PC

Terms of reference

Terms of Reference

The Programmes Committee is a sub-committee of the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee (QAEC).  It has delegated responsibility from QAEC to consider proposals for new and major modifications to undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes of study as well as the College's EngD programmes.

The Committee is also responsible for providing quality assurance oversight for courses that do not result in an award of the College but that bear the name of the College. This includes, but is not limited to, continuing professional development, Horizons, Business for Professionals of Engineering and Science (BPES) modules, pre-sessional courses, and summer school courses, including outreach. The Committee’s remit excludes the Graduate School’s professional skills development programme and Careers Service’s training programme which are quality assured separately.

Approval of Programmes of Study

  • To oversee and approve an annual schedule of programme approval activity for the College linked to the College Strategic Planning Round.
  • To consider and recommend, to the Quality Assurance and Enhancement Committee, the approval of new award bearing undergraduate, postgraduate taught and EngD programmes congruent with College expectations and academic regulations.
  • To manage the approval process and programme development activity including providing advice at the initial stages in such areas as: regulatory queries; engagement with the College’s Mission; relevant College Codes of Practice and Strategies; and development of a Memorandum of Agreement (for collaborative programmes).
  • To scrutinise the academic standards and quality of new programme proposals, including the content of the curriculum, the learning, teaching and assessment strategies and the curriculum structure.
  • To ensure that sufficient external and independent consultation (including student consultation) has been sought in assessing the academic standards and quality of new programme proposals.
  • To ensure that relevant internal and external reference points, including Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements, have been taken into consideration in the design of a programme.

Major Modifications to Programmes of Study

  • To consider proposals for the suspension or withdrawal of programmes and major modifications to programme title, curriculum structure, content and delivery of individual programmes in accordance with the College Programme and Module Modification Procedure.
  • To receive and endorse reports from Faculty Education Committees on the approval of minor modifications to approved curricula.
  • Following appropriate strategic partnership approval, to approve all new collaborative modules (those which are run in collaboration with another institution).
  • To ensure that sufficient external and independent consultation (including student consultation) has been sought for modifications.

Short Course Approval and Modifications

  • To maintain an overview of the quality, standards and enhancement of College’s short course activities.
  • To approve new non-credit bearing short courses offered by departments and centres.
  • To approve new credit bearing short courses offered by departments and centres.
  • To approve new credit bearing online modules.
  • To approve major modifications to existing short courses.
  • To advise QAEC on developments in UK and international short course provision.
  • To maintain oversight of the College’s Short Course Catalogue.

Constitution and membership

Constitution

  • a chair, nominated by the Vice Provost (Education)
  • a senior representative for educational leadership from each faculty, nominated by the Dean (to include at least one Faculty Senior Tutor)
  • a senior representative for the Continuing Professional Development Unit
  • a representative for the Educational Development Unit
  • the Director of the Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication
  • a College Consul
  • the Director or Deputy Director of the Graduate School
  • two student representatives nominated by Imperial College Union
  • the Academic Registrar or (nominee)
  • the Deputy Director (Academic Quality and Standards)
  • an Assistant Registrar as secretary, with the power to co-opt

To be quorate, a minimum of one third of members need to be present.

Membership (Academic Year 2023/24)
Name Role
Dr Clemens Brechtelsbauer Chair
Dr Jeffrey Vernon Faculty of Medicine Representative (Deputy Chair)
Dr Lorraine Craig Faculty of Engineering Representative 
Dr Vijay Tymms Faculty of Natural Science Representative 
Dr Cloda Jenkins Imperial College Business School Representative
Betty Yue Continuing Professional Development Unit Representative 
Dr Tiffany Chiu Educational Development Unit Representative 
Kate Ippolito Educational Development Unit Representative 
Dr Magdalena Jara Graduate School Representative
Dr Michael Weatherburn Centre for Languages, Culture and Communication Representative
Professor Alessandro Astolfi College Consul
Yi Yang Student Representative and Deputy President (Education), Imperial College Union
Camille Boutrolle Student Representative and President, Imperial College Union
Judith Webster Director of Academic Quality and Standards
Scott Tucker Deputy Director (Academic Quality and Standards)
Laura Gardner Assistant Registrar (Programme Development) - Secretary
 
Summary of the table's contents

 

Meeting dates and deadlines

 
Committee dates (Academic year 2023/24) Submission deadlines (Academic year 2023/24)
26 October 2023 5 October 2023
30 November 2023 09 November 2023
25 January 2024 04 January 2024
21 March 2024 29 February 2024
23 May 2024 02 May 2024
 
Summary of the table's contents

Agenda items (including papers) should be submitted to the committee secretary three weeks prior to the committee meeting. Papers will normally be circulated to members one week prior to the committee meeting. 

Submission deadlines for new programme proposals should be agreed separately with the committee secretary prior to the meeting and is normally 12 weeks prior to committee

Minutes

Academic year 2023/24

Academic year 2022/23

Academic year 2021/22

Academic year 2020/21

Academic year 2019/20

Academic year 2018/19

Academic year 2017/18

 Academic year 2016/17

Academic year 2015/16

*Minutes to be confirmed at the next meeting