Executive Summary of the 2017 IQAP Review of the Graduate Programmes, MASc , MEng and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering
In accordance with the Royal Military College (RMC) Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP), the Department Head for Electrical and Computer Engineering submitted a self-study report in September 2015 to the Director of the Office of Quality Assurance. For the programmes under review, the MASc, MEng and PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering, it contained the degree level expectations (DLEs) for these programmes, an analytical assessment of the programmes, course outlines, programme-related data, survey data from the Office of Quality Assurance and appendices with sample examinations and CVs of faculty members.
Two arm’s-length external reviewers (Dr. Jason Gu, Dalhousie University, and Dr. Jean‐Jacques Laurin, École Polytechnique de Montréal) were selected from a list of possible reviewers and approved by the Deans of Engineering and Graduate Studies. An internal reviewer, Dr. Ron Vincent of RMC’s Department of Physics, was also selected for participation on the ERC. They reviewed the self-study documentation and conducted a site visit to RMC on 23 and 24 February, 2016. During the site visit, the ERC met with the Vice-Principal, Academic, Dr. Phil Bates, the Vice-Principal, Research, Dr. Pat Heffernan, the Acting Dean of Engineering, Dr. Billy Allan, the Head of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Dr. Scott Knight, the Head Librarian, Ms. Sarah Toomey, the department’s Technical Officer, Mr. Pierre Adam, as well as several members of department faculty. The ERC also had the opportunity to meet with several students currently enrolled in the programmes. The ERC subsequently produced a Report based on the Self-Study and site visit. The report was circulated to department members and discussed at a departmental meeting.
The reviewers submitted their report in March, 2016. The ERC Report provided positive feedback on the outcomes of the various graduate programmes in Electrical and Computer Engineering. It confirmed that the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is delivering an academically rigorous programme to its students and that its standards meet those of similar programmes in Ontario. However, the ERC did identify areas that had room for improvement, and RMC is, or has already taken, taking steps to address the issues raised, including the monitoring of student progress and reducing the time needed to obtain security clearances for international student.
The Programme Chair, after consultation with faculty and staff in the programmes, submitted a response to the Reviewers’ Report in November, 2016. The Dean of Graduate Studies, in consultation with the Dean of Engineering, prepared a Final Assessment Report in August, 2018. The FAR was approved the Senate of the College on June 23rd, 2021. The programmes are scheduled for their next review in 2023-24.