Summary of Main Recommendations
The work of the Review Panel was facilitated by excellent organisation and by the open and frank discussions which took place with staff and students from the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism. The discussions were wide-ranging and fruitful and the School’s staff responded positively to suggestions put forward by the Panel. The preparatory work on the Self-study document had been thorough and staff had reflected in advance on most matters that were raised by the Panel. The Self-study played an important part in the initiation of reflection and positive change within the School.
The School Review process afforded the opportunity for the School to design a system for its programmes in the future based on an integrated portfolio, rather than in the past when each programme was designed and validated as a distinct programme. The programme structure is a modular one which will allow the adaptation into a ‘full modularised system’ which will be integrated with the modular system to be developed by the Institute.
The School’s operational strategy provides an approach that ensures quality improvement and quality assurance in programme design with core modules that offers flexibility and student choice through option and elective modules.
The Review Panel recommends to Academic Council continued approval of the following programmes:
· MSc in Hospitality Management (full and part-time)
· MSc in Tourism Management (full and part-time)
· BSc in Hospitality Management
· BSc in Tourism Marketing
· BA (Ord.) in Leisure Management
The Panel also recommends to the Academic Council the validation of the following programmes:
· BA (Ord.) in Hotel and Restaurant Management (full and part-time) to replace Diploma in Hotel & Catering Management (full and part-time)
· BA (Ord.) in Tourism to replace Certificate in Travel and Tourism
· Certificate in Hospitality Services Management (part-time) to replace Certificate in Supervisory Management
The Panel noted that all of the programmes developed are ‘modular ready’. However, the appropriate regulatory framework does not currently exist within the Institute to offer programmes in such a format. In the interim all programmes will be delivered and assessed in the conventional format and in accordance with the General Assessment Regulations as currently in force in the Institute.
Associated with the previous recommendations is the requirement that the Institute’s Quality Assurance procedures are implemented as provided for in the Quality Assurance Handbook in relation to the membership of Programme Committees and Student Handbooks, for example.
Other Recommendations
1. Each module should be revised having due regard to the recommendations on Module Descriptions as developed by the Institute’s Learning & Teaching Centre. (See 7.1.1)
2. Ethical issues should be a component of all appropriate modules. (See 7.1.1)
3. The Panel endorses the inclusion of Personal Development components contained in the key skills of each module but recommends that a system be implemented to ensure these skills are gained within each module by including them in the assessment process and by ensuring students are aware of key skills. (See 7.1.1)
4. The modular approach will require an advisory/ mentoring structure to advise students on module selection best suited to their career objectives. (See 7.1.1)
5. The School should initiate a formal communication process between staff and students, e.g. student membership on programme committees. (See 7.1.1)
6. The Review Panel was impressed by the efforts of the School to work more closely with industry, and in introducing tailor-made programmes. This area of activity will be of increasing importance to the School, allied to the planned delivery of other short specialist programmes. The Panel therefore recommends that structures be put in place to promote and increase this activity. (See 7.1.2)
7. The Panel supports the principle of student progression from the BA (Ordinary) degrees and recommends that the School urgently address the manner and route of such progression. (See 7.1.2)
8. The School should develop and implement an active Public Relations strategy to promote the School. (See 7.1.5)
9. The School should extend the use of learner-centered teaching strategies. (See 7.1.3)
10. Students should have regular on-going contact with and support from tutors and other students during the internship/ industry placement. (See 7.1.3)
11. The effectiveness of the current internship/ industry placement provision on leisure management programmes should be kept under review. (See 7.1.3)
12. The duration of the internship/ industry placement on the BA (Ord.) in Hotel and Restaurant Management needs to be monitored. (See 7.1.3)
13. An alumni networking system be developed further to offer competitive advantage both to graduates and to the School. (See 7.1.3)
14. The Panel recognises the significant benefits and opportunities arising from the availability of facilities such as kitchens, restaurants and bar for the hospitality management programmes thus facilitating the transfer of management theory to the working environment. The lack of comparable access for the leisure management programme is regarded as a constraint. The School should explore the feasibility of developing a facility, possibly in partnership with the private sector, which could operate by day as a training centre and at night as a commercial leisure facility. (See 7.1.3)
15. The learning and teaching environment should reflect changing methodologies. For example, tiered fixed seating impedes small group-work and problem-based learning. In addition, the audio-visual systems need to be updated and reviewed frequently. (See 7.1.3)
16. The Panel notes that there are staff shortages of expertise in key areas and this requires to be solved by pro-active recruitment strategies. (See 7.1.4)
17. The Panel commends the work of the support and administrative staff of the School and recognises that such support needs to be augmented in all areas. (See 7.1.4)
18. The School should formulate an active policy on the harvesting of research activities at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, in journal articles and appropriate reports. (See 7.1.5)
19. The School should adopt an active policy of individual staff development plans for all levels of staff. (See 7.1.5)
20. The School’s growth targets are likely to be restricted by current resource constraints in relation to classrooms, placement opportunities and IT equipment, for example, and the Panel recommends that these constraints be monitored on a continuous basis. (See 7.1.6)
21. With the introduction of a modular system the Quality Assurance process should be flexible to facilitate an efficient and speedy response to the approval of new modules and the review of existing modules. It is recommended that the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism pilot such a system. (See 7.1.1)
1 Introduction
The Academic Council at its meeting on 5th December 2001 approved a proposal from the Academic Quality Assurance Committee (19th November 2001) that a School Review be held within the School of Hospitality Management and Tourism. It was agreed that the School Review should address and incorporate all its programmes and that while the broad focus of the Review would apply, the review should be extended to include scrutiny of the programmes being revised, rather than consider them in isolation from other programmes within the School in separate validation events. The main purpose of the School Review was to take a strategic overview of the School itself, its current position and its ability to respond to changing needs. It was also intended to give particular attention to individual programmes that were undergoing major change so that recommendations could be brought forward to Academic Council in relation to the proposed new awards, as well as the awards of existing programmes.
2 The Review Process
The focus of the School Review is in respect of the School as a whole. This includes the general position and performance; the range of activities and how these are conducted; reviewed and developed; the range and quality of taught programmes; the research and staff development activities; the management procedures and quality improvement systems and the links with external bodies. The external environment, including the effects of demographic changes and competition from other educational institutions on the programmes offered, was also considered within the review process.
Central to the review process was the Self-study, prepared by the School and considered by the Review Panel prior to visiting the School. This Self-study is a critical evaluation of the School's activities and highlights strengths and achievements as well as areas of difficulty.
The process of review carried out by the School followed current practice for the validation of new programmes and review of existing programmes; that is the documentation prepared by the School was sent to the Faculty Board for endorsement. The documentation was then forwarded, with external assessor nominations, to the Academic Quality Assurance Committee which appointed a Review Panel.
The review visit was extended to take place over a three-day period from 21st to 23rd January 2003. The Panel, through a series of meetings with management, staff and students of the School and a visit to the facilities available to the School, considered issues raised in the Self-study and in the other documentation presented. The Panel sub-divided on the second day to consider the individual programmes in Hospitality Management, and in Tourism and Leisure Management.
2.1 The Purpose of the School Based Review
The broad objectives of the School Review were to evaluate:
· the School's approach to programme design and development, having due regard to the influence of bodies representing students, employers and the sector;
· the learning environment of the School;
· staffing including academic, administrative and technical;
· staff development and research activities within the School;
· the School’s quality assurance systems, including the effectiveness of taught programmes in meeting their stated objectives; and,
· the School's development plans for the future.
2.2 Membership of the Review Panel
The Review Panel appointed by Academic Council to carry out the School Based Review was comprised as follows:
Internal Members
Mr. Pat O’Neill (Chairman) Faculty of Business
Dr. Michael Devereux Faculty of Tourism & Food
Mr. Michael Farrell Faculty of Engineering
Dr. Diana Kelly Head of Lifelong Learning
Dr. Thomas Duff Academic Registrar
Ms. Sharon Feeney Quality Assurance Officer
External Members
Dr. Joan Buckley Head of Department, Management & Marketing, UCC
Prof. Doug Frechtling Professor & Chair, Department of Tourism & Hospitality Management, George Washington University, USA.
Mr. Gar Holohan Director, Holohan Group Consultants
Mr. Tony Kelly Director of Marketing, Irish Ferries
Mr. Lee Kidney Director, Lee Hotels, Dublin
Prof. Gary Prosser University Centre, César Ritz, Brig, Switzerland
2.3 Programme of Visit to School
The Review took place in accordance with the following schedule.
Day 1 – Tuesday 21st January 2003
9.00 am Formal commencement of process: Chair of Panel (Mr. P. O’Neill) introduced members of panel; Dr. Marlene Proctor introduced the Faculty Executive; Head of School and Heads of Department.
9.30 am Formal presentation by Head of School (Dr. J. Ruddy) describing main activities of the School and introducing the key points from the self-study report.
10.15 am Private meeting of Panel to discuss agenda for day.
11.15 am Tea/Coffee Break (including the School Management Team).
11.30 am Panel met with School Management Team (N. O’Connor, J. Ruddy, S. Flanagan, N. Andrews & P. Griffin) to discuss the broad contents of School Situational Analysis Report based on the self-study exercise and the practical implications of this for the School in terms of individual programmes and resources.
1.00 pm Lunch (Panel & School Management Team).
2.15 pm Private meeting of Panel to review progress and decide on issues for further discussion or evaluation.
2.45 pm Panel met with Heads of Department and Programme Tutors to discuss the suite of programmes offered by the School and the trends and direction of these – including discussion regarding programme management issues and Quality Assurance arrangements.
3.45 pm Tea/Coffee Break (including Heads of Department & Programme Tutors).
4.15 pm Panel met with School Review Steering Committee to discuss internal Faculty and School quality assurance arrangements, programme development, links with business, research activity and staff development within the School.
6.00 pm Panel met with representative current and former students.
6.45 pm Private meeting of Panel to review progress.
7.00 pm Dinner (including Faculty Executive, School Management Team and Panel).
Day 2 – Wednesday 22nd January 2003
9.00 am Private meeting of Panel to plan for the parallel sessions.
9.55 am Panel split into sessions.
Tourism Session (including Leisure Management)
10.00 am Meeting of Sub-Panel with Head of Department and Programme Tutors to discuss the School’s portfolio in the Tourism area and to address specific issues relating to the changes proposed.
11.15 am Tea/Coffee Break (including Heads of Department & Programme Tutors).
11.30 am Meeting of the Sub-Panel with staff teaching on the Tourism programmes to discuss syllabuses, teaching methods and assessment issues specific to the proposed changes.
1.00 pm Lunch
2.15 pm Private meeting of the Sub-Panel to consider its recommendations in relation to the Tourism programmes.
Hospitality Management Session
10.00 am Meeting of Sub-Panel with Head of Department and Programme Tutors to discuss the School’s portfolio in the Hospitality Management area and to address specific issues relating to the changes proposed.
11.15 am Tea/Coffee Break (including Heads of Dept. & Programme Tutors).
11.30 am Meeting of Sub-Panel with staff teaching on the Hospitality Management programmes to discuss syllabuses, teaching methods and assessment issues specific to the proposed changes.
1.00 pm Lunch
2.15 pm Private meeting of Sub-Panel to consider its recommendations in relation to the Hospitality Management programmes.
15.45 pm Tea/Coffee Break – Both Panels.
4.00 pm Full Panel met to review the parallel sessions.
4.45 pm Panel met with School Management Team, Librarian, Faculty Administrator, Examinations Officer, Careers Officer and Internship Placement Officer to discuss issues of resources, staff development and quality assurance implementation.
7.00 pm Dinner (including Panel and Senior Management Team).
Day 3 – Thursday 23rd January 2003
8.30 am Panel met with School Management Team to review contents of School’s evaluation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, based on self-study report and to discuss School’s Plan for Future Development.