Formal review of the School of Systems Engineering announced
Release Date 10 February 2015
The University Executive Board (UEB) has announced a formal review of the School of Systems Engineering (Tuesday 10th February 2015).
This will be a comprehensive and detailed 15-week assessment of the School's long-term viability - its research and teaching quality; research impact; financial projections; and strategy.
It follows the Research Evaluation Framework 2014 (REF), published in December. This showed the School has pockets of world-class research but had a disappointing overall result. UEB is concerned the School has made not significant improvements since a formal review reported five years ago, after Research Assessment Exercise 2008. It wants to put a robust plan in place to address the issues highlighted.
The review's formal terms of reference are:
- To determine progress of the School following its review in 2009-10, including strategic, academic and financial aspects.
- To consider the strategic direction of the various elements which comprise the School.
- To consider whether each such element is best constituted with a School of Systems Engineering or with a different part of the University or should not be part of the University at all.
- To consider the implications for other Schools of moving any elements of Systems Engineering to those other Schools.
- That the review make recommendations if possible to the University Executive Board at its meeting on 1st June 2015 such that any recommendations the Board may wish to make can be brought through the Strategy and Finance Committee and the Senate to the meeting of the Council on 13th July 2015.
The review will be led by Professor Robert Van de Noort, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Planning and Resource, supported by Professor Dianne Berry (Dean, Postgraduate Studies) and Dr Elizabeth McCrum (Associate Dean, Teaching and Learning, Faculty of Science).
The review is asking for views, comment and responses up to Friday 27th March 2015, with more formal fact-finding and discussion sessions chaired by Professor Van de Noort - including with Dean of Science, Head of School, staff and students.
The review panel will then assess all the responses and information gathered, in order to make detailed recommendations.
The findings and next steps will be published in due course.
This will be the only formal review of a School or Department in the light of REF 2014.
Professor Van de Noort said: "The University is making long-term decisions to meet its ambitions and vision - expanding student numbers; investing in research; and building on growing strengths.
"This will be a comprehensive and detailed assessment of the School's long-term viability.
The School operates in a very competitive market for students and funding. The REF 2014 is the most robust and independent benchmark of research quality. It showed for the School of Systems Engineering that there were pockets of world-class research but was disappointing overall.
"No decisions have been taken. It would be wrong to rule out any option at this early stage. We will be working closely with staff and students to enable UEB to make a fully informed decision about the potential next steps. We need to make the right long-term decisions in the best interests of the wider institution.
"There are no plans to formally review any other school or department in the light of REF."
The review is asking for views, comment and responses up to Friday 27th March 2015: please email formalreview@reading.ac.uk from Wednesday 11th February 2015.
The review panel will then assess all the responses and information gathered, in order to make detailed recommendations to UEB by Monday 1st June 2015.
More information on the University's Review and Restructuring Policy: http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/humanresources/policiesandprocedures/ResolvingProblems/humres-randr.aspx