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 minor changes to existing programme curricula (including for existing collaborative provision) and short course provision in accordance with the College Academic Standards Framework 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 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 2023-24)
Name Role
Dr Mike Tennant Vice-Dean (Education) FoNS (Chair)
Dr Ingo Mueller-Wodarg Faculty Senior Tutor
Professor Bernadette Byrne  Associate Dean for EDI, (FoNS)
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 Iria González Becerra 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.
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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
 
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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.