Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Meeting: Faculty Research Committee Date / Time: 16 October 2019 (2.30 - 4.00 pm) Location: Room CG35, Henry Grattan Building, DCU Glasnevin Campus In Attendance: Prof. Eugene McNulty [Associate Dean for Research] (EMcN – Chair), Carol Diamond [Recording Secretary] (CD), Michelle Brennan [Secretary] (MB), Dr. Jane Carrigan [Research Development Officer] (JC), Dr. Alex Baturo [Law and Government] (AB), Dr. Patricia Flynn [Theology, Philosophy, and Music] (PF), Dr. William Murphy [History and Geography] (WM), Dr. Tanya Lokot [Communications] (TL), Dr. Pádraig Ó Liatháin [Fiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge] (POL), Ms. Orla Shannon [HSS Postgraduate Research Student Representative] (OS), Dr. Ryoko Sasamoto [SALIS] (RS), Victoria Smyth [Humanities & Social Sciences Librarian] (VS) Apologies: Dr. Jim Shanahan [School of English] (JS) # Agenda 1. Approval of minutes of previous meeting [19 June 2019] 2. Matters arising from minutes of previous meeting 3. Applications for change to supervisory arrangements 4. Postgraduate research matters 5. 5.1 University 5.1.1 Research Committee 5.1.2 Graduate Research Studies Board 5.2 Faculty 5.2.1 Quality Review – Research Section 5.2.3 PhD Focus Group 5.2.4 Terms of Reference, Membership / Roles of FRC members 5.2.5 Attendance at Postgraduate Awards Boards 5.2.6 Proposal for Anti-Corruption Research Centre (ARC) 5.2.7 Scheme Schedule 5.2.8 School Reports 6. Research and Innovation Support Services 7. Library 8. Any Other Business 9. Date of next Faculty Research Committee Meeting: 13 November 2019 # Main Discussion Points / Key Recommendations 1. PGR registration issues: SALIS reported issue with 5 new Phds students where only one received a username and password to complete their registration. Bank account set up for international students require a letter from the University confirming their status and students are not aware of where to obtain this. International office issue the letter but only in some cases. What can we do to resolve the administration burden particularly for international students? New PhD student in TPM received a conditional offer even though has met entry requirements of honours BA which unnecessarily delayed completion of registration. Registry resolved issue once contacted by Research Convenor. 2. University Research Committee: 1 / 31 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Chair reported the Research centre feedback loop was discussed with Professor Greg Hughes, Vice President of Research and Innovation, and it was agreed to re-examine so that feedback will go to the Dean to disseminate to Head of School. The Chair of the Research Ethics Committee is to be appointed. 3. Graduate Research Studies Board: Convenors to remind colleagues in their school of the GRSB expectation that PGR3’s are detailed enough and ensure that it is clear that a mini viva has happened physically. The Dean of Graduate Studies raised a concern with electronic signatures on PGR forms and colleagues were asked to apply a physical signature where possible given the significance. 4. Quality Review, Section 5.4 Research, Scholarship and Research Training The draft research section of the Faculty Quality Review Self-Assessment Report [SAR] was discussed. The challenges in communicating the profile of the faculty were noted. Recommendations and amendments made included: Pointing to metrics supports the research in social sciences suggested screen grabs from SciVal Only some funded projects listed, e.g. SALIS Interact H2020 not included. It was noted that only a selection of projects are referenced in the document in order to provide an overview of the Faculty’s current activities. TPM noted that research students or structured pathways, GTEs are not mentioned. Creative practice is not featured in metrics, suggested inclusion of Inst. for Jazz funding and note that R. Guilfoyle is a composer to indicate another genre of music. Comms – language Marie Curie ITN’s – wording change to ‘only’ social science led ITN. SALIS has 2 Erasmus plus – teaching led – chair to check if this appears elsewhere e.g. T&L Suggested to make a point that we are different from science and research funding should be regarded as input as well as output. Top quartile journals – rankings difficult to make cross discipline comparability. Suggest making point in narrative in measuring quality. Chair to confirm if Internationalisation and Capacity Building are twinned as a section category in the Faculty SAR. 5. PhD Focus Group The Chair advised that a postgraduate focus group will be established as part of the development of the Faculty Quality Review Self-Assessment Report [SAR]. The focus group will comprise of a PhD student from each school, with the first meeting taking place on Monday, 21 October 2019, 2-3 pm in Room GLA.C167. 6. Terms of Reference, Membership / Roles of FRC members It was agreed at Faculty Management Board that the membership of the FRC will no longer include representatives from Faculty research centres. Any issues from research centres may be brought to the attention of the FRC through the respective research convenor. It was noted that some schools in the Faculty have separated the roles of research convenor and PhD director and similarly the communication channel is via the research convenor. The updated document circulated was discussed and approved subject to the following recommendations/amendments: note ‘diverse’ publications in first para. Include review application for research centres as function 2 / 31 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 7. Attendance at Postgraduate Awards Boards: The chair emphasised the importance of attendance at the award board for research degrees. All schools must be represented even if there are no candidates from their school is to be considered. Candidates considered at these boards are completing the cycle of their studies and the award board are giving final approval for graduation. Convenors asked to liaise with the PhD directors to inform that part of the Supervisor remit is to complete the student lifecycle and allow to graduate. It was proposed that Registry forwards a mail to supervisors, advising on which students are being assessed as it was suggested that Supervisors may not be aware. 8. Proposal for Anti-Corruption Research Centre (ARC): The joint proposal from the school of Law & Government and DCUBS was noted. If approved by URC the centre will require a public online presence. Feedback will be provided to the proposers and request clarification of the home school for the proposed centre. Colleagues from the School of Communications and SALIS have indicated interest in partaking in the initiative. The proposal was approved by the FRC and will be forwarded to the Faculty Management Board for discussion before presentation at the University Research Committee [URC] for consideration. 9. Faculty Research Committee Schemes 2019-2020 Schedule Calls for the Faculty schemes will open as per the schedule. Convenors will be required to review the Conference and Book scheme and Convenors were asked to note the relevant dates. The Chair clarified that scheme funding used for teaching buyout is only with the agreement of the respective HOS. An information session for new staff members is planned for next week, 22 October 2019. 10. School Reports: See appendix 1 1.1 School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies Report [October 2019] 1.2 School of Communications Report [June 19 - October 16, 2019] 1.3 Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge Report 1.4 School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music Report 1.5 School of History and Geography Report 11. Research and Innovation Support Services Report: A new member of staff, Pablo Lopez Alonso, who is dedicated to Erasmus+ project has been appointed to the University’s Research Development team. Full report available in Appendix 2 RIS report – 16TH OCTOBER 2019. 12. Library Report: Mr. John McDonough is a new College Librarian. The launch of Jesuit library was discussed. It was advised that June is latest date of opening for Woodlock hall which will house a broad humanities library. Thanks were conveyed to everyone for engaging with process, advising which publications to leave open access rather than put in storage. 13. Reserved Business Item: RPL application: FRC approved the request considered under reserved business. Date Due # Actions Owner Status Initiated Date 1. Contact Registry re entry requirements for PhD track MB 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing 2. School colleagues to be reminded regarding PGR3 forms. RC’s 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing 3. FRC feedback on the Draft Quality Review Research EMcN 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing Section 5.4 Research, Scholarship and Research Training to be incorporated into the document. 3 / 31 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences 4. Names of PhD students to partake in the focus group to RC’s 16 Oct 18 Oct Ongoing be forwarded to the Chair. 5. Amendment to be made to the introduction piece of the EMcN 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing FRC TOR to read “As a research-intensive area of activity, the Faculty will have high levels of internationally ranked diverse quality publications…”. 6. Confirm if the incoming Associate Dean for External EMcN 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing Engagement [ADEE] will be an ex-officio member of the FRC committee. 7. Faculty research centre directors to be contacted in RC’s 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing advance of FRC meetings regarding any issues to be feedback / highlighted to the committee. 8. Liaise with PhD directors, to feedback any issues for FRC’s RC’s 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing attention. 9. Supervisors to be advised on the importance of RC’s 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing attendance at Awards Boards for Research Degrees. 10. Methods on how research convenors are informed EMcN 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing regarding which students are being considered at Awards Boards for Research Degrees to be raised at GRSB. 11. Recommendations from FRC will be provided to the EMcN 16 Oct ASAP Ongoing proposers of the Anti-Corruption Research Centre (ARC).