Academic leadership and management at Exeter

Leadership and management groups

The College Executive

Comprises the College Dean, College Manager and Associate Deans for Research and Knowledge Transfer (RKT) and Education. They are responsible for the formulation of the College’s strategy, have responsibility for the College’s budget and are accountable for people management in the College.

The College Management Group

Is a larger body which consists of the College Executive, Heads of Discipline, Directors of Research, Directors of Education, Academic Leads and senior professional Service staff. The CMG is a forum for communication, engagement and consultation.

The Discipline Group

Is chaired by the Head of Discipline and consists of the Director of Research, Director of Education and all Academic Leads in that discipline. This group determine the priorities and distribution of workload amongst academic staff within a strategic framework determined by the College Executive.

Roles

What is the role of the Head of Discipline?

The Head of Discipline chairs the discipline group and ensures collective ownership of departmental/unit goals and strategies. They also:

  • ensure that these goals and strategies are placed within, and contribute to, broader College and University strategies
  • ensure that Academic Leads carryout their responsibilities effectively
  • will act as a key liaison point between the College and the discipline in relation to career progression for staff in the discipline
  • will represent the Discipline externally
  • will manage issues around accreditation
  • where necessary will be involved in allocation of workload in consultation with the College executive

What is the role of the Director of Research?

The Director of Research is accountable to the Associate Dean of Research for:

  • directing the academic unit’s performance towards meeting agreed research targets on all University and College research metrics, including publications, grant income, impact and post graduate research students
  • providing effective leadership and management through Academic Leads to academic staff
  • advising the Associate Dean of Research on the academic unit’s research targets, and the allocation of resources and management and support structures to deliver the College’s strategies and policies to enable research targets to be met

What is the role of the Director of Education?

The Director of Education is accountable to the Associate Dean of Education for:

  • directing the academic unit’s performance towards meeting agreed subject and programme targets on all University and College education metrics, including entry standards, NSS results, graduate employment and international student numbers
  • providing effective leadership and management through Academic Leads to academic staff involved in delivering all taught programmes within the subject portfolio to enable subject and programme targets to be met
  • advising  the Associate Dean of Education on subject, programme targets, and the allocation of resources and management and support structures to deliver the College’s strategies and policies for education and to enable subject and programme level targets to be met

What is the role of an Academic Lead?

Through participation in the College Management Group and Discipline Group, the Academic Lead (AL) (in conjunction with the Directors of Research and Education) provides leadership, guidance, support and advice to a group of individual academic colleagues in their discipline or subject grouping. They are responsible for induction and engaging staff in the Performance and Development Review (PDR) meetings.

Academic Leads are expected to: