Faculty of Natural Sciences
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 through consideration of the outcomes of student survey results and staff‐student committees, at all points of delivery.
- To ensure the effective 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) including for any collaborative programmes (iii) the development and ongoing oversight of an action plan to address issues arising through the annual monitoring process.
- 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 and identify and monitor actions arising from the reports at Faculty and College level.
- To consider reports of Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (PSRB) on undergraduate and postgraduate taught provision and make recommendations for action as appropriate.
- To recommend to Programmes Committee proposals for and changes to short course provision in accordance with the schedule of delegation.
- To recommend to Programmes Committee major modifications for existing programmes of study.
- To recommend to Programmes Committee for approval changes to the threshold and additional entry requirements for existing programmes of study.
- To have oversight of programme specifications for taught degree programmes and course specifications for short course provision.
- To have oversight of marking schemes and schemes for award of honours.
- To oversee departmental arrangements for the consideration of special cases for admission and to have oversight of all special case decisions.
- To oversee the professional skills development programme for Master’s level students.
- To approve new student exchange partnerships and the renewal of existing student exchange partnerships and report these to QAEC.
- Where applicable, receive minutes from the joint management boards for the Faculty’s collaborative programme.
- To report regularly through 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 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
Name | Role |
---|---|
Dr Mike Tennant | Vice-Dean (Education) FoNS (Chair) |
Dr Ingo Mueller-Wodarg | Faculty Senior Tutor |
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 |
Professor Carl Paterson | Director of Undergraduate Studies, Physics |
Dr James Bull | Director of Master Studies, Chemistry |
Dr David Mann | Director of PG Studies, Life Sciences |
TBC | Head of Master’s Teaching, Life Sciences (South Kensington) |
Professor Rob Ewers | Head of Master’s Teaching, Life Sciences (Silwood Park) |
Dr Travis Schedler | Department Postgraduate Representative, Mathematics |
Professor Ben Sauer | Director of Postgraduate Studies, Physics |
Professor Toby Wiseman | Director of Postgraduate Taught Studies, Physics |
Dr Martin Head | Director of the MSc Environmental Technology, CEP |
Chloe Lee | Vice President (Education), RCSU |
TBC | Postgraduate Taught Academic & Welfare Officer (FoNS), Imperial College Union |
Yi Yang | Deputy President (Education), Imperial College Union |
Moira Sarsfield | Director of the FoNS EdTech Lab |
Professor Stephen Curry | College Consul, Life Sciences |
Professor David Evans | College Consul, Mathematics |
Dr Vijay Tymms | FoNS Representative on Programmes Committee, Physics |
Kate Ippolito | Educational Development Unit (EDU) Representative |
Mark Anderson | Educational Development Unit (EDU) Representative |
Graeme Rae | Faculty Operations Officer, FoNS |
Stefan Hoyle | Head of Health and Safety, FoNS |
Emma Rabin | Registry Representative |
Dr Felicitas Starr-Egger | CLCC Representative |
Okan Kibaroglu | ICT Representative |
Paul Hancock | Faculty Marketing and Recruitment Manager (Natural Sciences) |
Emma Mattin | Education and EDI Coordinator, FoNS |
Rebecca Middleton | Faculty Education Manager, FoNS |
Chris Kerr | Education and Quality Assurance Coordinator, FoNS (Secretary) |
* NB. Senior Tutors generally deputise for DUGS if the latter are unable to attend. |
Meeting dates and deadlines
Committee dates (Academic year 2023/24) | Paper submission deadlines (Academic year 2023/24) |
---|---|
13 September 2023 | 30 August 2023 |
22 November 2023 | 08 November 2023 |
21 February 2024 | 07 February 2024 |
24 April 2024 | 10 April 2024 |
Agenda items (including papers) should be submitted to the committee secretary two weeks prior to the committee meeting. Papers will normally be circulated to members one week prior to the committee meeting.
Minutes
Academic year 2019/20
- 25 September 2019 [pdf]
- 27 November 2019 [pdf]
- 06 March 2020 [pdf]
- 29 April 2020 [pdf]
Academic year 2018/19
- 26 September 2018 [pdf]
- 28 November 2018 [pdf]
- 09 January 2019 [pdf]
- 27 February 2019*
- 01 May 2019
Academic year 2017/18
- 27 September 2017 [pdf]
- 29 November 2017 [pdf]
- 28 February 2018 [pdf]
- 18 April 2018 [pdf]
Academic year 2016/17
- 12 October 2016 [pdf]
- 22 February 2017 [pdf]
- 17 May 2017 [pdf]
Academic year 2015/16
- 17 February 2016 [pdf]
- 01 June 2016 [pdf]
*Minutes to be approved at the next meeting.