Natural Sciences

Terms of reference

Strategic Responsibilities

  • To provide a forum for deliberation on matters of academic policy and the development of taught education* across the Faculty to enable the achievement of the College Strategy.
  • To consider and advise on developments in the educational portfolio of the Faculty.
  • To assess the implications of proposed new policies and procedures (both internal and external) and contribute to QAEC discussion or directly to external bodies.
  • To advise, implement and monitor new policies and procedures (both internal and external) which affect the activities and/or administration of teaching.

* Includes undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes of study and short course provision. The Committee may consider items related to postgraduate research provision, for example the results of the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey, if there are not other groups or committees in place to do that within the Faculty/Centre.

 Quality and Standards Responsibilities

  • To provide a forum for the discussion of student issues and to monitor the student  experience, for example via student survey results and staff-student committees, at all points of delivery.
  • To provide oversight and scrutiny of the processes of quality assurance for the Faculty’s academic provision in accordance with the College’s Academic Standards Framework.
  • To oversee the implementation of the College’s Annual Monitoring process by (i) the receipt and consideration of Department’s Annual Monitoring Reports (AMRs) (ii) the preparation of an annual summary report on issues and emerging themes arising from the Committee’s consideration of the AMRs, for submission to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC).
  • To identify through the annual monitoring, periodic review and other quality assurance mechanisms, good practice and innovation in learning, teaching and assessment and promote its dissemination across the Faculty and elsewhere in the College.
  • To consider on an annual basis College summaries of external examiner reports.
  • To consider reports of Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies on undergraduate and postgraduate taught provision.
  • To approve changes to existing programme curricula (including for existing collaborative provision) and short course provision in accordance with the College Academic Standards Framework and Programme and Module Modification Procedure and report these to the Programmes Committee.
  • To approve changes to entry requirements for existing programmes of study.
  • To approve and keep under review programme specifications for taught degree programmes and approve and keep under review course specifications for short course provision and inform QAEC.
  • To approve and keep under review marking schemes and schemes for award of honours and inform QAEC.
  • To appoint panels to consider special cases for admission and other circumstances.
  • To oversee all special cases.
  • To oversee the professional skills development programme for Master’s level students.
  • To approve, in collaboration with the Registry and International Office when appropriate, new exchange arrangements and the renewal of existing exchange agreements and report these to QAEC.
  • To report regularly through formal minutes and termly summary reports to QAEC.
  • Where appropriate to appoint sub-committees to carry out the above responsibilities.

 To be quorate a minimum of one third of the total expected members need to be present.

Constitution and membership
Constitution
 
  • A senior representative for educational leadership for the Faculty as Chair;
  • A College Consul;
  • At least two student representatives;
  • Additional members to be determined by each Faculty

For meetings including consideration of quality and standards matters:

  • At least one representative from the Registry nominated by the Academic Registrar or Director of Academic Quality and Standards;
  • A representative from the Educational Development Unit;
  • Student representation including the ICU Deputy President Education and Postgraduate Representation Committee representative
Membership (Academic year 2024-25)
Name Role
Dr Mike Tennant Vice-Dean (Education) FoNS (Chair)
Professor Stephen Curry College Consul, Life Sciences
Professor David Evans College Consul, Mathematics
Professor Bernadette Byrne  Associate Dean for EDI (FoNS)
Emina Hogas ICU: Deputy President (Education)
TBC ICU: Postgraduate Taught Academic & Welfare Officer (FoNS)
Jack Swires RCSU: Vice President (Education)
Professor Don Craig Director of Undergraduate Studies, Chemistry*
Professor Huw Williams Director of Undergraduate Studies, Life Sciences*
Dr Christopher Hallsworth Director of Undergraduate Studies, Mathematics*
Dr Derek Lee Director of Undergraduate Studies, Physics*
Dr Iria González Becerra CLCC Representative
Dr James Bull Director of Master Studies, Chemistry
Professor James Rosindell Head of Masters Studies, Life Sciences
Dr Marina Evangelou Head of Masters Studies, Mathematics
Professor Toby Wiseman Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies, Physics
Dr Martin Head Head of Masters Studies, CEP
Anne Houston Director of Training, Grantham Institute
Dr Ingo Mueller-Wodarg Faculty Senior Tutor
Dr Vijay Tymms FoNS Representative on Programmes Committee, Physics
Moira Sarsfield Director of the FoNS EdTech Lab, FoNS
Graeme Rae Faculty Operations Officer, FoNS
Stefan Hoyle Head of Health and Safety, FoNS
Kirstie Ward Registry QA Representative
Kate Ippolito Education Development Unit (EDU) Representative
Mark Anderson Education Development Unit (EDU) Representative
Paul Hancock Faculty Marketing and Recruitment Manager (Natural Sciences)
Rebecca Middleton Head of Education and Student Experience, FoNS
Emma Mattin Education and EDI Coordinator, FoNS
Chris Kerr Education and Quality Assurance Coordinator, FoNS (Secretary)
* NB. Senior Tutors generally deputise for DUGS if the latter are unable to attend.
Summary of the table's contents
Meeting dates and deadlines

 Faculty of Natural Sciences Education Committee (NSEC)

Committee dates (Academic year 2024/25) Paper submission deadlines (Academic year 2024/25)
18 September 2024 04 September 2024
20 November 2024 06 November 2024
19 February 2025 05 February 2025
09 April 2024 26 March 2025
 
Summary of the table's contents

 

Committee Secretary

For more information please contact Chris Kerr, Education and Quality Assurance Coordinator (Faculty of Natural Sciences).