Briefing Michael Mulvey PhD Director of Academic Affairs and Registrar Review by the NQAI of the DIT under Section 39(4) of the Qualifications (Education & Training) Act 1999 Briefing Michael Mulvey PhD Director of Academic Affairs and Registrar

External Review Panel Composition 6 members including Student representative Quality Assurance Expert Senior Industrialist Half of the Panel will be international

Terms of Reference Follow-up to the 2006 review of effectiveness of DIT’s quality assurance procedures Education and training programmes offered by the DIT

Terms of Reference Follow-up to the 2006 review of effectiveness of DIT’s quality assurance procedures - 33 strategically linked recommendations - Particular attention to be given to: the five recommendations on quality assurance and enhancement - quality issues which the NQAI commented upon

Terms of Reference (contd) - need to implement more proactively and to review the annual programme reporting processes in order to encourage full participation by both students and staff and in order to ensure greater transparency in the student feedback process - the need to accelerate the development of the emerging systems for school, faculty and research review

Terms of Reference (contd) Education and training programmes offered by the DIT Criteria to include: - examination of DIT’s processes for the quality assurance of the programme of education and training, including research programmes, which it provides. - European standards and guidelines for internal quality assurance within higher education institutions

Terms of Reference (contd) Criteria to include: - policy and procedures for quality assurance - approval, monitoring and periodic review of programmes and awards - assessement of students - quality assurance of teaching staff - learning resources and student support - information systems - public information

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) Part 1: General Guidance - Nature and length of SER (25-40 pages) - References to Supporting Documentation - Gathering Views to Inform the SER (internal and external) - Mechanisms such as an internal SWOT or PEST analysis and reports of focus groups

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) General Background Information to include: - On the Institute and its programmes - Range of its activities in Ireland and abroad - A synopsis of the national and international education,training and research activities of DIT - List of programmes to include CPDs, NFQ levels and award types

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) Education and Training Programmes offered by the DIT - details of programmes offered - policy and procedures for quality assurance - quality and standards of programmes & awards - mechanisms for monitoring stated objectives - a means to respond to any identified weaknesses - commitment to the development of a culture which recognises the importance of quality and quality assurance, in their work

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) - a strategy for the continuous enhancement of quality - designing programme and module learning outcomes - the assessment of students using published criteria, regulations and procedures which are applied consistently - the quality assurance of teaching staff - adequate learning resources and student supports

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) - appeals procedures to deal with any complaints or appeals in respect of academic and non-academic matters - outcomes to date from quality, professional accreditation and research funding reviews - evidence of academic leadership in particular disciplines - evidence of appropriate arrangements in place with external stakeholders

Self-Evaluation Report Guidelines (SER) - student number data - retention, completion and employment statistics over the past five years - grade achievement statistics over the past five years - staff numbers by grade over the past five years

Other Considerations RESEARCH - DIT’s research strategy and activities, the Institute should allude to these in the context of evaluating its programmes and awards at Levels 6-10 of the NFQ, especially Levels 9 and 10. - In terms of its research activities, the DIT could discuss the on-going capacity of the Institute to contribute to national objectives for collaborative higher education and research activity

Participation in the Bologna Process and implementation of related national policies Areas to be explored: - International cooperation and academic exchange - Mobility of students, graduates and higher education staff - Preparation of students for their future careers and for life as active citizens - The implementation of the NFQ including a three- cycle structure - The fair recognition of foreign degrees - Development of links between higher education, research and innovation; equitable participation and lifelong learning

Demonstration of engagement with the Bologna reform agenda Participation in the Bologna Process and implementation of related national policies Demonstration of engagement with the Bologna reform agenda - the provision of access, transfer and progression opportunities to learners - increasing student and staff mobility - the recognition of foreign qualifications for the purposes of further study

Membership of Institute Review Steering Group Director of Academic Affairs (Chair) Michael Mulvey Academic Registrar (Secretary) William Grimson College Director Paul O’Sullivan (Business) Student Clare Cullen (VP, DITSU) College Administrator Elizabeth Heffernan (Sciences) Head of School (Arts & Tourism) John O’Connor Head of Department Maev Maguire (Sciences) Lecturer/Academic Staff member (Arts & Tourism) Dominic Dillane Lecturer (Eng & Built Environment) Stephen Best Head of Learning Development (Eng & Built Environment) Brian Bowe Research (DRE) Mary McNamara Researcher (College of Business) Pamela Sharkey-Scott Non-academic services Paul Flynn Human Resources Phil Kenna

In attendance: Quality Assurance Officer Jan Cairns Quality Assurance Officer Nicole O’Neill Institutional Researcher Margaret Kilmartin Director of Student Academic Affairs, DITSU Mary Scally RPL Officer Anne Murphy 18

Staff Intranet Link to DIT Institutional Review: http://intranet.dit.ie/academicaffairs/dit_institutional_review/index.html