Faculty of 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 GSU President or Deputy President

Membership (Academic year 2021-22)
Name	Role
Professor Richard Thompson	Vice-Dean (Education) FoNS (Chair)
Professor Martin McCall	College Consul, Physics
Professor Steven Warren	College Consul, Physics
Daniel Lo	Imperial College Union Deputy President (Education)
TBC	Graduate School Union President
OR	OR
Manasa Sanaga	Graduate School Union Academic & Welfare Officer FoNS
Nicolas Barykin Pankevich	RCSU: Vice President (Education)
Dr Donald Craig	Director of Undergraduate Studies Chemistry*
Dr Huw Williams	Director of Undergraduate Studies Life Sciences*
Dr Christopher Hallsworth	Director of Undergraduate Studies Mathematics*
Dr Carl Paterson	Director of Undergraduate Studies Physics*
Dr Felicitas Starr-Egger	CLCC Representative
Dr Rudiger Woscholski	Director of MRes Studies, Chemistry
Dr Kleoniki Gounaris	Director of Postgraduate Studies Life Sciences
Professor Jonathan Mestel	Mathematics Department Postgraduate Representative
Dr Travis Schedler	Mathematics Department Postgraduate Representative
Professor Ben Sauer	Director of Postgraduate Studies Physics
Professor Arash Mostofi	Head of Master’s Programmes, Physics
Dr Mike Tennant	Director of the MSc Environmental Technology, CEP
Professor John Seddon	Faculty Senior Tutor
Dr Vijay Tymms	FoNS Representative on Programmes Committee, Physics
Moira Sarsfield	Director of the FoNS EdTech Lab
Ellen Pengelly	ICT Representative
TBC	Faculty Operations Officer
Stefan Hoyle	Head of Health and Safety FoNS
Emma Rabin	Registry QA Representative
Kate Ippolito	Education Development Unit (EDU) Representative
Mark Anderson	Education Development Unit (EDU) Representative
Rebecca Middleton	Faculty Education Manager
Matt Horsfield	Education Support Coordinator, FoNS (Secretary)
* NB. Senior Tutors generally deputise for DUGS if the latter are unable to attend.

Meeting dates and deadlines

Summary of the table's contents
Committee dates (Academic year 2021-22)	Paper submission deadlines (Academic year 2021-22)
15 September 2021	03 September 2021
12 November 2021	29 October 2021
24 November 2021	10 November 2021
23 February 2022	09 February 2022
27 April 2022	12 April 2022

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

Academic year 2018/19

26 September 2018 [pdf]
28 November 2018 [pdf]
09 January 2019 [pdf]
27 February 2019*
01 May 2019

Imperial College London

Imperial Alert

Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates: Safety information for academic year 2021-22

Academic governance