ACADEMIC COUNCIL
The Academic Council at St. Anthony’s Major Seminary (Kachebere) is the highest academic body within our seminary and as a constituent college of the Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA). It is led by Dean of Studies in collaboration with the directors of Director of Academic Progress and programme Convener, Director of Quality Assurance, and Director of Research, Innovation and Field Practice. The council has the responsible for setting academic policy, curriculum, and standards for instruction, research, and examinations. Also, functions to ensure provision of holistic and quality of education through advising management board of the seminary on all academic matters.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Academic Council.
- Development and Review of Curriculum and policy: The council approves academic regulations, student codes of conduct, and new academic policies. It also determines the courses of study for degrees, diplomas and certificates.
- Instruction and examination: The council regulates the quality of teaching, research, and examinations, and can appoint examiners and moderators.
- Academic direction: The council provides general supervision over the academic work of the institution and offers guidance on improving academic standards.
- Student matters: The council regulates the admission of students and can also handle matters of student conduct and discipline in relation to intellectual formation.
- Advising and reporting: The council advises the institution`s governing body and other authorities on academic matters, often through regular reports.
The Academic Council at St. Anthony’s Major Seminary (Kachebere) has the following committees which are headed by Directors:
- Academic Progress and Programme Convener committee.
- Quality Assurance committee.
- Research, Innovation and Field Practice committee.
A: Academic Progress and Programme Convener Committee
Academic Progress and Programme Convener Committee operate through the Director who is chosen by the Dean of Studies amoung the members of the Academic council and confirmed by the Rector. The committee may have a total number of three to four members’ academic staff.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Committee
i. To oversee the academic progress of the student both on formative and summative assessment.
ii. To prepare the respective template for formative assessment based on modality of conducting Course Work (CW) or Continuous Assessment (CA).
iii. To prepare the timetable for the Semester Examination and provide the date of examination moderation through the approval of the Dean of Studies.
iv. To monitor and facilitate the moderation of the semester examination and writing of the report to be submitted to the Dean of Studies.
v. To monitor the progress of the student and update of the student’s mark on the Student Information System (SIS) according to the time indication.
vi. To open and closing the Student Information System (SIS) for the upload of CW/CA and SE according to the date sets by the Academic Council.
vii. To coordinate and monitor the printing of the error-free semester examination and all requirements for the smooth running of the examination process.
B: Quality Assurance Committee.
Quality Assurance Committee operate through the Director who is chosen by the Dean of Studies among the members of the Academic council and confirmed by the Rector. The committee may have a total number of three to four members’ academic staff.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Committee
i. To develop and review the curriculum regularly.
ii. To develop unit-specific performance procedures and standards.
iii. To conduct regular programme self-evaluations to determine whether they meet the set standards in practice.
iv. To prepare and make follow-up on student evaluation forms in the SIS and offer recommendations to the Dean of Studies.
v. To evaluate external examiners’ reports and formulate corrective measures in collaboration with the Dean of Studies.
vi. To monitor the provision of Course Work (CW) and Semester Examination (SE) within the appropriate time.
vii. To coordinate programmes and Department self-evaluation and facilitate external evaluation or internal evaluations.
viii. To monitor the provision of the Course Descriptions and Outlines to the student at the beginning of the Semester.
C: Research, Innovation and Field Practice Committee
Research, Innovation and Field Practice Committee operate through the Director who is chosen by the Dean of Studies amoung the members of the Academic council and confirmed by the Rector. The committee may have a total number of three to four members’ academic staff.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Committee
i. To coordinate the process of student research activities.
ii. To promote research and innovations in the Department.
iii. To liaise with the Dean of Studies on matters pertaining, to innovations, research, field practice and publications.
iv. To coordinating the submission of the research proposals and projects, moderating the selection of the research topics, and providing officially accepted research topics.
v. To coordinate the actual date for the submission of each research chapter in the course of the research writing process.
vi. To coordinate the Research Defense for the third year at the end of the academic year in collaboration with the Dean of Studies.
vii. To coordinate the Oral Comprehensive Examination and preparation of oral comprehensive examination manual in collaboration with the Dean of Studies.
viii. To handle all research project/thesis publications and report to the Dean of Studies.
ix. To oversee quality assurance and improvement measures in respect of research activity, including the efficacy of research quality measures.
x. To review Annual Reports relating to research matters and make recommendations to the Dean of Studies.
xi. To plan and coordinate the Field Practical Training in the Department.
xii. To coordinate development and revision of guidelines for Field Practice.
xiii. To monitor the process of field presentations and coordinating the submission of the field report.