During the last decade, ucc has seen a proliferation of programmes and modules. Much of this growth is indicative of academic staff innovation, research strengths and a dynamic response to market demands and national skills shortages. While some of these new curriculum offerings have been really successful, there are a large number of programmes that are not attracting sufficient demand to make them viable. The objective of this priority is to ensure that our university has a strong, distinctive academic portfolio, which is coherently timetabled and is successful in attracting a diverse range of applicants.

ACTION 8
Review existing programme and module offerings to identify opportunities for rationalisation and potential for part-time and flexible delivery modes.

This action aims to strengthen and enhance the academic portfolio. to this end ucc has been focused on new online modes of delivery. anecdotal evidence suggests that peer-to-peer sharing of approaches has removed barriers between schools and colleges. an increase in uptake of staff training on canvas and online teaching methodologies has been recorded in recent months. Innovative approaches to field and laboratory work implemented recently will be documented by a working group. A review of the approaches to online teaching and assessment and harvesting of best practice will support the delivery of more flexible delivery modes. Progress continues to be made in the review of both the Undergraduate (PG) and Postgraduate (PG) Academic Portfolios. This resulted in 40 of the poorly performing PG Programmes not opening for recruitment in 2019/20. For 2020/21 recruitment a further 33 programmes were not opened for recruitment across all four Colleges as they are currently under review, in the process of being phased out or being redesigned. For 2021/22, 26 further programmes have been temporarily ceased and 14 programmes have been permanently deleted. A number of new programmes have been launched that are in line with national skills needs and university priorities. This includes the programmes launched under the HCI and July Stimulus initiatives.

ACTION 9
Align programmes and modules with demand, university priorities, national objectives and organisational structures.

This action ensures that ucc will present a strong academic portfolio that will be successful in target markets. The academic portfolio planning and enrolment planning exercises are being carried out concurrently. Recent work in this area has encouraged analysis of the performance of the portfolio to become a feature of our strategic enhancement operations. Through new workflows for curriculum approval, and quality review processes, university programmes are becoming better aligned with market demand, university priorities, national objectives and organisational structures.

ACTION 10
Revise and enhance the regulatory framework to facilitate opportunities for credit accumulation and transfer, as well as a range of new academic pathways, including, a bphil pathway and professional pathways.

This action will be delivered in conjunction with priority 3. work is underway with computer science to develop their munster training programme into a 20 ects special purpose award. This will be used as recognition of prior learning (rpl) for entry into computer science undergraduate programme and will offer holders opportunities to undertake elective modules in the early years of their degree. work is also underway to establish a bphil pathway within the computer science undergraduate programme based upon 2nd year grades.

ACTION 11
Operationalise a feasibility study on the potential for centralised, personalised student timetables.

A paper will be prepared outlining the findings of this study and any recommendations arising. The paper will be presented to the Academic Leadership Forum. cacsss and the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEES) have agreed to engage in a pilot project to develop centralised personalised student timetables. the project initiation document has been drafted.

Team: 

Lead Sponsors: Dr. Ruth Ramsay, Dean of Graduate Studies & Prof Stephen Byrne, Dean of Undergraduate Studies

Administrative Lead: Dr. Jennifer Murphy, Director of Recruitment and Admissions

Team members:

• Admissions support officer
• Business development and finance manager, office of the deputy president and registrar
• Director academic services
• Director it services
• Director of recruitment and admissions
• Graduate attributes programme manager
• Key personnel in the colleges
• Manager enterprise applications
• Recruitment committee and key personnel in the Colleges