Restructuring of Academic Units and Associated Academic Services'

1
Restructuring of Academic Units and Associated
Academic Services.

• March 2007.
  Jim Browne
• 
  Registrar Deputy President
• 
  NUI ,Galway.

2
Structure of Presentation

• Background to Restructuring in Irish
  Universities.
• NUI Galway Context
• Restructuring of Academic Units.
• Restructuring of Academic Services.
• Conclusions.

3
Background 1.

• Development of Mass 3rd Level Education.
• Development of 4th Level Education.
• Growth of Research Funding and Research Culture.
• Greater Diversity of Students.
• Higher Expectations by Students and other
  Stakeholders.
• Greater Clarity on Role of Universities.

4
Background 2.

• Respect for University Autonomy. (1997 Act).
• Requirement to develop Strategic Plans and embed
  Quality Assurance Systems. (1997 Act)
• Demand for Greater Accountability and
  Transparency (All Stakeholders)
• Resource Allocations based on Outcomes rather
  than Process. (HEA RGAM)
• Performance Based Internal Resource Allocation.

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Universities are important to national social and
economic progress.

• Funding Model must provide implicit strategic
  direction . and consistent with institutional
  autonomy and policies should link national
  strategy with institutional strategies, as
  appropriate. OECD Report Review of Higher
  Education in Ireland

6
Minister for Finance (Budget 2006)

• Higher education must deliver people who will
  expand knowledge-based business in Ireland. This
  will require substantial change and quality
  improvement in universities and the promotion of
  system-wide collaboration that can draw on the
  collective strengths of these institutions ..
• I am announcing the allocation of 300m to the
  Strategic Innovation Fund for Higher Education.

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Background -- Research 1

• Growth of Research Funding.
• Funding Agencies support Programmes and Projects.
• PRTLI
• SFI CSET and Research Clusters.
• EU Framework Programme.
• Theme rather than discipline based research.
• Many research challenges lie at the intersection
  of traditional disciplines.
• Small discipline based units are not in a
  position to respond.

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Background -- Research 2

• True for the Humanities as well as the Sciences.
• Research an institutional priority rather than
  a personal choice.
• Growth of Research Support Offices.
• Growth of Research Centres
• Examples Marine Science, Environmental
  Science, Human Rights, Biomedical Engineering
  Science, Globalisation, Social Gerontology.
• Research Centres challenge existing structures
  and services in the Universities. (Library,
  Computer Services, Accounts, HR, Resource
  Allocation etc.)

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Background -- Research 3 Graduate Schools.

• Double Ph.D. numbers.
• IRCSET and HEA Workshops (2006)
• Create critical mass in order to deliver high
  quality research supervision and a high quality
  research environment by developing graduate
  schools, which are theme based and draw on the
  resource of multiple universities.
• Emphasis on the Quality of Research Supervision
• IUQB Guidelines on the Ph.D. programme.
• Move away from the Master Apprentice mode.
• Groups of Students and Supervisors.
• Graduate eco-system.
• Shared generic courses

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Common Themes Emerging

• Change is constant. (1980 1996, 1997 - )
• Change linked to national strategic objectives,
  while respecting University autonomy.
• Collective strength within and between
  institutions.
• Critical Mass is a concern.
• Success of New Research Structures/Programmes.
• Traditional Academic Structures challenged.
• Traditional Services Model challenged.
•  

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EUA Review of Quality Assurance in Irish
Universities

• Section 48 Irish Universities have large numbers
  of departments and units, many of which are
  small, sometimes very small, and a large majority
  of which are discipline based. change in these
  structures are necessary to create critical mass,
  to strengthen higher collective levels of
  responsibility and to support inter-disciplinary
  process.

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Structure of Presentation

• Background to Restructuring in Irish
  Universities.
• NUI Galway Context
• Restructuring of Academic Units.
• Restructuring of Academic Services.
• Conclusions.

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EUA Review of NUI, Galway

• The review of the internal organisational
  structure must continue melding smaller units
  into larger units

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Departments by Size (Staff)
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NUI Galway Context
Existing Units (excl. Research Units) Faculty De
partments Teaching Programmes Arts
14
6 Celtic Commerce 4 Engineering
6 Law 2 Medicine and Health Sciences
18 2 Science 9

Total 53 8

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Approach to Restructuring.

• Structure to be effective must support the
  Strategy and engage the People.
• Support Strategy New programmes of teaching and
  research and diverse needs.
• Engage People Requires leadership, Buy In
  and where appropriate training.
• Otherwise !

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Structure of Presentation

• Background to Restructuring in Irish
  Universities.
• NUI Galway Context
• Restructuring of Academic Units.
• Restructuring of Academic Services.
• Conclusions.

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Objectives of Restructuring

• Develop new programmes (teaching and research) to
  attract top quality students
• Improve teaching and research performance
• Enhance impact on Irelands social, cultural and
  economic development
• Noting that
• Traditional academic structures are increasingly
  out of line with new realities in teaching and
  research.
• Restructuring should not destroy existing
  structures, rather it should enhance them.

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Principles underlying Restructuring.

• Restructuring is in accordance with the
  Universitys Strategic and Academic Plans
• The University has specifically adopted the EUA
  Reviewers Report that smaller units be melded
  into larger ones
• The restructuring will take place in the context
  of change, development and opportunity at
  national level
• The informing principle is cognateness of the
  disciplines involved in the formation of new
  units

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Principles of Restructuring (cont.)

• The application of more than one model is
  appropriate
• There will be respect for academic disciplines
  while accepting that the disciplines will change
  and develop over time
• The University will move, over time and as
  opportunity presents itself, to locate units in
  one location
• The restructuring should facilitate cooperation
  across disciplines, not build new walls, leading
  in turn to greater possibilities for the
  development of interdisciplinary programmes

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Principles of Restructuring (cont.)

• Restructuring take places against a background of
  considerable coming together of academic
  expertise which has successfully occurred in the
  development of research institutes and centres. 
• Question Are our existing structures more
  reflective of the needs of the service providers
  than those of the students (u/g and p/g) ?

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Advantages of Restructuring

• Greater alignment of teaching programmes with
  academic organisation.
• Facilitate the Universitys stated aim of
  offering research led programmes.
• Formally embrace the Universitys new research
  structures.
• Facilitate new interdisciplinary programmes.

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Advantages of Restructuring - cont

• Duplication of courses between departments
  reduced.
• Larger units more likely to attract
  new/replacement appointments
• New appointments strategically focused in a
  larger unit
• Sabbatical leave can be more easily facilitated.

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Advantages of Restructuring - cont

• Funding bodies look favourably on submissions
  from larger interdisciplinary units
• Better utilisation of support staff.
• Administrative burden on academic staff may be
  alleviated.
• Non-pay budgets can be pooled, e.g. to provide
  for equipment purchase, while equipment available
  will be better utilised. 

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Proposed Academic Structure 1.

• Key Principles
• In an academic institution the intelligence and
  the knowledge lies at the level of the
  discipline and service leaders.
• Existing structures counterbalanced not
  replaced.
• University will consist of Colleges and Schools.
• College led by a Dean, chairs an Executive Board
  of Heads of Schools.
• Executive Board will allocate resources to the
  Schools. (HEA RAM)

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Proposed Academic Structure 2.

• Schools will
• involve multiple cognate departments
• be responsible for developing new programmes
• have circa 30 to 50 academic staff
• be led by an Executive Committee of heads of
  department / discipline
• develop over time and at a pace which will
  appropriate to their circumstances.

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Structure of Presentation

• Background to Restructuring in Irish
  Universities.
• NUI Galway Context
• Restructuring of Academic Units.
• Restructuring of Academic Services.
• Conclusions.

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Restructuring of Academic Services.

• Focus on three services
• Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
  (CELT).
• Library
• Computer Services.
• Why create CELT ?
• Message about the importance of teaching
• Major changes underway in pedagogy.
• Counterbalance to research effort.
• Formed in 2002. (Budget of 1.6 mEuro pa, 18
  Staff. )

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Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching.

• Role
• Advise on policy, curricular innovation and
  change
• Support academic staff development
• Manage learning technologies, audiovisual
  services and language laboratories
• Promote Service Learning and Civic Engagement.
• Research led and research informed.

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Culture Change Staff and Institution

• Traditional Model Professional
  Researcher/Amateur Teacher
• Move teaching from isolated and individual
  activity to course teams, mentors and fora for
  discussion
• Academic and professional validity of teaching
  excellence and social commitment
• Reform of recognition and reward structures,
  assessment of teaching quality, Presidents award
  for teaching.
• Strong links, communication and joint projects
  with Computer Services, Library and MIS.

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Culture change Student Learning

• From Teaching to Learning (Barr Tagg 1997) -
  empowering students as effective learners.
• Promoting active engagement and intellectual
  challenge
• Personally and socially transformative
• Civic awareness
• Teamwork
• Learning communities
• Use of new pedagogies (Enquiry based learning,
  project work, reflection, peer-assisted,
  technology enhanced, blended learning)

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Activities of CELT.

• Formal Qualifications - Masters in Teaching and
  Learning/Academic Practice
• Upgrade of technology infrastructure (Blackboard,
  AV systems, advanced media production, classroom
  systems, etc) and associated training.
• Plagiarism, Teaching Quality Assessment, Teaching
  Awards, Policy Advice to Academic Council,
  Service Learning.
• Supporting PhD and post-doctoral research in HE
• International Conference each June on key themes
  (2007 Learning Technologies 2008
  Research/Teaching Synergies)

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Library as the Centre of the Scholars Universe

• Historically Libraries were at the centre of the
  universe for scholars
• Libraries were the storehouses of knowledge
• Librarians were the gatekeepers.
• No longer so
• adapting the Copernican Model

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Scholar/Researcher is now the Centre

• Traditional Library only one of the sources of
  knowledge
• Constellations of other sources
• Internet
• Full text journals
• Databases / text / images / sound
• Data archives
• Institutional Repositories/ research support
  systems

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Technological Revolution

• Technology has revolutionised the way Libraries
  work
• Libraries can no longer operate in isolation
• Virtual Library - Library without walls

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Interdependencies of Academic Support Services

• Facilitating Access (Computer Services)
• Networks / Connectivity / Bandwidth - critical to
  Library operations
• Facilitating Teaching and Learning (CELT)
• Blackboard
• Plagiarism
• Information Skills
• Facilitating Business Processes (MIS)
• Student / Staff / Financial Information /
  supporting self-service

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Library Supporting Change - 1

• Outward looking role
• Changing customer base
• Targeting diverse communities
• Personalising Services
• Supporting interdisciplinarity
• Supporting Research
• Adding Value

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Change 2 - Re-focusing Services

• More emphasis on self-service
• Expansion of opening hours
• Simplifying Systems
• Offering systems based on user expectations
• GOOGLE type interfaces
• Amazon look and feel
• Social computing
• Delivery mechanisms - on expectations
• PodCasts
• Online help / 24/7 virtual help
• Blogs

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Computer Services in NUI Galway.

• 2002 Opportunity for a Review.
• Director retires.
• Emergence of University strategic planning
• Computer Services was largest provider
• Other units provided overlapping technology
• Clear opportunities to improve
• Engage consultants
• Document strengths and weaknesses
• Propose role definition for Computer Services
• Match ICT provision to service need
• Find a solution which works in NUI Galway

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2002 Consultants Findings

• Ten key recommendations including
• Central management for shared infrastructure
• Central management of teaching learning labs
• Decentralised management of specialist
  applications
• Development of unified technology strategy
• Central co-ordination for operational services
• Central responsibility for security
• Improved reporting and transparency of costing
• Improved governance
• Improved utilisation of departmental skills

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2002 - Decisions

• Centralise management of infrastructure
• Including desktop services
• Consensual basis progress towards excellence
• Decentralise specialist support
• Specialist business applications
• Specialist academic applications
• Recruit a new Director in CTO role
• Deliver service excellence
• Deliver the centralising agenda
• Deliver the decentralising agenda
• Ensure that technology strategy is unified
• Build a community of willing partners

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2002 The Concept
Locally led services, provided to meet specific
locally determined needs or based on local
specialist skills
University Admin-istration
External Services (incl. Web)
Academic Support
Teaching Learning
Research
Desktop Provision and Support
Centrally led services, provided across the
University on the basis of common agreed
standards and utilising a common central resource
base
Security Services Procedures
Network Infrastructure, Standards Procedures
Servers and Server Management
Application Software Providers
Desktop Software Providers
Other Service Providers
Hardware Network Suppliers
Skills Human Resources
CTO led development and implementation of a
unified technology strategy
Management Framework
Service Delivery Framework
Technical Standards
Unified Technology Strategy
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How far have we got?

• Director senior team in place
• Initial CS reorganisation completed
• Much better campus relationships
• ICT Policy Committee up running
• Core services defined
• Up-skilling continues
• Continuing substantial service investment

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Organisational structure

• Strategic Services
• Develop and agree the strategy
• Customer Services
• Face the customer and listen
• Architecture
• Provide the services the customer needs
• Projects
• Introduce them carefully and effectively
• Infrastructure Services
• Achieve excellence in service delivery

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Structure of Presentation

• Background to Restructuring in Irish
  Universities.
• NUI Galway Context
• Restructuring of Academic Units.
• Restructuring of Academic Services.
• Conclusions.

46
Conclusions.

• Change will continue.
• More diverse student body.
• Multidisciplinary Programmes (Teaching and
  Research)
• 4th Level Ireland
• Emphasis on Measurement of Outputs (Funding
  Model)
• Institutional Performance (Programmes vs
  Projects)
• Academic and Academic Services structures are
  central to delivery of programmes.

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Conclusions.

• Reorganisation is necessary --- structures out of
  line with requirements.
• Strategy - Structure - People need to be
  considered together.
• Leadership is critical to effect real change.

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The Challenge to Academic Services.

• Offer leadership -- lead rather than follow.
• Strong Colleges and Schools will
• Make loud and articulate demands for service
• Demand specialist services to meet local needs
• Be able to mobilise local skills
• Academic Services
• Recognise this reality
• Be prepared to respond - Customer Driven.
• Continuously review service offerings.
• Be prepared to reorganise internally
• Continue to build supportive partnerships with
  other service providers (internal and external)
  and users.

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Conclusion.

• Go raibh maith agaibh.
• Aon Cheist ?