Senate
Subject: Change to Title of Department
Origin:
Professor Mark Webber
Executive Summary:
Senate
is asked to recommend to Council a change of title for the Department of Politics,
International Relations and European Studies (PIRES) to the Department of
Politics, History and International Relations (PHIR), with effect from the 2009/10 academic year.
This proposal is the
consequence of two recent developments within PIRES:
Following Senate approval of
the relevant proposals in March 2009, PIRES will in October welcome the first
cohort of students onto four new Joint Honours programmes involving History and:
Politics/International Relations/Geography and English. With a target of 65
students at first intake, it is projected that by 2011/12 some 190 students
will be taking these programmes. This will constitute approximately 30 per cent
of the Department’s undergraduate student population. To accommodate this
initiative, PIRES has appointed three academic staff (one at professorial
level) with possibly two more to follow. These appointments add to existing
staff with strong research and teaching interests in History. The academic
staff complement in this subject, therefore, is already significant and these
staff will make an important contribution to the Department’s submission
under the Research Excellence Framework (REF). The History initiative is in
line with the University’s Strategic Plan, and specifically the goals of
‘[b]uilding our international reputation as a leading
European Studies is a
diminishing part of Departmental activity. The European Studies degree
programme accounts for the smallest undergraduate student intake in PIRES and
the future of this programme is now under active consideration. In terms of
research, For RAE 2001 and 2008, PIRES submitted to the European Studies panel
– a reflection of the multi-disciplinary nature of its research and
strengths in German, French and Spanish area studies. Recent and upcoming
staffing alterations have reduced the Area Studies emphasis and the Department
is now considering submission to the Politics and International Relations panel
under the REF. Note that we do not regard European Studies as a synonym for
language tuition and this will remain (not least, through the University-Wide
Language Programme) a core part of Departmental teaching provision.
The above proposal has been
discussed and agreed within PIRES and was welcomed by SSH Faculty Directorate
at its meeting of April 21, 2009.
Professor Mark Webber
Head of Department