Academic committees

The University has laid down an effective committee structure to monitor the academic quality of programme offerings and the management of the Institute. The two major committees are COPACE and IB.

(a) The University Committee on Professional and Continuing Education (COPACE), which was originally set up as a sub-committee of the Senate, oversees the operation of all programmes and courses offered in LiPACE. The Committee is chaired by the Provost and has representations from all the University’s academic units as well as key administrative units. In August 2013, the Senate agreed to adjust the role, functions and composition of COPACE in various ways to improve its effectiveness. The new changes included the following: (a) it became a subcommittee of both the Senate and the University Management Board; (b) its membership was enlarged to include representatives of the Registry and the Senate; and (c) its role in approving and monitoring LiPACE programmes with potential to be articulated into the programmes of ‘the University proper’ was strengthened by, for instance, specifying a validity period for each approved programme. The Institute Quality Assurance Committee (QAC) which endorses new programme proposals for approval by COPACE and reviews existing ones for continuation, suspension or termination directly reports to COPACE. At the programme operations level, each programme is monitored by a Programme Management Committee (PMC) which is supervised by the QAC.

(b) The Institute Board (the equivalent of a School Board) is the governing body of the Institute and it has general control over administration and conduct of affairs in LiPACE. The IB has set up three functional committees to help it discharge certain responsibilities under delegated authority:

• Institute Executive Committee (IEC) which is equivalent to a senior management group advises the Director on issues relating to the administration, management and development of the Institute. It also undertakes strategic planning. The Academic Team meetings update the IEC regularly on their team level developments and new programme initiatives.

• Student Learning Experience Committee (SLEC) supervises over the provision of co-curricular and extra-curricular learning activities as well as physical facilities and support services to students.

• Institute Promotion Committee (IPC) sets the marketing plan and admission strategies and coordinates programme promotions and publication of the Institute’s newsletter.