Policy on Timetabling

1.  Purpose

This Policy outlines NCI’s institutional commitments, management, and governance structures for developing, approving, publishing, and managing timetables. This policy applies to all validated teaching and learning activities for online and on-campus programmes. It establishes a framework for the delivery of accurate, complete, consistent, and accessible timetables to support a high-quality learning and teaching experience across all validated programmes.

2.  Scope

This policy applies to all scheduled teaching and learning activities at NCI managed by the Central Timetabling Office (CTO) using the College’s central timetabling system. The policy spans all validated undergraduate, postgraduate programmes delivered across on campus, online, or in hybrid formats. This policy should be read in conjunction with the NCI Timetabling Procedure which outlines how the institution delivers this policy consistently across NCI programmes.

3.  Principles

Timetabling at NCI is designed and delivered in adherence to three core principles:

• Completeness – Accurate and complete timetables are published annually, in advance of each new academic year, spanning all validated programmes for online and on-campus delivery to enhance full-year planning and long-term visibility to learners, faculty/ associate faculty (AF) and staff.
• Consistency – All scheduled teaching and learning activities for core and elective modules will be applied consistently against programme validation specifications. We will seek to minimise changes to the published timetables to maintain consistency for learners and faculty/AF.
• Clarity in Communications – Timetables will be published annually by the CTO, accessible by applicants, enrolled learners, and faculty/AF. Any changes to the published timetables will be processed and communicated to learners and faculty/AF in a clear, consistent, and timely manner.

4.  Policy Statements

• CTO manages the allocation of teaching space and the scheduling of all timetabled teaching and learning activities at NCI.
• All campus spaces designated as teaching venues are managed centrally through Syllabus+, and only the CTO is authorised to allocate such spaces.
• A full annual timetable spanning semesters one, two, and three will be developed and published in July each year for the academic year (AY) ahead.
• Internal non-academic unit stakeholders (such as ELI. Facilities and Exams) will also participate in the planning phase of the annual timetabling process, to ensure ongoing needs and commitments are built into the AY timetable within the pre-publication phase.
• Published annualised timetables will aid the effective utilisation of the physical NCI campus for all non-teaching events, meetings, internal and external bookings etc. as space availability will be known up to one year in advance rather than a few weeks before the start of each semester, as was previously the case.
• Final decisions regarding timetabling room allocations rest solely with the CTO.
• All timetabling activities will be carried out in accordance with the Timetabling Procedure.
• Draft and final versions of timetables will be subject to detailed quality checks within the Schools and CTO for accuracy, completeness, and to minimise conflicts.
• The allocation of rooms and resources will be undertaken in a fair and transparent manner, prioritising teaching, learning and assessment needs.
• Room allocation decisions during the timetabling planning phase will take account of anticipated student numbers, accessibility or equipment requirements, and the suitability of the teaching environment.
• Exminations, larger classes and those with fixed teaching requirements will be given precedence in space allocation. Full-semester bookings will take priority over ad hoc or partial-week requests.
• No teaching activities will be scheduled on public holidays, Good Friday, Reading Weeks or during the official Christmas closedown period, in line with the College’s Academic Calendar.
• All teaching events — including any amendments, rescheduled sessions, make-up classes, or revision hours — will be published to learners and faculty/AF via myTimetable.
• Post-publication changes will follow the published amendment process, and the outcomes will be communicated clearly to all affected parties in a consistent, clear, and timely manner.
• Placeholders for Supervision will be held on faculty/AF timetables.
• Placeholders for Electives will be held on faculty/AF timetables and Learner timetables.

5.  Procedure

This policy is delivered through the following two phases of work. Further details on the timelines, roles, responsibilities and actions in each of these phases is published in the Timetabling Procedure document and associated guidelines.

6.  Key Roles and Responsibilities

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