External Examiners’ Workshop The role of the external examiner and its requirements at the University of Brighton Professor Stephen Denyer Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Experience)

QAA expectations The Quality Code states: HE providers (must) ensure independent and external participation in the management of threshold academic standards HE providers (must) make scrupulous use of external examiners Full details are given in Chapter B7

Requirements of an external examiner Maintenance and appropriateness of academic standards  internal logic  external comparability  national reference points Assessment processes measure achievement rigorously and fairly Regulations operate successfully Good practice and opportunities to enhance quality of learning experience for students

Operating in the role Working for the Academic Board Peer review External moderator Critical friend NB. Conflicts of interest

Implementing the role – assessment Comment on draft exam papers Look at a representative sample of students’ work that contributes to final award  may not alter marks for individual students  may recommend changes to the marks for the whole cohort Not role to adjudicate where there is a disagreement between internal markers Comment on our 2 nd marking and moderation processes

Implementing the role Meeting students informally Member of examination board  sign statement of procedural compliance  understanding our regulations (within reason)  oral report No involvement in mitigating circumstances determinations

Relationship management Appointment – 4 years Induction Contact with School and Course Leader  documentation Work load negotiation – visits, samples Feedback loops Influence over time  may be asked your views on proposed minor changes

External Examiner Reports Annual report  within one month of main exam board  reports not submitted on time are chased Matters of serious concern about the maintenance of standards – separate confidential report to the Vice-Chancellor QAA’s Concerns Scheme – after internal processes exhausted

External Examiner Reports Good practice and opportunities to enhance our provision Confirm sufficient evidence received Indicate that issues raised in previous report have been, or are being, addressed Address any issues specifically required by PSRBs if appropriate Give an overview of your term of office when concluded

Consideration of reports Receipt acknowledged by Academic Services Circulated to Schools/Partner Colleges Considered at Course Board/Partner College HE Board as part of Academic Health - includes student representatives Annual Course Report  includes details of action to be taken in response to comments  sent to external examiner within one month of board

Consideration of reports Monitoring at School level  annual School Report captures key features of external examiners’ reports and actions Monitoring at University level  Academic Standards Committee – annual Schools Reports, annual report on institutional themes from external examiners’ reports  Further Education College Sub-Committee – annual Partner College M&E reports  Annual Academic Health event - assurance to Academic Board  Reports made available to students

Future proposals ….. A revised (lighter touch) QA Framework [HEFCE] A national external examiner scheme [HEFCE] o National register o Further training o Establishment of subject networks to support external examiners in setting national standards Teaching Excellence Framework [BIS] o A new and improved EE system could be used to capture evidence on quality for the TEF [HEPI] Green Paper [BIS] o Future considerations of GPA