multivorans. J Cyst Fibros. 2007 Jan;6(1):49-56. Epub 2006 Jun 15. PMID: 16781896.
11.3.6 Bioengineering Technology Centre (BTC) Focus of Research: Size of Research Team: 11 Academic Members: Dr. Fiona McEvoy (Mechanics); Mr. Tony Tansey; Mr Rob Flavin (Clinical Bioengineering); Dr. Yanyi Blake (Materials); Mr Paul Dillon (Control & Automation); Mr Stephen Tiernan (Impact Mechanics & Vibration); Mr Brian O’Brien (Materials); Mr. Robbie O’Connor (Manufacturing); Mr. Dave O’Mahony (Mechanics/Materials Testing); Dr. Eamonn Quigley. Mr. Liam Costello (IMeD), Mr. Colm Costello(IMeD), Dr. Ken Moloney (IMeD), Dr. Gerry Ryder(IMeD), and Ms. Linda Hickey (IMeD).
268 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Postgraduate Researchers: 5 Funding to Date: €1.16 M plus partners in €9.26 M funding from HEA PRTLI, Cycle IV
Current Collaborators NovelScaf project with DCU; Tallaght Hospital/Crumlin Childrens Hosp, including - Mr. Joe Sparkes (orthopaedic consultant), Mr. Pat Kiely (orthopaedic consultant), Mr. John McElwain (orthopaedic consultant), Mr Seamus Morris (orthopaedic consultant), Mr. Jacques Noel (orthopaedic consultant).
Summary of Research Activities The Bioengineering Technology Centre (BTC) was set up as a result of work generated by the Bioengineering Research group since 2005. It is managed by Fiona McEvoy and clinically supported by Rob Flavin and others.
The primary aim of the BTC is to research and develop medical products that can be ultimately manufactured by Irish companies. In doing so we wish to be recognised as a leading research facility that can offer SMEs total services that are not readily available in Ireland.
The BTC has built up a sustainable research facility through the involvement of a key number of staff and sufficient projects which overlap both in terms of technology and time scales. The current projects are focused primarily on bioengineering technology in orthopaedics, biomaterials, impact and vibration testing and vascular modelling. It is a multidisciplinary group that is participating in research collaborations and alliances with prominent orthopaedic consultants and obstetric consultants. These consultants have both public and private clinics in The Adelaide, Meath and National Childrens Hospital (AMNCH), Crumlin, Blackrock, Coombe, Galway and Clane. We have set out the following specific objectives • To create a centre of knowledge and become a centre of excellence. • To provide opportunities for students to undertake studies leading to Masters and PhD qualifications. • To encourage links between ITT Dublin and third parties in orthopaedics and with manufacturing companies. • To use current technologies to develop patentable products with an ultimate outcome being the establishment of campus companies to fully exploit any commercial prospects. • To encourage high performing quality-conscious students to bring forward existing research and continually enhance the reputation of the BTC and thereby ITT Dublin and to create a Biotechnology Masters Degree Programme. • To formalise links with Industry to assist in grant applications. • To create awareness of Bioengineering Technology amongst Irish industry.
The IMED group are researching into the Gastro-Intestinal (GI) Health and Bio-medical sensors with surgeons from Arlborg University and fellow researchers at Arrhus University in Denmark.
More recently the IMED group was part of the recent successful PRTLI bid by the Science Department within ITT Dublin which will further extend its collaborative network. This project has led to the establishment of the Centre of Applied Science for Health (CASH) and will be a collaborative programme between Department of Science, Department of Mechanical and the Department of Electronic Engineering ITT Dublin, AMNCH, Dublin City University (the National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology) and NUI Maynooth.
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A number of the BTC researchers are also involved in the CeltNet Programme which was set up to focus on helping Irish and Welsh SMEs improve their product and process development capability. It helps companies develop the application of Computer-Aided Engineering principles in innovation, product design and manufacturing.
The BTC have 8 full-time Masters/PhD postgraduate students, three under the IMED group and five directly under the BTC. All of these projects are related to bioengineering and are product design and/or development projects. Many of these projects involve industry and other academic partners. Current Postgraduate projects are listed below: 1. Analysis of Aseptic Loosening of the Acetabular Cup – Strand 1 Funded 2. Applying Haptic Technology to the Rehabilitation of Achilles tendon Injuries – Embark (IRCSET) Funded 3. Development of a Rapid Manufacturing Process for Biomedical parts – Strand 1 Funded 4. Dynamic performance of sports helmets – Strand 1 Funded. 5. Simulation of a Heat Transfer Process using Energy Methods – ITT Dublin Funded. 6. Two IMED PROJECTS.
Key Publications 1. M. Ashraf, D. O’Mahony, F. McEvoy et al. Comparison of Anti glide plate and lag screw with lateral plate and lag screw for Weber B Fractures. 75th annual Meeting of American Academy of Orthopaedic surgeons. March 5-9th 2008. 2. Keith Norris and Stephen Tiernan. An analysis of the performance of foams in hurling helmets. Shock and Impact Conference (SUSI) May 2008, Porturgal. 3. B. McMahon, B.P., Odie, K.D., Moloney, KW, Gregersen, H; Computing New Data on Flow through the Oesophagogastric Junction. World J Gastroenterol. May 2007. 4. Christopher Thian, Stephen Tiernan and Fiona McEvoy. Analysis of the mechanical factors involved in aseptic loosening of the acetabular cup. 5. Tadhg Adderley, Fiona McEvoy, Rob Flavin and Yanyi Blake. Accepted for the 25th International Manufacturing Conference, September 2008, Dublin. 6. Aidan O’Reilly, Fiona McEvoy, Paul Dillon and Rob Flavin. Applying Haptic Technology to the Rehabilitation of Achilles tendon Injuries. Accepted for the 25th International Manufacturing Conference, September 2008, Dublin. 7. Christopher Thian, Stephen Tiernan and Fiona McEvoy. An engineering analysis of ankle prosthetic failures. Accepted for the 25th International Manufacturing Conference, September 2008, Dublin. 8. Keith Norris and Stephen Tiernan. An analysis of the performance of foams used in hurling helmets. International Manufacturing Conference, Waterford Institute of Technology, Aug 2007. 9. C. Hurson, A. Tansey, B.O’Donnchadha, P. Nicholson, J. Rice, J. McElwain, “Rapid Prototyping in the assessment, Classification and Preoperative Planning of Acetabular Fracture”, Injury, International Journal of the care of the injured, volume 38, p1158-1162, 2007, 10. S. Eosoly*, G. Ryder†, T. Tansey†, L. Looney, “Accuracy and Mechanical Properties of Opencell Microstructures Fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering”, Poster Presentation Solid Freeform Fabrication, Austin, Texas, Aug 2007. 11. D. McDonagh, B. Flaherty, “Investigation into the suitability of conformally cooled rapid tool inserts for the production of injection moulded products. “, IMC-24. 12. C. Hurson, A. Tansey, D. Moore, D. Jones, J. McElwain, “POST P523 Rapid Prototyping For Assessment,
270 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Classification And Preoperative Planning Of Acetabular Fractures CO03”, 2006 Annual Meeting American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Chicago, Illinois March 22 – 26, 2006 13. Brian Ó Donnchadha, Anthony Tansey, Investigation into the Effects on Porosity of Controlling Infiltrant Levels in Laserform, International Manufacturing Conference 22, August 2005. 14. C. Hurson, A. Tansey, D. Moore, D. Jones, J. McElwain, Rapid Prototyping in Complex Orthopaedic Surgery, International Manufacturing Conference 22, August 2005. 15. B. Ó Donnchadha, A. Tansey, “Verification of the geometry of SLS Manufactured Rapid Tooling”, P 51-55, The Engineers Journal, Vol.59, 4th May 2005.
11.3.7 The National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies (NCFIS) Focus of Research: Historical, literary, spiritual, cultural and other links between France and Ireland. Size of Research Team: 15 Postgraduate Researchers: 3 Academic Members: Dr. Eamon Maher (ITT Dublin); Dr. Eugene O’Brien, MIC, University of Limerick; Dr. Yann Bévant, Université de Rennes2, Haute Bretagne; Professor Michael Cronin, DCU; Ms. Angela Feeney, (ITT Dublin); Professor Fabienne Garcier, Université de Lille3; Dr. David Irwin (ITT Dublin); Dr Paula Murphy (DCU); Professor Grace Neville, UCC; Ms. Jean O'Halloran, (ITTDublin); Professor Serge Rivière, University of Limerick; Dr. Paula Gilligan, IADT. Funding to Date: €234 K
Current Collaborators Rennes 2 has approached us with a view to developing a European Masters in Irish Studies. Lille 3 is also anxious to sign a convention with us in the area of postgraduate development and training. We are currently exploring possible areas of mutual interest with the Université de Nantes and a visit is planned to flesh out the ideas in Spring 2008.
Summary of Research Activities A National Centre for Franco-Irish Studies was established through the Institute of Technology Tallaght in 2003. It was successful in June 2006 in securing IRC status. Its members include several highly regarded Irish and French academics, including one from the Department of Humanities at the Institute. The Centre is a concrete example of the Institute’s success in developing links with other Institutes of Technology and Universities in areas where there is an established in-house expertise and a proven research background. The main ambition of the Centre is to highlight the many cultural, literary and historical links that exist between the two countries through organising conferences, publishing books and a Journal. Academics have secured most of their funding from the TSR Strand 1 programme. The first MA student from the NCFIS graduated in 2007. The aims of the NCFIS are broadly the following: • To act as a conduit for research into the historical, literary, spiritual, cultural and other links between France and Ireland. • To organise annual conferences at which these links can be discussed. • To publish a relevant selection of the papers from these conferences. • To establish a Board of academics and postgraduates with a proven track record in French or Irish Studies or, ideally, a combination of both.
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• To highlight events of Franco-Irish significance through the media and on the website. • To attract postgraduate students to carry out research on areas directly related to the core activities of the Centre. • To develop research networks between third level institutions in France and Ireland with an interest in all things Franco-Irish.
Conferences Hosted: On the 18th of January 2007 we hosted a Postgraduate Symposium between ourselves and IADT, at which 12 papers were presented. On the 10th -11th of May 2007, we hosted the 3rd conference of the NCFIS on the theme of Modernity and Postmodernity in a Franco-Irish Context. 24 papers were delivered at this gathering and delegates came from Ireland, Canada, France, Russia and the USA.
Most recently, on the 5th- 6th of October 2007, Jean-Christophe Penet organised the first International Postgraduate Conference of the NCFIS entitled Encounters/La rencontre.
Key Publications 1. Un regard en arrière vers la literature d'expression française du XXe siècle. Actes du Colloque de Tallaght. Eamon Maher (coord.) 2. Studies in Franco-Irish Relations is a peer-reviewed yearly book series – Reinventing Ireland Through a French Prism Vol. 1 (2007); Modernity and Post-Modernity in a Franco-Irish Context Vol. 2 (2008), E. Maher, E. O’Brien, G. Neville. 3. France-Ireland: Anatomy of a Relationship, E. Maher, E. O’Brien, G. Neville. 4. E. Maher, 2007 “Lecture intertextuelle des premiers essays de Julien Green et Jean Sulivan : remise en question de l’hypocrisie et de la tiédeur.”Michael O’Dwyer (ed.), Julien Green, Diariste et Essayiste (Oxford: Peter Lang), pp.167-76. 5. E. Maher, 2007:“John Broderick (1924-89) and the French ‘Roman Catholique’’ Reinventing Ireland Through a French Prism (Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang), pp.245-61. 6. E. Maher, 2007:“An Irish writer’s debt to Flaubert and Proust: The Example of John McGahern”. La France face à la mondialisation/France and the Struggle Against Globalization (Lewiston/New York: The Edwin Mellen Press), pp.129-141. 7. E. Maher, 2007:“Sulivan aujourd’hui: Un regard depuis les marges.”Yvon Tranvouez (ed.), Jean Sulivan:L’écriture insurgée (Rennes: Editions Apogée), pp.235-41. 8. E. Maher, 2007:“A Franco-Irish View of the Great War: Louis-Ferdinand Céline and Sebastian Barry.” Doctrine & Life, Vol.57 No. 3 (March), pp.27-35.
The NCFIS has signed a contract for a five-year annual book series with Peter Lang entitled Studies in Franco- Irish Relations. The first tome of this series, Reinventing Ireland Through a French Prism, was published in May 2007 and the second, Modernity and Postmodernity in a Franco-Irish Context, is scheduled for Summer 2008. Eamon Maher is General Editor along with Grace Neville and Eugene O’Brien.
272 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
11.4 New Research Centres Long-standing collaborations have been an essential element in the rapid development of research in the Institute. The Institute has strong partnerships with researchers in DCU, NUIM, TCD and UL through the IRCs, particularly in the area of Applied Science for Health. In 2007 an ITT Dublin-led consortium was awarded €9.26M in funding by the HEA under Cycle 4 of the Programme for Research in Third level Institutions (PRTLI) to establish the Centre of Applied Science for Health as the first national research centre on campus. This brings together health research strands from the Engineering and Sciences IRCs. Applied Science for Health is now a key research priority for the Institute with the overarching aim for the Centre - to become a credible research performer on the international stage.
MiCRA is an applied research centre set up with Enterprise Ireland (EI) Applied Research Enhancement funding combining academic research achievements with the requirements of Irish industry and was formally established in 2006. This Centre will enable specific Irish industries to increase their competitiveness on the national and international arena by utilising the expertise within the academic environment of this institution.
11.4.1 Centre of Applied Science for Health (CASH Centre) In 2007, a consortium led by ITT Dublin were successful in winning funding of ?9.26M under the Higher Education Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions in Ireland Cycle IV for the establishment of a Centre of Applied Science for Health, the first national research centre to be located on the ITT Dublin campus. The consortium comprised of research groups from the National Institute of Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) at DCU, NUI Maynooth, and The Adelaide & Meath Hospital Tallaght (incorporating the National Children’s Hospital; AMNCH). The partner institutions have a strong track record of collaboration in applied and translational research for specific areas of healthcare. Details of CASH Centre Members are provided in Appendix 11.
The main focus of the research programmes to be conducted by the Centre of Applied Science for Health build on already established expertise in the areas of microbial disease prevention and control, medical device technology, and anticancer treatments. Each area involves established multi-disciplinary research teams across the partner institutions. There will be an emphasis on the transfer of knowledge and technologies to industrial and clinical environments through development of devices and therapies, including scale-up and formulation.
Mission statement The Centre of Applied Science for Health at ITT Dublin will pursue top-class research in prioritized areas, will translate knowledge gained to the industrial and clinical arenas and will contribute to the enhancement of teaching, learning and research at ITT Dublin and partner institutions.
The establishment of the Centre is part of ITT Dublin’s strategic efforts to grow and develop its research capability in line with regional and national needs as expressed in such reports as the SSTI. The SSTI states that the capacity of the health services to complement life science research and to “translate it into new and innovative products and interventions has not developed” to the same extent as the individual basic areas of research. This Centre will address this deficit by building on existing collaborations between scientists and clinicians at AMNCH and other hospitals, to translate potential antimicrobial products, anticancer therapies and medical device technologies to clinical use.
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The Report of the Working Party on Research Infrastructure in Higher Education, has identified the “need to increase the number of clinician scientists and translational research scientists as a national systemic requirement and as a potential area for national differentiation and establishment of a competitive advantage over other countries”. Translational research is a key thematic area for the Centre. The Expert Group on Future Skills needs have identified that in order for Ireland to reach its target of 2.5% GNP spend on research that the number of PhD graduates needs to increase significantly in science disciplines: “Inward investment in biotechnology and pharmaceutical research will have a requirement of PhD graduates which will exceed that of existing operations in these areas”. It also identified that significant shortages in staffing were projected in both biosciences and in chemistry. This Centre, being multidisciplinary in nature, will enable the professional training and education of a large number of PhD graduates and will directly address this shortage.
Objectives In view of this rationale, the following key objectives have been set for the Centre of Applied Science for Health:- 1. Lay the long term infrastructural foundations for the Centre of Applied Science for Health. 2. Implement an interdisciplinary research programme in key thematic research areas which impacts regionally and nationally. 3. Strategically build upon research and teaching alliances with other institutions. 4. Transfer knowledge to the clinical and industrial arenas, generating important social and economic benefits. 5. Develop initiatives which facilitate access to 4th level education. 6. Strengthen the research-teaching linkage. 7. Provide a national resource which will engage with external bodies, including industry.
THEMATIC AREAS OF RESEARCH The research programme being undertaken by the Centre of Applied Science for Health has three thematic areas.
AREA 1: Strategies to Combat Difficult and Antimicrobial Resistant Pathogens Although much has been learned in the last century on the role of microbes in infectious diseases, they are still a major threat to public health, predominantly due to fungal and bacterial resistance to conventional antibiotics. This has contributed in recent years to the alarming increases in life threatening hospital acquired infections (HAI’s). This thematic area seeks to link the development of a better understanding of host-pathogen interactions with the discovery of novel anti-microbial agents in the laboratory with translation to clinical use. Key projects being undertaken by the Centre of Applied Science for Health in this sphere include:- • Investigation of the mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions (bacterial and fungal) with a view to prevention of colonisation. • Elucidation of host immune response to pathogens and the design of immunomodulation therapies. • Development of novel antimicrobial agents and novel therapeutic strategies for infectious and gastrointestinal diseases in both laboratory and clinical settings. • Scale-up, pre-formulation and formulation of Biopharma and Pharma-based antimicrobials. • Employment of surface science expertise for the design and development of technologies to inhibit the growth of microorganisms thereby reducing the possibility of transmittance by personal contact.
274 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
This thematic area will exploit cross institutional cooperation by drawing on the key strengths of the partner research groups. Examples within this thematic area include: • Elucidation of the protein-protein interactions within the fungal lung pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus, the provision of novel anti-biofilm agents, proteomic expertise and facilities for studies on the host-pathogen interaction from the NUI Maynooth teams; • Provision of microarray expertise for investigating host responses to pathogens provided by the NICB DCU team; and, • Aid in the investigation of novel therapeutic strategies for infectious and gastrointestinal diseases and access to clinical isolates of pathogens provided by the AMNCH team.
AREA 2: Biomedical Devices Amongst the major health challenges facing us today are the ‘prevention and treatment of heart disease’, ‘the management of neurodegenerative diseases’ and finding new technologies to support ‘human imaging and biomarker discovery’. The Centre of Applied Science for Health Biomedical Device research programme involves expertise spanning chemistry, clinical science and engineering. Working together with clinicians, translation of new knowledge and technologies into the medical arena will be possible.
The research programme is divided into two key areas: • Programme in Microsensing and Modelling tools for Clinical Diagnostics. This research programme examines new generic designs and approaches to thin-film microsensor design and fabrication, with integrated on-chip microfluidics. • Programme to Evaluate Neurological Oxidative Stress. Amperometric electrodes and in vivo voltammetric techniques enable investigation of the functions and roles of specific neurochemicals and reactive oxygen species, in neuronal signalling with high time resolution. Modified electrodes capable of measuring hydrogen peroxide, dihydroxyaromatics and glutamate are being targeted to provide in vivo biomarkers of oxidative stress. Following laboratory development, these devices will be tested in vivo using disease state
This thematic area will exploit cross institutional cooperation by drawing on the key strengths of the partner research groups. Examples within this thematic area include: • Expertise on in vivo methodologies for investigation of the function of neurochemicals and reactive oxygen species; Provision of an animal testing facility and neuro-monitoring unit to enable vital disease state experiments; provided by the NUIM team; • Provision of patient data and samples (via cardiology and medical physics groups); Access to clinical environment and analyzers for validation and testing; provided by the AMNCH team; and, • Identification of new serum and saliva based protein markers for early cancer detection and monitoring; provided by the NICB–DCU team.
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AREA 3: Translational Molecular Cell Biology Research The recent HEA/Forfas Research Infrastructure Report 2007 identified “a significant gap in the interactions between the academic community and the medical community”. A major area of interest for this programme will be on translational cancer research drawing on established and growing expertise at NICB-DCU, NUIM, and ITT Dublin and linking this to clinical studies at AMNCH. Key areas of expertise include cell culture/cell technology, gene expression analysis, proteomics, and cellular pharmacology. Key project areas include:- • Proteomics technologies to identify biomarkers for early detection, warning of recurrence, and monitoring of response to cancer therapy. • Investigations on mRNA, miRNA and protein expression profiles in cancer, followed by in vitro functional validation using SiRNA and cDNA transfection. • In vitro screening of novel drug combinations and newly synthesised chemicals with the objective of improving cancer chemotherapy. • Programme in Translational Platelet Science studies in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis and ischaemic cerebrovascular disease.
This thematic area will exploit cross institutional cooperation by drawing on the key strengths of the partner research groups. Examples within this thematic area include: • Provision of novel compounds for screening; access to cell lines; facilities for expression microarrays, bioinformatics, confocal microscopy/cell imaging and proteomics; provided by the NICB-DCU team; • Provision of novel anticancer agents for screening; access to proteomic analysis of biomarkers for apoptosis and metastasis in collaboration with the NUIM team; and, • Provision of molecular analysis of tumour biopsies by the AMNCH team.
Strengthening Research Alliances A number of initiatives are planned to enhance and deepen collaboration between the partner institutions and to increase the benefits that will flow from it. • Biannual research network meetings between partners, alternating between sites. • Collaborative research initiatives through further expansion of joint research supervision, and increased development of joint research proposal submissions. Based upon previous experience the exposure to two research environments (e.g. academic and clinical) enriches the student experience and increases the research outputs generated (publications etc.). • Joint seminar programmes and the development of taught modules across the partner institutions as part of structured M.Sc. and Ph.D. programmes. In addition to the above, the Centre will seek to develop alliances with other regional and national centres
Personnel The Centre will be staffed and populated by the following key personnel: • Centre Manager who will direct the scientific effort of the Centre and the day-to-day operations. The Centre Manager is a member of the Total Management Team at ITT Dublin ensuring that the Centre and its activities are embedded as a core activity within the institute. Key roles shall involve active engagement with relevant state and other bodies, promotion and dissemination of knowledge outputs, initiation of new national and international collaboration efforts and links to enterprise.
276 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
• Project Leaders who shall manage and drive and co-ordinate the research efforts within their thematic area. • Postdoctoral Fellows who shall stimulate novel research methodologies and ideas, inputting scientific expertise as well as offering guidance to fellow researchers. • Postgraduate Students whop shall comprise the largest group and will be significant beneficiaries of the educational and training aspects of the programme and will represent an important output for the technological sector of the economy. • Research Officers whose role it will be to provide technical and specialist support to the individual researchers ensuring the successful implementation and smooth running of the research programme. They may also directly engage in research as appropriate. • Administrative Support who will ensure that there is significant support to the manager and individual researchers with regard to budget control, tendering, financial reporting, assisting in the preparation of presentations and promotional material etc.
The new Centre will leverage a wealth of expertise from ITT Dublin, DCU, NUIM and AMNCH to advance both knowledge and technology relating to areas of societal concern. Table 11.8 outlines the number of researchers to be recruited over the 3 years of the programme. Each institution will contribute in a highly complementary fashion to the chosen areas with a particularly strong clinical perspective being provided by AMNCH and other hospitals. The result will be a coherent research programme which will facilitate the continued development of these strategic alliances. The first round of recruitments has already begun.
Recruitment ITT Dublin NUIM AMNCH DCU Total
Post-Doctoral 2 1 0 3 6 Post-Graduate 9 5 2 3 19 Other Academic 1 0 0 0 1 Other Non-academic 5 0 0 1 5
Table 11.8 Profile of New Researchers 2008 – 2011
Accommodation The Centre of Applied Science for Health building will be approximately 870m2 over 3 floors. Table 11.9 provides detail on how the €9.26 M will be allocated. A private contribution has also been made by the Institute of €1 M. Details of the layout of the new building and specialist equipment to be purchased were already given in Chapter 6 – Facilities and Resources.
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Budgets Total HEA contribution Private contribution
Overall 10,035,000 9,261,000 1,089,000
Recurrent 4,600,000 4,000,000 600,000 ITT Dublin 2,406,806 NUIM 696,327 AMNCH 346,867 DCU 1,150,000
Capital (total) 6,050,000 5,261,000 489,000 Capital - building 4,609,110 Capital - equipment 1,440,890
Table 11.9 Allocation of PRTLI Funding
Centre Management and Governance Structures The Centre is managed through a Centre Management Committee which meets on a quarterly basis. The committee’s role is to ensure implementation of research programmes, formulate a strategic approach to commercialisation and IP management; discuss any financial, building and administrative issues; define and implement the Centre’s self evaluation procedures; liaise with the relevant departments within the institute; and to make strategic decisions on sustainability and funding. The Centre Management Committee membership will include: the Centre Manager; Thematic R&D Area Managers; Head of Industrial Liaison Services; a representative from each partner institution (or their nominee); the Synergy Centre Manager, and the ITT Dublin Head of Development (ex officio). The Centre Manager will be the formal interface with the internal ITT Dublin management structure and is a member of the Total Management Team within the Institute (see Figure 11.4).
An external Advisory Board will advise the management board on the strategic direction of Centre, on technology transfer initiatives and education and training. Membership includes persons drawn from academia, industry, and relevant other bodies.
During the establishment and building phase of the Centre, the Centre will rely heavily on the use of existing research space and facilities within the Institute. Close cooperation between the Centre and the academic Schools providing those facilities is required. Thus, an Interim Planning Committee has been established comprising the Centre Manager, Thematic R&D Area Managers; Head of Industrial Liaison Services; the Synergy Centre Manager, the Heads of Schools of Science & Computing and Engineering (or their nominee – usually a constituent Head of Department), a representative from the Finance Office, and the ITT Dublin Estates Manager. The role of the committee is to ensure a smooth interaction between the Centre and the different stakeholders within ITT Dublin.
278 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
External Advisory Board
Institute CASH Management Total Management Centre Committee Team Manager
Academic Schools Area 1 Leader Area 2 Leader Area 3 Leader
Figure 11.5 Proposed Organisational Structure and Link to ITT Dublin Management Structure
Sustainability Plan One of the aims of the ITT Dublin strategies for research and knowledge transfer is based upon the development of a focused skill base and core competency in technology transfer. To that end it is imperative that we build a strong infrastructural platform for R&D comprising the physical, human and organisational capabilities. Sustainability will partly lie in the development of strong effective industrial collaborations, allowing the translation of research efforts into products and technologies. The expertise and R&D facilities of the Institute (e.g. Synergy Centre’s Technology Transfer Laboratories, and the National Pharmaceutical Education Centre), research skills at collaborating institutes and those generated within the Centre of Applied Science for Health will facilitate industry in addressing both research and process development/optimisation problems.
11.4.2 Microsensors for Clinical Research + Analysis Centre (MiCRA) The primary aim of MiCRA is the development of commercially viable research, after consultation with industry, and subsequent production of IP within the biosensors thematic area. To achieve this end, MiCRA is developing a research profile and can offer expertise within the following subject areas. • Micro and Nano fabrication of high quality designed structures using cheap, non-labour intensive methodologies and the subsequent characterisation via SEM and AFM. • Synthesis of novel organic compounds including metallo-organics. • Development of bio-components for bio-sensors. • Electrochemical characterisation of nanostructures, bio-sensors and other novel materials. • Surface modifications via organic, metallic or inorganic materials.
MiCRA has strong internal and external links with research groups and industry including active collaborations with other research groups within ITT-Dublin such as CREATE and CPRD through the involvement of ITT Dublin Academics in the Centre.
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Personnel MiCRA Centre Manager (Principal Investigator): Dr. Oliver Worsfold
ITT Dublin Academics: Drs. Eithne Dempsey, Tim McCormac and Mary Deasy (Chemistry) and Dr. Faithi Akarri (Electronic Engineering).
MiCRA Researchers: Dr Mamun Jamal (Postdoctoral Fellow); Geok Hong Soon (PhD student); Ahmed Benkhial (M.Eng. student).
Strategic Objectives The key strategic objectives of MiCRA are: • Development of research projects within thematic area utilising the expertise of the multidisciplinary team. • Production of intellectual property (IP) including patents, papers, know-how in the nanofabrication, synthesis, and biosensors thematic areas. • Engagement with industry to develop IP for commercial applications within the thematic areas both nationally and internationally. • To establish collaborations with other research groups and industrial partners from EU and further abroad. • Develop graduate and postgraduate skills to meet the future needs of the sector from an academic and commercial point of view.
THEMATIC AREA 1 Point-of-care testing This project will investigate and establish the scientific foundations which form the basis of a point-of-care-test for the main targets in a kidney and liver function test.
THEMATIC AREA 2 Novel Redox Materials The successful development of solid state redox active materials that possess applications across areas such as sensor, catalytic and nanotechnologies is an important field of research. Such materials should be pure, possess accessible redox states, and be easily surface immobilized so as to yield organised systems whose surface behaviour can be effectively probed.
THEMATIC AREA 3 Device Nanofabrication An important aspect of the research profile within MiCRA is the development of devices for biosensors. Cheap, non-labour intensive methodologies are being assessed alongside traditional micro and nano fabrication technologies to develop the next generation of devices with the ultimate aim of stand-alone in vivo devices or medical implants.
Key Recent Publications 1. L.H. Bi, T. McCormac, S. Beloshapkin and E. Dempsey, “Electrochemical Behaviour and Multilayer Assembly Films with Fine Functional Activities of the Sandwich-Type Polyoxometallate [Sb2W20Fe2O70(H20)6]8-“, Electroanalysis, (2008), 20:1, 38-46. 2. L-H Bi, K. Foster, T. McCormac, E. Dempsey “Preparation of multilayer films containing a crown heteropolyanion and an osmium functionalised pyrrole monomer”, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, (2007), 605:1, 24-30.
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3. J.D. Wright, O. Worsfold, C. Whitehouse and M. Himmelhaus, “Ultraflat ternary nanopatterns fabricated via colloidal lithography”, Advanced Materials, (2006), 18:4, 421-426. 4. O. Worsfold, N. Voelcker and T. Nishiya, “Biosensing Using Lipid Bilayers Suspended on Porous Silicon”, Langmuir, (2006), 22:16, 7078-7083. 5. S. Warren, T. McCormac and E. Dempsey, “Investigation of Novel Mediators for Glucose Biosensor based on Metal Picolinate Complexes”, Bioelectrochemistry, (2005), 67:1, 23-35.
11.5 National Research Centres Academic researchers are founder members of and play significant roles in a number of National Research Centres. The academic staff involved actively work through these Centres to further their research activities and generate outputs, such as Masters and PhD graduates, publications etc.
11.5.1 National Centre for Plasma Science & Technology (NCPST) Two members of the Physics staff are faculty members of the Thin Film Materials node of the National Centre for Plasma Science & Technology (NCPST) at DCU. The Institute of Technology Tallaght has been involved as partners in NCPST since its inception in the first round of PRTLI in 2000 when it received funding of the order of €7m. The Thin Film Materials group undertakes research into the development of novel materials by the plasma technique. Recent work concentrates on Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition of polymer coatings on cardio-vascular implant surfaces to promote their biocompatibility.
11.5.2 National Centre for Sensor Research (NCSR) The National Centre for Sensor Research is a large-scale, multidisciplinary, sensor research centre focused on the science and applications of chemical sensors and biosensors. It is a collaborative centre made up of 24 academic staff from the Faculty of Science and Health at DCU and 6 academic members from the Department of Science the Institute of Technology, Tallaght. Located in Dublin City University, the PRTLI funded NCSR is based in a 2000m2state-of-the-art custom designed building with cleanrooms, synthetic laboratory and biohazard facilities, application specific project laboratories and support units. Research in the NCSR includes both fundamental and applied projects, ranging from basic studies of molecular interactions, for example, to prototype development for industrial partners. The application focus of the NCSR research programme is on areas of economic importance and societal concern, including medical diagnostics, food quality and environmental monitoring.
11.5.3 National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) The National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology (NICB) is a multidisciplinary research institute based at Dublin City University, NUI Maynooth and the Institute of Technology Tallaght. The base at the Institute includes 7 academic staff from the Department of Science as well as associated postgraduate students on specific research projects in key areas including production and characterisation of novel anti-microbial therapeutics, pathogenesis of microbial infections, and the synthesis and toxicological screening of novel pharmaceuticals. The NICB is involved in research programs in collaboration with a number of Dublin hospitals, in order to bring the output from basic research to application in disease treatment. There is also close collaboration with industries in Ireland and abroad. NICB has been funded under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI), administered by the HEA.
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11.5.4 National Pharmaceutical Education Centre The National Pharmaceutical Education Centre was established on campus within the Department of Science in 2002. The €4m purpose-built pilot scale manufacturing and techno logy transfer centre was established to provide students and trainees of the Institute with key equipment and support utilities found in operational pharmaceutical and biotechnology plants throughout the world. This unique facility, within the higher education system in Ireland, was funded under the National Development Plan 2000 - 06. The 5,000 square foot facility incorporates an integrated pilot scale Bio/Pharmaceutical Technology pilot plant and supporting laboratories, designed to support teaching, training, research and development and industrial projects. It currently supports a number of research projects carried out in the areas of process analytical technology and bio/cell technology, including research conducted through the NICB and the BPNR Institute Research Centres.
11.5.5 Centre for Applied Microelectronics (CAM) The Centre for Applied Microelectronics (CAM) was established on the college campus in 2003. Students and researchers have access to an advanced semiconductor fabrication environment. The main focus of the Centre is thin film fabrication technology, thin film characterisation, and applications in electronics, optical-electronic devices and sensors and biosensors. It is operated by a core group of 5 academics based in the Department of Electronic Engineering, with cross-discipline collaborations with staff of the Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Science. The main objective of the Centre is the mastering of micro-fabrication techniques. Several undergraduate projects in the area have been successfully completed and three postgraduate projects have been initiated with TSRP Strand 1 & 3 and Enterprise Ireland funding.
11.6 Research Groups Each School and Department has expertise in a number of distinct areas of research which has led to the clustering of researchers into specialist research groups since the mid-90s. Keywords that reflect those areas of expertise are provided in Table 11.10.
Some research groups have come together to form IRCs in recent years as previously discussed. In addition some new research groups have evolved while others still exist within the IRC framework to provide specialist research support and expertise. The work of some of these groups is summarised below.
School of Science & Computing:
Health Science, Bio-Process Technology, Antimicrobial Agents, Peptide Synthesis, Microbial Pathogenesis, Cancer Therapies, Pharmaceutical Science, Nanotechnology, Sensor Technology, Supramolecular Chemistry, Molecular Modelling, NMR Spectroscopy, Asymmetric Synthesis, Process Analytical Technology (PAT), E-learning, Mobile Computing, Grid Computing, Interoperable Systems and the Semantic Web, Complex Emergent Systems.
School of Engineering:
Bio-Engineering, Medical Devices, Wireless and RF Technology, Control, Vision & Learning Systems, Thin Film and Sensor Technologies, Communications Technology, Integrated Manufacturing Design and Production, Rapid Prototyping,. Energy and Environment.
School of Business & Humanities:
Communications, Language & Society, Media & Society, Social Sciences, Education, Management Research.
Table 11.10 RESEARCH THEMATIC AREAS
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Biomedical Research Group (BMRG) The Biomedical Research Group (BMRG), is a newly established research group allowing for collaboration between researchers in ITT Dublin and other research groups / centres in the same area / discipline. The current focus of this group is Cellular Metabolism and Immune Cell Function. The Biomedical Research Group (BMRG) is currently collaborating with external collaborators from St. Vincent’s Hospital, AMNCH Tallaght, and The School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Sciences UCD on a number of Strand 1 funded research projects. Members of the BMRG are involved in research applications with external collaborators from the Department of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, UCD; and the Institute for Sport and Health, UCD.
Computing Research Academics in Computing are involved of a number or external research groups, including the following: Semantic Web Research conducted in collaboration with the University of Valencia and the University of St. Petersburg.
Epigenetic Modelling This research is focussed on building computational models of mechanisms that lead to abnormal cell development. This research is conducted with collaborators in DCU and is funded by SFI. The ITT Dublin Academics have published their results in 5 peer reviewed articles since 2005. The Department recently agreed a 5 year research strategy with DCU in the area of Modelling and Scientific Communications.
Energy and Environment A cross department collaboration is taking place in the interlinked areas of Energy and Environment within the School of Engineering. With each department, areas being currently being researched are, Mechanical: thermal energy storage systems, evaluation of thermal properties of materials, energy monitoring and demand reduction. Wind turbine blade design and optimization. Electronic: Wind turbine load optimization, photo voltaic. Applications, Interactions with Smart Metering systems.
Under the environment banner, research work has traditionally been linked with Leonardo Programmess (discussed in Chapter 10, Section 10.3.2). For the past 4 years members of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Department of Science have been partners in an EU funded project working with partners in Rome, Italy, to develop an action plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in the city of Rome, under the Rome for Kyoto project. The ITT Dublin team is collaborating with the City Council of Rome, ENEA (Italian National Institute for New Technologies, Energy and the Environment), the Clinton Global Initiative (William J. Clinton Foundation) and other partners to define the best course of action to reach Kyoto targets within the agreed time-frame in the City of Rome.
A new degree programme is being developed in Energy, Environment Engineering in the School of Engineering. This is being developed in collaboration with FH – Upper Austria (Wels) and CNAM la Vendee - Renewable Energy Division. The intention is that this collaboration will facilitate staff and student exchange.
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Enterprise Software Technologies Research Group This Research Group in the Department of Computing carries out research in the field of Enterprise Software platforms, technologies, and solutions. The group conducts research across the whole field of enterprise software technologies concentrated on core research topics, namely: • Mobile Computing software technologies • Distributed Computing software technologies • Scalable and High-Performance Computing • Development lifecycle issues for large-scale, complex, enterprise systems.
IMED Group Mission – To promote interdisciplinary research teams to collaborate on ground breaking innovation in strategic areas where diagnostic and theraputic medical devices are applied in medicine for the advancement of healthcare. The group is made up of academics from the Electronic and Mechanical Engineering Departments, in conjunction with academics at the AMNCH hospital and Aalborg Unviersity, Denmark.
Current Work – Mechanical design, manufacture and quality control: The development of a marketable and effective medical device is dependent on getting the manufacture and quality right first time. By blending best practice in micro- manufacture, materials, design, rapid manufacture and quality control this research group will develop processes and procedures for the design and manufacture of a wide range of innovative medical devices including the FLIP sensor.
Modelling and characterisation: The group have a number of projects to develop and validate numerical model simulations of flow in body channels and the elctrical modelling of devices using impedance planimetry principles.
Clinical evaluation: Clinical evaluation of impedance based devices for investigation of faecal incontinence and gastro-oesophageal reflux are ongoing within the group in conjunction with clinicians at AMNCH.
Electronic design, manufacture and validation: Currently signals from the probe are recorded on to a personal computer and must be processed before they can be viewed by clinicians. This part of the project involves the design of a handheld system which will record and display real-time geometric data from the probe thus enabling the clinician to visualize the motion of the sphincter muscle in three dimensions.
Mathematics Research Group Research in the area of multivariable spectral theory as applied to finite dimensional linear algebra has been carried out by two academics from Mathematics and a postdoctoral fellow. Funding for research in exactness in spectral and matrix theory was obtained from the Enterprise Ireland Basic Research Grant Scheme. Main ITT Dublin collaborators: Drs. C. Stack, C. Taylor. External Collaborator: Dr. S. Dineen, UCD.
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Molecular Design and Synthesis Group The core activities of the group involve the design and synthesis of new molecules for industrial biomedical and environmental application. Technology Foresight Reports to date have not only highlighted the significance of several strategic technologies but have also confirmed the significance of chemical synthesis to the success of this strategy. Advanced Synthesis was identified as a key strategic technology by the Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals panel of the Foresight exercise. Hence, the area of the area of Synthetic Chemistry is a hugely important one. The advent of the Centre of Excellence approach to the enhance sustainability of future research initiatives has resulted in the members of this group re-aligning their synthesis expertise under the umbrella of Institute Centres at ITT Dublin, including CPRD and NMRICS and National Centres, such as the NCSR and the NICB collaborative DCU initiatives.
Within the research team there is expertise in the synthesis macromolecules, asymmetric synthesis, molecular recognition and computational design. Numerous chemical synthesis projects involving the principal researchers have been running in the Department since 1994.
The group has targeted two specific areas for investigation over the next five years, namely: Asymmetirc Synthesis and Supramolecular Chemistry.
Process Analytical Technology Group This research group was established in 2004 by academics in Chemistry, Mathematics and Electronic Engineering, with the objective of addressing the FDA’s PAT initiative (2004) to promote the integration of new manufacturing technologies into the pharmaceutical production. This group is multidisciplinary and interdepartmental involving Science (Mathematics, Chemistry, Statistics, Biology and Physics) and Engineering (Electronic and Mechanical). The core activities of the group involve the development and evaluation of spectroscopic and acoustic techniques for real-time (in/on-line) monitoring of pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical processes. The group works closely with the bio/pharmaceutical industry.
Radio Frequency Technology Centre (RFTC) The Centre operating through the Department of Electronic Engineering supports Innovation Partnership with industry– Global Security Devices. The Centre offers RF circuit design skills up to 3GHz. It provides a test and measurement resource, addressing national shortage of advanced skill-sets in wireless technology. It works closely with the Synergy Centre at ITT Dublin and there are currently two research assistants working on EI Innovations Partnership projects based at Synergy.
Scientific Computing Group (SCG) The Scientific Computing Group (formed in 2006) researches efficient software solutions and data mining of Extremely Large Databases (XLDBs) within Grid and distributed computing environments. The group currently comprises two academic and one technical staff from ITTD and one academic from CIT. Currently one Strand 1 masters degree student is working with the group. The SCG is a member of Grid-Ireland and was awarded a Dell Grid-Gateway to provide connectivity between ITTD and the Grid. Planned projects will involve greater collaboration with CIT, while an ambition of the group is to provide long-term scientific computing infrastructure and expertise to ITTD projects, for example in pharmaceutical science, chemistry, mathematics and engineering which require Grid computing.
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The Ontologies for E-Learning Special Interest Group Ontologies are being used to model orthogonal aspects of E-learning such as personalisation profiles, delivery methods, and the domain information itself. The Ontologies for E-Learning Special Interest Group is a collaborative effort between ITT Dublin and the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, investigating diverse aspects of this domain such as automatic ontology construction; identification, analysis, and validation of domain information using multiple sources; and automatic assessment generation in narrow domains.
Vision Systems This research, with funding from IRCSET and PRDSP Strand 1, aims to develop algorithms and software tools for the management and visualization of the very large archives of personal image and video content envisaged in the not-so-distant future, due to the prevalence of low-cost digital camera and camcorder technology. There are currently projects in the area which aim to develop approaches for the calculation of image similarity and will aim to provide novel immersive 3-D user-interfaces to combine human visual abilities with the automated organisation of the content. Collaboration occurs with DCU.
11.7 Postdoctoral Researchers A number of post-doctoral fellows have been employed in the Department in Biology and Chemistry as described in Table 11.11. In all cases it was evident that these researchers who lead and worked on specific projects for up to 3 years made significant contributions to the Department and generated a large number of research publications for this group.
The Department currently has 2 post-doctoral fellows working in Chemistry. The current recruitment drives of the CASH Centre and MiCRA Centres will mean this number is set to increase in 2008. The Post-Doctoral Fellows conduct laboratory-based research predominantly and this means that the post-graduate student base gains considerably from their hands-on experience and vast experience on a day to day basis. In addition their participation in departmental seminars means their research expertise is transferred to the wider academic community within the Department and School. The employment of two research assistants in Biology resulted in significant developments in bringing the area of biopharmaceutical research closer to the development and commercialization stage. Much of the early research in Engineering was conducted by Research Assistants. The Department of Electronic Engineering is currently employing 2 RAs through the EI Innovation Partnership project.
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Name ITT Dublin Contract Research Research Funding Academic Duration Topic Discipline Area Agency Project Leader
L. Oakley M. Costello 3 years Antimicrobials Biology HEA PRTLI J. Behan R. Harte C. Stack 3 years Applied Mathematics EI Basic C. Taylor Mathematics Research Grant A. Kennedy T. McCormac 3 years Electrochemistry Chemistry HEA PRTLI E. Dempsey (Sensors) J. McGinley B. Creaven 3 years Chemical Synthesis Chemistry HEA PRTLI B. Murray (Sensors) E. Caraher M. Callaghan 4 years Cystic Biology HEA PRTLI S. McClean Fibrosis L. Bi T. McCormac 2 years Novel Multi- Chemistry Marie Curie E. Dempsey functional Materials (6th Framework) M. Jamal E. Dempsey 2 years Microsensors Chemistry EI Applied Research T. McCormac Enhancement
Table 11.11 Details of Postdoctoral Fellows 2000 - 2007 11.8 Consultancy Related Research Academic expertise has also been channelled into consultancy activities specifically related to research and development. It is a small but important activity across all Academic Schools and is another indicator of the level of expertise that exists within the Institute and has resulted in linkages between the Institute and the local industrial community. A profile of the consultancy services provided to industry was already presented in the DA submission for the Institute’s taught programmes, Chapter 13, Section 13.13. The specific research related consultancy performance indicators by project area are given in Table 11.11. Some of the consultancy-related research projects led to applied research projects funded by Enterprise Ireland in Mechanical Engineering in particular.
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Company Name Research PROJECT Academic DEPARTMENT Researcher
South Dublin County Council Economics Accountancy & Professional Studies Academic TWI International Economics Accountancy & Professional Studies Academic Forfas Innovation Management Academic South Dublin Development Board Economics Accountancy & Professional Studies Academic South Dublin County Tourism Tourism Management Humanities Academic AMNCH Psychology Management Academic Limavady Gear Co. Ltd. Mechanical Mechanical Engineering Academic Telemecanique Ltd. Metrology Mechanical Engineering Academic MDS Electronics Ltd. Product Development Mechanical Engineering Academic Gaines Europe Ltd. Innovation & Product Mechanical Engineering Academic Development Mallinckrodt Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production Boston Scientific Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production Pressco Jig & Tool Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production Allied Signal Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production Tech Group Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production EPC Europe Ltd Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production The National Metrology Laboratory Product Development Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Atlantic Diamond Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Academic Design & Production Hewlett Packard Integrated Manufacture Mechanical Engineering Postgraduate Design & Production Mobile Aware Ltd. Mobile Computing Computing Postgraduate Iropharm Spectroscopy Science Academic Henkel-Loctite Spectroscopy Science Academic TopChem Spectroscopy Science Academic CrossVetpharm Pharmaceuticals Science Academic Barclay Chemicals Spectroscopy Science Academic NTERA Spectroscopy Science Academic Reagecon Spectroscopy Science Academic
Table 11.11 Research Related Consultancy Projects 288 Chapter 12
Quality Assurance Systems
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Chapter 12 Quality Assurance Systems
12.1 Introduction The Qualifications Act (1999) required all Institutes to establish procedures for quality assurance for the purpose of improving and maintaining quality of education and training. Since then a structured approach to quality assurance in higher education has evolved under the guidance of the NQAI and HETAC.
In the past decade, changes in national policy, structures, legislation, funding mechanisms and accountability requirements have fundamentally altered the landscape in which Irish higher education institutions operate. These changes have informed the guideline and criteria documents provided by the Awarding Bodies to educational establishments to put in place their own quality assurance systems. An academic quality assurance system provides stakeholders and students alike with an assurance that the design of educational programmes and associated standards has been planned and validated by an authority, in this case HETAC and the NQAI, which best safeguards their interests. The key elements of any quality system are given in Figure 12.1.
Purpose & Scope
Validation Documentation of Procedures
Implementation Quality Verification Assurance Systems
Compliance Change Control
Figure 12.1 Quality Assurance Key Elements
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The Quality Assurance System for the Institute is outlined in Quality Assurance Manual. It was drawn up to describe how the Institute should perform its academic operations using the current HETAC guidelines1 and was approved by HETAC in August 2004.
The Institute strives to ensure an ethos of quality in all of its activities and to embed a culture of continuous improvement in the provision of services to students and to the wider community. To facilitate this, a Quality Manual, associated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and quality improvement initiatives have been developed.
12.2 Institute Quality Assurance Structure The Quality Assurance System has been drawn up to ensure quality in the educational service provided to all students and it also has mechanisms to encourage continuous improvement in the management of quality. Quality and its assurance is not maintained or enhanced through systems and controls alone but through professional commitment. Hence, the Quality Assurance System is applied at every level of the organisation. Staff and students are regularly reminded of the importance of assuring and enhancing quality through processes and procedures through their sponsoring School.
The objectives of quality assurance as applied to teaching and learning in higher education are: a. To contribute, in conjunction with other mechanisms, to the promotion of high quality and standards in teaching and learning. b. To provide students, employers and others with reliable and consistent information about quality and standards at the institution. c. To ensure that educational programmes are identified where quality or standards are unsatisfactory, as a basis for ensuring rapid action to improve them. d. To provide one means of securing accountability for the use of public funds received by the institution.
These objectives are secured primarily through the internal quality assurance procedures and audit trail processes operated by the Institute. The Quality Manual is the main document which describes all academic and functional operations in a structured format. In 2006, a Code of Practice for research Degree Programmes was drawn up to augment and streamline the quality systems for the operation of supervised research studies. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been compiled to provide more detail on the implementation of the quality assurance procedures described in the Quality Manual. The whole system is guided by HETAC criteria and established international/national best practice and standards. The flowchart in Figure 12.2 shows the overall structure of the Quality Assurance System.
1 Guidelines & Criteria for Quality Assurance Procedures in Higher Education and Training, HETAC 2002.
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HETAC Guidelines and Criteria Best Practice
Policy
Quality Manual
Quality Management System
Code of Practice for Research Degrees
Standard Operating Procedures
Figure 12.2 Structure of the Institute Quality Assurance System
12.3 Institute Quality Manual The Institute’s Quality Assurance Manual was produced to conform to the HETAC Guidelines and Criteria for Quality Assurance Procedures in Higher Education and Training (2002). It describes the key structures, processes, policies, procedures, performance measures and quality assurance mechanisms that facilitate a systematic approach to embedding a quality improvement approach within the Institute. The Quality Assurance Manual was submitted to HETAC and following review was accepted as meeting the requirements as specified in the HETAC guidelines. A Certificate of conformance was issued by HETAC and presented to the Institute in August 2004. The layout of the QA Manual is given in Figure 12.3.
Validation establishes documented evidence which provides a high degree of assurance that a specific course will consistently meet its predetermined goals and quality characteristics. Hence, the QA Manual includes detailed procedures for the validation of new programmes. The QA Manual includes procedures for the efficient monitoring, evaluation and review of programmes, a key strength in any QA process.
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Quality Assurance Manual
Academic & Operational Procedures Organisational Structure
Evaluation of Procedures Roles and Responsibilities
QA Review Procedures Academic Policies
Figure 12.3 Quality Manual Layout
12.4 Institute Quality Management System Effective quality management is becoming increasingly important for the Institute, not only for improved outcomes but also because of an increasingly competitive environment and increased public interest in comparative quality data on Institutes of Technology and the universities. Figure 12.4 provides an overview of the key aspects of the Institute’s systems for the management of quality.
The development of the Quality Management System (QMS) as indicated in Figure 12.4, underpins the Institute’s approach to realise its commitment to quality. The Institute’s core activities (teaching and learning, and research and innovation) are supported by central service departments (estates, HR, academic administration, student services, library, finance, computing services) and by student support services (including careers and appointments, medical services, counselling, chaplaincy, access and disability supports, sports and recreation activities and learning supports). The Institute’s management and governance structures provide leadership in the development and implementation of quality assurance throughout the Institute. However, all internal and external stakeholders provide input into the quality assurance process and are instrumental in achieving the Institute’s goals. Academic staff are key players in the development and implementation of quality assurance in academic areas. Central services and student support services have their own quality assurance processes and play a vital role in enabling and supporting the Institute’s core activities. Collective responsibility is achieved through involvement in departmental meetings, programme boards and various other sub-committees and working groups within the different functional areas of the Institute and at School/Department level.
Through a cycle of planning, implementing and review, a process of continuous improvement is established across all Institute activities. This process is an interactive and collective process that recognises the interdependence that exists among all stakeholders and recognises outcomes as the result of systemic interaction among all players. Quality improvement initiatives are based on the analysis of information, data and reports gained through a structured process of evaluation, monitoring and feedback from internal and external stakeholders, through the mechanisms of Institutional and Programmatic Reviews and other periodic evaluations conducted by the Institute.
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Governance and Management
Planning, Strategy, Goals
Teaching and Research and Learning Innovation
Supported by Central Services and Stakeholder Student Support Services Involvement
• Students • Staff Learning Enviroment • Graduates Physical Facilities and Resources • Companies & Organisations • Professional Bodies • Regulatory Input • NQAI/HETAC/FETAC
Transfer of knowledge, skills and competencies Graduates and Post-Graduates
Strategies for Review, Monitoring, Evaluating Feedback and Results, Redefinition of Goals and Strategy.
Figure 12.4 Institute Quality Management Systems
The structures put in place for managing quality, are designed to improve the communication processes, co-operation and interaction among management teams, Governing Body and individuals. Continuous improvement depends on the quality of interaction and lines of communication among the individuals and groups outlined in Figure 12.5.
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Governing Body
President Academic Council
Registrar Heads of School and Department Academic Council Sub-Committees
Academic Staff and Support Staff Programme Boards
Management Line Relationship Lecturer - Student
Communications/Liaison Relationship
Fig 12.5 Lines of Communication in the Academic Quality System 12.5 Academic Quality Assurance Procedures The Institute’s quality assurance procedures are detailed in the Institute Quality Assurance Manual and are therefore not reproduced here. The purpose of the procedures is summarised below. Procedures in Section 12.5.1 to 12.5.4 relate to quality assurance in academic programmes/activities; Procedures Section 12.5.5 to 12.5.7 relate quality assurance in the central services and student support areas.
The final set of procedures summarised in Section 12.5.8 relate to the process of evaluating the Institute’s quality management system itself. This shows the Institute has a structured process for evaluation and review to ensure that the Institute’s quality assurance procedures are effective and are correctly aligned to the needs of the Institute at a particular moment in time.
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12.5.1 Procedures for Design and Approval of New Programmes, Subjects and Modules The purpose of these procedures, associated guidelines and forms is to ensure that new programmes developed by the Institute are: • Compliant with the mission, policies and strategic plan of the Institute. • Compliant with the policies and procedures of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) for Section 25 validation. • Fulfil an identifiable need for industry or the local community. • Are of appropriate academic breadth and depth with learning outcomes that are consistent with the levels of knowledge skill and competence as prescribed by the National Framework of Qualifications. • Provide routes which maximise opportunities for learners to avail of access, transfer and progression routes. • Are developed via a process that is consistent and identifies the academic, physical and human resources required to deliver the programme.
The most recent procedures for approving new programmes were developed in response to a significant change in the Institute’s powers with effect from May 2006, due to the granting of delegated authority status to the Institute. The procedures cover major, minor, special purpose and supplemental awards. Procedures for making Modifications to Existing Programmes are also exist. Chapter 13 which describes how the Institute implements delegated authority provides more information on this procedure and the steps involved.
12.5.2 Procedures for the Assessment of Learners The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that the Institute operates assessment methods that: (i) are fair, consistent and transparent; (ii) comply with standards determined by HETAC or other approved validating bodies; (iii) comply with the standards in respect of the National Framework of Qualifications; (iv) evaluate student learning on the programme; (v) are effective in measuring the achievement of the desired learning outcomes of the programme. (vi) provide students with opportunities to demonstrate application of knowledge, attitudes or skills where appropriate; (vii) provide feedback to students to assist them in improving their performance.
The procedures outlined in this section of the Quality Manual focus on: regulations concerning assessment and examinations; assessment schedules and the weighting of assessments; registration for examinations; semester examination papers, solutions, marking schemes and grading; script marking and compilation of marks; Exam Board meetings and notification of examination results; procedures for dealing with requests for examination recheck/review; Academic Disciplinary Board procedures for students allegedly breaching examination regulations; regulations for examination Invigilators; provision of appropriate feedback on continuous assessment, including advice on how the student can improve his/her grade; procedures for FETAC programmes and Professional Body programmes.
Postgraduate research degrees policy and procedures while described briefly in this section of the Quality Manual are described in detail in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes as discussed in Section 12.9.
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12.5.3 Procedures for Ongoing Monitoring of Programmes The purpose of these procedures and guidelines is to: • ensure systematic processes exist and are managed in order to collect and analyse information supportive of the continuous improvement of programmes; • correlate both internal and external information to ensure programmes retain their academic and vocational currency; • monitor learner achievement in relation to stated learning outcomes of the programmes and to gauge the effectiveness of programme assessment mechanisms; • create a quality culture within the Institute at both staff and learner level such that stakeholders are aware of their roles and responsibilities in relation to programme quality; • support overarching periodic reviews of the Institute and its constituent schools.
This section of the Quality Manual includes procedures for the formation and reporting mechanisms of Programme Boards.
12.5.4 Procedures for Evaluation of Each Programme at Regular Intervals The procedures have been drawn up to guide staff, learner representatives and external specialists involved in the Periodic Programmatic Evaluation. The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that the Institute operates evaluation procedures of individual or group related programmes that: (i) Ensure quality improvements are made to programmes. (ii) Ensure programmes remain relevant to learner needs, including academic and labour market needs. (iii) Are conducted in accordance with established international best practice. (iv) Are fair and consistent (v) Takes cognisance of the National Framework of Qualifications and implements the policies of the NQAI in relation to access, transfer and progression.
12.5.5 Procedures for Selection, Appointment, Appraisal and Development of Staff The purpose of these procedures is to ensure that the Institute operates Recruitment and Selection methods that are fair and consistent and comply with the regulation determined by the Minister for Education and Science. These procedures have been drafted as a guide to all staff with responsibilities for recruitment & selection.
The Human Resources Manager is responsible for developing, managing, evaluating and implementing appropriate selection, recruitment and appointment practices and procedures. Selection Procedures cover: • Advertisements • Screening • Short-listing • Selection Board composition and conduct • Documentary evidence.
Recent improvements include:
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• The preparation of a guide to members of interview boards which explains the process, roles and responsibilities of the panel members, and sets out questioning approaches • The preparation of detailed information packs for all members of an interview board, setting out the job description, copies of the job advertisement, and the screening and short-listing process • The preparation of a detailed information pack for all academics regarding recruitment and selection of postgraduate researchers • The provision of feedback to candidates upon the outcome of their interview • The provision of a two day course on interview skills to all members of the management team • The provision of an e-mail facility enabling candidates to download their application form and e-mail it back to the Institute.
Procedures also exist for the Appraisal of Staff, Staff Training and Development and the Performance Management Development System (PMDS).
12.5.6 Procedures for Evaluating Premises, Equipment and Facilities Section 8 of the Institute Quality Assurance Manual details the procedures for evaluating premises, equipment and facilities. These procedures relate to the following key areas: • Room Condition Audits. Room condition audits of all classrooms, lectures and common areas are carried out during the summer and winter breaks to allow repair works to be done and to ensure that facilities are in optimum condition before the commencement of each semester. • Allocation and timetabling of rooms. Room audits are carried out to review the accuracy of the Institute timetable by verifying actual room usage. • Procurement Procedures. The major on-going service contracts, such as catering, clearing, security, and grounds maintenance, are put to public tender every three years. Institute policies and procedures in relation to procurement are outlined in section 8.5 of the Institute Quality Assurance Manual. • Procedures for the servicing and maintenance of the Institute’s premises are outlined in Section 9.5 of the Institute Quality Manual.
The Estates Office is developing a comprehensive set of standard operating procedures for the estates/facilities management function to cover areas such as unscheduled maintenance requests and requests for minor works, and health and safety.
12.5.7 Procedures for Evaluating Services Related to Programmes of Higher Education and Training Procedures for evaluating services related to programmes of higher education and training are outlined in Section 9 of the Institute Quality Assurance manual. These procedures cover the following services: • Library and Information Services • Computing and Reprographic Services • Learner Support, Academic and Non-Academic • Technical Services • Premises servicing and maintenance • Communications.
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12.5.8 Procedures for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Quality Assurance Procedures The Institute is committed to ensuring that both the operation and control of its quality assurance processes are effective, and that they contribute to an ongoing process of continuous improvement.
Section 10 of the Institute Quality Assurance Manual details the series of internal and external audits in place designed to assess whether quality assurance procedures are being implemented (as defined in the Institute procedures) and as part of a learning process, to evaluate if these procedures and review mechanisms are adequate for the purpose for which they were established. Senior Management has responsibility for ensuring that the audit/review process is conducted appropriately and that the recommendations are implemented. The internal and external audits specified in the Institute Quality Manual are outlined below. • Internal Audit by Consultant Auditors • Internal Audit by Sub-committee of Governing Body • Periodic Institutional Audit • Management Quality Assurance Review • Audit of the Comptroller and Auditor General • Internal peer audit
These review mechanisms were considered in Chapter 3, Section 3.8. Table 12.1 provides a list of quality assurance systems audited since 2005.
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System Audited Area Area
Responses to External Examiner recommendations for 2005/06 Computing and Science Departments Sept. ’07 Extern Examiners Reports Humanities June ’07 Response to External Examiners Reports Mechanical Engineering Department June ’07 Responses to external examiner comments on external Accounting & Professional Studies Department June ’07 examiner reports Response to External Examiners Reports Electronic Engineering Department June ’07 Responses to external examiner comments on external Management Department June ’07 examiner reports Responses to external examiner comments on external Marketing & Business Computing Department June ’07 examiner reports Academic Disciplinary Board Procedures for Students allegedly Institute-wide June ’06 breaching Institute Examination Regulations as presented in the Standing Operating Procedure DR045 for January 2005 Standard Operating Procedure for dealing with requests for Institute-wide June ’06 examination rechecks and reviews for Examination session January 2005 which comprised 16 applications for a review or a recheck. Follow on actions from External Examiner (EE) Electronic Engineering Department June ’06 Reports of October 2005 New Programme Design Computing Department June ’06 Follow on actions from External Examiner (EE) Science Department May ’06 Reports of October 2005 Programme Board Reports Institute-wide Oct. ’05 Broadsheet amendments relating to August 2005 Institute-wide Oct. ’05 Non-compliance of examination papers Institute-wide Jan. ’05 Broadsheet amendments which record non-compliance in Schools and Office of the Registrar Jan. ’05 specific individual cases Audit of Commitments outlined in Quality Manual 2004 Institute-wide Feb. ’05
Table 12.1 List of Internal Peer Audits 2005-07
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12.5.9 Programmatic Review Process and Procedures This periodic programmatic evaluation is a review of the continuing validity of a programme’s aims and the associated learning outcomes. It centres on a review of the programme over the previous five years, with particular regard to the achievement and improvement of educational quality. Through a Periodic Programmatic Evaluation a revised programme document is developed detailing revised aims and learning outcomes, revised programme schedules and a revised assessment plan. The outcome from the Periodic Programmatic Evaluation also informs the sponsoring Academic School’s strategic direction for the future.
The internal element of a Periodic Programmatic Evaluation comprises: (i) self evaluation of the programme(s) (ii) a plan for the subsequent five years and a revised programme document including, if required, revised programme schedules (iii) a review by an Internal Self Evaluation Group.
The external element of a Periodic Programmatic Evaluation entails a group of external experts (i) considering the evidence of the self evaluation (ii) conducting their own evaluation of the revised programme document and plan (iii) producing an external evaluation report.
Each School considers and acts on the findings of the self-evaluation and the external evaluation. It is required to put in place formal procedures for monitoring the implementation of the changes adopted as a result of the findings. The implementation of the changes will form part of an internal audit conducted by an internal peer review auditor appointed by the Institute (see Section 12.5.8).
12.5.10 Institutional Review Process and Procedures An Institutional Review is an external review of the Institution as a whole (all activities – academic and others) by an expert peer review group convened by HETAC. The main components include: • Institutional self-evaluation & report • External review by expert panel & panel report • Implementation of recommendations arising.
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Preparatory meeting HETAC/Institution
HETAC sets Terms of Reference Self Study by Institution
HETAC appoints Expert panel Submission of Self Evaluation report
Site Vist
Panel report
Insitutional response & Implementation plan
Adoption by HETAC Council
Publication
Implementation of recommendations
Follow up
Figure 12.6 Flowchart outlining the Institutional Review Process
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The terms of reference for Institutional Review are set out in the HETAC overarching policy for institutional review as approved in December 2007.2 The objectives of the institutional review process are 1. to enhance public confidence in the quality of education and training provided by the institution and the standards of the awards made; 2. to contribute to coherent strategic planning and governance in the institution; 3. to assess the effectiveness of the quality assurance arrangements operated by the institution; 4. to confirm the extent that the institution has implemented the national framework of qualifications and procedures for access, transfer and progression; 5. to evaluate the operation and management of delegated authority where it has been granted; 6. to provide recommendations for the enhancement of the education and training provided by the institution.
To maximise the benefits of the review process, Institutions may also consider including additional objectives relevant to its context.
12.6 Continuous Improvement The Institute approach to quality improvement is indicated in Figure 12.7. It is a continuous responsive process that seeks to improve outcomes. Each Department/function identifies its key stakeholders (students, staff and other internal and external stakeholders), the key processes involved in managing the functional area and the policies that govern these processes. The next stage involves identifying how the functional area complies with its stated policies and procedures and what deficiencies need to be addressed. The final stage involves identifying improvements that could be made within the functional area.
12.7 Standard Operating Procedures Policies and procedures are developed using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). It is the policy of the Institute that all Standard Operating procedures (SOP’s) have the same format, as far as possible. The standard format for SOPs has five headings: policy, purpose, organisational units affected, definitions, responsibility and description of the procedure. Where appropriate, procedures conform to this template. A specific SOP template (procedure no: E2001) is used when generating a new procedure. A full list of SOPs for the Institute is available from the Freedom of Information Office.
2 Policy on Institutional Review of Providers of Higher Education and Training, HETAC, Dec. 2007.
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Key Processes Department/Function Key Stakeholders
Procedures reviewed with respect to compliance
Deficiencies identified
Procedure Amended
Implement Improvements
Fig. 12.7 Quality Review and Improvement 12.8 Research Quality Assurance Framework The current Quality Assurance Manual gives a concise statement of the Institute’s quality policy and management objectives as applied to its undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes jointly. Quality assurance procedures for the admission, monitoring and examination of postgraduate research students were developed by the Postgraduate Policy Committee of Academic Council between 2001 and 2002, inline with the HETAC guidelines of the time.3 This Committee drafted the first Institute Postgraduate Research Degrees: Policy & Procedures document which was approved by Academic Council on April 10th 2002 and by the Governing Body on May 8th 2002. Section 4.4.17 of the Quality Manual provides a summary of the Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy and Procedures which were approved by Governing Body in 2002.
The Institute’s research regulations & procedures4 were assessed by the Registrar’s Office in May 2005 in view of the following: a. The decision to make an application for accreditation to maintain a research register in line with the April 2003 “Validation process, policy and criteria for the accreditation of providers to maintain a register for a specified research degree in a specified discipline area”; b. The coming on-stream of the new HETAC Aug. 2005 “Taught & Research Programme Accreditation Policy Criteria & Processes”.
3 Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy & Procedures, HETAC 2001. 4 Institute of Technology Tallaght, Postgraduate Research Degrees Policy and Procedures Document, May 2002.
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The results of this assessment were presented both to Management and Academic Council where it was decided to develop a complete Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes to include: 1. Updated Regulations for Supervised Postgraduate Research Studies; 2. Code of Conduct for Researchers.
This was carried out by the Postgraduate Policy sub-Committee of Academic Council who consulted with management, academic supervisors and research students in the process. The Code of Practice was approved by Academic Council in February 2006 and subsequently by the Governing Body in March 2006. It was also ratified by the Institute management teams.
The Code of Practice (Section 12.9) is an integral part of the Quality Management System. The regulations and procedures therein underpin the academic operations and management of the Institute’s research degree programmes.
A register of postgraduate students is maintained by the Registrar’s Office in the Institute. All registrations are evaluated internally by the Postgraduate Research Board, as convened by the Registrar.
The Institute has been accredited by HETAC to maintain a research degree register in specific discipline areas.
For candidates submitting applications to the following registers, then the Institute approves the application: • Master of Engineering • Master of Science • Doctor of Philosophy BIOLOGY and CHEMISTRY disciplines only, inclusive of transfer applications.
For candidates submitting applications to the following registers, then applications must be submitted to HETAC who then approve the application: • Master of Arts • Master of Business • Doctor of Philosophy (all disciplines other than BIOLOGY or CHEMISTRY, inclusive of transfer applications)
A Postgraduate Research Student Handbook has also been developed and this is updated on an annual basis by a group comprised of staff from Development and Registrar’s Office. Part 1 of the handbook provides general information to research students regarding their studies, supports and services. Part 2 of the handbook summarises the Research Regulations and Code of Conduct.
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12.8.1 The Postgraduate Research Board The primary function of the Postgraduate Research Board is to assist and advise the Registrar in monitoring the overall registration, assessment and examination of candidates for the Institute’s research degree programmes.
Composition of the Postgraduate Research Board: It consists of the Registrar, Heads of School, Heads of Department, Academic Representatives (6) who have supervised research degree students to Level 9 and 10 to completion. The Registrar can also nominate a panel of external academic advisors (5) to advise the Board as required.
The Board should meet at least once a year and thereafter on an ad hoc basis as required. In case of matters arising for consideration by the Board at other times, an executive core committee comprising three members of the Board can be convened by the Registrar.
Since requests for registrations, transfers and examination of candidates often occur periodically throughout the year, the Registrar may liaise with the Board and external panel members as required in writing to seek their advice or approval in relation to these requests rather than convene a meeting.
Terms of Reference: • Review and approve all new applications for registration to research degree programmes before submission to HETAC. • Approve the results of any qualifying examination process as required to support a registration application. • Review the annual assessment reports and approve the annual renewal of registrations. • Review and approve applications for transfer between postgraduate research degree registers. • Provide advice on the approval of internal and external examiners as required. • Deal with appeals & complaints as appropriate.
12.8.2 Monitoring the Quality of Research Degree Programmes The Departments and Schools are responsible for the delivery of research degree programmes. They work closely with the Registrar’s Office in this regard. They also work closely with Development & External Services (D&ESO) in relation to support services for research, in particular those that apply to studentships and funding. Research Degree Programme Boards reside within the Departments. They are established in accordance with the procedures as described in the Quality Assurance Manual. The Programme Board is comprised of a Head of Department (or nominee) and the research academic staff and student representatives, other staff or external advisors. Their main focus is to monitor and improve the ongoing delivery of the research degree programmes.
It is Institute policy that postgraduate research assessment should be conducted rigorously, fairly and consistently. It should only undertaken by those individuals with relevant qualifications and experience and with a clear understanding of the task. Monitoring of progress on the project is carried out by the Supervisor(s) through regular scheduled meetings and discussions with the student. The overall monitoring of the supervision process is carried out by the sponsoring Department for example through the Programme Boards, annual reviews, and complaints mechanisms. Student progress is assessed on an annual basis by the Department through the mechanism of formal reports as completed by the supervisors and students.
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The examination criteria, along with those for the appointment of internal and external examiners, along with the chairperson of examiners are applied by the Registrar as per Section 4 of the Research Regulations contained herein. These have been drawn up in accordance with the HETAC guidelines.
Continuous improvement of the Quality Assurance framework for research is an ongoing objective. Staff and student participation at research degree Programme Boards and the relevant sub-Committees of Academic Council are the main routes for providing feedback on the quality & effectiveness of the structures in place to support the Institute’s research degree programmes.
SOPs have been drafted to provide step-by-step guidance on the implementation of the Research Regulations. The complete list of SOPs for Research is given in Appendix 12.
Academic Supervisors monitor quality on a regular basis in relation to progress on a specific research project through the forum of the progress meetings held with the postgraduate researcher. The quality of the supervision process is monitored within the Department. Annual review reports often provide key information in that regard.
An important indicator for measuring the quality of any research degree programme from an academic perspective can be obtained from a review of the external examiners reports for each specific programme. All external examiners reports to date have been complimentary of the candidate and the quality of research conducted. They have had no hesitation in recommending awards and have said that the work presented was always of a very high standard. In the majority of cases awards have been “recommended with minor corrections” and the corrections did not have to be reviewed again by the examiner, just signed off by the supervisors or internal examiner. In a few cases an award was “recommended without modification”. There have been no situations where an award “was not recommended” or “referred for substantial amendment and re-examination”. All doctoral degree graduates performed well in viva examinations. An oral examination took place for three of the Masters graduates to date. The reports of a number of Masters Theses mentioned that the research was already of PhD standard and quality. Reports also pointed to the fact that research was publishable and made significant contributions to new knowledge in the area. In recent years examiners have said the following about Masters and PhD theses submitted to them for examination:
“This is generally a well written thesis showing some independent thought and in fact the queries raised would provide a good basis for extending the study to a PhD in due course. The thesis is clearly of a Masters Level and standard.” [MEng. 2004]
“It is clear from the presentation of the thesis and confirmed during the oral examination, that xxx set about this project in a very professional and systematic manner. It was also obvious from the very detailed literature survey contained in the thesis that xxx was well aware of the various developments in the area... He presented important and industrially significant results. [MEng. 2004]
“Overall an impressive piece of work, well worthy of an M.Sc.” [MSc. 2004] “This is a very substantial thesis. Xxx has completed a prestigious amount of work, which should lead to several publications in relevant journals of the international chemical literature. He also opens a number of further lines of research that may be pursued in future work.” [MSc. 2005]
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“The thesis is clearly of MSc standard and I feel that with another years work a good PhD thesis could have been produced.” [MSc. 2004]
“This is an extremely well written and clearly presented thesis. The thesis makes an excellent contribution to the field of research into this critically important bacterial pathogen… It is the opinion of this Examiner that the supervisors and student should explore the possibility of publishing some of the results presented in this thesis in peer- reviewed Journals.” [MSc. 2005]
“Overall the results in the Thesis are sound and are worthy of a PhD degree. [PhD, 2001]
“The work demanded proficiency in a wide range of experimental methods… The candidate clearly acquired considerable skill in the use of these methods. The thesis is well written and provides a comprehensive account of the research undertaken. A number of its results are of considerable interest and will lead to several publications in the international literature.” [PhD 2004]
“The thesis is well-written and presented… The work presented in the thesis is novel, relevant, of publishable quality…” [PhD 2005]
Quality assurance is a continuous, active and responsive process. Critical evaluation of performance and active sharing is central to the proper operation of quality assurance systems. Continuous improvement of the QA framework for research is actively encouraged. Staff & student participation in the relevant sub-Committees of Academic Council provide the main feedback on the quality of the academic and operational structures in place for the Institute’s research degree programmes. The general information captured in the supervisor and student progress meetings and annual reports also guides how improvements in the quality assurance framework for research degree programmes can be achieved. These are normally brought to the attention of the sponsoring Head of Department directly or through the forum of the Departmental meeting. Special research programme board/committee meetings have been convened within the Schools of Engineering and Science to focus on improvements to operational and support systems. The quality of research is also assessed as part of the School Programmatic Reviews every 5 years (Section 12.5.9).
12.9 Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes This Code has been compiled for the guidance of those who are or will be involved in management and supervision of postgraduate research degree programmes and all registered postgraduate students on these programmes. It provides research degree students with a guide as to what they can expect from their programme of study and to what the Institute expects of its research degree students.
It includes policy, regulations and procedures in respect of supervised research studies from admission through to final recommendation for award. It includes the Institute codes of conduct for the responsible practice of research along with disciplinary policy and procedures for dealing with allegations of misconduct.
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The Code of Practice is available online to staff and students on the intranet at http://www.it-tallaght.ie/ResearchatITTDublin/PostgraduateResearchInformation/
In addition soft copies are also posted on the Institute staff I Drive in the RDP Regulations and Procedures folder. Comments on this Code of Practice and on how it might be improved should be forwarded directly to the Registrar of the Institute for consideration at the next review.
The remainder of this section gives a summary of the Institute’s regulations and procedures for supervised postgraduate research. Template forms for completion by students / supervisors are available to staff and students on the Intranet and staff I Drive in the RDP Regulations and Procedures folder. This folder also includes a Postgraduate Researcher Recruitment Pack, the Postgraduate Research Student Handbook and details of how to secure ethics clearance for proposed research involving human/animal participants (see Section 12.10 for processes and procedures for ethics clearance).
12.9.1 External Research Funding Application Procedure All prospective applicants are encouraged to discuss their intentions regarding a research funding opportunity with their Head of Department prior to preparing a research project proposal. The proposed academic researcher must seek approval from their Head of Department before submission of the application for funding. The Head of Department considers whether the project in question can be supported within his/her Department, with reference to such issues as lecturer commitments, bench space, and equipment. Ethical risks associated with the proposed work are also considered, and ethics clearance may be recommended.
12.9.2 Postgraduate Recruitment & Selection Process All applicants wishing to register for a research degree programme must undergo a formal interview process to ascertain their suitability for carrying out the proposed research to the level required for the postgraduate award. A candidate applying for a studentship that funds a postgraduate research degree programme is normally recruited following public advertisement. Studentship availability is dependent on the successful outcome an application for research funding to an internal or external funding authority. The process for the Recruitment & Selection of a Candidate for a Research Studentship is managed overall by the Development & External Services Office. Guidelines on the Selection & Recruitment process, including topics such as pre- recruitment consultation, setting up a selection panel, pre-interview discussion, the interview, making a recommendation and the checking of references are given in Appendix D of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes. Once the candidate has accepted their studentship they are deemed eligible to prepare and submit an application to register for the appropriate degree programme.
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12.9.3 Selection & Appointment of Supervisors Academic supervision is central to the successful completion of postgraduate research work. The supervisors play a key role in designing the research project, guiding the postgraduate student in their work, maintaining the general direction of the research, setting and maintaining appropriate targets & academic standards along with preparing the student for submission of their final thesis for examination.
The nomination of Supervisors for a research project is normally done through agreement by the proposed academic researchers themselves. The nomination can also come from a team of researchers for projects run through Research Centres or specialist research groups. Where there is conflict of interest in this area it rests with the Principal Investigator to resolve the issue. Where the project is to lead to an academic award the Head of Department should approve the nomination(s) prior to submission of an application for registration. Where there is conflict of interest in the area it rests with the Head of Department to resolve the issue.
A single Supervisor (in the category of Principal Supervisor) may be appointed to supervise a candidate registered on a research degree programme. In such cases the Head of Department may be required to act in an ancillary supervisory role (e.g. where Supervisor leaves or in cases of dispute) or make arrangements for another suitably qualified academic to do so.
Where more than one Supervisor is appointed, one Supervisor is normally appointed as the Principal Supervisor and the second or subsequent Supervisors nominated as the Co-Supervisor.
The criteria for the appointment of Supervisors – Principal and those in a Co-Supervising or Mentoring role are outlined in the Research Regulations for Supervised Postgraduate Research [included in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes].
12.9.4 Admissions to Research Degrees The Institute has developed a comprehensive set of policies and procedures with regard to postgraduate recruitment and admission to research degree programmes. These are described in full in Section 1 and 2 of the Research Regulations in the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes. This information is also included in the ITT Dublin: Postgraduate Research Student Handbook which is available for all potential applicants on the college internet. Pre-admission, recruitment and formal application steps are given in Figure 12.8.
Prior to admission the proposed academic supervisor must submit a request to the relevant Head of Department who must confirm: a) The availability of adequate and appropriate space accommodation within their Department. Note: It is the Head of Development who signs off on the availability of general office-type accommodation b) The proposed Supervisor(s) meet the criteria for the appointment of Supervisors. c) The supervisors existing commitments and responsibilities allow sufficient time for supervision of the student. d) Research in the proposed topic/area can be facilitated within the Department and School. e) The training needs of the postgraduate student can be accommodated. f) Any potential ethical considerations have been highlighted.
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Prospective Supervisor discusses the proposed recruitment of a research student with the relevant Head of Department
Prospective Supervisor checks the Academic Entry Requirements of the Candidate and follows the postgraduate recruitment process
Academic Qualifications check conducted where required – for all overseas applicants and those with equivalent/professional qualifications
Qualifying examination conducted
Verification of English language qualifications conducted
The appropriate application form is completed outlining a detailed research proposal and submitted to the relevant Head of Department along with supporting documentation.
Following Departmental approval, the application form and supporting documentation are submitted by the Candidate or Supervisor to the Office of the Registrar
Application reviewed by the Institute Postgraduate Research Board and signed off by the Registrar
Application submitted/notified to HETAC. Outcome notified to Candidate, Supervisor and Head of Department
Figure 12.8 Admission and Registration Steps
Where an ethical risk has been highlighted for a research project the proposed Researcher(s) must obtain clearance from the Research Ethics Committee5 before the proposed start date of the project and before funding can be drawn down for the project.
5 Process and Procedures described in Section 12.10.
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12.9.5 Transfer Arrangements: Masters to Doctoral Degrees Students wishing to transfer from the Master’s Register to the Doctoral Register will make a formal application to the Registrar through the sponsoring Department. Normally, such applications should not be made earlier than one year after admission to the Master’s register; and not later than one year before the expected date of completion of the proposed doctoral research.
A request for transfer can only be initiated following the recommendation of the Supervisor(s) in consultation with the sponsoring Department. The student is required to submit a typewritten report (normally 5000 words in length at least) for consideration by an external academic expert in the field of study proposed for the new award level. The external expert is required to carry out an assessment of the student’s suitability to conduct proposed research to the knowledge, skill and competence level required for Doctoral Degree programmes. They must submit a report on their assessment indicating whether it is recommended the student transfer to the Doctoral register or not with supporting reasons. The transfer process steps are shown in Figure 12.9 below and the process is described in more detail in Section 2.2.6 of the Research Regulations.
Students on the Doctoral Register, who are unable to complete the approved programme within the permitted duration for any reason may through the sponsoring Department, apply to the Registrar for permission to transfer to the Master’s Register. The Registrar may permit such a transfer if satisfied that there are good reasons for doing so, and notifies this request to HETAC to have the registration amended. The attachment of special conditions, including provisions with regard to duration, to the candidate’s registration for the Degree of Master may be required at the request of the Institute’s Postgraduate Research Board and/or HETAC as required (see Section 2.2.7 of the Research Regulations).
12.9.6 Procedures for Monitoring Research Progress Supervisors and students are required to meet on a regular basis to discuss progress on the project. A record or log of these meetings is maintained by the Supervisor(s). This log normally provides detail on the progress of the research work and the decisions made at each stage of the project. It may also be used in cases where there are grievance issues to be resolved.
In addition students may be requested to prepare and submit quarterly written reports (in particular where the student is part of a Research Centre of specialist research group). Presentations made by the student as part of Departmental Seminar programmes generates additional records of student progress.
The Supervisor(s) arrange a regular schedule of meetings or supervisory sessions at the start of the project, the frequency of such sessions will vary according the nature of the research (e.g. whether laboratory work is involved), the particular research project, and may depend on whether the student is registered on a full-time or part-time basis. The length of sessions will also vary from student to student, across time and between disciplines. The key point is that both student and supervisor have a clear, agreed understanding of the frequency and nature of contact required at any particular stage of the project.
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PhD Transfer Steps
Supervisor discusses the proposed transfer application with the relevant Head of Department
Following Departmental approval candidate prepares a Transfer Report document under the guidance of the Supervisor(s)
Transfer Report document submitted for assessment to external assessor
External assessor writes report on the document and the candidate’s suitability for transfer to the higher register • RECOMMENDED – proceed to next step • NOT RECOMMENDED – act on assessor’s advice and review the process
The appropriate application form is completed which includes a short research proposal for the PhD project and submitted along with the assessor’s report to the Registrar.
Application reviewed by the Institute Postgraduate Research Board and signed off by the Registrar
Application submitted/notified to HETAC. Outcome notified to Candidate, Supervisor and Head of Department
Figure 12.9 Steps for Progression from Masters to PhD
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12.9.7 Annual Assessment Review The renewal of registration for a research degree programme is dependent on a positive outcome to an annual assessment review. All annual assessments should be conducted within the first three months of the new academic year. Progress reports must be submitted by the Head of Department to the Registrar from the following: a) Student (ITT Dublin - Postgraduate Student Annual Report Form), b) Principal Supervisor (ITT Dublin - Supervisors Annual Report Form) c) Letter from the Head of Department6 indicating the level satisfaction with each student’s progress and a recommendation for continuing registration, for the subsequent academic year. d) A HETAC Postgraduate Research Degree Candidate/Supervisor Update Form for each candidate that has been completed by the Principal Supervisor.
Each postgraduate student must complete and submit a Postgraduate Student Annual Progress Report form to their Head of Department. The report indicates progress under the following headings: a) agreed research plan with supervisors b) structured work schedule and compliance with schedule c) level of satisfaction with supervision and general progress to date d) frequency of meetings with supervisors e) target date for submission of thesis.
Each Principal Supervisor (in conjunction with the co-supervisor where applicable) must complete and submit a Supervisors Annual Progress Report form to their Head of Department. The report addresses a number of issues and indicates progress to date under the headings below: a) agreed research plan with postgraduate student b) structured work schedule and compliance with schedule c) frequency of meetings with postgraduate student d) training in research skills and techniques required by the student e) summary of feedback received from the student to date f) any serious problems encountered with the research to date g) supervisor satisfaction with the general progress of the work to date h) target date for submission of thesis i) Supervisor’s recommendation for transfer to a higher or lower register.
All completed forms should be submitted to the Head of Department who can make one of the following recommendations to the Registrar regarding the student: a) the research is progressing satisfactorily and the candidate should be allowed to apply for transfer to a higher register, as recommended by the Supervisor(s) b) the research is progressing satisfactorily, and should continue. c) the research is not progressing satisfactorily, and a clear outline of remedial action to be taken should be provided to the student by the Supervisor(s) and they should be required to report again for review within one month. d) the research is not satisfactory for the level of the award being sought and the student should be transferred to a lower register at the request of the Supervisor(s). e) the research is completely unsatisfactory and the project should be ended and the student not re-registered.
6 One letter per Department listing - the student names, level of satisfaction & recommendation regarding renewal of registration.
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Where there is a negative outcome to the assessment (as in c), d) or e) above) the Registrar will refer the case to the Postgraduate Research Advisory Board for consideration. They may request the postgraduate student make an oral presentation to an assessment panel convened by the Registrar or nominee, consisting of Academic Researchers (2) independent of the project, as nominated by the Registrar; Head of Department or nominee; Head of School or nominee and the Registrar (Chair).
12.9.8 Notice of Intention to Submit for Examination It is the appointed Supervisor(s) who normally indicates to the research student that their course of research is near or at completion and that they are now in a position to begin collating their results and to write up their thesis. The Supervisor(s), guide the student in the preparation of a thesis, detailing how to write an abstract, introduction, discussion, results and experimental sections, where required, and suited to the level of award sought by the student. More detailed information on the Institute and HETAC requirements in relation to thesis format and layout are given in Section 4.1 and 4.2 of the Research Regulations respectively. Issues in relation to copyright and Intellectual Property (IP) rights are dealt with specifically in Section 4.2.14 of the Research Regulations.
All students must give their Supervisors three months notice of their intention to submit their thesis. The student can only give such notice following approval from their supervisors indicating that the work is at a stage suitable for submission. This is to facilitate the timely completion of the examination process before the Institute’s Examination Board meetings held in June and September of each year. At this stage internal and external examiners are proposed for the candidate for approval by the Head of Department. When approving the composition of Examiners the Head of Department should ensure the Examiners satisfy the criteria in Section 4.4 of the Research Regulations. Members of the candidate's supervisory team should take no active part in the examination process, unless specifically requested to do so by the examiners. Supervisors may attend the viva voce as observers, providing both the candidate and the examining committee are agreeable.
Following Departmental approval of the examiners, the Supervisor(s) then submit a HETAC Intention to Submit Form to the Registrar on behalf of the research student candidate which includes details of the proposed Examiners. The Registrar submits the completed form to HETAC who formally establish contact with the proposed examiners for the candidate. HETAC also nominate a Chairperson of Examiners for the candidate who liaises with HETAC during the examination period which can take a minimum of six weeks as the material must be examined by examiners at different locations and prepare and submit a report on their assessment of the thesis.
12.9.9 Submission and Examination Process In May 2007 changes to the examination process were communicated to the Institute by HETAC relating to the nomination of examiners for research degree candidates. This allows for the Institute to approve the examiners for a research degree candidate. HETAC will require notification of the appointment and copies of the external examiner reports as usual. Once the external examiner is appointed the provider is requested to nominate and agree an independent chairperson(s) with HETAC. The chairperson will oversee the research assessment procedures for all postgraduate learners and send his/her report to HETAC regarding the implementation of the examination procedures, at the end of the academic year. The nominated chairperson
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should be external to the provider or hold a position that is independent of the postgraduate learner, the schools administering/supporting the learners. The nominated chairperson should not be involved in the appeals process. Figure 12.10 presents a flowchart outlining the steps involved in the thesis submission and examination process.
It is Institute policy that where confidential examination is requested, then the examiners and chairperson sign a confidentiality agreement with the Institute. Appeals against the outcome of the examination are processed in accordance with Section 4.4.11 of the Research Regulations.
12.9.10 Feedback, Complaints & Appeals Procedures
Research Student Feedback General guidance on the methods of student feedback is available in Section 3.8 of the Research Regulations. The research student is also encouraged to offer feedback on their programme of study. This is facilitated through the students attendance at: • regular meetings with Supervisor(s) • Departmental Research Degree Programme Board meetings.
The annual reports submitted by the research student are another means of providing feedback on the programme. Feedback can also be given to the relevant student representative of the Postgraduate Policy sub- Committee of Academic Council.
If students are experiencing supervisory problems then they are advised to discuss the issue firstly with the Supervisor(s) and if that does not prove satisfactory to discuss it with the relevant Head of Department or School.
Complaints Procedures Supervisors and postgraduate students are encouraged to solve any disputes/grievances through open informal dialogue before invoking a formal grievance or complaints procedure. In the event of a difficulty arising during the project between the postgraduate student and Supervisors, the postgraduate student should normally first consult the Principal Supervisors to seek to resolve the issue. Where the matter cannot be resolved in this manner, it should be referred to the relevant Head of Department (or Head of School where the Head of Department is the Supervisor). They will seek to find a resolution of the matter. Where the complaint remains unresolved it is dealt with in turn by the Head of School and then the Registrar. Where the matter cannot be resolved in this manner, either party may formally invoke a complaints procedure outlined in Section 3.7 of the Research Regulations Appendix J of the Code of Practice.
If the postgraduate student considers that they are receiving inadequate supervision, they may register a complaint with the relevant Head of Department, who may then invoke the complaints procedure. Where the complaint remains unresolved it is dealt with in turn by the Head of School and then the Registrar. A complaint of inadequate supervision will not normally be entertained after submission of the thesis.
316 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Student submits one soft-bound copy of thesis to SUPERVISOR After ammendments NO re-submit
Supervisor submits soft bound copy of thesis to INTERNAL EXAMINER
YES
Student submits two soft bound copies of thesis to Registrar
Registrar givessends one soft bound copy of thesis to External Examiner along with Standard Letter; HETAC externs report form (plus continuation sheet); Section 4.4 of Code of Practice (Examination Procedures) The other copy held for the Chairperson of Examiners.
Viva Chairperson through the Registrar is provided with: soft bound copy of the thesis; examination procedures (Section 4.4); HETAC externs report forms(s) Chairperson sends final HETAC report to the REGISTRAR with externs comments attached.
Completed HETAC report form(s) submitted by Registrar to HETAC and broadsheet requested, for School exam Student submits board where Broadsheet is signed. • Two hard bound copies of thesis to Registrar and one copy of the abstract page • One hard bound copy to supervisor (or more where more than one supervisor Boradsheet and forms • One hard bound copy to HOD. submitted by HOS to REGISTRAR
Registrar submits • one hard bound copy of thesis and abstract to HETAC, along with signed broadsheets form(s) • One hard bound copy to library (or restricted access location in School)
Figure 12.10 Thesis Submission and Examination Steps
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Appeals Procedures A postgraduate student who is dissatisfied with a decision made during the course of their studies may appeal the decision in writing to the Registrar following the procedures outlined in the Code of Practice. Such decisions with regard to registration may include: • rejection of an application for registration • withdrawal of registration • not to recommend an application for transfer from Masters to PhD register • not to recommend an extension of registration beyond the time limit • suspension of registration • not to transfer to part-time status • not to recommend a deferral • not to recommend for examination.
The procedures in relation to the above appeals can be obtained in the Section 2.2.4 and 2.2.6 of the Research Regulations and Appendix F of the Code of Practice. Appeals against the outcome of the examination are processed in accordance with Section 4.4.11 of the Research Regulations.
12.9.11 Procedures for Dealing with Research Misconduct The Institute is committed to ensuring that all allegations of research misconduct are examined thoroughly, fairly and expeditiously. Details of the following procedures for dealing with allegations of research misconduct are given in Part 2 of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes: 1. Initial Allegation of Research Misconduct 2. Preliminary Investigation 3. Formal Investigation.
12.10 Research Ethics Process and Procedures The Institute has drawn up comprehensive procedures for managing ethics in research. The full process and procedures document is included in the submission pack. A summary of the process is provided below.
12.10.1 The Research Ethics Committee Academic Council recommended the establishment of an Ethics sub-Committee in June 2005. The remit of this sub-Committee is to • establish an appropriate code of ethics for the Institute; • identify protocols to be followed by researchers; • identify protocols to be followed by persons using college data and communications technology.
The Research Ethics Committee (REC) on the other hand is an Executive Committee convened by the Senior Management Team and has been established by them to: • Review project proposals of those researchers wishing to conduct research involving human and/or participants and make recommendations to SMT on whether the proposed research of that nature can be conducted at the Institute or not.
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The REC takes a human subject-centred approach when reviewing project proposals to review and to approve, propose modifications to, reject or terminate any proposed or research. The Research Ethics Committee has a number of primary aims: 1. To protect the rights and welfare of human and animal participants in research studies or trials conducted by or involving ITT Dublin researchers. 2. To facilitate the conduct of ethically sound, legally compliant research at the Institute in accordance with national and EU legislation. 3. To advise the Ethics sub-Committee and thereby Academic Council on the development of ethical policies and procedures at the Institute where required.
Terms of Reference of the Research Ethics Committee 1. To review and approve research proposals where human and/or animal participants are to be involved. 2. To engage with external academic bodies, supervisory or accrediting agencies as required by Academic Council or the Registrar.
Composition of the Research Ethics Committee The guiding principle for appointing members to a REC is to ensure that the committee has the appropriate expertise, skills, knowledge and perspectives to ensure an adequate and thorough ethics review. The REC is multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral in composition. The current membership of the Research Ethics Committee is given in Table 12.2.
Mr. John Vickery Chair Dr. Mary Deasy Secretary Dr. Michael Ahern Head of School – Science & Computing Dr. Denise Egan Lecturer in Biology Dr. Oliver Worsford PI Research Centre Dr. Eithne Dempsey Lecturer in Chemistry Dr. Joe McDonagh Lecturer in Psychology Mr. Jim Bridgeman Law Lecturer Dr. Andrew Donnellan Lecturer in Electronic Engineering Dr. Siobhan Kerins Medical Practitioner, Tallaght Dr. Dermot Cox Academic Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons Mr. Adrian Payne Head of Department - Marketing
Table 12.2 Research Ethics Committee Members
Where a Chairperson or members of the REC believe there is insufficient expertise on the committee to assess an application or an issue, the Board should seek additional expert advice. Experts may have specialist knowledge in particular fields of science or medicine or they may be representatives of communities or special interest groups.
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Functions and Responsibilities 1. The REC should meet bi-monthly as required to: • Review proposals for research to be carried out in Institute or by Institute staff. • Provide an annual report to the Ethics Committee and Academic Council on its activities in the intervening period. 2. REC members have a commitment to review the structures and processes for protecting and safeguarding the rights and interests of participants participating in research, while promoting and facilitating research excellence. 3. A member should be prepared to have his/her name, profession and affiliation published. 4. Members are expected to treat as confidential all applications, meeting deliberations, information on research participants/volunteers and related matters. 5. When an REC member believes they have a conflict of interest on a subject which will compromise their ability to make an impartial decision, they should declare that conflict of interest and withdraw themselves from the discussion and/or activity. 6. REC members should provide comments on applications to the REC through the Secretary where they cannot attend a scheduled meeting.
Annual Report The REC should produce an annual report to be sent to SMT containing the following, but not limited to: (a) membership/membership changes (b) number and dates of meetings held (c) changes to the standard operating procedures (d) a list of proposals considered, the decision reached on each Copies should also be sent to the Ethics sub-Committee and Academic Council. Annual reports are public documents and should be available upon request.
320 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
12.10.2 Procedure for Submitting an Application for Ethics Review The onus is on the researcher (or in the case postgraduates, the research supervisor) highlight any potential ethical issues to the sponsoring Head of Department prior to preparing and submitting research funding and postgraduate registration applications.
Where an ethical issue has been highlighted for a research project the proposed Researcher(s) must obtain clearance from the Research Ethics Committee (REC) before the project starts. This may also be a requirement of the funding agency, and in that instance REC review needs to be conducted prior to the submission of the funding application.
Where an ethical consideration has been highlighted, no research work can commence before the proposal has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee.Research funds will not be released and the registration of postgraduate research students will not normally be processed until the proposal has been approved by the Research Ethics Committee. A re-assessment of ethical and risk factors must be undertaken by researchers in any research project where any significant change in the direction or focus of an ongoing research project is intended. A flowchart outlining the steps involved is shown in Figure 12.11 below.
One signed original of the completed form(s) and electronic copy should be submitted to the Secretary of the Research Ethics Committee at least 10 working days in advance of the scheduled bi-monthly meeting in question to allow adequate time for distribution to and reading by the Research Ethics Committee supporting documentation as required. Meetings are scheduled bi-monthly, typically on the last Thursday of the month in question. An schedule of Research Ethics Committee meeting dates and times is communicated to staff at the start of each semester. An annual schedule is also posted on the Institute’s website at the start of each academic year.
All documentation necessary for submitting an application to the Research Ethics Committee is available on the Institute network I Drive in the Research Ethics Folder. The Research Ethics Committee decision will be binding.
The applicant will be emailed with a decision within 6 working days of the meeting held. The decision will also be notified to the sponsoring Head of Department. The Ethics Committee and Senior Management will receive a report on decisions taken by the REC from the Secretary after each meeting held.
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Assessment of Ethics in Research Form(s) along with Proposed Research Programme or Project Proposal submitted by the Principal Researcher to Head of Department.
Head of Department reviews Ethics Forms(s) and the Proposal and notifies Researcher of decision regarding ethics clearance
Modify form(s) and Ethics clearance Ethics clearance Abandon proposal proposal and re-submit to not required required preparation Head of Dept.
Proposal submitted to REC via the Secretary of the REC
Review by REC
Proceed with any one of the following: Make amendments • Funding application Approval granted by REC. and re-submit to REC • Application for admission to research degree programme • Begin research project
Approval not granted, abandon proposal reparation
Figure 12.11 Steps in Seeking Ethics Clearance for Research Projects
322 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
12.10.3 Multi-centre studies Researchers involved in multi-centre projects/studies in the role of direct supervisor or collaborator which involves animal or human participants must submit an application for ethical review of the proposed project/studies to the REC.
However, where the research proposal has already been reviewed by an external Research Ethics Committee (for example, collaborating educational institutions or hospitals) then the following procedure applies: 1. An Assessment of Ethics in Research Form should be submitted to the sponsoring Head of Department, along with a completed Ethical Approval from Other Committees Form; a letter of approval from the collaborating establishment and a copy of their official REC outcome, where available. 2. The Head of Department, will consult with the Head of School and the Chairperson of the REC. Where they are satisfied that the appropriate procedures have been followed for the external ethics review then approval will be granted without the proposal going before the Institute Research Ethics Committee. Where they are not satisfied then the proposal will be sent for full review to the Research Ethics Committee.
Where samples from the off-campus study are to be brought back to the Institute for further investigation or study then a full ethical review of the research proposal must be conducted at this stage.
In addition a complete Hazard Assessment would be required for submission to the Departmental H&S Committee and their recommendation.
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324 Part Three The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation
325 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation
326 Chapter 13
Delegated Authority Application & Evaluation: Taught Programmes
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Chapter 13 Delegated Authority Application & Evaluation: Taught Programmes
13.1 The Delegated Authority Application 2006 The Institute’s decision to apply for delegated authority goes back to the development of the current Strategic Plan 2005 – 2008, a key objective of which was to seek from HETAC delegated authority to make its own awards. Each of the three Schools was asked to review its activities. The different functional areas within the Institute (including the Registrar’s Office, Finance, Student Services, the Development Office, Computer Services, Human Resources, and the Library) were also asked to conduct a self-study. The self-studies encompassed an evaluation of the Institute’s management, operations and governance; the management and academic structures governing programmes of education and training; and a detailed examination of the service provision supporting the Institute’s programmes of study. The self-evaluation process resulted in the identification of strengths and weaknesses and the production of practical recommendations for improvement.
The Institute’s application submitted to HETAC in January 2006 for delegation of authority to make awards in respect of the Institute’s taught programmes at Levels 6 to 9 inclusive of the National Framework of Qualifications comprised of the following: 1. The Institute Self-Evaluation Report 2. The Institute Quality Manual 3. A Summary Report on the Self-studies and Programmatic Reviews undertaken within the three Academic Schools 4. A list of the educational programmes leading to named awards for which the Institute sought delegated authority, detailing their validation status 5. A copy of the Institute Strategic Plan 2005-08.
13.2 The HETAC Evaluation Process The HETAC Council, having satisfied itself that the self-evaluation report addressed the criteria for delegated authority, then sought and received the agreement of the Qualifications Authority in January 2006 to conduct a subsequent evaluation of the Institute.
The Council appointed a Delegation of Authority Evaluation Group (the Evaluation Group) consisting of persons with particular knowledge and experience of higher education and training and quality assurance systems in higher education and training (Table 13.1). It appointed as Chairman, Mr John Hayden, former Secretary/Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority and arranged for a pre-evaluation meeting with the Institute by the Chairperson, accompanied by Mr. Des Carolan, Head of Delegated Authority, HETAC. This was undertaken on the 16th of January 2006. The meeting afforded the opportunity to clarify issues, discuss arrangements and agree the dates and the agenda for the on-site evaluation visit.
328 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Mr. John Hayden Chairperson Former Secretary/Chief Executive, Higher Education Authority
Professor Eithne Guilfoyle Executive Dean Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Dublin City University
Dr. Jürgen Kohler Director of the Accreditation Council Germany
Dr. Sarah Moore Dean of Teaching and Learning, University of Limerick
Ms. Judy Nix EU Projects Manager, Ericsson
Mr. Kieran O'Malley Students’ Union President, GMIT Students Union
Professor Henry Rice Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and Director of Postgraduate Education, Engineering, University of Dublin Trinity College
Dr. Richard Thorn Director Institute of Technology, Sligo
Dr. Debra Willison Academic Co-ordinator and Head of Teaching, Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Strathclyde
Table 13.1 Members of the HETAC Delegated Authority Evaluation Group
The Delegated Authority Evaluation Group conducted a two-day panel visit the Institute on the 28th of February and the 1st of March 2006. The visit offered the opportunity for the Evaluation Group to determine the readiness and capacity of the Institute to meet the criteria for the purposes of delegated authority to make awards at Levels 6 to 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications, for its existing taught programmes.
The Evaluation Group examined the application from Institute of Technology, Tallaght (the Institute) against the criteria set down in the HETAC – Criteria and Procedures for the Delegation and Review of Delegation of Authority to Make Awards 2004.
The Evaluation Group was welcomed by Mr. Sean Ashe of the Governing Body, and Dr. Tim Creedon Director of the Institute.
Criteria for operation and management were the focus of the initial session. The Evaluation Group met with the Director, Registrar, the Secretary/Financial Controller, Head of Development, Heads of Schools, Librarian, Human Resources Manager, Finance Manager, Academic Administration and Student Affairs Manager, Estates Manager, Computer Services Manager and the two Delegated Authority Project Officers to discuss and examine the structures and processes for its operation and management under the following headings: institutional mission and purposes, governance, organisation and administration, planning and evaluation, academic and other staff policies, library and information resources, physical resources, learner services, public responsibility and integrity, and financial resources and management.
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The Evaluation Group met with the Total Management Team and the two Delegated Authority Project Leaders to discuss the arrangements in place for the development, provision, quality assurance and review of its education and training programmes. This session addressed many of the elements included in the Institute’s Quality Assurance Manual. It also examined the Institute’s commitment to meeting the conditions attached to delegated authority and to supporting the objects of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999.
The selected a cross-section of the Institute’s programmes and examined these programmes via an audit trail through records of programmatice review reports, minutes of the Academic Council and its committees, minutes of School and Programme committees, External Examiner reports and Examination Board minutes.
An evaluation of Student Services and Staff Development was also conducted. Subgroups of the Evaluation Panel also met with the Registrar, Heads of Schools of Engineering and Science and the Head of Department of Marketing, to follow up on the issue of communications which had been discussed at the Operations and Management meeting.
A meeting was held with the Head of Development, Industrial Liaison Manager, Head of Department of Science and Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering to discuss the Institute’s provision of programmes for and in conjunction with industry.
The Evaluation Group undertook a tour of the Institute’s Library and IT support facilities. The Group then split into three subgroups to conduct a visit of the facilities available for student’s involved in Science, Engineering, and Audio Visual and Computing programmes.
The Evaluation Group met with a representative range of the Institute’s stakeholders to seek their views on the Institute’s operations and programmes, its liaison with partner providers and other interested parties and their general perceptions and understanding of delegation of authority, its relevance and its desirability. The stakeholders included academics from neighbouring universities, and representatives from industry, business, hospitals and local schools in the region.
The Evaluation Group also met with full-time and part-time students from a wide range of programmes. They also met with a broad cross-section of the Institute’s staff to hear their views on the application for delegated authority.
Following a private meeting of the Evaluation Group the visit ended with a short exit meeting with members of the Senior Management Team.
13.3 HETAC Grants Delegated Authority Status An Order in Council was communicated by HETAC to the Institute on 7th of March 2006 indicating that the Institute’s application for delegated authority had been successful.
The official signing ceremony to launch delegated authority took place at the Institute on the 29th of September 2006 in the presence of the Minister for Education and Science, Ms. Mary Hannafin, Mr. Séamus Puirséil, Institute staff, students, representatives from local Bodies, the Academic Council and the Governing Body.
330 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
13.4 Evaluation Group Report and Findings
The findings were compiled under the criteria for the delegation of authority using the template provided in Appendix C of the HETAC Supplementary Guidelines for the Delegation and Review of Delegation of Authority to Make Award document. They were published in the Report of the Delegated Authority Evaluation Group on the Institute of technology Tallaght, which is included in the submission pack.
The Evaluation Group found that the Institute meets and has the capacity to meet: • the criteria for the delegation of authority to make awards that relate to, Operations and Management, Council Conditions Attached to Delegated Authority and the Objects of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act, 1999; • those criteria that relate to the development, validation, implementation and continuous improvement of its existing taught higher education and training programmes at level 6 to 9 inclusive of the National Framework of Qualifications.
The Group found that the Institute has established and is implementing the agreed quality assurance processes for its education and training programmes. It felt however that the quality processes still required some establishment and that issues relating to the recording of closure in particular need to be addressed by the Institute. The effectiveness of the quality assurance procedures has also yet to be tested. The Evaluation Group did not consider that this issue should prevent it from finding positively in respect of the Institute’s application for delegation of authority.
The Evaluation Group was impressed with the energy, enthusiasm and commitment of the Institute’s Governing Body, management, staff, learners and stakeholders and with the level of communication between staff and students. The Evaluation Group also felt that there was a good degree of understanding of institutional issues at all levels throughout the Institute and that there was a sense of belonging and commitment to the Institute.
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Members of the Evaluation Group were impressed by the positive manner in which students and stakeholders expressed their support for the Institute’s application for delegated authority. There was an almost universal view that delegated authority would greatly enhance the status of the Institute. There was also a strong belief that delegated authority would be an affirmation of the Institute’s maturity and quality as a provider of a broad range of higher education and training programmes and that it would enable it to provide its programmes with greater flexibility, efficiency and effectiveness. education and training programmes up to and including level 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications.
13.5 Institute Response to Issues Highlighted in the Findings The Institute was invited to comment on the findings included in the report of the Evaluation Group. The reponses to the issues raised are given in this sub-section.
Finding: “The quality processes still required some establishment and that issues relating to the recording of closure in particular need to be addressed by the Institute. A comprehensive implementation of the agreed quality assurance procedures was not yet in place”
Institute Response The Institute has put in place a process to record closure on issues. These have already been discussed in Chapter 12.
Finding: “Concern regarding the training or lack of training of newly recruited lecturers”
Institute Response The Human Resources Department conducts an initial “introduction to the organisation” session with all new staff, specifically with regard to pensions, access, office accommodation etc. Information on educational quality assurance processes and procedures is provided within the academic Department and School. A Staff handbook has recently been prepared and is now available to all staff on the intranet at http://intranet.it- tallaght.ie/staff/human_resources/ Training in the areas of examination processes and completion and uploading of white sheets is provided each year to all academic staff and a support help desk has been established. Each School has been assigned a budget for the running of courses in teaching methodologies. The SIF funded Collaborative Network for Teaching Innovation & Inclusive Education set up in 2007, which is led by and based at the Institute, has resulted in a more streamlined approach to the training of academics, particularly in relation to the teaching and learning process and new assistive technologies. They have organised 48 training events to date on topics of relevance to new and experienced academics (described in detail in Chapter 7, Section 7.1.7). The network also acts as an e-Learning resource for academic staff. The Institute has devised a systematic approach to staff training in general with the rolling out of the national Performance Management and Development System. In addition staff are requested to complete and submit a training needs analysis form on an annual basis to their Head of Department to aid advance planning for staff development at a local level.
332 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Finding: “Communications were of a formal nature and there wasn’t a process in place, which might address or improve the richness of that communication”
Institute Response The Institute notes that the review group did report that “the Director’s own commitment to inclusive and open communication will see that the issue is addressed effectively”. The Senior Management Team has been investigating ways of improving the effectiveness of its internal communications. It has formulated an internal communications policy. Current communications processes were already discussed in Chapter 5, Section 5.5.
Finding: “In-company provision has been identified as an area of risk for the Institute with a particular requirement to address costing, pricing and invoicing of such provision. The Institute needs to address the issue of improving the thoroughness of its documentation”
Institute Response The Institute examines each proposal to provide in-company training programmes to ensure the price charged covers the expected full costs of delivery as well as a reasonable return to the Institute, within the context of a very competitive business environment through the Secretary / Financial Controllers office. Each proposal is unique but every effort is made to achieve a reasonable market return to the Institute for each programme delivered. The process for the invoicing and collection of fees relating to in-company training programmes is administered to a high standard in the Finance Office in the Institute and is subject to annual audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
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334 Chapter 14
Research Accreditation Process
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Chapter 14 Research Accreditation Process
14.1 Introduction HETAC received, on 16 February 2007, an application by the Institute of Technology Tallaght for accreditation to maintain a postgraduate research degree register at Master’s and Doctoral levels in the Biology and Chemistry sub-disciplines and at Master’s level in Engineering and Science (all areas: specifically the Departments of Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Science and Computing.)
Accreditation to maintain a register allows an institution to register postgraduate research degree students without referring the details of the individual research degree programme to HETAC for validation decision on a case-by-case basis.
Such accreditation is now a prerequisite for an Institute of Technology to apply to receive delegated authority from HETAC to make its own research degree awards.
HETAC assembled a panel of assessors chaired by Dr Eda Sagarra (Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dublin) to evaluate the case for accreditation and make a recommendation. The panel member listing and programme for the panel visit is given in Table 14.1.
The site visit took place 27 April 2007 at the main campus of the Institute. Assessors met and/or had discussions with the senior management team; research active academic staff; current and former postgraduate research students; perused research outputs; and viewed relevant facilities. The programme for the panel visit is given in Table 14.2.
The HETAC academic committee at its meeting on 16 July 2007, upon consideration of the findings of the panel decided to accredit the Institute of Technology Tallaght to maintain a postgraduate research degree register at Master’s level (Level 9) in the areas in Departments of Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Science and Computing reflecting the expertise of the research-active academic staff and at Master’s Level 9 and Doctoral Level 10, in the areas of Biology and Chemistry reflecting the expertise of the research-active academic staff subject to the standard conditions and that: 1) The Institute produce a response detailing how it will address the issues raised by the assessors. 2) The Institute commit to establishing a research supervisor training programme for novice supervisors and for experienced colleagues in the 2007/2008 academic year. 3) Accreditation be granted for a period of five years.
336 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Dr Eda Sagarra Chairperson Pro-Chancellor of the University of Dublin Professor Christopher G Dowson Biological Sciences, University of Warwick Mr William Egenton Managing Director, Dromone Engineering Ltd Professor Anthony F. Fell Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and Chair of the Research Degrees Committee, University of Bradford Professor Frank Hegarty Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University College Dublin Professor Gerard Hurley Electronic Engineering, National University of Ireland, Galway Mr David King Rail Procurement Agency; (Recent MEng Graduate) Dr Madeleine Lowery Electrical, Electronic & Mechanical Engineering, University College Dublin Dr Catherine McKenna Biocatalysts Ltd; (Recent PhD Graduate) Professor John Monaghan Mechanical & Manufacturing Eng., University of Dublin, Trinity College Professor Richard O’Kennedy Biological Sciences, Dublin City University Dr Iain Phillips Informatics, Loughborough University Professor Paolo Ross• Computing & Electronic Engineering, Universidad Politecnia de Valencia Professor Adrian Walmsley Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Durham University In attendance: Dr Peter Cullen and Ms. Karena Maguire HETAC
Table 14.1 Members of the HETAC Research Accreditation Review Panel
The panel clearly identified much strength in the operation of the Institutes research programmes, such as leadership, strategic thinking, the enthusiasm of the staff, the record of staff in securing research funding, and their track record. The Institute has noted of the constructive suggestions of the assessors with regard to improvements and is fully committed to implementing the recommendations of the panel assessors. The Institute responses to the findings and how it proposes to address the issues raised are given in Sections 14.2 and 14.3 below.
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9:00 9:30 Private meeting of assessors at the Institute.
9:30 10:15 Meeting with the Director, and senior staff Focus on Appendix A criteria and institutional research strategy.
10:30 - 11:30 Meeting with the research supervisors. Three sub-groups: Science, Computing and Engineering Focus on the supervisor experience, on Appendix B criteria and departmental/group research strategy.
11:30 – 12:00 Meeting with research students. A formal round-table discussion. Focus on the student experience of the research environment
12:00 – 1 pm Perusal of research activity Focus on the research environment: Research demonstrations, posters etc. by students; Samples of theses and publications etc.
1pm – 1:45pm Working Lunch – Panel with Institute representatives.
1:45 – 2:30pm Tour of research facilities: Information and other research resources Library, Research Laboratories, Research Offices.
2:30 – 3:00pm Private Meeting of the Panel
3:00 – 3:15pm Closing meeting with Director and Senior Management.
Table 14.2 Schedule for Research Accreditation Evaluation
14.2 Commitment to Supervisory Training The Institute has already begun to deliver on its commitment to provide a research supervisor training programme for novice supervisors and for experienced colleagues in the 2007/2008 academic year and for future academic years.
The Institute recognises that whatever future strategies are devised to improve the quality of research student training, their successful implementation will also depend on the quality of the supervisory training of the academics themselves. This is supported through the Staff Development budget. The internal evaluation conducted for the Institute’s Application to Maintain a Research Degree Register indicated deficiencies in supervisory training and plans to address them were presented in the submission documentation. The lack of a formal approach to supervisory training, during the self-study process and at the time of writing, in terms of the provision of structured workshops/seminar programmes was highlighted and plans were put in place before the panel visit in January 2007 (as described in Chapter 5, Section 5.10.3) to address this as follows: • Seminar programme (Appendix 4) scheduled for Academic Researcher/Supervisor Training in the 2007/08 academic year which included – Ethics in Research; Information resources for Research; Preparing Research/Grant Proposals; Commercialising research; Selection of Postgraduate Researchers and the Interview Process; • One-Day Research Supervisors Workshop (Appendix 5) covering strategies for the effective management of research students – including recruitment, early stage supervision, progress reporting and monitoring, assessment, thesis preparation, selection of examiners, regulations;
338 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
• The Institute was a founding member of the recently funded SIF IoT Research Alliance – main objective being the development of an accredited Graduate Research Education Programme across the sector, with modules to be delivered to supervisors as well as postgraduate students. Details on this have already been presented in Chapter 7, Section 7.4.4.
14.3 General Criteria Comments in Findings & Institute Responses The findings of the Review Panel were published by HETAC in June 2007 and are included in a separate document as part of this submission and are not therefore presented in full here.
The panel perceived that the leadership emanating from the top was combined with trust and found strategic thinking at virtually every level. They found staff were evidently relaxed and confident in their own ability to lead the process forward, the students were impressive in their poster presentations and in their participation in discussions with the panel, demonstrating that the Institute had not only taught them well and but also nurtured their social skills. The relative youth of the institution and of its staff was seen as a distinct advantage. Their enthusiasm was a delight to the panel and the Institute’s responsive and flexible approach to teaching is an asset for future sustainability.
Critical mass was seen as an issue, but less so in Science (where Chemistry and Biology have impressive achievements) but there was clear evidence of a ‘can-do’ attitude from all Departments and a sense that everyone, staff and management were pulling together—and that they are performing on a multiplicity of fronts in terms of the Institute’s mission. Critical mass and facilities are issues of strategic importance and plans for improvements in that regard are provided in the Research Strategy 2008 – 2012 discussed previously in Chapter 4, Section 4.6.
The record of fund raising for research was deemed to be excellent, though greater focussed support is needed from the state in particular areas. They would encourage more staff pursue PhD training. The Institute will continue to some provide financial support to staff that are actively pursuing PhD degrees and through at management level will explore how this can be dealt with at local level with academic staff, as appropriate to the discipline areas.
Finally, the panel commended the Institute, its staff and students on the quality of the application documents, which were comprehensive, readable and supplied it with the appropriate material to inform its judgements, and for the way in which they prepared for the site visit.
The specific responses presented below outline the comments of the Institute on the improvements suggested by the assessors in their findings relating to General Criteria1 and provide details on how they will be addressed:
1 APPENDIX A – General Policy and Criteria: Institutional (non-discipline specific). Validation process, policy and criteria for the accreditation of providers to maintain a register for a specified research degree in a specified discipline area. HETAC April 2003.
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Research administration and Quality assurance
Areas for improvement • Much of the research administration is carried out by academic staff, with the development of larger numbers of staff, students and research centres it will be necessary to improve relevant infrastructure by providing enhanced administrative support e.g. in the administration of grants, reporting and grant preparation. • The Institute needs to free up more time from administration for research active staff.
Institute Response • The Institute takes due cognisance of this recommendation and will be explore the ‘research administration’ issue at Management Level. • With regard to the “administration of grants, reporting and grant preparation” issue highlighted this will be taken up by the R&D Committee and plans for improvement will be formulated.
Status: Ongoing
Direction, supervision, support and training of students (including access to information)
Areas for improvement Generally, interaction with other research organisations could be further expanded to improve graduate training and the research environment. In this respect the welcome new developments relating to Graduate Research Education Programmes need to be vigorously pursued.
Institute Response This is actively being pursued at Institute and Sector level. We will endeavour to exploit all avenues to enhance the research and training experience of our staff and postgraduate researchers, particularly with our collaborating partners. Plans for how this will be implemented and acted upon are given in the new Research Strategy for 2008 – 2012 where increased external interactions are proposed not only to help in improving and sustaining research activities but also to enhance the overall training experience and research environment.
Status: Ongoing through participation SIF Programmes and with our own CASH Research Centre Educational Programmes
340 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Areas for improvement The pool of trained supervisors must be extended and the skills of experienced supervisors strengthened by establishing research supervisor training both for novice supervisors and for experienced colleagues. There was evidence that this requirement (no less) is being actively pursued by management at ITT Dublin.
Institute Response A schedule for supervisor training for 2007/08 is currently in operation as previously discussed. It included one- day workshops and seminars on Supervisory Roles, Regulations, Management of Research Students and Projects, Ethics, Research Proposal Writing.
Status: Internal Supervisors Programme and Workshops complete. Going forward additional training will be provided participation SIF Research Alliance and with our own CASH Research Centre Educational Programmes
14.4 Research Environment Comments in Findings & Institute Responses The specific responses presented below outline the comments of the Institute on the improvements suggested by the assessors in their findings relating to the Research Environment2 and provide details on how they will be addressed:
14.4.1 Biology and Chemistry
Is there an active, supportive academic environment and research community in the subject or discipline area for which accreditation is sought demonstrated by traditional research performance indicators?
Areas for improvement The current balance between time allocated to active research and to teaching work may be difficult to sustain. Current arrangements (2 hours credit against lectures per singly supervised postgraduate research student and 4 hours credit for leadership functions in an IRC) may not necessarily provide sufficient relief from academic and other pressures for active researchers. There is a need for protected (‘ring fenced’) time for research activity.
Institute Response Prior to 2006, the time allocated to an academic staff member for active research was capped at 4 hours, in line with the IoT’s Council of Directors policy. The Institute of Technology Tallaght Strategic Plan 2005 – 2008 highlighted the need to review that Supervision Policy arrangement to help expand its critical mass of researchers. In Sept. 2006, this allocation of time was increased to the level indicated in the assessors report above, i.e. 6 hours, and for academics managing Institute Research Centres 10 hours, out of a total of 16 hours allocated to research. This is an improvement on what is still currently recommended by the Council of Directors. While it is recommended that Academic Supervisors shall have a minimum of 33% of their teaching allocation associated with formal taught teaching programmes within their respective departments, the Sept. 2006 Institute Supervision Policy allows for a number of special casesto allow for experienced research
2 APPENDIX B – Criteria for Accreditation to maintain a register for a specified research degree in a specified discipline area. Validation process, policy and criteria for the accreditation of providers to maintain a register for a specified research degree in a specified discipline area. HETAC April 2003.
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academics to 1) seek increased allocation of research time, following approval of the Head of Department and 2) for a research supervisor to buy out some or all of their teaching hours, following approval of the President. The Research Strategy Group, convened by the Council of Directors and chaired by the President of this Institute, is working to improve the research time allocation across the institute sector and has proposed a number of initiatives to help ‘ring fence’ funding to build on critical mass in its May 2006 report Institutes of Technology and the Knowledge Society – Building Research Capacity. It also proposes a research-structured career path for academics to include the creation of a Senior Lecturer (Research).
Status: Ongoing at Sector level through IOTI. New ITT Dublin Policy for review in 2009.
Are there procedures for the planning and monitoring of postgraduate programmes of research within the discipline area?
Areas for improvement Currently the supervisor is present during all of the monitoring process. Clearly, it may be difficult for a student to openly discuss issues that may relate directly to their supervisor in their presence.
Institute Response Students are encouraged to address issues with their co-supervisor or Head of Department on an informal basis at any time during their programme. There is also a formal complaints process in the Code of Practice, independent of the supervisor, which allows for the students to discuss supervisory issues with the Head of Department. The students are made aware of this at induction and in the postgraduate student handbook. The current research regulations as outlined in the Code of Practice provide information on the independent Departmental assessment of the student progress carried out on an annual basis. It has been proposed in the Departments of Science and Computing that the Programme Board would also be involved in the overall monitoring process. Procedures in that regard are to be developed by the Quality Review Group in the School.
Status: This issue has been sent to the Postgraduate Policy Committee of Academic Council for further consideration and the Committee will examine what is current best practice within Universities and Institutes of Technology.
342 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Are there staff who: are willing to lead research programmes? are sufficiently qualified to the level of the programmes of research for which accreditation is being sought? have prior experience in the supervision of research students to successful completion? are engaged in research, advanced study and other activities relating to practice in the subject or discipline area concerned?
Areas for improvement It is necessary to increase the pool of trained supervisors and strengthen the supervisory skills of experienced supervisors. This can be accomplished by establishing a research supervisor training programme both for novice supervisors and for experienced colleagues. There was evidence that this requirement is being actively pursued by management at ITT Dublin.
Institute Response Plans for this across the Institute have previously outlined in Section 14.2 previously with full details of the training provided described in Chapter 5 of this submission.
Status: Institute arrangements in place and ongoing through SIF projects at Sectoral Level.
Are there adequate physical resources as well as technical and administrative support structures and attendant staff appropriate to the research being undertaken?
Areas for improvement Faster, wider and more direct access to the research literature is necessary as a matter of some urgency and much desired by students. The currently available e-journal facilities are inadequate. The panel was of the view that it is imperative (no less) that the HEA funded Irish Research Electronic Library (IReL)—accessible by university students (on and off campus)—should be made accessible by students attending the Institutes of Technology. Students would benefit from 24 hour access to research laboratories. The procedure for gaining access to laboratory facilities out of hours is an obstacle to students and is discouraging to the active researchers. It is essential that more appropriate systems, with adequate safety safeguards, be established to provide active researchers (students and staff) with appropriate out-of-hours access to facilities. The research environment could be enhanced by increasing the number of post-doctoral staff who have ‘hands on experience’ at the bench and from whom students could acquire technical/practical knowledge/experience. Although laboratory space is currently adequate, it will limit expansion of student numbers. The NMR installation has had a long service and is key for many projects: a plan for its replacement needs to be put in place. More generally, while the equipment is adequate, there is not the abundance of equipment that might be available in bigger facilities. The kind of equipment at issue includes, in the biological and biomedical areas for example: superspeed- and ultra-centrifuges, PCR machines, autoclaves, ice-machines, electrophoresis equipment for protein and DNA gels, dark rooms for developing films, UV spectrometers and fluorimeters, biological safety-cabinets, etc. In bigger biomedical facilities each student might have a bench-top microfuge and vortex mixer.
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Institute Response It is proposed to have discussions between Supervisors and Heads of Department who will then bring deficits and suggestions for improvement to the Head of School for agreement by the Senior Management Team. Access to the Irish Research Electronic Library The Institute is actively pursuing the issue of access to the Irish Research Electronic Library with the HEA and is in agreement with the assessors view. The Registrar of the Institute is Chairperson of the Institute of Technologies and DIT Librarian Group and extending the IReL initiative is one which the sector is actively seeking ways to address. Access to Research Laboratories The Senior Management Team will look at best practice in the university and IoT sector with a view to improving access. Current access is consistent and in many cases better than access in other IoTs. The current procedure is as follows: Staff or post-graduate students must obtain the permission from a member of staff, at Head of Department/Function level, or higher, to obtain access to the institute outside of the normal opening hours. The Estates Manager/Assistant Estates Manager will arrange for the member of staff/post-graduate student to collect and sign for a gate key from the Building Services Office. On arrival, the member of staff/post-graduate student must inform the security staff of the area of the building where they will be working. When leaving the building, the staff/post-graduate students must sign out in the diary in the Building Services Office. The gate key must be returned to staff in the Building Services Office when they are next in the institute and it must be signed in. Increase in number of Post-doctoral Staff The Department of Science with help from the Development Office will continue to promote funding opportunities for recruiting post-doctoral staff to academics at the Institute. This is an area that is also being addressed through the Council of Directors Research Strategy Group. There are currently 3 post-doctoral Fellows in the Department, with 2 more being recruited from successful funding awards from PRSDP Strand 3 and EI AREP programmes, outside of the recent funding applications to HEA PRTLI and the Council of Directors. We will continue to look at ways of increasing this number further. Limitations in expansion of student numbers In July and August 2007, dedicated research space in the Synergy Incubation Centre on campus was being converted into an Applied Research laboratory that will be exploited by postgraduate researchers in the Department of Science primarily. The new building a research facility for Applied Sciences for Health, for funded by HEA PRTLI will address the space limitations in the Department,. In addition when the PPP funded expansion of the main campus is complete in five years time then more dedicated research space should be available. NMR and large pieces of research equipment Funding applications have been submitted to a number of agencies for the purchase of a new NMR spectrometer and the other larger items of equipment mentioned above. A new NMR is to be purchased from HEA PRTLI funds.
Status: As per response above. Additional access to buildings may be granted in the new Research Building (CASH Centre), subject to HSW considerations. The recent HEA Research Infrastructural funding will create additional bench spaces for an increase in postgraduate students. The move of Institute administrative functions to Icon Court will free up office space for postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers.
344 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Are there seminars, both focused and interdisciplinary, to facilitate the dissemination and exchange of the fruits of research, enabling peer review and quality assessment?
Areas for improvement While students are aware of, and frequently attend, seminars, the availability of seminars in the various subjects within the Institute itself is limited.
Institute Response This is actively being pursued within the Institute, Departments, Research Groups and the Institute Research Centres, and an expansion in the number of internal seminars is planned for the 2007/08 academic year. An Institute-wide Research Colloquium was held on Tuesday June 19th 2007 to promote individual and group research activities across the Institute and encourage more interdisciplinary collaborations in the future.
Status: As per response above.
14.4.2 Engineering
Is there an active, supportive academic environment and research community in the subject or discipline area for which accreditation is sought demonstrated by traditional research performance indicators?
Areas for improvement While both Engineering departments are properly attentive to short to medium term goals and objectives, they may also benefit from developing, articulating and disseminating a shared vision of how to sustain and grow the research activity in the longer term. This vision might address, inter alia, strategies for attracting sufficient numbers of high calibre students to allow the research to grow. The Institute is aware that the ability to disseminate research findings through publications is a critical outcome of any research degree programme; that this is an area in which it can and should improve and that research productivity will become increasingly important to enable the engineering research programmes at the Institute to compete for funding at national level.
Institute Response The updated Institute Research Strategy document seeks to address this. In addition the Engineering Research Strategy will be updated to take on board the recommendations of the assessors. In relation to enhancing research productivity, the recent establishment of an IRC in Mechanical Engineering; the impact of the collaborations with the SFI visiting Walton Professor, the strengthening of research links with the AMNCH (Tallaght Hospital) in Biomedical Engineering will contribute an increased performance in research publications in the future.
Status: Ongoing.
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Is there specialised training dictated by the discipline and the nature of the research being undertaken?
Areas for improvement While all incoming graduate students undertake an Induction Course, repeated at intervals throughout the year, and they are provided with a detailed Postgraduate Student Handbook, the main training of graduate students is undertaken by the supervisor. The Institute may wish to consider if there is a need for a more structured approach to specialised training comparable and perhaps in partnership with the training programmes being developed in Biology and Chemistry.
Institute Response School specific Health & Safety and Equality & Diversity training is conducted currently. Training in specialist areas for research projects is and will continue to be provided by the Supervisors and their collaborators, as required. The Integrated Product and Process Design Centre members aim to use their expertise to provide training for research degree students in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in programming, advanced CAD tools, FEA analysis and Advanced Manufacture Technologies (Rapid Prototyping & Manufacture). The newly formed research group in Innovative Medical Group will be an additional training resource. The Department of Electronics is currently expanding its programs in semiconductor education and research. It is anticipated that the research conducted in Thin Film Technology will serve as a unique college resource by advancing in-house expertise in the area of thin film devices and promoting and expanding the institute role in advanced technology education and pre-competitive research in modules including: Analogue Electronics; Digital Electronics; Semiconductor Technology; Instrumentations and Electronic measurements; Optical communications; Solid State Electronics. The Centre for Applied Microelectronics aims to enhance the Institute’s semiconductor training. There are strong links with Chemistry research within Electronic Engineering and multidisciplinary training for engineering postgraduate researchers is and will continue to be provided.
Status: As per response above.
Are there staff who: are willing to lead research programmes? are sufficiently qualified to the level of the programmes of research for which accreditation is being sought? have prior experience in the supervision of research students to successful completion? are engaged in research, advanced study and other activities relating to practice in the subject or discipline area concerned?
Areas for improvement Notwithstanding that the record in respect of funding, collaboration and publications is currently good and appropriate to the current stage of development of research activity at the Institute, if the level and quality of the research activity is to improve, and it should, then staff and students require continuing support and
346 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
research facilities must be improved. For example, the Institute may wish to consider how more time may be made available where necessary for staff to further their research development and how research time of research-active staff may be protected or “ring-fenced”. As in Biology and Chemistry, it is necessary to increase the pool of trained supervisors and strengthen the supervisory skills of experienced supervisors.
Institute Response In relation to the ring fencing of time for research - the response is the same as that given in Section 14.4.1 for Biology and Chemistry. In relation to the pool of trained supervisors - plans for this across the Institute have previously outlined in Section 14.2 previously with full details of the training provided described in Chapter 5 of this submission.
Status: Institute arrangements in place and ongoing through SIF projects at Sectoral Level.
Are there adequate physical resources as well as technical and administrative support structures and attendant staff appropriate to the research being undertaken?
Areas for improvement The students found that the lack of electronic access journals places them at a disadvantage relative to those who do have such access. Faster, wider and more direct access to the research literature is necessary as a matter of some urgency and much desired by students. The currently available e-journal facilities are inadequate.
Institute Response It is proposed to have discussions between Supervisors and Head of Department who will then bring deficits and suggestions for improvement to Head of School for agreement by the Senior Management Team. The Institute is actively pursuing the issue of access to the Irish Research Electronic Library with the HEA.
Status: As per response above.
Are there seminars, both focused and interdisciplinary, to facilitate the dissemination and exchange of the fruits of research, enabling peer review and quality assessment?
Areas for improvement Notwithstanding the existing good work that is being done, the seminar programme could be enhanced so that students’ experience is broadened.
Institute Response We will look at this with a view to identifying possible enhancements (e.g. regional or themed colloquia). An Institute-wide Research Colloquium was held on Tuesday June 19th last to promote individual and group research activities across the Institute and encourage more interdisciplinary collaborations in the future.
Status: Ongoing.
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Are there opportunities for interaction with other postgraduate research candidates and their supervisors, both within and outside the institution and opportunities, where appropriate, for collaboration with other providers of higher education, industry and commerce and the public sector etc.?
Areas for improvement Some of these links have yet to be exploited.
Institute Response All of the links presented in the submission documentation are in operation.
Status: The School and Departments will continue to strengthen these existing links and are actively working to explore new links.
14.4.3 Computing
Is there an active, supportive academic environment and research community in the subject or discipline area for which accreditation is sought demonstrated by traditional research performance indicators?
Areas for improvement The most striking problem for Computing is the lack of a local “critical mass” of computing research students. Many graduates apparently prefer employment in industry to a research degree programme at the Institute and those that try to combine the two often fail to complete. The historical completion rate is low but the Department provided a satisfactory explanation for this. The critical mass issue must be addressed immediately. The department needs to increase the number of students to provide the level of support needed from peers. The Computing department may wish to consider aligning its applied research with other research activities in the Institute where there is critical mass. Applied research in health informatics or interdisciplinary research involving the engineering, biomedical or pharmaceutical areas may provide opportunities. Even combining research student facilities (desks etc) with another department (either Science or Engineering) will help provide this peer support, even if only in a non discipline-specific manner.
Institute Response A key objective in the 2007 – 2011 Institutional Research Strategy is the strengthening of research activities in certain prioritised research thematic areas in Computing, such as - E-learning, Mobile Computing, Interoperable Systems and the Semantic Web, Complex Emergent Systems. The main objective for the School with respect to R&D in Computing over the next five years is to strengthen the competitive research base, expand postgraduate research student numbers, and achieve recognition for excellence in research endeavours. Multidisciplinary research with Science and Engineering will also be also be explored. The issue of critical mass and student numbers is one which exercises the Department greatly. It should be pointed out that since the visit of the panel of assessors the department has recruited one further student from Mexico and is currently in active negotiations to bring on board a further student from China. These students have been sourced through the Department’s international links. In addition the Computing Department currently has applications with funding bodies to fund a further three research students.
348 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Longer View It is true to say that when the panel of assessors was at the Institute the numbers of active research students was small with one active and one deferred research student. However this ‘instantaneous’ number is not in keeping with the recent trend within the Computing over the past few years where there has typically been 3- 4 active students on the register. Over the period since 1999 the Department has graduated eight masters students, a number which puts second to Chemistry within the Science disciplines and on a par, if not higher than many other Departments in the sector. Competitive Environment Some account has to be taken of the general climate and demand for computing graduates within Ireland. Many references (EGFSN, DCU vacancies report) testify to the severe shortage of computing graduates in 2006. This shortage has grown in 2007 with the result that high quality compting graduates are routinely offered starting salaries in excess of €40,000 plus additional benefits. In an effort to overcome this difficulty the Department is now actively recruiting research students from abroad. Academic Environment at Level 9 There is also a community of active level 9 students on the Department’s Master of Science in Distributed and Mobile Computing. We believe that this provides substantial additional scaffolding for research students in the Department of Computing which is not available in every discipline.
Status: As per response above.
Is there evidence of academic guidance, authority and leadership?
Areas for improvement The outcome of the research work is good. The Institute would benefit from more exposure at international conferences and in Journal publications. This type of output should be factored into the planning for staff and students.
Institute Response This is inferred in the previous response and is also actively being encouraged and supported at School and Department levels. There are also plans to establish two IRCs in the Department of Computing - Centre for e- Learning Technologies (CELT); Centre for Enterprise Software Technologies (CEST). The Department of Computing has developed a strong strategy to increase the level of its publications in both number and quantity. More than half of the staff of the Department have published research findings within the past three years. Seven members of the Department have been supported financially to publish at international conferences. Notwithstanding this, the Department believes that there is a reasonable record of publication at national, European and international levels in both conferences and journals.
Status: Ongoing.
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Is there specislised training dictated by the discipline and the nature of the research being undertaken?
Areas for improvement The Institute may wish to consider developing a more structured approach to specialised training, comparable and perhaps in partnership with the training programmes being developed in Biology and Chemistry.
Institute Response To support our postgraduate students the Computing Department will look at enhancing specialist training, particularly in the areas of mobile computing and E-Learning where it has a particularly good track record. It will also strive to make use of its collaborations with industry in that regard. Some targeted modules from the taught M.Sc. in Computing are also be offered to research degree students in the Department. The School of Science and Computing will also explore the possibility of partnerships with other researchers within the School with respect to the provision of specialist training. Since the panel visit, nine members of the staff have received training in research supervision to M.Sc. Level, in the form of a one day workshop. This training was provided by an experienced research supervisor in the Dublin Institute of Technology and was focused at the particular requirements of computing students. In addition academics attended the research seminar training events and the Research Supervisors Workshop given by Prof. A. Fell, Bradford University.
Status: As per response above.
Are there staff who: are willing to lead research programmes? are sufficiently qualified to the level of the programmes of research for which accreditation is being sought? -have prior experience in the supervision of research students to successful completion? -are engaged in research, advanced study and other activities relating to practice in the subject or discipline area concerned?
Areas for improvement As in Biology and Chemistry, it is necessary to increase the pool of trained supervisors and strengthen the supervisory skills of experienced supervisors.
Institute Response In relation to the pool of trained supervisors - plans for this across the Institute have previously outlined in Section 14.2 previously with full details of the training provided described in Chapter 5 of this submission.
Status: Institute arrangements in place and ongoing through SIF projects at Sectoral Level.
350 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Are there seminars, both focused and interdisciplinary, to facilitate the dissemination and exchange of the fruits of research, enabling peer review and quality assessment?
Areas for improvement The Department may wish to try to use seminars to foster interdisciplinary research to address the critical mass issue as outlined already.
Institute Response The Department has a formal seminar programme itself. This is the main forum for dissemination of research results within the Computing Department. The School of Science and Computing will explore the possibility of a School-based approach to seminars and their organisation. Since the majority of the research projects involve industrial collaboration students also present their research findings to industry and have organised workshops on campus to promote their research in the past as previously mentioned in the accreditation submission documentation. The Department will continue to encourage and support this activity.
Status: Ongoing.
Are there opportunities for interaction with other postgraduate research candidates and their supervisors, both within and outside the institution and opportunities, where appropriate, for collaboration with other providers of higher education, industry and commerce and the public sector etc.?
Areas for improvement See earlier comments under ‘research environment’. It may also be useful to consider increasing cooperation with foreign higher education institutions and research centres—there is already a link with Austria—through student and staff exchange.
Institute Response See the earlier comments under ‘research environment’. The School and Department will take due regard of the recommendation to explore enhanced cooperation with foreign higher education institutions and research centres where there is already a link—through student and staff exchange. The School and Department notes the constructive comments of the panel in respect of potential future strategies including collaboration in terms of co-locating computing students with Science or Engineering students to provide peer support. It may not have been brought to the attention of the panel but this co- location already happens. The Department has a strategic plan for research which seeks to improve and strengthen its collaboration with other departments and institutions/industry. The Department has deep collaborations with other third level institutions in Ireland and abroad, such as those presented in the submission document – DCU, the University of Rome, the Polytechnic University of Valencia, Spain, and school of Education, Durham University, UK, and is intent on developing these further. It would be fair to acknowledge that the visit of the panel of assessors has been a catalyst for further refinement of the Department’s research strategy in that regard.
Status: Ongoing.
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Are there procedures for the implementation of quality assurance within the schools / departments concerned?
Areas for improvement While there are procedures in place, it is difficult to assess them owing to the small numbers of students.
Institute Response The quality assurance procedures are implemented across the School. The School Quality Review Group which looks after procedures for teaching and research has a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Computing as a member to address specifically procedures in relation Computing research. The remit of the Department of Computing Research Committee is also to monitor the implementation of research related procedures, which it can do very well owing to the small numbers of students involved. It has established an efficient monitoring system for its students and supervisors and reports on its activities to the Head of School and reviews its operations on an annual basis.
Status: Ongoing.
352 Chapter 15
Implementing Delegated Authority: New Programme Development
353 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 15 Implementing Delegated Authority: New Programme Development
Chapter 15 Implementing Delegated Authority: New Programme Development
Under delegated authority the Institute became responsible for the development and validation of the programmes it offers up to and including Level 9 on the NQF (taught Masters). A total of 5 new programmes have been validated and approved by the Institute since January 2007. In this section, the process and stages in the development of each of the five programmes is presented, together with a summary of each programme and the findings of the external review panels. The steps in recommending new programmes to Governing Body are also presented, along with a list of new programmes under development at present.
15.1 Stages in New Programme Development The main stages in the process of new programme development and evaluation are outlined in Figure 15.1. Chapter 3 of the Institute Quality Manual described the procedures involved which are summarised below.
15.1.1 Stage One: Initiation of a New Course New programme proposals must be submitted by the relevant Head of Department or Head of School to the Registrar via a completed Course Proposal – Stage 1 (CPI) document. In the case of cross-disciplinary or multi- disciplinary programmes, the Heads of Department or School must agree the lead Department which will take administrative responsibility (i.e. resourcing, management, delivery and monitoring) for the programme, should it be validated.
354 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Stage Agent and Activity
Initiating Group 1. Initiation CP1 to Registrar Academic Council
Programme Development 2. Management Strategic Review Committee Established CP2 Document to Registrar Course Submission Document to Registrar
Internal Programme Review Board 3. Internal Review Established IPRB Reports to Registrar Approval sought of Academic Council
External Evaluation Panel 4. External Evaluation Established Final Report to Registrar Report to Academic Council
Academic Council request 5. Approval Governing Body to issue Certificate of Approval Registrar advises HETAC
If required, ITT seeks sanction from the DOES 6. Implementation Programme included in CAO (where relevant) and Prospectus Programme Board Established
Figure 15.1 Stages in the Development of New Programmes
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On receiving a CP1 form, the Registrar will establish a CP1 Review Panel, consisting of at least four persons (including the Registrar), two of whom must be from Academic Council, to assess the proposal.
The CP1 Review Panel, (consisting of at least four persons, including the Registrar) assess the proposal using the following evaluation criteria • Is the proposal in accordance with the Institute’s Mission and Strategic Plan? • Are the title of the programme and the title of the award to which the programme leads consistent with NQAI named award-types? • Does the proposal make a reasonable outline case that there is an identified need for the course? Was a feasibility study carried out? • Is the proposal likely the meet the identified need in terms of title, content and level? • Are there sufficient resources either planned or in place to run the new programme? • Is the programme a priority for the School/Department at present or are other programme proposals of higher priority. • Is the programme proposal consistent with the strategy of the School? Does it complement existing programmes?
If the initiating group decides to proceed with the proposal, the CP1 will be submitted to the Registrar together with the report of the CP1 Review Panel. Upon receipt of the signed CP1 form the Registrar will place the item on the agenda of Academic Council in accordance with the Academic Council’s standing orders.
Academic Council, giving due consideration to the policies of Governing Body and the Strategic Plan of the Institute, will either approve the establishment of a New Programme Development Committee, not approve its establishment or recommend modifications to the proposal.
15.1.2 Stage Two: Management Strategic Review The Head of School who has responsibility for the Programme Development Committee will submit a first cycle Programme Resource Requirements Document (form CP2) to the SMT for consideration. The resource issues include: • Number of student places (proposed intake in each year of course) • Space/accommodation requirements in terms of classrooms, specialist laboratories and computing facilities required in the first and subsequent years of operation • Equipment and other special resources required (if any) to run the programme. • Staff requirements: academic, technical and administrative • Library Resources • Support required from other departments • Impact on other learning services for specialist support and student services • Staff ratios, THAS In arriving at its conclusion the SMT reviews three main areas: • Resource requirements • How the proposal matches the Institute Strategic Plan and the overall needs of the Institute • Overlap with existing courses and appropriateness for the relevant Department.
356 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
15.1.3 Stage Three: Internal Review The Programme Development Committee develops a Course Submission Document for submission to the Registrar. In developing the submission document, the Programme Development Committee will take into account the policies, procedures and guidelines noted in the documents referred to in the Quality Manual, Section 3.3. The Committee will also bear in mind the criteria that will be applied to the evaluation of the submission by the Internal Review Board (outlined in the Quality Manual, Section 3.7.2). Special emphasis should be placed on justification for the course, in terms of meeting educational and career objectives of potential students and meeting the needs of the labour market.
Internal Programme Review Board (IPRB) Internal evaluation of the course proposal is carried out by a review group established for that purpose by the Registrar, under the authority of the Academic Council. The group, known as the Internal Programme Review Board (IPRB), consists of at least four persons, two of whom must be from the Academic Council. It must include appropriate specialist and educational expertise and may involve members from outside the Institute for these purposes. The recommended Composition of the Internal Review Panel is as follows: • The Registrar or his/her nominee (as Secretary) • A senior academic (Head of School or Department) from outside the School (as Chair) plus one other academic from outside the School • A representative from Industry or other individual with expertise in the specialisation under consideration • Additional members may be proposed to ensure adequate specialist expertise. Every effort will be made to ensure gender balance on the panel. The Board will review the Course Submission Document and address all key issues in relation to the appropriateness, quality and proposed content of the course. The IPRB will provide immediate feedback and recommendations to the Head of Department and the Programme Development Committee after the meeting. The Board will also submit a written report outlining the outcome of the Internal Review to the Registrar. Following a successful outcome to the internal review, the Registrar will place the item on the agenda at the next Academic Council meeting. Only proposals which receive approval from Academic Council may proceed to the next stage, i.e. the external evaluation stage.
15.1.4 Stage Four: External Review An External Evaluation Panel is convened by the Registrar for Course Submissions which have passed the Internal Review stage. As a general principle, the Panel should include persons who are experienced and eminent in the field of the proposed course, and persons familiar with the operation and requirements of Institutes of Technology or similar higher education institutions. No member of the Department(s) proposing the course may serve on the Panel, and a majority of its members must be from outside the Institute. The Panel would normally comprise five or six persons and the recommended composition is as follows: • Chairperson: Senior Educationalist (normally a senior academic from another Institute of Technology or University - or a suitably qualified person from Business/Industry) • At least two senior academics with relevant qualifications and experience in the area under evaluation • An industrialist, preferably with state of the art experience in the specialism under consideration • the Registrar (as Secretary) • Additional members may be proposed to ensure adequate specialist expertise. Every effort will be made to ensure gender balance on the panel.
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The following criteria are provided as guidelines to assist the external panel in evaluating the programme: • Is the title of the programme and the title of the award to which the programme leads consistent with NQAI named award-types? • Does the proposal make a strong case that there is an identified need for the course? Is this backed up by evidence of structured consultation with industry, students and social partners? • Is the programme proposal consistent with the Institute’s Mission Statement and Strategic Plan? Is it consistent with the strategy of the School? • Are the procedures for access, transfer and progression consistent with the NQAI Policies and Procedures for Access, Transfer and Progression? Do they accommodate a variety of access and entry requirements? Are the entry mechanisms, modes of study and progression mechanisms clear and appropriate for the programme? • Is the programme design consistent with HETAC’s policy on Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects (ACCS)? Is the course structure logical and well designed, in terms of programme schedules, syllabi, teaching and learning strategies and assessment methodologies? • Are the learning outcomes of the programme consistent with the NQAI standards of knowledge, skill and competence established for the award to which the programme is directed? • Are the proposed teaching and learning strategies appropriately designed to achieve the learning outcomes at each stage of the programme? • Are the learner assessment methods fully elaborated and consistent with HETAC’s policy on fair and consistent assessment of learners? • Are quality assurance procedures and course management arrangements in place? • Are arrangements in place to provide information to learners about the programme? • Are the appropriate library, physical resources in place? • Are the appropriate academic and learner supports in place? • Are the qualifications, experience and competence of academic staff appropriate (in terms of level of qualifications, research and subject expertise) to successfully deliver the programme?
The External Evaluation Panel may, at its discretion, issue an Interim Report where significant changes are recommended in the proposal. This Interim Report will be forwarded to the Registrar, the appropriate Head of School/Department and the Programme Development Committee. In the event of changes being required to the proposal, the Programme Development Committee will resubmit the revised Course Submission Document to the Registrar’s Office (within one month of receiving the Report). The Registrar may return the document to the External Evaluation Panel for further consideration. The Final Report of the External Evaluation Panel will include a recommendation for approval or rejection of the proposal, and such other recommendations as the Panel sees fit.
15.1.5 Stage 5: Final Approval The Final Report of the External Evaluation Panel will be presented at a duly convened meeting of the Academic Council. The Academic Council will formally recommend to Governing Body approval or rejection of the proposal based on the decision of the External Evaluation Panel. If the proposal is approved by the Governing Body, the Governing Body will issue a Certificate of Approval (template in Figure 15.2) for the programme. An Order of Governing Body is also generated, as per template in Figure 15.3. The Registrar will advise HETAC and submit appropriate documentation.
The Institute will seek sanction from the Department of Education and Science/the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to run the new programme (if required).
358 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The Course Submission Document, revised as appropriate, will be lodged with the Registrar and together with the Certificate of Approval, will become the operational document for the course/programme.
Following written sanction from the Department of Education and Science (when required) the Registrar will advise Academic Administration and Student Affairs that the course has been approved.
The process of implementing new courses is delegated by the Director to the relevant Head of School and Head of Department.
The Programme Development Committee will be dissolved and a Programme Board will be appointed to oversee the implementation of the course.
The Head of School will ensure that the programme is included in the Annual Operational Programmes and Budgets of the Institute.
Teastas Creidiúnaithe Cláir Certificate of Course Approval
Cúrsa/Course
[Title here]
Intakes Approved/Tá an t-órdú seo baileach ó: go
for five years from September 200X or to the next Programmatic Review
In exercise of the powers conferred on the Institute by the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act 1999 and 2006, the Academic Council and the Governing Body of the Institute of Technology Tallaght hereby confer validation on the above named course and approve its operation.
______Director/Stiúrthóir
______Date/Dáta
Figure 15.2 Certificate of Approval for New Programmes
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Ordú an Chomhlachta Ceannais Order of Governing Body
Dearbhaím, Dr. Tim Creedon go bhfuil an Comhlacht Ceannais, sásta gur féidir le foghlaimeoirí ar an gclár thíosluaite an t-eolas, scil nó inniúlacht atá ag teastáil chun críche na dámhachtana thíosluaite a bhaint amach agus, dá réir, go bhfuil an clár bailíochtaithe ag an gComhlacht Ceannais sin faoi Alt 25 d’Acht na gCáilíochtaí (Oideachas agus Oiliúint), 1999 agus 2006. Dearbhaím freisin go bhfuil an clár creidiúnaithe dá réir ag an gComhlacht Ceannais faoi réir na coinníollacha atá greanta ar an dTeastas Creidiúnaithe Cláir a ghabhann le seo, i leith foghlaimeoirí a nglacfar leo idir na dátaí léirithe.
I, Dr. Tim Creedon, Director, Institute of Technology Tallaght declare that the Governing Body of the Institute of Technology Tallaght is satisfied that learners on the programme referred to below may attain the knowledge, skill or competence required for the purpose of the award mentioned below, and that the Governing Body has accordingly validated the programme under Section 25 of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999 and 2006, for the award, subject to the conditions set out in the Certificate of Programme Validation, in respect of learner intakes within the dates indicated.
Soláthraí INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY TALLAGHT Provider Teideal na Dámhachtana Title of Award Leibhéal, Cineál Dámhachtana, sa Chreatoibre Náisiúnta na gCáiliochtaí Level, Award-type, in the National Framework of Qualifications Teideal an Chláir Title of Programme Cód an Chláir Programme Code
______Dr. Tim Creedon Director/Stiúrthóir Date ______Serial No. TA 002
Figure 15.3 Order of Governing Body Issued for Approved New Programmes
15.2 Process for Minor, Special Purpose and Supplemental Awards The primary filter in assessing whether a proposal should go forward for Governing Body approval is the Head of Department/Head of School/ Head of Development and the Registrar. The new programme should be consistent with the Department’s academic plan and the Institute’s strategic plan and be capable of being properly resourced within existing budgetary constraints and available physical resources.
360 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
If the Head of Department/ Head of School/ Head of Development considers that a new programme should be developed leading to a Minor, Special Purpose or Supplemental award, then the Head of Department will nominate an appropriate member(s) of staff (which may or may not include the original propose) to develop the course and complete the appropriate Special Purpose Programme Proposal form (SPP1). This documentation, together with the proposed timetable for the Validation process, must be submitted to the Special Purpose Course Validation Panel and a copy should be forwarded to the Registrar. Special Purpose Course Validation Panels will determine whether awards are Minor, Special Purpose or Supplemental.
The composition of the Special Purpose Course Validation Panel is as follows: • The Head of School (from which the proposal arises) or the Head of Development • The Head of the relevant Department • An internal specialist (not a member of the Course Development Team) • An external specialist • Registrar or Nominee of the President The Head of School or the Head of Development will act as the chairperson and convenor of the Panel.
Recommendations of the Validation Panel are sent by the Registrar to Governing Body to confirm.
Demand for additional resources occasioned by the new course must be agreed by the Senior Management Team of the Institute, via the submission of a CP2 form, before the course can be advertised.
Where a Minor, Supplemental or Special Purpose award is recommended, the Registrar, on behalf of the Institute, will notify HETAC and requests that the award be added to the list of awards delegated to the Institute.
15.3 Procedures for Modifications to Existing Programmes Material modifications to programmes are normally evaluated at the time of a Programmatic Review, which takes place every five years. However, Programme Boards may request minor or material modifications to an existing programme outside of that timeframe.
15.3.1 Minor Change Process Changes which do not change the basic nature of the course, either singly or incrementally, can be approved through the minor change process. The table below provides a list of possible minor changes and outlines the procedures to be followed in each case. Documented evidence in support of the changes is required from a Programme Board, External Examiners, the Head of Department, Head of School or the Registrar. Where a change affects other Departments, these must also be consulted. The form to be completed, Modification to Existing Programme form (MEP), should be submitted not later than 31st March in the academic year preceding the introduction of the changes.
15.3.2 Major Change Process Material modifications to existing programmes are normally only approved through the Programmatic Review process (which takes place every five years) or through formal revalidation. The following modifications constitute major changes:
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• A change (>20%) to the aims and objectives of a Programme and/or a particular module(s) • A change (>20%) to the learning outcomes of the Programme and/or a particular module(s). • A change in the mode of delivery e.g. conversion to open/distance learning mode of delivery • A change in the number of credits assigned to a particular module(s) • The introduction of a new module(s) • The addition of a new elective to a list of options • The withdrawal of an existing compulsory module • The withdrawal of an elective module • The addition of an approved module as compulsory or the replacement of a compulsory module
Where cumulative changes amount to more than 20% of the Programme over a period of 5 years from the date of issue of the certificate of Approval up to the Programmatic Review, a formal revalidation is required.
15.4 New Programmes Validated and Approved Under Delegated Authority Summaries of the five new programmes approved under delegated authority are provided below in Sections 15.4.1 to 15.4.4.
15.4.1 Bachelor Of Engineering (Hons) Mechanical Engineering
Programme Aims and Learning Objectives This Level 8 add-on degree programme concentrates on skills and knowledge that we have identified as being important in the mechanical engineering industry. Analysis, design, manufacture and maintenance are core areas of study and application on this programme. Students also become familiar with complete engineering systems used in the production of consumer goods or mechanical instruments or devices used in the computer, medical or consumer areas. Graduates of this programme will be able to work in a broad spectrum of industries, including pharmaceutical, medical device and food industries. Graduates will be qualified to work in areas such as Process, Utilities, Manufacturing Support, Design, Consultancy, Project Management, Maintenance and Technical Sales Support.
The Bachelor in Engineering (Honours) Mechanical Engineering aims to educate mechanical engineers who have the ability to work in a flexible, professional manner in a wide range of contexts and who are equipped to progress to further study. One completion of this programme, graduates will be able to demonstrate knowledge, skills and competence at an advanced level in technical fields related to Mechanical Engineering. The main themes are mathematics and numerical analysis, mechanics and mechanical design, properties of materials, thermo fluids, control and electrical professional development and project. The programme meets the learning outcomes of NQAI Level 8 in mechanical engineering.
362 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Subject/Module Data SEMESTER 7 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Mathematics 7 7 7 20 0 0 80 Computer Studies 1 3 2 70 30 0 0 Materials Science 1 3 3 0 0 30 70 Manufacturing Processes 3 3 0 0 30 70 Mechanical Design 1 5 4 50 0 0 50 Fluid Mechanics 1 3 2 0 30 10 60 Electrical Circuits & Electronics 3 4 0 0 30 70 Management Practice & Professional Development 3 2 0 30 0 70
SEMESTER 8 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Mathematics 8 6 6 20 0 0 80 Computer Studies 2 3 2 30 70 0 0 Materials Science 2 4 3 0 0 30 70 Mechanical Design 2 5 4 50 0 0 50 Fluid Mechanics 2 3 2 10 30 10 50 Measurement Systems & Control 4 3 0 0 30 70 Manufacturing Economics & Systems 5 4 30 0 0 70
SEMESTER 9 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Mathematics 9 3 3 20 80 Mechanics of Materials 4 3 30 70 Fluid Mechanics 3 3 3 15 15 70 Thermodynamics 4 4 30 70 Control Systems Analysis 4 3 30 70 Electriacl Engineering 3 3 30 70 Health, Safety, Environment and Quality 3 2 30 70
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SEMESTER 10 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Mathematics 10 3 3 30 70 Mechanics of Machines (Vibrations) 4 3 30 70 Bioengineering 4 3 40 60 Heat Transfer 5 4 30 70 Control and Automation 4 4 30 70 Management Practice 2 4 3 30 70 Project 12 1 100
External Panel Members Professor John Monaghan, Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Dublin, Trinity College (Chairperson)
Professor Darina Murray, Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering, University of Dublin, Trinity College
Mr. Matt Cotterell, Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Cork Institute of Technology
Mr. Phil Merry, Technical Director Jacobs International
Mr. John Vickery, Registrar. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Secretary)
15.4.2 Bachelor Of Arts (Hons) In Advertising and Marketing Communications
Programme Aims and Learning Objectives The aim of this abi initio Level 8 degree programme is to provide an opportunity for undergraduates to obtain a qualification that will prepare them for work in the Advertising and Marketing Communications industry. Applicants are most likely to be school leavers with the intention of seeking employment in roles such client services, account planning, brand management, and media buying and media planning. Employment potential is not restricted to particular industry sectors, and is also suited to mature students wishing to pursue further education with a view to working in the industry. The curriculum for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) reflects the fact that participating students are being prepared to work in a specific industry and so the emphasis is very much on the development of the knowledge, skills and competencies relevant to employment as an Advertising and Marketing Communications professional.
Much of the learning is self-directed and structured in such a way that the students will be required to complete specific work-oriented tasks. Therefore, regular and early feedback will be given to students. To assist both lecturers and students in the area of feedback and communications, a virtual environment will be provided through on-line learning and anti-plagiarism software packages. This will enhance students’ experiences and
364 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
achieve increased use of online resources, including the electronic resources in the library. It will create a single point of access for all aspects of the programme and provide a forum for continuous communication/consultation between individual students, student groups, and lecturers, thus leading to an improved learning experience.
The information derived from, and knowledge accumulated as a result of completing the course will give the student the relevant information and knowledge required to work effectively in a challenging Advertising and Marketing Communications environment.
In summary, on completion of this programme, graduates will be qualified to work in the industry. They will be empowered to carry out their duties successfully, and they will also have the requisite knowledge, skills and competencies to provide input to and management of continuous improvement within the workplace. Successful graduates seeking to pursue further studies will be eligible to apply for a Masters degree.
Subject/Module Data SEMESTER 1 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Marketing 5 3 30 70 Introduction to Advertising 5 3 50 50 Marketing Environment 5 3 30 70 Fundamentals of Information Systems 5 3 60 40 Business Communications 5 3 100 Media Studies 5 3 30 70
SEMESTER 2 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Behavioural Studies 5 3 30 70 The Advertising Industry 5 3 100 European Studies 5 3 30 70 Business Information Systems 5 3 60 40 Introduction to Statistics 5 3 20 20 60 Mass Communications 5 3 30 70
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SEMESTER 3 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Marketing and Business Development 5 3 50 50 Media Options 5 3 100 Law 5 3 30 70 IS Analysis & Design 5 3 60 40 Research Methods 5 4 30 70 Design Studies 5 4 50 50
SEMESTER 4 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Marketing Applications 5 3 30 70 PR and Media Relations 5 3 30 70 Advertising Law 5 3 30 70 Data Warehousing & Data Mining for Market Analysis 5 3 60 40 Introduction to Accounting 5 3 30 70 Graphic Design 5 4 50 50
SEMESTER 5 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Individual Buyer Behaviour 5 3 30 70 Event Management/IMC 1 5 3 50 50 Global Business 5 3 30 70 Interactive Marketing 5 3 20 40 40 Applied Statistics 5 3 20 20 60 Radio Production 5 3 10 90
SEMESTER 6 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Socio-cultural Buyer Behaviour 5 3 30 70 Event Management/IMC 2 5 3 100 Intercultural Communications and Management 5 3 30 70 Interactive Marketing Design 5 3 20 40 40 Marketing Research Applications 5 3 50 50 Video Production 5 4 30 30 40
366 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
SEMESTER 7 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Advertising Portfolio Design 5 3 20 80 Copy Writing 5 3 100 Marketing Management 5 3 30 70 Interactive Campaign Design 5 3 20 40 40 Account Planning and Strategy 5 3 20 40 40 Innovation 5 3 30 70
SEMESTER 8 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Advertising Portfolio Design 10 3 50 50 Brand Management 5 3 30 70 Business Ethics 5 3 30 70 Media Planning 5 3 50 50 Finance 5 3 30 70 50 50
External Panel Members Mr. Larry Elwood, Head of School of Business and Humanities, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (Chairperson)
Ms. Orlaith Blaney, Managing Director, McCann Erickson, Dublin
Mr. James Kearns, Lecturer in Marketing, Letterkenny Institute of Technology
Mr. John Vickery, Registrar. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Secretary)
15.4.3 Higher Certificate In Science In Bio & Pharmaceutical Analysis
Programme Aims and Learning Objectives The Department of Science has developed a strong track record in the provision of industry relevant taught science programmes with a particular strength in the field of bio/pharmaceutical and bio/analytical sciences. The Department is committed to providing learning opportunities for learners with a range of abilities, aspirations and motivation. In this context we cater for the learning needs of a wide audience from full time students to adult lifelong learners. Programme delivery modes include full-time, ACCS and in-company. We are moving towards the provision of technical science programmes to companies in Ireland and beyond through blended distance and e-learning modes. This programme is consistent with this latter objective.
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The origin of this proposal lies in company needs to attract and retain more analysts. All companies now report difficulty in finding suitably qualified employees. Amongst the strategies being adopted by companies to address these skills shortages are direct recruitment from the Leaving Certificate, recruitment of unqualified persons from other sectors, and re-skilling of existing staff. Science Technicians have shown a 72% growth in employment from 1999 to 2004 up 11.4% annually. Of those, only 56% have a third level qualification.
There is a continuing strong demand for analysts in all sectors of the pharmaceutical industry. Ireland’s pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors are growing and the emergent biotechnology sector in particular has significant potential to grow substantially over the next 7 years.
Based on current trends, there will continue to be a shortfall in the supply of relevant skills necessary to sustain the development of the industry in Ireland1. The biotechnology sector alone is predicted to need of the order of 1,480 additional BSc level graduates and 1,160 sub-degree level graduates in the next seven years.
Companies have a growing need for new training programs leading to nationally recognized qualifications and combining formal education and training with work-based learning and development. In this context, ITT Dublin and the School of Science have been to the forefront in providing innovative training solutions to the industry and this proposal is seen as an extension of this strategy.
Course Objectives • To produce graduates with the breadth and depth of knowledge and practical skills underpinning bio & pharmaceutical analyses • To enable participants to develop, through structured laboratory and work-based hands-on learning, a professional and technical competency in bio & pharmaceutical analyses • To provide blended learning opportunities (in-class and distance based directed self-learning) for students addressing the core science and regulatory affairs knowledge required by working analysts • To develop the student’s ability for effective communication of ideas, data and concepts through written, oral and computer based presentations • To provide students with a sufficient foundation of knowledge, skill and competency to be able to progress onto higher level programmes
Subject/Module Data SEMESTER 1 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Practical Final Exam Biology 1: A View Of Life 10 5 20 40 40 Chemistry 1 10 5 15 35 50 Laboratory Practice & Procedures, Health & Safety 5 3 100 0 0 Mathematics 5 3 40 0 60
1 Responding to Ireland’s Skills Needs Oct 2004, The Fourth Report of the Expert Group on Future Needs Skills.
368 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
SEMESTER 2 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Practical Final Exam Biology 2: Biomolecules & Microbes 10 5 20 40 40 Chemistry 2 10 5 15 35 50 Measurement Science & Computing 5 3 20 40 40 Good Manufacturing Practices & QA 5 3 50 0 50
SEMESTER 3 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Practical Final Exam Instrumentation 1: Spectroscopic methods 5 3 20 40 40 Instrumentation 2: Chromatography & GC 5 3 20 40 40 GMP & Statistics 5 3 50 0 50 Calibration Science 5 3 20 40 40 Biochemistry 1: Cell Structures 5 3 20 40 40 Microbiology 1 5 3 20 40 40 Organic Reactions 5 3 30 30 40 Inorganic & Environmental Chemistry 1 5 3 30 30 40 Students may elect to take Group Elective GE1 or GE2 modules
SEMESTER 4 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Final Exam Instrumentation 3: HPLC 5 3 20 40 40 Instrumentation 4: Electrochemistry & ISE 5 3 20 40 40 Biochemistry 2: Nutritional & Health Biology 10 6 20 40 40 Microbiology 2 10 6 20 40 40 Theoretical Chemistry 10 6 20 40 40 Inorganic & Environmental Chemistry 2 10 6 20 40 40 Students may elect to take Group Elective GE1 or GE2 modules
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External Panel Members Dr. Gertie Taggart, Head of School of Science, Letterkenny Institute of Technology (Chairperson)
Dr. Brid. Quilty, School of Science-Biotechnology, Dublin City University
Ms. Fionnuala Burke, Independent Consultant,
Mr. Leo Drennan, Production Manager, Solid Dosage, Organon Swords
Dr. Breda Brennan, Head Department of Science, Dundalk Institute of Technology
Mr. John Vickery, Registrar. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Secretary)
15.4.4 Bachelor Of Science (Hons) in Information Technology Management
Programme Aims and Learning Objectives The aim of the programme is to provide graduates with a broad range of skills to enable them to work at honours graduate level in the IT area. This add-on level 8 degree programme is designed to develop and enhance the student’s managerial and technical skills in the area of computer services, particularly in information management, network management and advanced database applications.
Further skills will be developed in marketing, strategic use of information systems, capacity planning, interactive media design and operations research.
The programme also endeavours to promote the personal development of students by providing for their intellectual and social development.
A key aim of the programme is to foster the capacity and methodology for self-study and continuing professional development to prepare graduates for the frequent up-skilling required to meet the demands of the dynamic ICT environment.
The programme strives to build on the existing skills and experience of ITT Dublin in delivering information technology courses.
The objectives of the programme are listed as follows:
1. To provide the learner with a solid basis and advanced knowledge of the principles of IT, in particular in the areas of networking, databases, business and information systems.
2. To equip the learner with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the strategic use of information systems within an organisation.
3. To enable the learner to analytically identify, specify and manage IT solutions and understand educational and training strategies required for staff to support successful rollout of the solution.
370 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
4. To provide the learner with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the infrastructural aspects required to support business applications.
5. To develop knowledge of network management and design for local and wide area networks.
6. To enable graduates to undertake project work in an information technology field as an individual and as part of a team.
7. To equip students with the verbal, written and other communication skills to allow them to function in a team environment, characteristic of modern business.
8. Establish an awareness of the importance of operating within recognised standards.
9. To educate students in the multi-disciplinary nature of computing practice including the interaction between the technological, business and legal functions.
Subject/Module Data SEMESTER 7 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Information Management 5 3 40 60 Interactive Media Design 5 4 50 50 Operations Research 5 3 40 60 Advanced Database Applications 5 3 40 60 Networking 4 5 4 10 40 50 Web Systems Developmen 5 4 25 25 50
SEMESTER 8 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Project Practical Final Exam Strategic Business Marketing 5 3 40 60 Information Technology Governance And Quality 5 2 100 Enterprise Applications Architecture 5 3 40 60 Co-Operative Information Systems 5 3 40 60 E-Learning Strategies 5 3 20 20 60 Wireless Networking 5 4 10 40 50 Project 5 1 100
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External Panel Members Dr. Paul Barry, Head of School of Science, Waterford IT (Chairperson)
Ms. Mary Ryan, School of Business & Humanities, IADT
Ms. Niamh Mannion, IT Manager, Friends First, Friends First House, Loughlinstown Mr. Nigel Whyte. Head of Department (Acting), Carlow IT.
Dr. Diarmuid O’Donoghue, Department of Computer Science, NUI Maynooth.
Mr. John Vickery, Registrar. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Secretary)
15.4.5 HIGHER DIPLOMA IN BUSINESS MARKETING MANAGEMENT
Programme Aims and Learning Objectives This programme is a Post Graduate Diploma (Level 8) in Business Studies designed to equip graduates from a non-business discipline with the skills necessary to pursue a career in Marketing. As it is a level 8 qualification, it will provide successful graduates with the opportunity to progress and pursue a Masters degree in Marketing.
The aim of the Higher Diploma in Business programme is to provide an opportunity for non-business graduates to obtain a marketing qualification at the same level as the Institute’s Honours Degree in Business in Marketing Management.
On completion of the Higher Diploma programme the student will be able to; • Operate successfully in a marketing environment. • Develop a comprehensive marketing plan. • Apply the current methods in financial management to decision making. • Evaluate the legal issues pertinent during the development of marketing strategy. • Develop and apply research tools appropriate to a specific market research problem. • Adhere to the professional and ethical standards required of a marketing practitioner. • Design an integrated marketing communications campaign. • Evaluate the sources of ideas for new enterprise, and to develop them. • Research for and prepare an e-Commerce plan.
Subject/Module Data SEMESTER 7 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Practical Final Exam Marketing 5 3 30 70 Marketing Environment 5 3 50 50 Statistics for Marketing 5 3 50 50 Marketing Law 5 3 30 70 Marketing Finance 5 2 50 50 IS Tools for Strategic Marketing 5 3 50 50
372 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
SEMESTER 8 Subject Title Credits Total Contact Allocation of Marks Hours CA Practical Final Exam Global Marketing Management 5 3 30 70 Marketing Research Applications 5 3 100 E-Commerce 5 3 50 50 Buyer Behaviour 5 3 30 70 Integrated Marketing Communications 5 3 50 50 Enterprise Development 5 3 50 50
External Panel Members Mr. Andy Maguire, Head of Innovation & Industry Services, Faculty of Business, Dublin Institute of Technology (Chairperson)
Ms. Catherine Spillane, Marketing Manager, BTW Tilesavers
Mr. John Sisk, Marketing Lecturer, Dundalk Institute of Technology
Ms. Emer Ward, Marketing Lecturer, Sligo Institute of Technology
Mr. John Vickery, Registrar. Institute of Technology Tallaght (Secretary)
15.5 New Programmes under Development A number of new programmes have been proposed for development since January 2007. These are listed in Table 15.1 below. These programmes have all gone through the initiation stage and CP1 Forms have been approved by Academic Council and Programme Development Committees have been established. New special purpose and minor award programmes are also being developed as listed in Tables 15.2 and 15.3.
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Department Programme Title NQF Academic Current Status Level Council CP1 Approval Date Marketing and Business BA (Honours) in Advertising and Marketing 8 Mar. 15th 07 Validated Computing Communications
Electronic Engineering B.Sc. (Honours) in Advanced Electronic Engineering 8 Mar. 15th 07 Validated Technology
Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. (Honours) in Applied Engineering 8 May 17th 07 Validated Electromechanical Engineering
Management MBA in Innovation Management 9 Dec. 7th 07 Programme Development Stage
Electronic and Mechanical B.Eng. in Energy & Environmental Engineering 7 Feb. 12th 08 Programme Engineering Development Stage
Department of Accountancy BBS (Honours) in Financial Services, with Exit 8 Feb. 12th 08 Programme & Professional Studies awards at Level 6 and 7. Development Stage
Table 15.1 New Academic Programmes at Stage 2 of the Development Process
Department Programme Title Status Electronic Engineering Diploma in Data Communications At Evaluation Stage Computing Certificate in Fundamentals of Software Development At Evaluation Stage
Table 15.2 New Special Purpose Programmes
Department Programme Title Status Electronic Engineering Minor Award in Data Communications At Evaluation Stage
Table 15.3 New Minor Award Programmes
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Conditions Attached to Delegated Authority
375 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 16 Conditions Attached To Delegated Authority
Chapter 16 Conditions Attached to Delegated Authority
16.1 Introduction The HETAC Council have formulated a number of criteria which focus on the institution’s capacity to comply with or its record of compliance with the conditions determined by the Council for the purposes of the delegation of authority1. Council conditions include but are not necessarily be limited to: 1. Adherence to the agreed wording on parchments issued by the institutions as defined in the Order in Council granting Delegation of Authority 2. Co-operation and assistance to the Council, and the Authority where appropriate, in the performance of their functions 3. Establishment of procedures for the assessment of learners which are fair and consistent and for the purpose of compliance with standards determined by the Council under the Act 4. Implementation of procedures for access, transfer and progression determined by the Authority under the Act 5. Consultation with other providers as stipulated under Sections 28 and 29 of the Act 6. Provision of such information as the Council requires for the purposes of the performance of its functions, including information in respect of completion rates 7. Fulfillment of such other conditions as the Council may, from time to time determine in consultation with the institution.
The Institute complies with the conditions determined by the Council in relation to its programmes of education and training as discussed in the remainder of this chapter. The Institute also endeavours to fulfil such other conditions as the HETAC Council may from time to time determine.
16.2 Graduation Arrangements The Graduation Ceremony is one of the major Institute events of the year and the Institute endeavours to make it an event to remember for all members, family and friends. Ensuring a smooth graduation ceremony is critical and there are many procedures in place to ensure that this is achieved. The key processes involve defining the graduation schedule, organising the external venue and related services, contacting students, compiling and publishing the graduation booklet and organising gowning, photography and reception arrangements. The Institute has drawn up a specific Graduation SOP. This procedure lists guidelines to be followed when preparing for the annual graduation. It is the responsibility of the Senior Administration Officer in the Registrar’s Department with responsibility for graduations to ensure compliance with this procedure.
The Institute adheres to the HETAC’s requirements and guidelines for the order of conferring, academic dress and testimonial documentation. The Institute has and will continue to adhere to HETAC guidelines in relation
1 Criteria and Procedures for the Delegation and Review of Delegation of Authority to Make Awards (HETAC, 2004).
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to the conferring of awards, including the most recent communication from HETAC, Requirements and Guidelines for the Order of Conferring, Academic Dress and Testimonial Documents (July, 2005).
16.3 Co-operation with HETAC The Institute maintains close co-operation with the Council of HETAC and the Authority, and provides assistance to them where appropriate in the performance of their functions. It has and will continue to provide feedback to HETAC on policies and procedures when requested. HETAC periodically send draft consultation documents to the Institute Registrar for comment. The main forum for assessing these documents is through Academic Council. Feedback is collated by the Registrar and submitted to HETAC on behalf of the Institute. It is a requirement that the Quality Assurance Manual and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes are all approved by HETAC. Amended documents are always submitted to HETAC for approval. The first Quality Manual was approved by HETAC in 2004 and the most recent version in 2006. The Code of Practice was approved by HETAC in 2006.
Both the President and Registrar meet with HETAC on a regular basis. As part of the HETAC convened Council of Registrars, the Registrar meets with HETAC representatives two or three times each year.
ITT Dublin was one of four institutes invited to take part in a HETAC initiative on enhancing quality of research degree programmes in November 2005. It had a senior academic member on the HETAC Steering Group set up to look at developing an action plan aimed at enhancing the quality of its research degree programmes in the future. The main function of the Group was to research and provide guidance on the future transferable and generic skills training needs of research students and promote practices that will see those needs met across the Institute of Technology Sector. This group has recently carried out the following which will help inform this Institute on how to enhance the quality of training provided to postgraduate research degree students in the future: 1. A detailed survey of supervisors, research students and graduates in relation to skills training requirements2; 2. Focus group meeting with industry representatives in relation to skills gaps; 3. Held a colloquium on Research Skills Needs (Sept. 25th 2006).
16.4 Procedures for the Assessment of Learners All students following programmes leading to a recognised award are required to take such assessments as may be prescribed for the programme in the approved course schedule. Course schedules are provided by Lecturers to students at the start of the semester. These provide details of assessment procedures and continuous assessment requirements, including details of practicals, where required. The course schedules are also available in the Programme Handbook.
The Academic Council of the Institute has established procedures for the assessment of learners which are fair and consistent and for the purpose of compliance with standards determined by the Council under the Act. These have been discussed in Chapter 12 – Quality Assurance Systems, Section 12.5.2 for taught programmes. The collective procedures with regard to assessment and examination are included in the Institute Marks and Standards document, which are based on the HETAC Marks & Standards Document. The Institute Registrar has also participated in the steering Committee for the new HETAC Marks & Standards.
2 HETAC Skills Training Requirements, DRAFT Report, Sept. 2006.
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The Research Regulations Section of the Code of Practice provides details of assessment procedures specific to research degree students. It is Institute policy that postgraduate research assessment should be conducted rigorously, fairly and consistently. It should only undertaken by those individuals with relevant qualifications and experience and with a clear understanding of the task. Monitoring of progress on the project is carried out by the Supervisor(s) through regular scheduled meetings and discussions with the student. The overall monitoring of the supervision process is carried out by the sponsoring Department for example through the Programme Boards, annual reviews, and complaints mechanisms. Student progress is assessed on an annual basis by the Department through the mechanism of formal reports as completed by the supervisors and students.
Research Degree Programme Boards reside within the Departments. They are established in accordance with the procedures as described in the Quality Assurance Manual. The Programme Board is comprised of a Head of Department (or nominee) and the research academic staff and student representatives, other staff or external advisors. Their main focus is to monitor and improve the ongoing delivery of the research degree programmes.
The examination criteria, along with those for the appointment of internal and external examiners, along with the chairperson of examiners are applied by the Registrar as per Section 4 of the Research Regulations in the Code of Practice. These have been drawn up in accordance with the HETAC guidelines.
Staff and student participation at research degree Programme Boards and the relevant sub-Committees of Academic Council are the main routes for providing feedback on the implementation of assessment procedures.
16.5 Access, Transfer and Progression Procedures The Academic Council of the Institute has implemented and constantly reviews procedures for access, transfer and progression determined by the Authority under the Act. The Access, progression and transfer sub- Committee has formulated policy and set down the guidelines for the Institute’s procedures in that regard. The Institute’s policies have already been discussed in Chapter 5 – Academic and Staff Policies, Section 5.2.2. Access routes, transfer and progression have been discussed in Chapter 7 – Learner Supports and Services, Section 7.1. Progression and transfer data within the context of supervised postgraduate research were evaluated in Chapter 10 – Research Profile 1: Enrolments and Graduates, Section 10.1. The procedures were summarised in Chapter 12 – Quality Assurance Systems, Section 12.9.
16.6 Consultation The Institute has consulted with other providers in relation to its application for Delegation of Authority as stipulated under Sections 28 and 29 of the Act. As part of the consultation process, the Institute consulted with other education providers with delegated authority and local universities. Table 16.1 outlines consultations made with HEIs as part of the self-study process. Additional HEI consultation took place through the forum of the ITT Dublin External Stakeholder research Focus Group. The consultation process is outlined in Chapter 18.
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Education Provider Consultation Date Letterkenny IT January 2005 IT Tralee April 2005 Waterford IT April 2005 and March 2007 Sligo IT May 2005 Dublin City University May 2005 Trinity College Dublin September 2005 Dun Laoghaire IADT September 2005 Blanchardstown IT October 2005 IT Carlow March 2007
Table 16.1 Consultation with Education Providers
16.7 Provision of Information to HETAC The Institute has at all times provided such information as the HETAC Council requires for the purposes of the performance of its functions, including information on completion rates. It also submits the first destination survey of graduates to HETAC on an annual basis. The Institute will continue to provide such information to the Council under delegation of authority.
While the Institute maintains its own research degree register in specific areas, it still provides information on an annual basis to HETAC on the number of students registered at Level 9 and 10 by Oct. 31st of the academic year in question. This includes project titles, supervisor details and qualifications. It also sends HETAC a listing of students whose registration has fallen lapsed or who have withdrawn from their studies. Additions and amendments are communicated by the Office of the Registrar as they arise throughout the year.
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380 Chapter 17
Objects of the Qualifications Act 1999
381 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 17 Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999
Chapter 17 Objects of the Qualifications Act 1999
The Institute, since its establishment in 1992, has been supportive of the objects of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999, as outlined below:
17.1 Support for the Development of a System for the Co- ordination and Comparison of Higher Education and Training Awards The Qualifications Act, 1999 defines the national framework of qualifications as “a framework for the development, recognition and award of qualifications in the State, based on standards of knowledge, skill or competence to be acquired by learners” In its policies and criteria (April 2002), the NQAI further redefined this to be “the single, nationally and internationally accepted entity, through which all learning achievements may be measured and related to each other in a coherent way and which defines the relationship between all education and training awards”. The framework aims to provide a coherent and understandable system for co-ordinating and comparing awards within the state. It also seeks to facilitate international comparisons between awards and feeds into developments at the European and international levels to increase the comparability and transparency of qualifications.
The NFQ contains ten levels and major award-types, as shown in Figure 17.1. Correspondence with the Bologna three-cycle system is also indicated.
In the framework, awards at Levels 7-10 are to be made by the HETAC, DIT and the universities. At level 6, the Advanced Certificate award is made by FETAC and the Higher Certificate award by HETAC and DIT. At levels 3 to 5 awards are made by the State Examinations Commission (Department of Education and Science). Other awards at levels 1 to 5 are made by FETAC.
Bologna Cycles National Framework of Qualifications Providers
Awards Levels 3 Doctoral Degree 10 Institutes of Universities Technology 2 Masters Degree 9 Post-Graduate Diploma DIT Recognised Colleges of the National 1 Higher Bachelor Degree 8 Private Colleges University of Ireland Higher Diploma and other HEIs Ordinary Bachelor Degree 7 Higher Certificate 6 Further Education/ Schools Awards 1 – 5 Entry from Second Level and Further Education and Training
Figure 17.1 National Framework of Qualifications
382 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
The Institute has supported the development of the National Framework of Qualifications and has realigned its programmes to meet the criteria established by HETAC, FETAC and the NQAI. This was completed by the end of 2006 when existing curricula were updated, as part of the Programmatic Review process. The process followed the establishment of HETAC and the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) in 2003/4.
In addition to changes in the standards and structures of awards (e.g. the replacement of two year National Certificates with Higher Certificates, three year National Diplomas with Ordinary Bachelor Degrees, and four- year Degrees with Honours Bachelor Degrees), the NFQ introduced a new approach to the meaning of an award.
Each award-type has an award-descriptor which specifies the particular learning outcomes and the standards of knowledge, skill and competence required for the award. As a result of these changes, the Institute has reviewed all of its programmes, including course content, methods of delivery and progression criteria, to ensure that they meet the standards defined in the NFQ. Programmes have been examined by expert external peer review groups and have now been validated for the new awards. This process took place in 2004. The revised course schedules were submitted to HETAC in March 2004, a panel visit took place in April and the new course schedules were approved in May 2004. The new awards took effect from the academic year 2004/5. The Institute Quality Manual was revised in 2006 to ensure procedures were updated to reflect the movement to the NFQ (refer to Chapter 12 – Quality Assurance Systems).
The Bologna Declaration in 1999 marked the formal commencement of a process to create a single higher education space in Europe. This was a joint declaration, signed by 29 European Ministers of Education convened at Bologna to establish a European Higher Education Area by 2010. The Bologna declaration proposed the introduction, within a European higher education space, of a system of qualifications in tertiary education based on the cycles shown in Figure 17.1.
The Bologna Declaration specified the attainment of six main objectives, one of which was: Promotion of mobility by overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement with particular attention to: - for students, access to study and training opportunities and to related services - for teachers, researchers and administrative staff, recognition and valorisation of periods spent in a European context researching, teaching and training, without prejudicing their statutory rights.
The Institute is also committed to implementing the Bologna objectives through, for example, the introduction of ab initio degrees and facilitation of student mobility under the Erasmus/Socrates programme. Activities are primarily concentrated in the Department of Humanities and in Business1. In recognition of this, in February 2003, the Institute set up an International Office within the Department of Humanities. The International Office provides support to international students on campus and provides information on opportunities for students to study abroad. It also promotes partnerships between the Institute and other higher education institutions outside the EU and manages the Socrates teaching exchange programme.
The Institute has established bi-lateral linkages with thirty-three third level colleges in Europe. Most of these linkages are with universities in France, Germany, Italy and Spain. This is reflected in Figure 17.2 which provides a breakdown of international students by country of origin for the current academic year.
1 International students of business frequently attend modules in other disciplines e.g. engineering.
383 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 17 Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999
France 1% 3% 4% Italy 40% Poland
Austria
26% Netherlands
UK
Germany
1% Spain 5% 3% Finland 8% 9% Denmark
Figure 17.2 Erasmus Students by Country of Origin for 2007-08
In addition to co-ordinating student mobility, the International Office also manages the mobility of staff under the EU Socrates programme. A total of 13 staff members travelled to partner institutions in 2003/4 under the terms of the Socrates staff exchange programme. A similar number of staff from Socrates partner institutes visited the Institute and delivered lectures to students during the academic year 2003/4. The visiting lecturers came from partner institutes in France, Spain, The Netherlands, Germany and Finland.
The Institute’s policy is to achieve a position of equilibrium with regard to the number of incoming and outgoing students under the EU Socrates Programme. It has entered into contractual agreements with partner institutions abroad up to 2007 and hopes to balance the number of incoming and outgoing students over that period.
With regard to the research student population the 14% international intake is predominantly made up of students from outside of Europe, predominantly India and Pakistan. Within the European arena, Poland has been the most popular country of origin. All but one of the international applicants has registered on research degrees in the School of Science and Computing. The breakdown by country for students currently on the live register is shown in Figure 17.3.
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France 4% 4% 4% 4% Italy 4% Poland 18% Romania
India
Pakistan 4%
31% Libya
Singapore
27% Mexico
Figure 17.3 Research Students by Country of Origin 2007/8 Academic Year
17.2 Promotion of Lifelong learning The Institute is committed to lifelong learning and aims to provide flexible and accessible lifelong learning opportunities to those who wish to acquire new knowledge and skills. The Institute’s policies and programmes in this regard are dealt with in Chapter 7.
Applicants are predominantly registered on the Part-time Programmes which offers a variety of courses leading to nationally and internationally recognised qualifications at undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels. While the majority of programmes are accredited by Institute, it also offers a variety of programmes leading to the awards of Professional Institutes such as the IMI, IATI and IPAV. The programmes were discussed in detail in the previous delegated authority submission and hence are not elaborated on here.
The rapid growth in the number of part-time students at the Institute since 1992 was outlined previously in Chapter 9. The expansion in the range of part-time courses offered at the Institute was also elaborated previously. The Institute’s immediate catchment area, South Dublin County, is characterised by a strong industrial base and an expanding population, giving rising to increasing levels of demand for educational provision. The Institute has responded to these developments by proactively engaging with industry within the region as prior to and as part of the development of new courses and enhancing the quality and relevance of its academic programmes.
In-company delivery plays a significant role in the provision of part-time programmes within the Institute’s three Schools. In this context the term "in-company" can be interpreted as the delivery of programmes to the employees of companies, either on site, or possibly in the Institute as a homogenous class entity.
The provision of programmes in this manner is reflective of an institutional response to address the developmental requirements of firms and local organisations, primarily those operating in the engineering, ICT,
385 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 17 Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999
pharmaceutical, bio-technology and associated sectors. The nature of work patterns across much of these industries is such that a more focused, shift-friendly approach is required, which recognises the time constraints and limits on staff availability within these industry sectors. The in-company model of education and training provision has enabled the Institute to provide a more focused and indeed flexible approach in the manner in which such programmes are delivered. In-company education provision can have a significant direct economic impact on staff education and development within these organisations, contributing to a sizeable increase in organisational capabilities. These in-company programmes are separately promoted and negotiated, normally by individual Schools with the respective client organisations.
Information on the programmes provided to company employees was previously provided in Chapter 9, Section 9.3.2.
17.3 Recognition of Knowledge, Skill or Competence Acquired In keeping with the NQF, the Institute’s education and training programmes specify the knowledge, skill and competencies to be acquired by learners and also the methods of assessment. The progression criteria from one programme to the next are also specified. All learning undertaken within the Institute carries certification that is recognised as being part of the national framework of awards. All modules on Institute part-time programmes are available to learners through the Accumulation of Credits and Certification of Subjects Scheme (ACCS), whereby each module successfully completed gains a number of credits for the student. On successful completion of a module, learners receive single subject accreditation, accumulating credits toward an overall award. The ACCS scheme, in some cases and where places are available, may be availed of during the day. The Institute has also introduced blended learning solutions designed to enhance learner flexibility. The Institute also recognises and offers accreditation of prior experiential learning (APL) in accordance with the HETAC 2001 guidelines. A number minor and supplemental award programmes have also been developed as listed in Table 9.8, Chapter 9.
17.4 Contribution to the Realisation of National Education and Training Policies At a policy level, the Institute contributes to National Education and Training Policies, through a number of channels. The President contributes formally and informally to the development of national education and training policies through the IOTI (Institutes of Technology Ireland). Similarly, the Registrar has contributed to policy developments through the Council of Registrars. Heads of Schools and Departments provide academic leadership particularly through programme development and review, the introduction of new programmes and through research. Along with individual staff members they also contribute to national education policy development and implementation through membership of professional bodies and associations, collaboration with industry and collaboration with other Institutes and research groups, both nationally and internationally.
Conscious of its role in helping to achieve national policy objectives, the Institute has sought to align its education and training programmes with regional and national needs, and to foster innovation and research and enterprise development through collaboration with industry and other third level institutions. The outputs in that regard have been presented in Chapters 11 and 12. The Institute President is Chair of the Council of
386 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Directors Research Strategy Group. In that capacity he meets with policy makers, other educational providers and contributes to the development of national policies for the advancement of research and innovation, not just for the Institute but for the Sector.
The deliverables of the recent SIF award for that seeks to address the needs of the Knowledge Economy will play a significant role in shaping future policies for education and research.
17.5 Co-operation with other Providers The Institute promotes co-operation with other providers and has developed a number of collaborative programmes through partnership with other professional bodies, third level institutes and industry. These are outlined in Chapter 9. The delivery of in-company programmes in response to specific industrial/commercial needs, whether from individual companies or clusters of companies, is dealt with in Chapter 9 (section 9.3.2). Research collaboration with other higher education institutions (national and international) and collaboration with industry, is considered in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12. Co-operation with other libraries is considered in Chapter 6, Section 6.4.5. The Access Office co-ordinates the co-operation with schools, institutions and organisations in the promotion of access to education as discussed in Chapter 7, Sections 7.1 and 7.2. Inter- institutional linkages were considered in Chapter 9, Section 9.3.2.
A summary of the involvement of Institute staff with other cross-institutional higher education providers is given in Table 17.1.
HEI Forum Staff Involved Research Groups in Universities and Institutes of Technology Academics Access Initiatives with Schools Access Officer SIF 1 and 2 projects with Universities and Institutes Academics and Management Council of Registrars Registrar IOTI President Meetings of IoT Heads of Development Head of Development External Examiners at Universities/Institutes Academics External Panel Members for Interviews, Programmatic Reviews and New Programme Academics and Management Validations at other HEIs Meetings of IoT Heads of School in Business/Engineering and Science Heads of School Meetings of IoT Secretary/Financial Controllers Secretary/Financial Controller
Table 17.1 Co-operation with Education Providers
17.6 Promotion of Diversity within Higher Education and Training The Institute promotes courses at levels 6 to 10 in the NFQ framework. Students can enter at any of these levels, provided they have the appropriate prior qualifications. The Institute is fully committed to and promotes the ladder system of progression (Chapter 5, Section 5.2) and facilitates access, transfer and progression
387 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 17 Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999
through its ACCS programmes (Chapter 5, Section 5.2. and Chapter 9, Sections 9.3 and 9.7). The development of flexible delivery modes to facilitate lifelong learning is considered in Chapter 7 (Section 7.1) and the Institute’s policies and procedures in relation to admissions in Chapter 5 and Chapter 10 respectively. The Institute has identified 13 admission routes to its programmes, which include entry by learners on FETAC programmes, entry by mature learners, entry through access initiatives, entry for students with disabilities/specific learning difficulties, entry by Erasmus and non-EU students, and Fáilte Ireland admissions. These entry routes are outlined in Chapter 9.
The profile and background of students attending the Institute has changed over the years (Chapter 9, Section 9.5). The Institute welcomes and promotes this diversity. In 2004 an Equality and Diversity Committee was established as a sub-committee of Academic Council, to seek ways to promote this diversity and formulate policies for the Institute (Chapter 5, Section 5.3). The Institute’s policy on Adult and Continuing Education was presented in Chapter 5, Section 5.8. Staff training workshops have also been run in each of the three Academic Schools on Promotion of Equality and Diversity.
The Institute currently has 72 different nationalities registered on educational and training programmes. It held a “Celebrating Diversity Day” which was launched by the Minister of State with special responsibility for Integration Policy at the Department of Community, Rural, and Gaeltacht Affairs, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform in April of this year.
17.7 Contribution to the Realisation of National Policy and Objectives in Relation to the Extension of Bi-lingualism in Irish society The Institute supports the use of Irish and is in the process of implementing The Official Languages Act 2003. A committee of Academic Council was established in 2005 to develop and implement the guidelines established by the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs (2003) in relation to the Act. The Committee has drafted a proposal outlining what services will be provided fully bi-lingually (through the medium of Irish and English) across all Schools within the Institute. The proposed policies are outlined below.
Introduction In response to the Official Languages Act 2003 the Institute is drafting a Scheme for the approval of the Minister of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs describing how the Institute intends to promote and facilitate the use of Irish in the Institute and thereby to provide our services through Irish or, Irish and English.
Over the life-time of the Approved Scheme it is expected that many areas that are conducting their business exclusively through the medium of the English language at present will be able to conduct elements of their business through both official languages.
Content of the Language Scheme The services currently provided are through the medium of the English language. A small number of staff have a range of verbal competencies in the Irish language with one or two having written competencies. Therefore the priorities of the scheme will be to:
388 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
1. Improve the language competency (oral and aural) in selective staff members 2. Publish material bilingually within one cover where except where this is not possible because of the size or nature of the document. 3. Have key elements of the website available bilingually 4. Enhance the Institute’s capacity to conduct aspects of its business bilingually 5. Comply with signage regulations 6. Have in place personnel in functional areas capable of providing services through Irish. 7. Develop strategic alliances with other IoTs to provide appropriate bespoke staff training opportunities in key areas of the Institute.
Services to the Public available at the end of Scheme While recognising that all the services offered by the Institute are exclusively through English, the following services will be available at the end of Scheme.
Fully Bi-lingual Services It is the Institute’s intention that significant progress be made in providing fully bilingual services in designated areas by the end of the Scheme.
Website The website of the Institute will be available bilingually for items of general information within 3 years. General information would include, but not be limited to, background information on the Institute, details of services and activities, resources within the Institute, descriptions of the teaching, learning, sports, clubs, societies, and other services available to students. Such documents as the Institute Regulations, Strategic Plans, Addresses by President and Annual Reports from the Institute will be available on the website bilingually (where published these will be bilingual within one cover).
The following elements will remain exclusively in English on the website: • Components aimed at international audiences • Components of a technical or specialist nature • Web deliver programmes • Components relating to writing or new programmes of learning of training
Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) The VLE is the student portal by which students are provided with information or services, advises of facilities and is used as a means of communication with students. By the end of the Scheme, there will be two mirrored sites accessible via an English and Irish button. Course material, notes and overheads etc. will be available on the VLE in the language of delivery.
Annual Publications The Institute publishes a Full time Prospectus, a Life Long Learning Prospectus and an Annual Report. The Institute commits to publishing the general contents of the Prospectus bilingually within one cover from the commencement of the scheme. Course details will be in the language of delivery. These publications will be reflected on the website. Annual Publications aimed at an international audience will be in English or in English and a foreign language.
389 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 17 Objects Of The Qualifications Act 1999
Occasional Publications The Institute publishes occasional reports such as the Strategic Plan (and its mid-term update) and brochures highlighting noteworthy aspects of the Institute. Except where international audiences are targeted, these publications will be published bilingually within one cover. These publications will appear on the website.
Brochures, Course Application Forms and Information leaflets All new and existing brochures, course application forms and information leaflets will be published bilingually within the first two years of the scheme. Where some publications may be unduly lengthy under one cover, these will be published separately in Irish and English. Publications aimed at international audiences will be in English only. Consultant and technical reports will be published in the language in which the reports were originally presented.
Review of Progress on Scheme The Senior Management Team in the Institute will monitor and review milestones of the Scheme. Each functional area will produce a three (3) year plan to deliver the Scheme in their respective domains. The day to day monitoring will be carried out by the Heads of Function who are responsible for implementing the Scheme in their own areas.
390 Chapter 18
The Self-Study Process and Stakeholder Consultation
391 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 18 Stakeholder Consultation
Chapter 18 The Self-Study Process and Stakeholder Consultation
In compliance with Sections 28 and 29 of the Qualifications Act, which requires that a recognised institution consult with other providers in relation to its application for Delegation of Authority, senior management initiated a process of consultation, initially with academic staff. Between September and November 2004, a series of lectures were organised at which the Registrar outlined the process involved in seeking delegated authority and the implications of delegated authority for the Institute. These information sessions created a platform for the consultation and self-evaluation process that was to follow in developing the Delegated Authority submissions to Level 9 (taught) and Level 9/10 (research, in specific areas). The self-study process culminating in the current report has been conducted in three phases as shown in Figure 18.1 and discussed in more detail below.
PHASE 1 Self-Study Start Initial Stage DA to Level 9 (Taught) 2004-2005
PHASE 2 Follow-on Stage Accreditation to Maintain a Research 2005-2006 Register to Level 9/10
PHASE 3 Self-Study End Final Stage DA to Level 9/10 (Research) 2006-2007
Figure 18.1 Steps in the Overall Self-Study Process
18.1 Phase 1: Initial Self-Evaluation Process and Stakeholder Consultation The first phase involved a self-evaluation for the Delegated Authority submissions to Level 9 (taught). This self- study was an Institute-wide process that encompassed an evaluation of the Institutes management, operations and governance; the management and academic structures governing programmes of education and training; and a detailed examination of the service provision supporting the Institute’s programmes of study It also included a comprehensive evaluation of the activities of each Department and School. The self-evaluations in the central service areas involved a thorough examination of procedures and practices and introduced a process of self-study and peer review to the service areas similar to the quality assurance procedures in place in the academic areas. To facilitate and guide the self-study process, a number of focus groups and committees were established.
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To obtain feedback from stakeholders and review the effectiveness of Institute activities in different areas, a number of surveys were carried out. These surveys, which included a survey of all staff within the Institute, a survey of graduates, a survey of career guidance counsellors and school principals, and a survey of first year students, are outlined in Table 18.1 below.
Survey Purpose Stakeholders Date Library User Survey To identify areas for providing a more customer- Students and Staff May 2004 focused and improved library service
School Principals To obtain feedback from schools on the type of School Principals Dec 2004 programmes the Institute offers, student support and the physical environment
Guidance Counsellors To obtain feedback on the information that the Guidance Counsellors Dec 2004 Institute supplies on programmes of study
First Year Students To obtain feedback from First Year Students on All First Year Students April 2005 why they chose to study at the Institute and the main problems experienced in the course of the studies
Counselling Service To evaluate student (and staff) awareness of the Staff and Students April 2005 counselling service
Staff Survey To evaluate organisational culture with respect All Staff June 2005 to profiles of communication, management style, organisational and personal factors
Graduate Survey To identify where graduates find employment All Graduates since 2004 Annual since 2004 and/or continue to further study
Survey of M50 To obtain feedback on the effectiveness of the All participants on the M50 September 2005 Enterprise Programme M50 EPP in supporting entrepreneurs and the EPP success of these start-ups
Survey of Academics To direct improvements in the monitoring and All academics and October 2005 involved in Research – delivery of research degree programmes in the postgraduate students in the Science and Computing School of Science and Computing School
Table 18.1 Surveys Undertaken as part of the Delegated Authority Process
As part of the self-study process and in compliance with Sections 28 and 29 of the Qualifications Act, a structured process was developed to inform all relevant stakeholders about the delegated authority process. The purpose of the consultation process was to inform stakeholders of the Institute’s decision to seek delegated authority, and to elicit their views and obtain feedback on how the Institute might improve its activities. Meetings were held and presentations were made on delegated authority to internal stakeholders at regular intervals. Newsletters were published and communicated to all staff throughout the timeframe of the project. In addition, regular progress reports (every two weeks) were made by the Registrar and the Delegated Authority Project Managers at management team and Academic Council meetings. Details of the above have been
393 Part Three: The Delegated Authority Process and Consultation Chapter 18 Stakeholder Consultation
presented in detail in Chapter 4 of the Self-Evaluation Report for the Institute’s 2006 Application for Delegated Authority. Details on the early delegated authority consultations with external groups are given in Table 18.2.
Consultation Date School Principals 18th November 2004 Guidance Counsellors 9th December 2004 Parents’ Night 16th November 20005 South Dublin County Enterprise Board April 2005 South Dublin Chamber of Commerce 12th October 2005 South Dublin County Council 23rd March 2005 Tallaght Hospital 30th November 2005 FÁS May 2005 VEC December 2005 Professional Bodies/Institutes Ongoing Tallaght Partnership November 2005 Escuela de Empresa Y Comunicación, Madrid 28th September 2005 Intel Ireland 14th September 2005 Clondalkin Partnership November 2005 Fáilte Ireland September 2005 ACE and CHEAP November 2005
Table 18.2 Consultation with External Stakeholders
As part of the early consultation process, the Institute also consulted with other education providers. Table 16.1 in Chapter 16 outlines the visits made to other Institutes of Technology and Universities by members of SMT and the Delegated Authority Project Managers.
A draft of the Institute Self-Evaluation Report was made available to all staff on the intranet site in November 2005. This was accompanied by a form, inviting feedback from stakeholders. The Institute Self-Evaluation Report was amended as a result of feedback obtained through the consultation process. The final version of the Institute Self-Evaluation Report was submitted to HETAC in January 2006.
18.2 Phase 2: Follow-on Self-Evaluation Process for Research Accreditation and Stakeholder Consultation The self study process has been very much a critical self assessment of our research activities in terms of its management, procedures and general operations. The comprehensive consultation surrounding the preparation of the research self study has resulted in the generation of detailed findings and recommendations as presented in the research accreditation and the current delegated authority submissions jointly. The complete self study has provided the Institute with an informed foundation on which to build on its research capabilities into the future.
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18.2.1 Self-Evaluation Process for Research Accreditation An Institute-wide self-evaluation process for research and innovation was initiated in November 2004 as a result of the Institute’s decision to apply for delegated authority for its education and training programmes, to Level 9 (taught). The self-study process for the current application has been ongoing since 2005. It began as part of the first Institute-wide evaluation for the first delegated authority application. It was updated and augmented in 2006 for research and innovation for the Institute’s application for accreditation to maintain a research degree register in Engineering and Science and the follow-on application for delegated authority in the accredited areas.
In all cases the self-study process and preparation of this submission was co-ordinated a team comprising of the Project Manager and members of the Registrar’s Office (responsible for the academic management of research leading to postgraduate awards) and the Office of Development & External Services (responsible for the strategic and operational management of all forms of research). The self study involved widespread consultation with internal stakeholders, including management, academic supervisors and the research student body. The self-study team in collaboration with the Academic Schools and Departments, along with the Functional areas supporting research, have reviewed progress in relation to research from the founding of the Institute to date.
This follow-on self study for accreditation to maintain a research degree register was also an institute-wide process that encompassed a critical assessment of the research degree programmes on offer; the quality assurance processes and procedures relating to research degree programmes; and an evaluation of the provision of services to support research degree programmes.
18.2.2 Stakeholder Involvement for Research Accreditation A number of internal groups, teams and committees provided the main platform for communicating progress on the research accreditation application. For example, progress reports were presented at each of the executive management team and Academic Council meetings throughout the timeframe of the project by the Registrar and the Project Manager. Progress was also reported to Governing Body in the form of presentations from the Director. This was carried out in order to discuss progress on the self-study process in real time and to obtain constructive advice and guidance from these groups on how to bring the self-study process through each stage. It also served to enhance the efficiency of responses in relation to the collection and evaluation of material for the self-study from the Academic and Functional areas of the Institute.
Consultation took place with the management and staff of the schools and departments, with Academic Council, and with the postgraduate students involved in research. Information and Q&A sessions were conducted to provide the relevant groups with an opportunity to contribute to the self study for research in the context of the taught programme Delegated Authority application (submitted in Feb. 2006), which included a chapter on research, and to provide information on the follow-on application for accreditation of the Institute’s research degrees. The meetings prior Feb. 2006 were used to provide a forum for an early evaluation of research in the context of the present accreditation application submission. Table 18.3 outlines the schedule of meetings and presentations made to stakeholders as part of the research accreditation process.
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Consultation Dates Research Working Group Meeting 14th June 2005 General Meeting Academic Staff 6th Sept. 2005 Postgraduate Student General Meeting (Taught DA application and Research Accreditation) 6th Sept. 2005 Research Evaluation Meeting Academic Staff 7th Oct. 2005 Science Research Information Meeting 13th Oct. 2005 Engineering Research Information Meeting 11th Nov. 2005 Institute-wide Research SWOT Analysis 20th June 2006 External Stakeholder Focus Group Meeting 26th June 2006 Postgraduate Student General Meeting (Research Accreditation Update and Evaluation Session) 29th June 2006
Table 18.3 Schedule of the Consultation Process for Research Accreditation
The findings and recommendations of the main consultation events held were discussed in Chapter 5 of the Research Accreditation Self-Evaluation Report Book 1. Delegated authority, including the research accreditation process, was an agenda item for at all of the Postgraduate Policy, R&D and Ethics sub-Committee meetings during the period of preparation of this report. These meetings were also used as a means of communicating progress, seeking input and prompting debate on a number of issues that have been previously discussed in this submission. The R&D sub-Committee is the main forum for discussion of the operational issues affecting researchers and research strategy. Therefore, following submission of the taught programme delegated authority document, the R&D Committee replaced the research working group in providing input into the research degree accreditation self study.
18.2.3 Research SWOT Analysis 2006 The R&D Committee held an institute-wide SWOT analysis in June 2006 to reflect on research achievements to date and to pose suggestions for improvement in the future. Its main purpose was to analyse our internal strengths and weaknesses in relation to research. It was organised by the R&D Committee of Academic Council and held in June 2006. The group conducting the SWOT analysis were representative of management, academic and support staff.
The findings of the 2006 SWOT analysis will be used in informing future development plans and strategies for research at management level and to provide guidance in setting down new measurable objectives for research.
The salient points of the SWOT analysis in relation to research are presented below.
Collaboration/Industrial Links: Both internal and external collaborations are a definite strength, particularly academic links. Industry links on research projects could be improved as this is a weakness in some areas. There is opportunity to create more visible links with industry at senior level in particular. Location in Tallaght is a definite opportunity - close to hospital and most of Dublin’s industry; M50 Programme based at the Institute could help with SME links. A threat to that would be industry linking to other Dublin education establishments, particularly the universities.
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Critical Mass: The critical mass of researchers in Science in particular is very strong and it is growing in Engineering, Computing and the Humanities. This can only be enhanced by the designation of IRC status to these larger research groups where it is envisaged there will be a greater level of success in programme-based funding schemes in the future. There is room for improvement in other areas, particularly in Business. The IRCs located on campus and the external PRTLI National Centre collaborations offer more opportunities here, and also coming under the HEA. The attraction of more international students is another opportunity as numbers have fallen nationally. Envisaged threats to critical mass include - falling number of entrants to Science and Engineering nationally; an upturn in the economy, difficult to attract degree graduates to research; poor interest in postgraduate research in Business Departments; Competition for students with larger institutions in the Dublin area; the academic career structure in the sector.
Culture/Vision: There is a strong CAN DO research culture. Additional support from senior management is required for realising an enhanced research vision. There is an opportunity for a research culture to grow in areas where it is currently not active. If vision set from the top down then it can become too controlled from the top, needs to be driven by academic researchers too. This would be a threat. The dominance of certain departments in doing research may give rise to a conflicting culture/vision.
Funding: Academic researchers have been highly successful from TSR programme schemes, particularly in Science. There is an added strength in that the Institute has set up its own internal funding schemes as well. There is a weakness in securing some high level funding, most notably from SFI. This is a common weakness across the sector. Enterprise Ireland programme and project specific funding for applied research is a definite opportunity. Others include - the clustering of research activities into Centres of excellence on campus; an expansion of internal and external funding schemes; There are a number of threats envisaged here, for example – Grad school clustering in the university sector, could get left behind; an economic downturn; lack of capital and overhead funding, though this is sector-wide; fallout from the OECD report.
Infrastructure: There has been improvement here in the last five years. There are still some operational constraints that create a certain weakness in the system, mainly due to lack of space and dedicated research resources in some areas. The current campus development and opening of the Incubation Centre pose an opportunity for improvement in this regard. Some threats include – aging equipment and continuation deficit in some areas where equipment if shared, both also sector-wide issues due to lack o baseline research funding; the fallout from the OECD report and continued ring-fencing of baseline funds.
External Profile: Recognition of our research successes locally is growing and publication profile is good. There is room for improvement in the area of marketing and promoting research activities; Opportunities in this area include – more presentations at conferences; updating of research webpages and other advertising documentation; growth in IRCs; international collaborations; more international students and researchers. One of the threats in this area lies in the difficulty in recruiting personnel to our research programmes if they are not profiled enough on the national/international stage, perception that this could be affected by academic snobbery too.
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Quality: This has been verified by the reports of external examiners. The high number of staff who have research qualifications is a strength here. Other positive indicators include – the high quality of new recruits from undergraduate degrees; the team approach to research and multi-disciplinary nature; success of research graduates in securing high profile research positions in places like the Harvard Med School; the strong link to teaching; the flexible approach; the involvement of postdoctoral fellows; funding proposal and publication successes. The balance between research and teaching hours is just one weakness, again this is a sector-wide issue. Success in the research accreditation application would give a quality stamp and is therefore an opportunity. The 4th level approach may impact on the project quality if it is too structured.
Policies: Recent government policies in relation to the knowledge-based society and the contribution of research are probably the biggest strengths. Additional support is needed from senior management to ensure there is appropriate strategic planning and vision to aid the formulation new research policies in the future. The government requirement for more researchers is an opportunity. Changes to government or internal policies would be the most obvious threats for the future.
Support: The creation of internal funding mechanisms to support research and the support of technical staff for research are seen as the best strengths. There is room for improvement efficiency in some of the operational supports and services provided – specifically for postgraduate students. Perceived opportunities include – the provision of sector-wide overhead funds in the future; coming under the HEA; completion of campus development; more clarity on supports and services available since the induction programme was formally introduced. Falling numbers in research active staff and postgraduate students could pose a threat.
Research Working Group This group was convened to aid the Delegated Authority team in the context of both applications, taught and research. It comprised of representatives from management, academic and support staff, postgraduate students and research personnel. A meeting of this group took place in June 2005 to make input to the first delegated authority (taught programmes) self-study. Summary proceedings of this group are given in Appendix 14 of the Research Accreditation Submission documentation.
18.2.4 Consultative Meetings with Academic Staff A general information meeting/Q&A session with academic staff was held in September 2005. A preliminary research evaluation meeting with academic staff was held in October 2005. The agenda for discussion was: • Research Strategy • Management & Structures • Facilities • Support for Research. Summary proceedings from this group consultation are described in Appendix 15 of the Research Accreditation Submission documentation.
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18.2.5 Consultative Meetings with Postgraduate Students Formal consultation with postgraduate research students occurred twice through general meetings to which all postgraduate students were invited. The first of these was held in September 2005 to obtain contributions for the research self study for the delegated authority for taught programme submission and to provide information on the follow-on research degree accreditation application process. The second meeting was held in June 2006.
The students pointed out they were generally happy with the academic requirements and associated management of their research degree programmes. In general they said that there were some operational constraints, services and supports that could be improved to improve efficiency. Suggestions for improvement included – training, computing services, access out-of-hours, office-type accommodation, processing of expense claims (conference attendance). Minutes of the meetings are given Appendix 16 and 17 of the Research Accreditation Submission documentation.
18.2.6 Consultation with External Stakeholders
General Consultative Processes The Head of Development and his team have consulted with the personnel listed in Table 18.4 over the years with regard to strengthening the Institute’s research base, research management and the development of research strategy. A number of these meetings were open to academic staff involved in research or wishing to set up research areas/projects.
External Group Personnel IRCSET M. Hynes Enterprise Ireland (Innovation Partnerships) M. Flanagan Enterprise Ireland (AREP) P. O’Brien SFI G. Crawley, M. Kelly
Table 18.4 External Consultations on Research
Other EI discipline specialists dealing with the Commercialisation Fund were also consulted with. Consultation with senior academics from other institutions such as DCU, UL, UCD and GMIT took place regarding the framework for the formation of the Institute designated research centres and their subsequent evaluation.
The President of the Institute has been pro-active in setting up external consultative meetings and working groups aimed at developing a cohesive Institute Sector strategy for research and improving research capacity long before the delegated authority current process began. Consultations were held with all of the other Institutes; EI; Government Departments such as the Department of Education & Science, Finance, Enterprise and trade, and that of the Taoiseach; the HEA and the Chief Scientific Advisor. Proposals from these meetings and groups have been incorporated into the National Development Plan and in general terms are part of the National Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation published in June 2006.
Open fora in CIT for the IT&T conference and at the Bionet 2006 ITT Dublin meeting involved specific interactive sessions with representatives from all the major national agencies funding research, contact personnel for the EU framework programmes and the Council of Directors.
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External Focus Group Evaluation of ITT Dublin Research Feedback on research performance is vital to the Institute going forward. Through the Enterprise Ireland and Technological Sector Research programmes in particular, we get constant review and feedback on our research. However, in preparation for the application for accreditation to maintain a research register the Institute’s research activities were also evaluated through the forum of a focus group meeting with outside stakeholders in a round-table group session in June 2006. The group included representatives from industry, the public sector, and the funding agencies, past research degree graduates and external collaborators. A list of attendees is given in Table 18.5. A condensed version of each chapter of the institutional submission draft document was sent to attendees in advance of the meeting to frame the discussions.
Name Discipline Area Organisation Link to ITT Dublin Dr. Michael Scott Computing DCU External Examiner Mr. David King Mechanical Engineering RPA Graduate MEng, ITT Dublin Mr. Tim Hannon Electronic Engineering Intel Graduate MEng, ITT Dublin Prof. Rory More O'Ferrall Chemistry UCD External Examiner Prof. Andrew Torrance Mechanical Engineering TCD Collaborator/External Examiner Dr. Sean Doyle Biology NUI Maynooth Collaborator Dr. Conor Long Chemistry DCU Collaborator/IRC Evaluator Dr. John McGinley Chemistry NUI Maynooth Collaborator/Past Postdoctoral Fellow ITT Dublin Dr. Mike Devereux Chemistry DIT Collaborator Dr. Philip Murphy Biology AMNCH Collaborator Dr. Ray Leonard Chemistry Henkel Loctite Collaborating Company/ Employer of past graduates from RDP Dr. Nuck McHardy Chemistry Cross Vetpharm Collaborator Mr. Jarlath Groarke Chemistry BMS Graduate MSc, ITT Dublin Mr. Paul Hetherington Mechanical Engineering National Metrology Lab. Collaborator Mr. Niall Roche Computing Mobile Aware Graduate, MSc ITT Dublin Ms. Mary O'Connor Electronic Engineering Xilinx Collaborator
Table 18.5 External Focus Group Meeting Attendees (June 26th 2006)
The attendees were confident the Institute was effective in conducting educational programmes of research. There was no inherent criticism of the degree programmes or quality of graduates produced. The main areas discussed over the remainder of the meeting included:
Research Training: the group was satisfied with the training section presented in the draft submission document. There was concern that there about the string emphasis on the 4th level Ireland model approach for the future. The model is too heavily based on the American model, where students come into research on a lower threshold and may not be suitable for our educational model. A formal taught training programme could hold back an exceptional research student who may be well enough trained already and could curb their enthusiasm. However, the group indicated the need to expand on training in some areas to broaden the focus of our research graduates. However, they did not favour a structured one year taught programme. Providers of research graduates need to look at a number of training approaches – workshop, short course,
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winter/summer school approach. This would best be shared across a number of educational institutions and Institutes could use established Research Centres to support training initiatives. Collaborative and multi- disciplinary research adds to the training experience.
The group made comments on the OECD Report and expressed concern that if there were no PhD postgraduate programmes in the Institute sector then their applied research would have no fundamental guidance. Basic research informs teaching programmes and the whole education experience. One cannot teach the applications without the fundamental basics.
Process Improvements: Make formal recognition of the efforts of staff on supervision of research students, i.e. give credit for efforts in supervising a programme from application for funding, through supervision/monitoring and examination of student.
Areas of Research at ITT Dublin: The strategic areas are relevant to Institute but for the future look at the demands of local industry too. Industry representatives recognised the advantage of having the Institute in their vicinity and pointed out that it was good for the Institute to work with them and learn more about their equipment/specialist needs. They are happy with our graduates and see the Institute as having a pool of excellent staff and good facilities and research potential.
The group suggested the Institute explore the following: - secondment of doctoral degree students to industry or to other institutes abroad through Erasmus programmes for example; - the postdoctoral role; - attracting more international students as they give added value to the Institute and create a mechanism for the establishment of more international contacts.
Intellectual Property: The industrial representatives pointed out that they do have issues over owenership and IP and longer term thinking on that is needed on their part. Revealing their hand is an issue and can be a disincentive. They would like more awareness of the new ITT Dublin IP policy. It is regconised by industry that academic research can take a number of years to reach patent stage. The Institute-industry Mobile Aware and CrossVetPharm projects worked well though.
Main Recommendations from the Research Focus Group June 26th 2006: 1. Establish links with colleges abroad and increase international representation at postgraduate level. Timing and mechanism of this to be examined. Look at process to facilitate this, pedagogy issues and funding. 2. Encourage the commercialisation of research. 3. Promote the intellectual property policy. 4. Enhance generic training. 5. Continue with the promotion of Science and Engineering to 2nd level students to enhance feeder mechanism from our own degree graduates to research programmes. 6. Explore the postdoctoral role more.
It is proposed that these recommendations be addressed through R&D Committee of Academic Council and the executive management routes. The Institute is currently involved in a number of initiatives to address the issue of generic training in collaboration with other educational providers and HETAC (see Section Chapter 7).
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In addition to the efforts made through Government policies in recent years, there are a number of initiatives already in place at this Institute, which address the promotion of Science and Engineering to 2nd level students. The promotion of research is always included. The group did recognise that this is a national problem and is not institute-specific. Some examples of initiatives in place are listed in Table 18.6.
Primary Science and Engineering Clubs (since 2004) Science Week open day ITT Dublin Open Day Participation at: Tallaght area higher options fair (Tallaght Community School); SDCC Careers Fair; Higher Options (Croke Park); Stand at Young Scientists Exhibition Practical workshops for second level schools (e.g. Tallaght Community, Greenhills) Work Placements for Transition Year students (~20 last year) School visits – guest lectures / careers advisory sessions etc. Science Competition in St. Paul’s Clondalkin Junior Achievement Science Programme (run in 2006) Salter’s Festival of Chemistry (run since 2004) Science Festival in Knocklyon Community School SciFest Exhibition and Competition (annual event in May since 2006) Public lectures in science by ITT Dublin Academics
Table 18.6 Engineering/Science 2nd Level Promotional Activities
Other Consultations Two newsletters were produced to outline progress on the research accreditation application. The first of these was produced in Sept. 2005. It was circulated to all staff, students and external stakeholders. The second newsletter produced in June 2006, was also made available on the postgraduate research pages of the staff and student intranet site.
As part of the consultation process, the Institute consulted with other education providers with accreditation to maintain their own research degree registers. Table 18.6 outlines the visits made to other Institutes of Technology and Universities by the appointed Project Manager from the Registrar’s Office.
Education Provider Date Waterford IT April 2005 Sligo IT May 2005 Dublin City University May 2005 Trinity College Dublin Sept. 2005
Table 18.6 Consultation with Education Providers
The final draft of the self-evaluation report was also reviewed by research experts from IT Carlow and Waterford IT prior to submission to HETAC in March 2007.
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18.3 Phase 3: Updated Self-Study and Stakeholder Consultation The current delegated authority submission was prepared following a comprehensive internal evaluation of the research degree programmes on offer as previously discussed. The current self-study document provides an updated evaluation of the Institutes education and training programmes (to Level 9). Changes to management, governance and organisation since the previous submission in 2006 were also incorporated.
18.3.1 Internal Process and Consultations Newsletters have been published in 2006 – in the Research and Innovation Magazine and more recently in November 2007 outlining the status of the application and proposed completion dates. The general student handbook and the research student handbook were also updated to include information on the delegated authority process. Updated information was provided by Academic Researchers, Departments, Schools and Functional Areas for inclusion in the submission. Feedback on the structure and content of the self-evaluation report has been obtained and changes implemented. The submission was also reviewed by Academic Council and management teams.
The Registrar and Project Manager held a third meeting with postgraduate researchers to provide them with information on the impact of securing delegated authority during their studies. The students also provided feedback on how the Institute has improved the management of research operations and programmes since the last meeting. The minutes of this meeting and the status of the issues raised is provided in Appendix 13. The students were happy with procedures for research and delivery of their programmes of study. They highlighted some operational issues with the following - Agresso function and general ordering of research materials, email access, security, visa renewal (international students). The Registrar has reported the issues raised to the appropriate functional area for resolution where feasible.
18.3.2 External Consultation All major research collaborators and other stakeholders were informed of the delegated authority application and process in the Phase 2 Stage as previously described (Section 18.2). Local Guidance Counsellors and Secondary School Principals were informed of the updated delegated authority application in January 2008 at an Institute-convened meeting.
18.4 Conclusion The overall self-study process, initiated in 2004 highlighted the need to build on the current base of postgraduate students, supervisors and postdoctoral researchers; to use our knowledge of industry and funding agency objectives to drive our research strategy in the future; to enhance our competition on the international stage and gain more recognition as a research institute; and to take guidance from key policy makers for research. As a result of this process, existing procedures are being revised, new procedures are being drawn up, service provision will be enhanced in the future and further positive changes will be implemented. Some of the initiatives that have been implemented since the research accreditation submission in 2006 are given below:
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• The 2008 – 2012 Institute Research and Innovation Strategy has been updated and is now ready for publication. • The Institute is an active and committed member of the Institute of Technology Research Alliance and the new Dublin Regional Higher Education Alliance whose remit is to advance research education at the 4th Level. • The recently approved Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes clearly outlines the roles and responsibilities of all those involved in research. It has been communicated to all staff and students and is available in a condensed form in the postgraduate student handbook which was made available to new students at induction and is also on the staff and student intranet pages. • The delegated authority and research accreditation self studies have generated a database of research indicators which are available to all staff. This database will be updated by the Development and External Services Office and at School and Department levels periodically. • Links are being developed between researchers and the Synergy Centre for the commercialisation of research is being developed. • The research website has been updated and re-constructed to provide more information to prospective applicants to research degree programmes at the Institute.
404 Appendices
405 Appendices
Appendix 1 Institute Research Charter
The Institute of Technology Tallaght is committed to the advancement of learning and knowledge through the provision of flexible higher education opportunities which are of the highest quality in a professional and supportive environment. It strives to achieve this by offering educational and training programmes that reflect current and emerging knowledge and practices which are relevant to the needs of the individual and the region. Research and scholarly activity are recognised as being key elements to its success in this regard and the pursuit of these activities is supported and encouraged at all levels of the organisation. The Institute fosters an environment where knowledge expertise and development, investigation, understanding and critical evaluation are key parameters which underpin the educational and training programmes it provides. The Institute recognises that a research culture is conducive to the success of these programmes, since research and teaching are closely inter related. Since its foundation in 1992 the Institute has developed a strong reputation as an Institute that conducts high quality research. As a higher education and training provider it is also committed to the provision of high quality research degree programmes from which it aspires to deliver graduates ready to meet the needs of business, industry, the public sector and society.
Research is a mainstream activity for the Institute. This Research Charter has been drawn up to underline the Institutes commitment to research at the highest level. It also sets out the Institutes policy in relation to research. Policy Statement: The Institute is fully committed to research as a core activity. By supporting the pursuit of excellence in research the Institute seeks to strengthen its education and training provision, create and disseminate new knowledge, concepts and applications, and support regional and national socio-economic development. It aims to achieve this through being a leader in the development of research and scholarly activity in the region and establishing itself as a centre of excellence for targeted research areas as identified in the Strategic Plan. This vision forms the basis of the Institute’s research strategy. The Institute fosters and promotes equality, diversity and inclusiveness in relation to all its research activities. It places great emphasis on developing and enhancing the quality of its services, management and governance provided to all of its researchers and associated stakeholders.
The Institute supports basic, applied and strategic research across all disciplines. Schools and Departments within the Institute have however, identified key and emerging areas of research where the combination of staff expertise and facilities enable them to compete at a higher level to secure funding to pursue research activity. Collaborative research is actively encouraged internally and also externally with other academic, industrial, commercial and professional bodies. Such co-operation is intended to actively integrate the research conducted in the Institute into the wider academic and industrial community. It recognises and encourages the principle that dissemination of research outputs should be used for the greatest public benefit. The participation of staff in national and international conferences is therefore actively encouraged and supported. The value of international student and staff exchanges for the advancement of research is recognized as enhancing the research reputation of the Institute and is therefore facilitated.
The Institute accredits equal recognition to research leading to publication and to research, which because of its nature, cannot be published in the public domain. Commercialisation of research is often the most efficient means of promoting the widest possible dissemination. Intellectual property therefore, is an area of substantial importance in the research environment of Institute. The Institute has drawn up an Intellectual Property policy and a set of procedures to provide guidance to staff, students and other relevant parties regarding issues such as ownership, income from intellectual property and the use of Institute facilities to ensure that the
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development of intellectual property from research activities is mutually beneficial.
All research activities are conducted in accordance with recognized ethical and safety standards and are open to peer and public scrutiny. In this regard and taking cognizance of the European Charter for Researchers the Institute has formulated a Code of Conduct for Researchers which details the specific requirements and responsibilities of all who wish to conduct research at the Institute, in relation to research freedom, ethical principles, professional responsibility and attitude, obligations, accountability and good practice in research along with dissemination and exploitation of results.
Appendix 2 Intellectual Property Policy
1. INTRODUCTION Intellectual Property (IP) is an area of very substantial importance in the academic environment of Institute of Technology Tallaght (ITTD). The purpose of defining an IP policy is to encourage the generation of IP by Staff1, Students2, and Other Relevant Parties3. This ITTD IP Policy (IP Policy) is intended to provide support and guidance regarding commercial exploitation, ownership and income from IP and the use of ITTD facilities and resources to ensure that the development of IP is mutually beneficial for Staff, Students, Other Relevant Parties and ITTD.
The Institute recognises and encourages the principle that IP developed at ITTD (ITTD IP) should be used for the greatest public benefit. Commercialisation is often the most efficient means of promoting the widest possible dissemination and use of ITTD IP. In such circumstances, it is appropriate and desirable for both ITTD and the originator of the IP to benefit from the commercial exploitation of IP produced at ITTD.
In particular, this document sets out the principles and rules that govern the creation, ownership and commercialisation of IP developed by Staff, Students and Other Relevant Parties participating in programmes carried out using ITTD facilities, know-how, confidential information and/or ITTD IP (together, ITTD Assets).
ITTD has a strong interest in promoting the generation of IP in the context of the Government’s drive to create a knowledge based economy, to increase the number of patents coming out of third level institutions and to transfer that technology into viable commercial entities.
For the avoidance of doubt, this IP Policy (and any subsequent amendments made to this IP Policy) is the agreed protocol or IP Policy referenced in: the Staff contract of employment; the Staff fixed purpose contract; any document engaging an Other Relevant Party; the Student registration form; the Student Handbook;
1 In this IP Policy, the term “Staff” refers at all times to ITTD full time academic staff, ITTD part time academic staff and persons employed by ITTD on fixed purpose academic contracts. 2 In this IP Policy, the term ”Students” refers at all times to ITTD registered undergraduate students, ITTD registered postgraduate students and ITTD registered post doctorate students. 3 In this IP Policy, the term “Other Relevant Parties” refers to individuals other than Staff and Students who are engaged in research at ITTD and agree to be 407 bound by the provisions of this IP Policy. Appendices
any Acceptance Form or Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement signed by Staff and/or Students and/or Other Relevant Parties. This IP Policy also forms part of the regulations of ITTD which govern the conduct of Students and Staff.
2. DEFINITION ITTD defines IP as the tangible or intangible results of research, development, teaching, or other intellectual activity (a full definition is contained at Annex I). Such IP may be created by academic, research and other Staff, by Students and by Other Relevant Parties such as contractors and consultants4.
IP allows creativity and innovation to be captured and owned in the same way that physical property can be owned. IP includes individually and collectively all technical innovations, inventions, improvements, and/or discoveries, information, writings and software, whether or not patentable or otherwise susceptible to IP protection, including technology and materials in their tangible form and includes IP generated from ITTD Assets. See the full definition of Intellectual Property in Annex I.
3. AIMS OF THE POLICY The objective of this IP Policy is to provide a consistent framework within which ITTD IP is developed and managed for the benefit of ITTD, the originator and the public good.
The specific aims of the IP Policy are as follows:
• To create an environment that encourages the generation of new knowledge by ITTD departments, Staff, Students and Other Relevant Parties. • To encourage the recognition and identification of IP within ITTD and promote an entrepreneurial culture among Staff, Students and Other Relevant Parties that fosters the development of potentially commercial IP arising from their research at ITTD. • To provide an efficient process by which the commercial potential of IP can be assessed by ITTD and its advisors and to ensure that the process of IP evaluation, protection and commercialisation are carried out in a timely manner. • To motivate the development and exploitation of IP by providing appropriate rewards to both originators and ITTD, and to provide administrative assistance to originators. • To provide support and supervision for the creation of economic structures through which ITTD IP is developed and used commercially. • To maximise the earnings potential from commercialisation and to utilise financial and other returns to advance and encourage research in ITTD. • To encourage strategies of commercialisation and technology transfer that provide the greatest benefit to the Irish economy. • To encourage public use and commercialisation of ITTD IP by facilitating its transfer from ITTD to industry and business. • To continue to recognise the traditional ITTD practices with respect to education, publication and scholarly works. • To ensure that the financial return from the development of ITTD IP does not distort decisions and operations of ITTD in a manner contrary to the mission of ITTD.
4 In this Policy, the term “Personnel” refers to Staff, Students and Other Relevant Parties.
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• To give due regard to the non-financial benefits (e.g. non-cash consideration, benefit of strategic relationships between ITTD and third parties, access to IP and confidential information) that will accrue to ITTD and to the originators of IP in pursuing the goals of this IP Policy. • To develop and continually improve a long-term strategy that enables the development of IP, related commercialisation and technology transfer, together with maintenance of high standards of education. • To foster the general awareness of Staff of this Policy through dissemination and information campaigns, and to provide specific training to research active Staff.
The importance of appropriate outside professional assistance is acknowledged. The IP Committee and the Development & External Services Office will avail of these resources when appropriate.
4. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMMITTEE A Committee shall be set up in ITTD after the adoption of this IP Policy and shall consist of the following members (IP Committee):
• Director (ex officio). • Head of School/Head of Department/or nominee (from the school to which the proposal is relevant). • Secretary / Financial Controller (or nominee). • Head of Development (Chair). • Industrial Liaison Manager. • Incubation Centre Manager. • Expert in area of technology (appointed in consultation with inventor), as required. • Other professional advisors as required.
The IP Committee members will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement regarding proposals submitted and regarding the IP produced at ITTD and presented to the IP Committee. This will ensure that new ideas are protected. ITTD reserves the right to alter the composition of the IP Committee.
The relevant ITTD Project Manager/ITTD Academic Supervisor may be required to put forward a proposal to the IP Committee regarding the IP on a project and may be requested to attend a Committee meeting, where appropriate.
Members of the IP Committee will be required to declare their interest in a proposal if such exists and to absent themselves from any discussion pertaining thereto.
The Development & External Services Office is in charge of each of the activities set out in this IP Policy including (without limitation) putting the decisions of the IP Committee into effect.
5. ROLE OF THE IP COMMITTEE • Processing of IP applications. • Determining the commercial value of IP and/or inventions. • Determining IP agreements with industry regarding collaborative research projects. • Facilitating a fair and equitable return to those involved in commercialisation of their research/work.
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• Nominating negotiators with third parties and ensuring a reasonable financial return to the Staff involved and to ITTD.
6. GENERAL PROVISIONS OF ITTD IP POLICY 6.1 As a general rule (further details of which are set out in Clause 6.3, and subject to the exceptions set out in this IP Policy), any IP rights in any material/works created by Personnel in the course of their employment or education by ITTD or in relation to work carried out for ITTD is the property of and vests solely and absolutely in ITTD or such companies or organisations as ITTD may nominate for such purposes. Such material/works include, but are not limited to any:
• copyright (including rights in computer software and moral rights), • patents, • design rights, • trademark rights, • brand rights, • database rights, • know how, • trade secrets, • confidential information rights in design, • semiconductor topography rights, • or other intellectual property rights or other property rights, (whether vested, contingent or future anywhere in the world).
This applies to any IP in materials which are developed by Personnel which they cause to come into existence:
• during the working or teaching hours of ITTD; or • when using ITTD’s equipment, supplies, facilities or ITTD Assets: or • using ITTD’s confidential information, trade secrets, know how or any ITTD IP; or • in relation to any work performed for ITTD (including pursuant to any third party funded research programmes).
6.2 At ITTD's reasonable cost, Personnel also agree at any later time to execute any documentation or otherwise provide assistance to ITTD to secure, protect, perfect or enforce any of ITTD’s rights, title and interests in and to ITTD IP.
6.3 This IP Policy is applicable to IP that is owned by the ITTD for any of the reasons outlined below:
It is developed by Personnel in the course of their normal or specifically assigned duties either when IP could be reasonably expected to result from the carrying out of those duties and/or, at the time the IP was developed, there was a special obligation on the relevant Personnel to further the interest of ITTD. Under the 2000 Act (as defined in Annex 1 of this IP Policy), ITTD is the first owner of any copyright in the work created by Personnel in the course of his/her employment unless precluded by a prior agreement between ITTD and a third party (or is covered by Clause 5 of this IP Policy).
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The IP arises out of funded or non-funded research where such research has, in the opinion of ITTD, made use of the equipment, facilities, ITTD Assets and/or other resources of ITTD (except where ownership of such IP was provided for in a prior agreement between ITTD and third parties).
• If it is a condition of the appointment of an Other Relevant Party to perform research that ITTD should have ownership of the IP arising from the research performed by such Other Relevant Party.
6.4 IP arising from research or other work sponsored by an external organisation (e.g. Enterprise Ireland) shall be subject to the IP provisions that are stipulated in the related agreement between ITTD and the external organisation (External Agreement). Where an External Agreement requires all new IP rights to be assigned to a private company, the entry level (or “background”) ITTD IP should be defined so that it is not inadvertently assigned to the private company as part of the new IP (also described as “foreground IP” or “results”) but is retained as ITTD IP. All External Agreements should be reviewed by a legal person representing ITTD.
For the avoidance of doubt, where IP is generated from research that is 100% funded by monies provided directly by the State, or by any not-for-profit financial instrument which has been established by an organisation or individual, and awarded through a public service organisation charged with the granting and dissemination of research funds, this IP will be exclusively and absolutely owned by ITTD.
6.5 The IP Policy also extends to Other Relevant Parties such as non-employees who participate in research projects at the Institute including visiting academics, industrial personnel etc. unless a specific waiver has been approved. Other Relevant Parties at ITTD who have a prior existing and conflicting intellectual property agreement or arrangement with another employer or third party must enter into an agreement with ITTD (and their employer or relevant third party) (see Annex III) to abide by the conditions of this IP Policy in the course of their activities in ITTD.
6.6 In order to enable the achievement of the aims and goals of this IP Policy, the Development & External Services Office will, through dissemination of information and the holding of general information sessions for Staff, foster the general awareness of Staff of this Policy. In addition, the Development & External Services Office will provide specific training on this IP Policy and its day to day application and relevance to research active Staff.
7. CONSULTANCY Those Staff that are full time are permitted to engage in consultancy projects for third parties subject to compliance with applicable ITTD policies in force from time to time and subject to approval by the Director of ITTD. Any such approved consultancies must be disclosed to the IP Committee.
8. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ASSIGNMENTS AND PATENT ASSIGNMENTS For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Clause 8 apply to all the departments, centres, institutes, schools, Staff, Students and Other Relevant Parties conducting research or other intellectual activity using ITTD Assets and ITTD’s supplies, facilities, confidential information, trade secrets or existing ITTD IP.
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As a condition of:
(a) employment or engagement by ITTD as Staff; (b) admission by ITTD as a Student; or (c) engagement by ITTD as a Other Relevant Party; each Student, Staff member and Other Relevant Party (as the case may be) shall comply with this IP Policy and shall agree to assign to ITTD (or a person or company nominated by ITTD or an agency which provided the funding for the relevant research) any and all IP in and to inventions discovered and produced or otherwise developed while the person was Staff, a Student or a Other Relevant Party, as the case may be. When required by the specific circumstances of a project, and on the request of the IP Committee, a member of Staff, a Student or a Other Relevant Party will agree: (a) to sign an Intellectual Property Assignment Agreement (see Annex II); and (b) to execute such documents of assignment or other documentation required to assign or transfer IP and any moral rights to ensure, protect, perfect and enforce ITTD’s rights, title and interest in ITTD IP; (c) to do anything that may reasonably be required to assist any assignee of any patent application or other IP to obtain, protect and maintain its rights, title and interest.
9. RESEARCH FINANCED BY THIRD PARTIES Any research which is partly or wholly financed by any third party agency shall be subject to the specific provisions of the grant or contract covering that research. In the event of any inconsistency between this IP Policy and the terms of any such grant or contract then the provisions of the said grant or contract shall prevail provided that the IP clauses in such grant or contract have been reviewed by the Development & External Services Office (who will seek external advice if necessary) and, in the case of a contract, such contract has been properly executed by ITTD.
10. ADMINSTRATION OF THE IP POLICY At ITTD, the office responsible for supporting the development and commercialisation of ITTD IP is the Development & External Services Office. All ITTD IP created by Personnel must be disclosed in accordance with the procedures laid down in this IP Policy.
11. DISCLOSURE It is a condition of:
(a) employment or engagement by ITTD as Staff; (b) admission by ITTD as a Student; or engagement by ITTD as a Other Relevant Party;
that the results of all research or projects should be fully, promptly and completely disclosed to ITTD.
In order to enable ITTD to ensure that it fulfils its obligations to organisations such as Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, companies and other third parties in both the public and private sectors, who are
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funding research at ITTD, all Personnel must disclose any IP arising from such research to ITTD through the Development & External Services Office as soon as possible after such IP is apparent. The IP should be kept confidential for a period of time until a timely evaluation of the case including patentability assessment has taken place. No publication should be made prior to disclosure. Confidentiality agreements should be used where appropriate.
Procedures to be followed in respect of IP protection applications
1. Submission of Invention Declaration Form:
• The IP Policy requires that all Staff, Students and Other Relevant Party complete an Invention Declaration Form regarding any discovery or invention made that might be useful, patentable or otherwise protectable. • This form should be promptly submitted to the Development & External Services Office.
2. Commercial Evaluation of IP:
• Any IP reported in an Invention Declaration Form shall be submitted to the IP Committee for assessment under the guidelines of the IP Policy and for recommendations to ITTD regarding the patentability or potential commercialisation. • The IP Committee may recommend that other suitably qualified advisors or external consultants be engaged to advise on the assessment of the IP. • The criteria to assess the commercial value of the IP should include:
- Assessment that the IP does not cater for a once-off need and that it has a potential long-term benefit. - Technical and commercial feasibility. - Proof of concept (business plan, access to finance etc.). - Potential for sale or licensing of technology or consultancy. - Demonstrates a competitive advantage based on differentiated or innovative product or service. - Development stage of the subject matter. - Commercial focus and profit motive. - Study of comparable existing subject matter, licences and commercialisation practices. - Proximity to market. - Market valuations – in other words ‘what is the current market willing to pay?’ - Barriers to entry into markets. - Estimated projected sales based on market research. - Third party assistance including for example input from industry and state agencies. - Estimated cost of patent process.
• Whilst the criteria listed above are not exhaustive, it provides guidance to persons submitting an application as well as to those determining the commercial value. As it is a complex decision, the IP Committee may refer to other expertise where necessary, and further criteria may be applied. • A decision will be made by the IP Committee within a reasonable time (e.g. 60/90 days, but in any event no longer than one year from date of report) of receipt of the application, where practicable, and the originator of the IP will be notified in writing of the decision made.
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• If the evaluation is rejected by the IP Committee, the IP Committee may decide in appropriate circumstances, to offer the opportunity to the originator of the IP to pursue exploitation independently if appropriate under agreed written terms. ITTD will have no rights if it subsequently proves successful, subject to any agreed terms.
3. Submission of a patent application or an application for other protection:
• ITTD shall have the right, but not the obligation, either directly or through an outside agent, to seek patent or other protection of the IP and to undertake efforts to introduce the invention into public use. • Where a decision is made by the IP Committee to proceed with a patent application, the originator of the IP is required to cooperate in every reasonable way, to execute all necessary documents and to assist the IP Committee in completing the patent application form. The application should remain confidential until such time as the process is complete. Confidentiality agreements will be used where appropriate. • Commercialisation activities should recognise specific terms and conditions in appropriate funding contracts including any External Agreements. • The cost of the submission of the application shall be paid by ITTD. Any expenses incurred will be reimbursed to ITTD prior to the distribution of any royalty income (if any) from the IP. • The originator of the IP and ITTD shall take all reasonable precautions to protect the integrity and confidentiality of the IP in question. The originator of the IP should be aware that publication prior to the filing of patent applications may prevent the granting of certain patents. • ITTD may decide at any stage to withdraw from the process of exploiting an particular piece of IP. This may arise where: - concern regarding the technical or commercial feasibility of a particular piece of IP, - costs of exploiting the IP are excessive, or - external sponsorship of the process is no longer available. • The originator of the IP will be notified in writing of the intention of ITTD to withdraw from the process and the withdrawal will apply from immediate effect. • The IP may, at ITTD’s entire discretion, be assigned or licensed to the originator in appropriate circumstances, offering the opportunity to the originator of the IP to pursue exploitation independently. • No patent application, assignment, licensing or other agreement may be entered into or will be considered valid with respect to ITTD IP except when properly and lawfully executed by ITTD.
12. COMMERCIALISATION The Development & External Services Office will assist, provide advice, or procure the provision of outside professional advice in relation to the various options for commercialisation and technology transfer that may be appropriate in order to best meet the aims of this IP Policy, including:
• Licensing the IP to a third party for a fixed sum or a royalty related to future sales. • Assigning the IP to a third party for a fixed sum or a royalty related to future sales. • Developing the commercial potential of the IP through a campus company. • Developing the commercial potential of the IP through a joint venture with a third party. • Any other arrangement that may be considered appropriate.
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In providing this advice and assistance, the Development & External Services Office will give due consideration to the retention of the right to use and access know-how and research materials for the purpose of continuing and further research.
13. LICENSING AND DIVISION OF INCOME
Technology Transfer Fund ITTD will establish a research fund to be used to promote and enhance research and development activity and facilities within ITTD as determined by the Research and Development Committee (R&D Committee) from time to time - the Technology Transfer Fund (TT Fund). The R&D Committee will give due cognisance to the research area/centre that secured the funding in deciding on its expenditure.
The Technology Transfer Fund will be used to assess, protect and facilitate the commercialisation of ITTD IP through the pursuit of patent or other protection, the granting of licenses and/or the development of campus companies to ensure maximum benefit to the Institute and the public good, as determined by the IP Committee in line with the IP Policy and approval of the R&D Committee.
Division of Income – General Principles The following points apply in relation to licensing and division of income from commercialising ITTD IP resulting from ITTD research:
• ITTD welcomes the development by industry, for public use and benefit, of inventions and other IP resulting from ITTD research. ITTD will maintain a flexible and open approach to bringing ITTD IP into commercial use. Each case will be considered individually and will involve an assessment of all the potential risks and potential rewards.
• The definition of “income” includes revenue derived from the relevant patents or other ITTD IP in question, which are commercialised by ITTD, and also includes (without limitation) up-front licence fees, down payments, minimum annual payments, royalties on sales and is net of any expenses incurred by the ITTD in commercialising or protecting the relevant patents or other ITTD IP.
• All direct expenses incurred by ITTD in o the patenting or other registration or protections of ITTD IP; and o the commercialisation of an invention or other ITTD IP; including (without limitation) administrative, licensing, legal, and any other expenses and costs and any subsequent investigation, development and promotion, will be deducted from the initial royalty income or lump sum. No royalty income will be made available for distribution until such expenses have been recovered. • If more than one inventor or department is involved, unless formally agreed amongst themselves, with due regard to the value and substance of their respective contributions, the Inventor’s share set out above shall be divided equally among them.
• The division of royalty income will be carried out within 2 months of the receipt of such income by ITTD.
• The originator of the IP’s share shall continue to be paid even though he/she may have left ITTD.
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• For the avoidance of doubt, individuals (whether originators of IP or otherwise) that are not Staff or Students but are Other Relevant Party shall not be entitled to royalty income arising from ITTD IP to which they have contributed unless this is stated in their contract of engagement or ITTD agrees otherwise in writing.
Division of Income from Patents Income derived from inventions or other IP which are patented and commercialised by ITTD in accordance with the provisions of this IP Policy will (subject to any ministerial/government department consents which may be required from time to time) be distributed between the originator(s), the originator(s)’ Department(s) and the ITTD Research and TT Fund. While it is recognised that each project may have to be negotiated on its own merits, the following scale will apply (subject to final determination by the IP Committee):
Level of patent income Inventor(s) ITTD TT Fund Inventor’s Department First €20,000 of patent royalties 50% 25% 25% Over €20,000 of patent royalties 35% 35% 30%
Division of Income from Intellectual Property Other Than Patents Division of income derived from commercialising ITTD IP which is not patented may occur from time to time and must be approved by the Financial Controller of ITTD on a case by case basis. It is intended that the division of income will where possible be agreed in advance of commencing a research project. However, it is acknowledged that it is more difficult to calculate the level of income that is derived from IP that is not patented than from patents due to issues such as the following:
Non-patented IP is often used in bundles where a number of kinds of IP are involved e.g. trade secrets, confidential information and know-how with each kind of IP belonging to a separate originator. Where non-patented IP is supplied in bundles, it can be difficult to attribute specific value to each of the parts of the bundle. Third party IP may form part of the bundle in question. ITTD non-patented IP may include or be based on third party IP and it may be difficult to separate out the value of each. The ranges of income that might be approved by the IP Committee are set out below in the Guide Table, however the final division of income will be approved by that Committee (and in certain circumstances, may require the approval of the Minister of Education and Science). ITTD reserves the right to offer a lump sum payment in lieu of an ongoing royalty payment.
Level of income derived from non-patented IP Inventor(s) ITTD & TT Fund Inventor’s Department First €20,000 of income 10 - 50% 25 - 45% 25 - 45% Over €20,000 of income 10 - 35% 30 - 50% 30 - 50%
14. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CREATED OUTSIDE ITTD EMPLOYMENT The ITTD will have no interest in any inventions or other IP created by Personnel entirely on their own time without the use of any ITTD Assets. The onus shall be on Personnel asserting their rights under this Clause 14 to prove to the satisfaction of the ITTD that the relevant invention or IP was in fact created by them on their
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own time without the use of any ITTD Assets. Personnel must not infringe the Intellectual Property Rights of any third parties.
15. PUBLICATION OF RESEARCH RESULTS It is ITTD Policy to encourage staff and students to place the results of their research in the public domain either through publication in learned journals or presentation at conferences. This is a vital factor for academic recognition. It is mandatory that such disclosure is not in violation of the terms of any agreement that has been entered into by ITTD with a sponsor or other Third Party.
It must be recognised that premature publication or disclosure except on a confidential basis may make it impossible to obtain valid patent protection. Where possible the delay in publication to enable a patent application to be filed should be for a period of 90 days from [when?]. The placing of a thesis in the ITTD library without ensuring that accessibility is restricted constitutes publication.
16. ARBITRATION Any dispute between ITTD and the originator of IP will be forwarded to an independent arbitrator to be agreed by the parties. Failing agreement, the arbitrator will be appointed by the President for the time being of the Law Society of Ireland. Expenses incurred in arbitration shall be deducted from royalty income before distribution.
17. CONFLICT OF INTEREST RELATING SPECIFICALLY TO EXTERNAL OR CONSULTANCY AGREEMENTS ITTD encourages full disclosure of potential areas of conflict and open discussion at an early stage. ITTD will endeavour to help alert Staff and Other Relevant Party to recognise where conflicts may occur and to manage and resolve these conflicts.
18. ORGANISATIONS AND COMPANIES COLLABORATING WITH ITTD ON RESEARCH PROJECTS As a public organisation, ITTD has an obligation to ensure the maximum public benefit from the exploitation of IP created from both publicly funded research and collaborative co-funded research. This is usually best maximised when IP is commercially exploited.
The ITTD IP Committee will conduct a commercial evaluation on the IP created/to be created in a research project and will seek information from the collaborating organisation on how it intends to commercialise the IP, and also determine the IP ownership rights they require from the project. The evaluation to determine the commercial value and IP ownership rights will include an examination of the criteria listed in Clause 11 of this policy. All such information requested and provided will be treated in strict confidence.
Upon above assessment, the IP Committee will decide on the IP ownership rights ITTD require and will agree the sale/assignment, licensing (exclusive or non-exclusive), or joint venture agreements with the collaborating
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company to ensure maximum commercial benefits. A legal agreement will be executed between the parties, setting out the rights, entitlements and obligations of each party prior to the commencement of work on the project.
19. MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF POLICY This IP Policy will be monitored by the Development & External Services Office on an on-going basis. The Policy and related research, commercialisation and technology transfer will be monitored and evaluated on an annual basis and may be amended by ITTD from time to time. All amendments to this IP Policy shall be posted on the ITTD Intranet and such amendments shall be fully valid and effective from the date of posting.
Appendix 3 Ethics Policy & Code of Conduct for Researchers
Professional Standards
The Nolan Committee on Standards in Public Life in the U.K1. identified Seven Principles of Public Life, namely, honesty, openness, leadership, selflessness, integrity, objectivity, and accountability (these standards also form the basis of the Wellcome Trust Guidelines on Good Research Practice, January 2002).
Every individual carrying out research for the Institute is expected to follow these principles. The following are of particular relevance to research:
Honesty A. At the heart of all research endeavour, regardless of discipline or institution, is the need for researchers to be honest transparent, and amenable to reasonable enquiries in respect of their own actions in research and in their responses to the actions of other researchers. This applies to the whole range of research, including experimental design, generating and analysing data, publishing results, and acknowledging the direct and indirect contributions of colleagues, collaborators and others. B. All individuals in the Institute’s employment must refrain from plagiarism, piracy or the fabrication of results and committing any of these actions is regarded as a serious disciplinary offence.
Openness A. While recognising the need for researchers to protect their own research interests in the process of planning their research and obtaining their results, the Institute encourages researchers to be as open as possible in discussing their work with other researchers and with the public. Once results have been published, where appropriate, the Institute expects researchers to make available relevant data and materials to others, on request.
5 Taken from • http://pubs1.tso.parliament.uk/pa/cm199697/cmselect/cmstand/688/code1.htm, • http://www.public-standards.gov.uk/ • http://www.archive.official-documents.co.uk/document/parlment/nolan/nolan.htm 418 • http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD002753.html: Wellcome Trust Guidelines on Good Research Practice, January 2002 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
B. In addition, where available and relevant to the research or individual researcher in question, the Institute expects researchers to observe the standards of practice set out in guidelines published by funding bodies, scientific societies and other relevant professional bodies.
Leadership and co-operation in research groups A. The culture and tone of procedures within any organisation must be facilitated and resourced by individuals in authority. Within the Institute, it is the responsibility of the Director, Heads of School, Heads of Departments and Senior Staff to ensure that a climate is created which allows research to be conducted in accordance with good research practice. B. Within a research group, responsibility lies with the group leader. Group Leaders should create a research environment of mutual co-operation, in which all members of a research team are encouraged to develop their skills and in which the open exchange of research ideas is fostered. They must also ensure that appropriate direction of research and supervision of researchers and research students is provided. C. Good research practice should be encouraged and there must be adequate supervision at all relevant levels (e.g. documentation of results, peer review of research, regular discussion and seminars). D. It is the responsibility of Heads of School and Heads of Department to convey clearly to principal investigators or research group leaders the standards and protocols for research in their departments and relevant areas, and to ensure that adherence to those standards is a matter of course. E. Principal investigators and research group leaders must in turn convey clearly convey to all researchers under their care the standards and protocols for research in their relevant areas, and to ensure that adherence to those standards is a matter of course.
Documenting results and storing primary data A. Throughout their work, researchers are required to keep clear and accurate records of the research procedures followed and of the results obtained, including interim results. This is necessary not only as a means of demonstrating proper research practice, but also in case questions are subsequently asked about either the conduct of the research or the results obtained. B. For similar reasons, data generated in the course of research must be kept securely in paper or electronic form, as appropriate. The Institute expects such data to be securely held for a period of ten years after the completion of a research project, as required by several Research Councils. The storage of such Data must also be kept in accordance with the Institute’s [Data Protection] policy.
Publishing results A. It is usually a condition of research funding that the results are published in an appropriate form, usually papers in refereed journals. This has long been widely accepted as the best system for research results to be reviewed - through the refereeing process - and made available to the research community for verification or replication. B. The issue of authorship is important in the context of good research practice. The Institute expects anyone listed as an author on a paper to accept personal responsibility for ensuring that they are familiar with the contents of the paper, and that they can identify their contributions to it. The practice of honorary authorship is unacceptable.
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Acknowledging the role of collaborators and other participants In all aspects of research, the contributions of formal collaborators and all others who directly assist or indirectly support the research must be properly acknowledged. This applies to any circumstances in which statements about the research are made, including provision of information about the nature and process of the research, and in publishing the outcome. Failure to acknowledge the contributions of others is regarded as unprofessional conduct. Conversely, collaborators and other contributors must carry their share of the responsibility for the research and its outcome.
The needs of new researchers Researchers who are new to the Institute’s research community may face particular difficulties in compliance with good research practice. Responsibility for ensuring that students and other new researchers understand good research practice lies with all members of the Institute, but particularly with Heads of Department and Research Group Leaders.
Integrity in submitting research proposals Principal Investigators should take all reasonable measures to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information which is contained in applications for funding and in managing research projects, to ensure compliance with all sponsor, institutional, legal, ethical and moral obligations.
Integrity in managing research projects Principal Investigators should take all reasonable measures to ensure compliance with sponsor, institutional, legal, ethical and moral obligations in managing projects.
Conflict of Interest It is the responsibility of all individuals who carry out research for the Institute to identify and declare to the Institute any conflicts of interest, whether legal, ethical, moral, financial, personal or other nature, so that it does not become a complicating or actionable issue.
Ethical Practice A. Research Involving Human Participants or Biological Samples. Ethical approval is required from the appropriate College and Hospital Research Ethics Committees and from other regulatory bodies as relevant, and as required by individual research sponsors (e.g. Health Research Board) . Researchers should also ensure the informed consent and confidentiality of personal information relating to the participants in research and that the research fulfils any legal requirements such as those of the Data Protection Act and the Freedom of Information Act. B. Research Involving Animals Ethical approval is required from the Institute Research Ethics Committee and the research must comply with all statutory licensing requirements. Researchers should consider, at an early stage in the design of any research involving animals, the opportunities for reduction, replacement and refinement of animal involvement.
420 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
C. Research Involving Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO’s) Ethical approval is required from the Institute Research Ethics Committee and the research must comply with all statutory licensing requirements with regard to the generation of GMO’s, their modification, their containment, and their release to the environment.
Research Misconduct The Institute takes seriously any allegation of research misconduct and has a written procedure for investigating and resolving such allegations. Any member of the Institute who believes that an act of research misconduct has occurred or is occurring should notify the relevant Head of Department. If, for any reason, this is not possible or appropriate, the individual should contact the relevant Head of School.
Appendix 4In-House Academic Researcher / Supervisor Training Events 2007
All sessions held in the Synergy Centre (Glasshouse Room) unless otherwise stated
Day/Date Time Session Presenter Wed. 14th Feb 1.30 – 2.30 [20 min. Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes Dr. Mary Deasy . presentation, the rest Q&A]
Wed. 28th Feb. 1.30 – 2.00 Making Use of the Synergy Centre for Research Nicola Mountford, Centre Manager
Thurs. 8th Mar. 1.15 – 2.00 Intellectual Property and Commercialisation of Research Pat O’ Donnell (first of a number of sessions)
Wed. 13th Mar. 11.00 – 12.00 The Selection of Postgraduate Researchers and the Michael Quinlan Interview Process I
Wed. April 25th 1.00 – 2.00 Research/Grant Proposal Writing Workshop I Drs. D. Egan; E. Maher; B. Murray
Mon. May 21st 10.00 – 11.00 Research/Grant Proposal Writing Workshop II Dr. D. Egan
Sept. 6th 10.00 – 13.00 Ethics in Research half-day workshop Dr. David Cox
10.00 – 11.15 General Ethics Principles Drs. David Cox & David 11.30 – 13.00 Parallel Session 1 –Ethics for Science/Bioengineering Smith, RCSI Research
11.30 – 13.00 Parallel Session 2 –Ethics for Research in Dr. Joe Mac Donagh, ITT Business/Humanities Dublin
Sept. 14th 9.15 – 16.45 The Supervisory Role, Responsibilities, Research Prof. Anthony Fell, Bradford Regulations, Management of Research Students & University, UK Projects, Case Studies
421 Appendices
Appendix 5 Research Supervision Workshop Programme
Session 1 9.15 – 9.30 Registration & Coffee/Tea
9.30 – 9.35 Welcome & Introduction to the Workshop
9.35 – 9.40 Aims & Objectives of the Workshop
9.40 – 10.10 Experience of being supervised for a Research Degree – Characteristics of a research degree programme
10.10 – 10.30 The key responsibilities of Research Students – and Research Supervisors Small Group Discussions
10.30 – 10.50 Tea / Coffee
Session 2 10.50 – 11.30 Strategies for effective Research Supervision, Monitoring and Assessment: Part 1 • International / National context • Early stages in starting off the research programme Ground rules and agreement on meetings Development of research programme Gantt Chart analysis Training Needs Analysis PG Research Training Record Best practice for progress monitoring – records Key stages – Transfer from Masters to PhD (HETAC Process)
11.30 – 12.45 Syndicated Workshop Discussions on Case Study #1: “The First Year”
12.45 – 13.45 Lunch
Session 3 14.00 – 14.20 Brief Discussion of Case Study outcomes
14.20 – 14.50 Strategies for effective Research Supervision, Monitoring and Assessment: Part 2 • Stratagems for timely finishing of the MPhil, PhD Thesis • Examination process and Selection of Examiners (HETAC Process)
422 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
• Best practice for the Viva • Post-Examination • Appeals & complaints
14.50 – 15.10 Local Research Supervision Issues Presentation based on Local Codes of Practice and Regulations
15.10 – 15.30 Tea/Coffee
Session 4
15.30 – 16.10 Syndicated Workshop Discussions on Case Study #2: “The Viva” “The Final Year” “The experience as an Internal Examiner” “Transfer to PhD Track”
16.10 – 16.20 Feedback
16.20 – 16.30 Concluding Discussion: • Participants’ Issues • Supervising Part-time Off-Campus Students • Other Local Issues
16.30 Closing Remarks
Appendix 6 Library Resources for Research
The library plays a pivotal role in supporting all teaching and learning in the Institute of Technology, Tallaght. This includes learning through research. It offers enhanced loan and study facilities to postgraduate students. Library resources include: • Online databases • Journals • Subject Librarians • Subject specific online resources • Inter-library loans.
The library has a collection of more than 100 print journals.
423 Appendices
It also provides access to over 9000 electronic journals or e-journals through the following databases:
Electronic Resource Listing Journals of the American Society of Microbiology Bentham Science Publishers Business Source Premier British Standards Online The Cochrane Medical and Health Library Emerald Insight IEEE - Communications Digital Campus Index to Thesis Infotrac Ingenta Irish Times Online Justcite Justis Materials Inforbase Metals Infobase OAIster Reuters Business Insight Reuters Marketline Science Direct Scirus Source OECD Subject Internet Gateways Taxfind Web of Science.
Access to the catalogues and collections of other libraries including the following are also available online: • Institute's of Technology Library Catalogues • Irish University Catalogues • Irish Public Libraries • National Libraries • Infotrac.
Materials not held in the Institute library may be requested through the inter-library loans service. The library has also set up Subject Internet Gateways and Subject-specific Guides which includes links to relevant web sites, electronic journals, and professional bodies. There are also links to freely available databases and open archives initiatives. The library has drawn up a number of guides for postgraduate researcher students and provides a service to students who are planning to prepare their thesis.
Library Guides specific to Postgraduate Researchers:
User Guides Electronic Resources Guides • Accessing other libraries • Guide to the American Society of Microbiology • Distance and part time students • Guide to British Standards Online • Electronic Resources • Guide to the Cochrane Medical and Health Library • Harvard reference style • Guide to Emerald Insight • Inter Library Loan • Guide to Index to Theses • Journals • Guide to Infotrac • Library Regulations • Guide to Ingenta • Library users with special needs • Guide to Irish Times online • Literary review - guide to writing a review • Guide to JustCite • Part-time students • Guide to Justis • Postgraduate and research students • Guide to Marketline • Research - guide to doing research in the library • Guide to Materials Infobase • Subject Services • Guide to Metals Infobase • Thesis - guide to writing a thesis • Guide to Reuters Business Insight • Writing styles citing sources • Guide to Science Direct • Guide to Scirus • Guide to Taxfind • Guide to Web of Science
424 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
It has set up a number useful links to other websites of use in planning and preparing a thesis, under the following headings: • Citing Sources • How to Write a PhD Thesis • Writing and Organising a Thesis • Writing Up Research
Appendix 7 HETAC Level 9/10 Standards & Where They Are Met In Research Degree Programmes
Type of HETAC/NQAI Level 9 HETAC/NQAI Level 10 Area of Programme in ITT Dublin Knowledge Indicators Indicators where this Knowledge, Skill or Competence is developed Skill or (Generic Awards (Generic Awards Competence Description) Description) MASTERS DEGREES PhD DEGREES
Knowledge A systematic A systematic acquisition • Reading preparation for the research work Breadth understanding of and understanding of a • Study of related undergraduate material relevant to research area knowledge, at, or substantial body of • Study and assimilation of journal articles in the area of research informed by, the forefront knowledge which is at the • Later in the research work this knowledge is consolidated in the of a field of learning forefront of a field of theoretical learning • introduction to the thesis
Knowledge A critical awareness of The creation and • Study of general area of research interest Kind current problems and/or interpretation of new • Study of journal articles in relevant research area of interest new insights, generally knowledge, through • Study of review articles or critiques in research area of interest informed by the forefront original research, or other • Study of others work in the field particularly those who expose a of a field of learning advanced scholarship, of different theory a quality to satisfy review • or other rationales for explaining similar research findings to those by peers expected in current study • Attendance at relevant conferences. • Participation in specialist research workshops
Know-how and Demonstrate a range of Demonstrate a significant • During the experimented phase of the postgraduate research skill standard and specialised range of the practical programme the student, with the assistance of the Academic Range research or equivalent skills, techniques, tools, Supervisor initially will plan the experimental work and analyse and tools and techniques of practices and/or interpret data enquiry materials which are • Later in the research work the student is expected to develop associated with a field of strategies for future work and plan these with guidance from learning; develop new Academic Supervisors skills, techniques, tools, • The recording of results in a retraceable fashion in the laboratory practices and/or notebook materials • The preparation of presentations prior to delivery • The presentation and defence of work at Departmental Seminars • The drafting, as instructed by Academics Supervisors, of reports, presentations, method statements or journal articles • Training by library staff in use of online search facilities • Awareness sessions/seminars on safety issues • Awareness of ethical issues in research via Induction Programme
425 Appendices
Know-how and Select from complex and Respond to abstract • Postgraduate student will plan their own research work activity in the skill advanced skills across a problems that expand later stages of project and must defend this plan to Academic Selectivity field of learning; develop and redefine existing Supervisors at their regular meetings (or at Depicted Seminars) new skills to a high level, procedural knowledge • From continuous reading of journal articles or/and attendance at including novel and conferences the student will keep up to date in the research area emerging techniques • New developments in the research area will be assimilated from literature and incorporated into the work, where appropriate, through the regular meetings with Academic Supervisors • In house and off site training on specialist equipment • Access to additional high level techniques and instrumentation through collaborative links with other third level institutions.
Competence Act in a wide and often Exercise personal • When assisting other postgraduates in the laboratory working in a Context unpredictable variety of responsibility and largely related field thestudent will be able to offer advice on trouble shooting professional levels and ill autonomous initiative in of experiments / procedures, experimented design i.e. “mentoring” of defined contexts complex and new postgraduates. unpredictable situations, • From keeping abreast of the literature student will draw conclusions in professional or about their own research in a wider context and also defend their own equivalent contexts conclusions at meetings with supervisors or Departmental Seminars • As a result student will be able to evaluate and critically analyse other work in the research area presented in journal articles or short communications • Participation in undergraduate laboratory sessions fosters professionalism and the formulation and communication of judgements
Competence Take significant Communicate results of • By being part of multidisciplinary research team the student will have Role responsibility for the work research and innovation first hand knowledge of team membership of individuals and to peers; engage in • By participating and engaging in the wider postgraduate student groups; lead and initiate critical dialogue; lead body and in college life in general the student will have improved activity and originate complex interpersonal skills social processes • Communication skills are enhanced in the preparation and delivery of seminars / presentations and in the regular communications with Academic Supervisors and peers • Non technical communication skills and interpersonal skills are developed by interaction with other staff in ITTD • Attendance at conferences/workshops and interactions with collaborators and other researchers in the field • At the end of the research programme the graduate will be an expert in the research area and have the technical competence and knowledge to lead a group in this area Some postgraduate students participate in Clubs and Societies within the Institute while others are members of subcommittees of Academic Council and the student body
Competence Learn to self-evaluate Learn to critique the • As a result of the regular meetings with Supervisors, the Seminar Learning to and take responsibility for broader implications of Schedule and the necessity to be able to answer questions on their Learn continuing applying knowledge to research methods, research assumptions, conclusions drawn and academic/professional particular contexts future focus for work. The student will have a rounded view of their development abilities and shortcomings in these and other areas • Furthermore the effective use of the library and e-resources will add to the student’s ability to identify knowledge gaps and engage in meaningful self learning. • In certain cases students would attend undergraduate modules in areas of particular interest as a refresher course or as an introductory course for further amplification • The student will participate in journal clubs where papers are presented, discussed and critiqued
426 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Competence Scrutinise and reflect on Scrutinise and reflect on Over the course of the research programme of study the student has Insight social norms and social norms been exposed to relationships and act to relationships and lead • advanced experimental methods change them action to change them • advanced analysis and data manipulation • critical evaluation of their own work and others • the ethical and safety issues • the planning, review, monitoring and the development of future strategy’s for their research area • being a team member • being an instructor and / or assessor (where possible) • defending their assumptions and conclusions in public fora • participate in or contribute to Programme Board deliberations • participating in consultative fora in relation to the research environment
The student who successfully completes the research programme award will have the competence to identify the key issue(s) of a problem; offer a range of solutions; comment professionally on each solution from a technical, ethical, environmental and social prospective and recommend future causes of action
Appendix 8 List of Research Degree Students 2007-08 April 2008
MA Research Degree Student Register
Student Name Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Discipline Area Project Title
Balen, Sarah E. Maher E. O'Brien (UL) Languages Crossing Borders: The Role of City and Woman in the Poetry of Charles Baudelaire and Peter Sirr
Connell, Bernie R. Walsh Languages Language Policy & Planning in a Multicultural Ireland
Enright, Siobhan J. O'Halloran Eamon Maher Communications Documenting the Present: Cultural Identity in Celtic Tiger Ireland
Guy, Peter E. Maher E. O'Brien (UL) Languages John Broderick: Irish Writer in the French Tradition
McDonagh, Helen A. Feeney Languages A comparative study on bilingualism in an Irish and French-Canadian context.
Penet, Jean- E. Maher E. O'Brien (UL) Languages The Impact of Secularism on Catholic Practice in Christophe France and Ireland.
Roccati, Camille J. O'Halloran Communications Ghost in the Shell: Female Identity in the Age of Cybernetics
427 Appendices
MEng Research Degree Student Register
Student Name Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Discipline Area Project Title
Adderley, Tadhg F. McEvoy Mechanical Analysis of Aseptic Loosening of the Acetabular Cup
Alqudah, Maha Barry McMahon, C. Costello Mechanical Application of an Impedance Planimetry Probe System (AMNCH) for Measuring Anorectal Function
Barry, David A. Donnellan D. Molloy (DCU) Electronics Automated Image Similarity and 3-D Visualisation of Large Digital Content Sets
Benkhial, Ahmed E. Dempsey F. Akkari Electronics Development of Novel Electrode Structures for Integrated Thin Film Microsensors
Cahill, Damien L. Hickey B. McMahon Electronics Analysis and Presentation of Biomedical Signals from (AMNCH) Sphincteric Region
Creighton, Darren B. Keogh, M. Walsh, K. Oakley Electronics Acoustic Emission Analysis of Pharmaceutical (LIT) Granulation Processes
Flaherty, Brian A. Tansey, S. Tiernan Mechanical Investigation into the Suitability of conformally cooled Rapid Tool Inserts for the Injection Moulding of Animal Feedstuffs
Kelly, Wayne A. Donnellan, D. Molloy (DCU) Electronics Unsupervised unified colour texture segmentation of skin and human body features for the screening of objectionable images.
Keogh, Chris P. Dillon C. Costello Mechanical Simulation of a Thermofluid System Using Novel Modelling Techniques
Kinane, Dermot M.Burton. Mechanical Minimisation of Environmental Impact of Thermal Inkjet Cartridges
May, Aaron G. Ryder Mechanical Rapid Design and Manufacture of the FLIP Medical Device
Molloy, Alan Michael A. Farrag, E. McQuaide (UL) Electronics Symbol Timing Recovery in Wireless OFDM Digital Communications
Murray, Thomas Anthony K. Oakley, I. Ganchev (TCD) Electronics Wireless Internet Protocols Using Embeddded Systems
Norris, Keith S. Tiernan Mechanical The Investigation of the dynamic performance of sports helmets
O'Mahony, David J. Dwan, Y. Blake Mechanical An Investigation into the Fatigue Properties of Diamond impregnated Metal matrices (DIMM) using the Compliance Method
O'Reilly, Aidan F. McEvoy P. Dillon Mechanical Applying Haptic Technology to the Rehabilitation of Achilles Tendon Injuries
Thian, Christopher S. Tiernan Mechanical Development of a Rapid Manufacturing Process
428 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
MSc Research Degree Student Register
Student Name Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Discipline Area Project Title
Anwar, Nargis T. McCormac Chemistry Polyoxometallates Modified Electrodes: Characterisation & Applications
Birchall, Anthony J. Cardiff Computing Intelligent Tutoring Systems for Procedural Training in the Regulated Industries
Brdar, Leila T. McCormac Chemistry Solid State Redox Active Materials
Byrne, Michelle G. Crispino M. Walsh Chemistry / Development of a Mathematical Tool for the In-line Mathematics Monitoring of a Chemical Process and the Prediction of Large Scale Pharmaceutical Processes
Cleary, Laura J. Behan, M. Costello Biology Biochemical and Molecular Characterisation of an Antimicrobial Peptide Produced by a Staphylococcus sp. Isolate
Clifford, Grace D. Egan Biology The Role of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) in Mediating the Chemo-Sensitivity and Metastatic Potential of Chemo-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells In Vitro
Creanor, Oisin E. Hickey K. Nolan Physics GRID Computing Based Data Mining
Donlon, Denis B. Creaven, J. McGinley (NUIM) Chemistry Synthesis and Characterization of a New Series of Novel Nitrogen Donor-based Supramolecular Ligands: Spectroscopic and Electron Transfer Studies
Duff, Brian D. Egan K. Kavanagh (NUIM) Biology Preclinical Development of Anticancer Therapies
Eyre, Aoife F. Kelleher, B. Murray Chemistry Radicals in Heterocycle Synthesis
Fagan Murphy, T. McCormac Chemistry Investigations into Polyoxometallate Based Solid State Aidan Materials
Gaire, Jackie A. Fleming, F. Kelleher, J. McGinley Chemistry Design, Synthesis and Application of Macromolecular (NUIM) Systems
Grillo, Stefania G. Crispino, J. Vickery Mathematics Costs & Benefits Analysis of Environmental Interventions for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Pilot Study with a Global Approach
Gumulupurapu, M. Callaghan E. Caraher Biology Investigation of the Effects of Lactoferrin on Aspects of Kiranmai Burkholderia cepecia complex virulence
Hadi, Abdul B. Murray Chemistry Investigation of Natural Products used in Solder Fluxes for Electronic Application
Herbert, Gillian S. McClean, M. Callaghan Biology Investigation of the virulence of opportunistic Cystic fibrosis pathogens.
Hughes, Eamon C. Murphy G. Colleran Biology Investigation of the Contribution of Corticosteroids to Immune Function and the Development of Hospital Derived Bacterial Infections
Imar, Shazad T. McCormac Chemistry Development of Nanoparticle-Isopolyanion Assemblies and their Nanosensor Applications
Kaza, Seshu Kumar M. Callaghan Biology Investigation of LPS from an Important CF Pathogen with Lung Epithelial Cells
429 Appendices
Keane, Kevin D. Egan Biology The Role of Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) in Mediating the Chemo-Sensitivity and Metastatic Potential of Chemo-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cells In Vitro
Luu, Lien E. Carey B. Murray Chemistry Modelling Binding of Urea-Based Molecular Clip Receptors by Molecular Dynamic Simulations
Maher, Sarah A. Fleming, M. Deasy Chemistry Design And Synthesis Of Novel Macromolecules For Use As Chemical Sensors.
McGovern, Rosaleen T. McCormac, J. Cassidy (DIT) Chemistry Development of Novel Redox Active Polymers
Mujahid, M. Walsh B. Creaven Chemistry Synthesis, Characterisation & Development of Metel- Muhammed based Antimicrobial & Anticancer Therapies
Murray, Rita J. Behan, M. Costello Biology Optimisation and Scale up of the Production by Microbial Fermentation of selected Antimicrobial Peptides produced by Staphylococci spp.
O'Brien, Keith F. Kelleher Chemistry Synthesis of Peptidomimetics
Perez Tellez, Fernando J. Cardiff P. Magee Computing STILO: Sequencing & Tracking in Learning Objects
Rathod, Dhanraj E. Dempsey D. Egan Chemistry Development of a Microsensor for Cardiac markers with applications in point of care testing
Singh, Baljit T. McCormac E. Dempsey Chemistry Synthesis, Characterisation and Functionalisation of Nanomaterials enabling Nanosensing applications
Soon, Geok, Hong E. Dempsey, M. Deasy Chemistry Novel Electrocatalysts for Biosensing Applications
Sullivan, Maeve M. Walsh B. Creaven Chemistry Design of Metal Complexes for Incorporation into Sol- Gel Systems
Tomkins, Karen D. Egan K. Kavanagh (NUIM) Biology Preclinical Development of Antimicrobial Therapies
Walsh, Cormac J. Behan, M. Costello Biology Scale up and Characterisation of an Antimicrobial Hugh Peptide produced by a Staphylococcus sp.
Watts, John F. Kelleher Chemistry Synthesis and use of Chiral Spirobicycles
Young, Eamonn G. Clynch Computing Enhancing 3D Face Recognition through Management George of Disruptive Features
Zubair, Aneela B. Murray, B. Creaven Chemistry Multi-State Receptors for Cations and Catechols
Zubair, Muhammed M. Walsh, B. Creaven Chemistry Development of Novel Metal-Based Antimicrobial Agents and S.O.D. Mimetics
430 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
PhD Research Degree Student Register
Student Name Supervisor 1 Supervisor 2 Discipline Area Project Title
Behan, John K. Carroll, S. Doyle (NUIM) Biology Production and Scale Up of Anti-microbial Peptides Produced by Staphylococci
Doaga, Rodica E. Dempsey T. McCormac Chemistry Novel Materials for Biosensing Clinical Analysis
Doran, Nicholas D. Irwin Humanities Irish Print Media Coverage: Palestinian-Israeli Conflict
Duggan, Emma D. Irwin Prof. J. Wilson, UU Humanities Border Identities: Geo-political Citzenship, Denominational and Ethno-national Identity on the Northern Ireland/Irish Republic Border
Gallagher. Siobhan Paula Gilligan David Irwin Humanities Female Entrepreneurship and the Informal Economy in (IADT) Nineteenth Century Ireland
Goral, Monika T. McCormac E. Dempsey Chemistry Electrochemical Investigations into Polyoxometallates
Hirjaba, Nicoleta B. Murray, E. Carey Chemistry Molecular Modelling of New Heteromacrocyclic Receptors
Karcz, Dariusz B. Creaven, M. Walsh Chemistry Novel Matal Based Anti-microbial Complexes
Kozien, Magda B. Murray, B. Creaven Chemistry Design and Synthesis of Allosteric Receptors for Copper and Catecholamines Based on Molecular Clips: Possible New Neuroprotective Agents
Martin, Aaron A. Fleming, M. Deasy Chemistry Synthesis and investigation of new macromolecular Antimicrobial agents
McKeon, Suzanne M. Callaghan, S. McClean Biology Comparison of the Immunogenic Properties of Cystic Alice Fibrosis Pathogens
Morris, Pamela M. Costello, J. Behan Biology Biochemical and Molecular Characterisation of a Novel Ellen Anti-microbial Peptide from Staphylococcus warnerii
Mullen, Tracy S. McClean, M. Callaghan Biology Investigation of the Interaction of Cuystic Fibrosis Pathogens with the Surfaces of Lung Epithelial Cells in Vitro
Naseer, Rashda T. McCormac H. Toma Chemistry Polyoxometallates for Environmental Based Sensors
O' Prionsias, Keith F. Kelleher Chemistry Synthetic Studies on Novel Anti-microbial Peptides and Peptidomimetics
Odie, Karl David K. Maloney Barry McMahon Mechanical Modelling the Flow Patterns Through the Engineering Oesophagogastric Junction
Roshchina, Alexandra J. Cardiff P. Rosso Computing Interactive Querying on the Semantic Web
Thangalla, Venkat M. Walsh B. Creaven Chemistry Synthesis,Characterisation and Evaluation of Reddy Functionalised Quinolinone Ligands and their Transition Metal Complexes as Potential Therapeutic Agents
Ward, James M. Deasy F. Kelleher Chemistry Design and Synthesis of a New Generation of Chiral Macromolecules for Use in Cheical Sensors
431 Appendices
Appendix 9 First Destination of Research Degree Graduates
PhD Graduates First Destination post ITT Dublin
NAME OF GRADUATE RESEARCH DISCIPLINE GRAD YEAR FIRST DESTINATION POST-GRADUATION FROM ITT DUBLIN K. Chestnutt Biology 1999 National Diagnostics Centre in NUIG (part of BioResearch Ireland). G. Cooke Biology 2004 Post Doc, Newman Scholar UCD T. Keane Biology 1999 Post Doc, Newman Scholar UCD K. Markey Biology 2003 Post Doc, University of Liverpool, UK F. Quinn Biology 1998 National Diagnostics Centre in NUIG (part of BioResearch Ireland). G. Finn Biology / Chemistry 2002 Post Doc, Harvard Med School N. Fay Chemistry 2005 Post Doc, Monash Univ, Melbourne, Australia C. McKenna Chemistry 2004 Post Doc, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education, UK A. Noble Chemistry 2005 Post Doc, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand D. Tobin Chemistry 2001 Post Doc, Liverpool G. Crispino Mathematics 2000 Lecturer, ITT Dublin K. Foster Chemistry 2006 Post Doc, NUI Galway S. Warren Chemistry 2006 Henkel Loctite Bhumika Thati Biology 2007 Taking a year off Carol Deegan Biology 2007 St. James Hospital Samuel Maher Biology 2007 Conway, UCD, Post Doc Andrew Kellett Chemistry 2007 DIT, Post Doc Niamh Warren Chemistry 2007 Catalent, Swindon Paul Flood Chemistry 2007 Medipharm, UK Sinead Kelly Chemistry 2007 Schering, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow Tammy Gernon Chemistry 2007 Wyeth, Newbridge, Co. Kildare Vipa Prajapati Chemistry 2007 Taking a year off Ronan O’ Reilly Electronic Engineering 2007 Temporary Lecturer, ITT Dublin
432 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
MSc Graduates First Destination post ITT Dublin
NAME OF GRADUATE RESEARCH DISCIPLINE GRAD YEAR FIRST DESTINATION POST-GRADUATION FROM ITT DUBLIN Kinga Kediziora Chemistry 2007 School of Pharmacy, TCD Monika Zynek Chemistry 2007 Wyeth, Grangecastle M. Morris Biology 2006 St. James Hospital L. Bryce Biology 2005 Medical Technology Company, Frankfurt, Germany C. Duff Biology 2005 Took a year off L. Jordan Biology 2004 Octoplus Development B.V. Leiden, Netherlands M. Mangan Biology 1998 Studied for PhD, UCD L. O'Connor Biology 2000 Wyeth Biomedica, Dublin L. Ennis Biology / Mathematics 2004 Wyeth, Kildare A. Breheny Chemistry 2004 Henkel-Loctite, Dublin A. Collier Chemistry 2005 TMS Environmental, Dublin D. Farrell Chemistry 2004 Henkel-Loctite, Dublin F. Giles Chemistry 1997 Wyeth Biomedica, Dublin J. Groarke Chemistry 2004 BMS, Dublin J. Izunobi Chemistry 2005 Teaching, UK T. Kinahan Chemistry 1999 Studied for PhD, UK J. Mc Donagh Chemistry 1999 Studied for PhD, UK N. Noonan Chemistry 1997 Irotec, Cork M. Wall Chemistry 1999 Studied for PhD, UK D. Walsh Chemistry 2001 Studied for PhD, DCU J. Leonard Chemistry / Mathematics 2001 BMS, Dublin B. Crouzet Computing 2004 Hewlett-Packard in France A. Hand Computing 2004 Oracle, Dublin L. Hickey Computing 2005 The Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association E. Hyland Computing 1999 Lecturer, ITT Dublin J. Kavanagh Computing 1998 Business Objects, Dublin D. McSweeney Computing 1999 Lecturer at IT Blanchardstown N. Roche Computing 2004 Mobile Aware, Dublin B. Walsh Computing 1999 Unknown J. Cahill Physics 2001 Henkel-Loctite, Dublin
433 Appendices
MEng Graduates First Destination post ITT Dublin
NAME OF GRADUATE RESEARCH DISCIPLINE GRAD YEAR FIRST DESTINATION POST-GRADUATION FROM ITT DUBLIN M. Byrne Electronics 2004 Took a year off P. Henley Electronics 2004 Unknown J. Shields Electronics 2004 Curam, City West T. Hannon Electronics 2006 INTEL, Co. Kildare B. O’Connell Electronics 2006 Software Company S. McHugh Electronics 2007 Ericsson F. Corcoran Mechanical 2005 Industry - Logitech Ireland Ltd in Cork P. Dunne Mechanical 1996 Studied for PhD, UCD K. Hughes Mechanical 2004 Intel, Kildare W. Kelly Mechanical 2005 Unknown D. King Mechanical 2002 RPA, Dublin K. McLoughlin Mechanical 2005 Own Company, Carlow B. O'Donnchadha Mechanical 2004 Lecturer, ITT Dublin P. Turner Mechanical 2002 National Metrology Laboratory, Enterprise Ireland
MA Graduates Graduates First Destination post ITT Dublin
NAME OF GRADUATE RESEARCH DISCIPLINE GRAD YEAR FIRST DESTINATION POST-GRADUATION FROM ITT DUBLIN G. Metha Languages 200 Lecturer ITT Dublin R. Mullen Languages 2007 Studying for PhD, QUB
434 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
APPENDIX 10 HEA RESEARCH FACILITIES ENHANCEMENT
Area Buildings & Capital Total Furniture Equipment
School of 71,000 Conversion of space to create Biomedical Devices and Enginering Sensors Technology Laboratory
Mechanical 143,000 Biomedical Tension Torsion System
Electrical 255,500 Evaporator / Spectroscopic Ellipsometer / MeX 3-D Measurement Software
469,500
School of Science 128,000 221,000 Conversion of laboratory 129 / Microbiology-Molecular Science & Biology laboratory fitout Computing
0 291,000 NMR upgrade / Selected items from proposed equipment list
Computing 76,000 90,000 Computational laboratory and supporting infrastructure (AV & HiB Network Backbone / Servers, Workstations, Access)
806,000
Postgrad 125,000 125,000 Building works to convert space to open-plan office areas for resource area postgrads
Sub-Totals 400,000 1,000,500 1,400,500
435 Appendices
APPENDIX 11 LIST OF ACADEMIC MEMBERS IN THE CENTRE OF APPLIED SCIENCE FOR HEALTH
Surname First Name Salutation Address Akkari Fathi Dr. ITT Dublin Behan John Mr. ITT Dublin Callaghan Máire Dr. ITT Dublin Carey Edwin Dr. ITT Dublin Carroll Ken Dr. ITT Dublin Coman Pat Mr. ITT Dublin Costello Liam Mr. ITT Dublin Costello Mary Dr. ITT Dublin Creaven Bernie Dr. ITT Dublin Crispino Gloria Dr. ITT Dublin Deasy Mary Dr. ITT Dublin Dempsey Eithne Dr. ITT Dublin Egan Denise Dr. ITT Dublin Fleming Adrienne Dr. ITT Dublin Hickey Linda Dr. ITT Dublin Kelleher Fintan Dr. ITT Dublin McClean Siobhán Dr. ITT Dublin McCormac Timothy Dr. ITT Dublin Moloney Ken Dr. ITT Dublin Murray Brian Dr. ITT Dublin Ryder Gerard Dr. ITT Dublin Walsh Maureen Dr. ITT Dublin Conlon Kevin Prof. AMNCH - Pancreatic cancers Graham, Ian Prof. AMNCH Dept. Cardiology Gregersen, Hans Prof. Aalborg University, Denmark, Visiting Walton Professor, ITT Dublin McCabe Dominick Dr. AMNCH - Neurology McDermot Ray Dr. AMNCH - Oncology McMahon, Barry Dr. AMNCH Murphy Philip Prof. AMNCH O'Morain Colm Prof. AMNCH O'Sullivan Maria Dr. AMNCH Barron Niall Dr. NICB Brougham Dermot Dr. NICB Clynes Martin Prof. NICB Doolan Padraig Dr. NICB Gammell Patrick Dr. NICB Larkin Annmarie Dr. NICB
436 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
Surname First Name Salutation Address Meleady Paula Dr. NICB O’Connor Robert Dr. NICB O'Donovan Norma Dr. NICB O'Driscoll Lorraine Dr. NICB O'Sullivan Finbarr Dr. NICB Breslin, Carmel Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Doyle Sean Dr. NUI Maynooth - Biology Glennon Jeffrey C. Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Heaney Frances Dr NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Holmes Kate Dr NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Kavanagh Kevin Dr. NUI Maynooth - Biology Lowry, John Prof. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry HOD McCann Malachy Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry McGinley John Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Rooney Frances Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Rooney, Denise Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Stephens John Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry Velasco- Torrijos Trinidad Dr. NUI Maynooth - Chemistry
437 Appendices
APPENDIX 12 STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR RESEARCH
Related SOP No. SOP Title Status School/ Section
DESO DR017 Formal Closure of Externally and Internally Funded Projects Approved DESO DR018B External Research Funding Applications - Rev B Approved DESO DR019B Acceptance of Research Contracts Rev B Approved DESO DR020 Filing Of Research Project Documentation Approved DESO DR021B General Financial Management of Research Projects Rev B Approved DESO DR022 Ordering and Invoicing for Research Projects Approved Estates DR042 After hours access to the Institute for staff and post-graduate students Approved Registrar & Schools DR046 Application for Transfer to the Doctoral Degree Register Approved Registrar & Schools DR049 Application for Admission to a Research Degree Register Approved Registrar & Schools DR050 Filing and logging of correspondence relating to postgraduates with HETAC Approved Registrar & Schools DR051 Research Degree Submission and Examination procedures Approved Registrar & Schools DR052 Notice of Intention to Present for Examination for a Postgraduate Research Degree Approved DESO DR056 Selection and Recrutiment of Research Personnel Approved Registrar DR059 Maintaining a Live Register of Research Degree Students Approved DESO DR061 Award and Review of the Institute Research Centre Status in all Disciplines of ITT Dublin Approved Sci SC035 Postgraduate Annual Leave Policy Approved Sci SC036 Out of Hours Laboratory Work Policy Approved Sci SC037 Postgraduate Research Off Campus Policy Approved Sci SC044 Out of Hours Laboratory Work Policy & Set up of Overnight Experiments Involving Running Water Approved Registrar RE002 Graduation Procedure Approved Registrar & Schools CS4066 Post-Graduate Student Support Approved Registrar & Schools DR072 Viva Voce Examination Procedures Approved Registrar RE005 Retention & Storage of Postgraduate Research Degree Student Files Approved Registrar & Schools Draft Research Degree Programme Appeals Procedures Draft Registrar & Schools Draft Students Complaints Procedures Draft Sci Roles and Responsibilities for Associate Staff Supporting Science Laboratories Approved Registrar & Schools DR070 Research Student Annual Assessment & Renewal of Registration Procedures Approved Registrar & Schools DR071 Procedure for Submitting an Application for Ethics Clearance for Research Projects Approved
438 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
APPENDIX 13 MINUTES OF MEETING WITH RESEARCH STUDENTS JANUARY 2008
Date/Venue: 10th January 2008/Room 001
Present: Postgraduates - H. McDonagh, B. Connell, D. Creighton, W. Kelly, D. Barry, L. Poterek, D. Karcz, K. O’Prionsias, M. Goral, M. Sullivan, D. Donlon, L. Luu, A. Hadi, M. Zubair, A. Zubair, G. Hong Soon, O. Creaner, A. Fagan-Murphy, S. Imar, M. Mujahid, A. Benkhial, C. Keogh, C. Thian, K. Norris, T. Adderley, K. Oddie, D. O’Mahony, A. May, A. O’Reilly, J. Wards, A. Martin, K. O’Brien, V. Thangella, M. Kozien, J. Gaire, J. Watts, G. Herbert, G. Clifford, B. Duff, E. Hughes. Staff - J. Vickery, M. Deasy.
John Vickery welcomed all to the meeting. John gave a presentation on the delegated authority process and updated the students on where we are in the Level 9 and 10 application. John then opened the meeting up to take questions on delegated authority from the floor and research regulations in general. These were:
Q - Are there issues w.r.t. parchment from ITTD rather than HETAC internationally? A – JV replied that the parchment still has HETAC on it. He pointed out that having DA reinforces our maturity as an organisation abroad.
Q – Are we not looking for DA to Level 10 in Engineering? A – JV replied that we will do son in the future once critical mass increases and may look at it when we prepare the application for an extension of DA.
Q – Is submission process for a thesis the same pre and post-DA? A – No. The change would be who recommends the thesis for award, Code of Practice to be amended to reflect this.
As there were no more questions on DA, the remainder of the meeting was devoted to a Q&A session on issues currently affecting postgraduate researchers. JV first asked if the students about the issues raised at the previous meeting. The current status of these is given in the table below:
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Issue raised June 2006 Response June 2006 Status January 2008
Why does it cost 7 cents per sheet Photocopying is undertaken throughout the institute by Complete. Not an issue now. an external company as a result of a tender competition. This is the price that has been set per page to take account of overheads etc.
PK6 had no photocopier. Not sure if there should be one available. Will have the Printer installed, copier does matter examined. not work, looking into this.
Condition of PK’s The general impression was that PK 6 was a good Improved. Proposal is to move environment. Pat O’Donnell stated that there was a postgraduate student offices proposal to equip other PK’s to this standard subject to back to main building funds been available. following the move of Finance to Icon Court.
Communications. Postgraduates were not John stated that he would have the issue of Complete. Students happy aware of what is going on in some areas communications improved. The postgraduate calendar with communications. within the institute. They were not aware was a start. Issues regarding expenses and Agresso will that Agresso would be down for 5 days. be forwarded to the Secretary/Financial Controller for However, some did say that in recent months comment. Agresso had improved. They were also not happy that they had to wait months to get expenses paid
Opening Hours. Postgraduates were John stated that for the second year in a row the general Students happy with unhappy with the bureaucracy surrounding closing time had been extended to 7pm. The procedures procedures for access to the procedures in relation to staying in the regarding obtaining permission to stay later were Institute. building after closing time particularly necessary for security and Health & Safety reasons. during the summer months
Accommodation. Some students highlighted John stated there were no plans to provide campus No further issues were raised that it was difficult to obtain living accommodation at present and that the onus was on and students accepted the accommodation and that it was expensive. postgraduate to sort this out for themselves. June response.
Healthcare. The issue of the non availability The Institute will arrange for Jennifer Cleary who is from Outstanding of medical cards for non Nationals was the non-national Help Desk Board to talk on this matter highlighted. before the end of September.
Insurance for postgraduates Pat O’Donnell informed the meeting that Tom Stone had Outstanding written to our insurers and that as soon as he gets clarification from Tom he will notify postgraduates.
Library. There was a meeting arranged with Will organise again for Sept 06. John informed the Complete library staff but no postgraduates showed meeting of the discussions taking place with the HEA up. with regard to the IRel initiative. He will inform postgraduates of the outcome of these discussions.
E-mails. Restrictions on size of John Vickery to discuss with Computing Services Discussions took place, still attachments. Manager and notify postgraduates of the outcome. issues (see table with new operational issues and email)
Still an issue and not resolved E-mail addresses. Postgraduates would like John Vickery to discuss with Computing Services fully (see table with new the e-mail address to have it-tallaght ot itt- Manager and inform postgraduates of the outcome. operational issues) dublin rather than it-net.
440 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
JV asked the students for their views and feedback on the Institute operational or academic systems in place to support their research. The table below outlines the issues raised, which the Registrar is to raise with the relevant Departments/Functional Areas for resolution where feasible.
Topic Issue raised at meeting Suggestion from meeting for improvement
Agresso 1. Can timelines for the processing of orders of Orders be printed in School Offices rather than materials be improved through Finance? Finance 2. Supervisors can delay processing as well, as they sometimes cannot access Agresso. 3. Steps too long in process.
Email 1. Some emails do not reach destination and Have a PG server. bounce back as some sites do not recognise the X number address and filter as spam Look into what TCD did: they got google to set up 2. it-net often viewed as hotmail and this causes gmail system for students with 6MB storage and problems 10MB files. 3. Alias only works with new students registered in 2007 4. The ITTD ublin address only operational for incoming mail 5. 2MB limit still there and is limiting
Overseas Student Issue 1. Some students have had issues with re- Contact revenue Department and update course applications for visa with GNIB as research listing courses were not recognised. Had to come back to Institute for additional information. 2. Does College have a solicitor for students?
Ordering of gases General problem with Air products (company) Sort out at Department level
Chemistry Lab 111 Snag list on maintenance not dealt with Bring to the attention of HOD
Smoking Stack Smoke comes into 005 Control Lab. Reported to Get it reported to H&S in Mechanical Engineering Department. to bring to Institute H&S Committee
Security in Biology Labs. Some requested the college be a smoke-free zone. Put locks on doors Request for locks on doors as anyone can walk in from corridor
Academic Issue Question: why do you have to be registered, post Question answered that this was a HETAC transfer from Masters register, on PhD register one requirement to be sure all the additional Level 10 year in advance in submitting a PhD thesis? standards could be met following transfer from Level 9 where standards were different. Student satisfied with this. Suggestion to student: begin thinking of the transfer process earlier, say after 12 months as per Institute and HETAC regulations
Access to Building Request that postgrads get blue keys for back door JV to investigate if this is feasible
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442 Application to the Higher Education and Training Awards Council for Delegation of Authority to Make Awards: Research Degrees Level 9 and 10
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