External Examiner Briefing Session Thursday 29th March 2018

EXTERNAL EXAMINER BRIEFING SESSION WELCOME Nigel Horner Head of School of Health and Social Care and member of the University of Lincoln External Examiners Committee Welcome Why are you (the EE) here? – To give them a flavour of the University of Lincoln and an understanding about the process that the EE’s feed in to. Housekeeping – toilets, fire alarms and exits

Session overview Welcome and housekeeping Our hopes and expectations of you Your hopes and expectations of us Explaining how we work

Quality Assurance Agency The QAA Quality Code sets out the following expectation about external examining, which higher education institutions are required to meet: “Higher education providers make scrupulous use of external examiners”

QAA Institutional Review 2012 1.2. Scrupulous use is made of External Examiners. The University of Lincoln has produced a full definition of the role of external examiners and operates robust processes with clear criteria for their nomination, appointment and induction.

The Strategic Role of External Examiners Essential component of University quality assurance and enhancement processes Ensure University is fit for purpose in terms of its strategic educational function – internationally, nationally and locally.

The Strategic Role of External Examiners The University (and its Colleges and Schools) depend on External Examiner input and reports in order to check that: national and/or professional standards are being maintained standards of student performance are comparable with similar programmes in the UK students are being treated fairly and equitably subjects are responsive to External Examiner comments, as expected by the QAA Quality Code

Responsibilities of External Examiners The HEA’s brief summary of the practicalities is that:   Acting as an External Examiner generally involves the review of a selection of exam scripts, assignments and dissertations followed by informal engagement with staff to discuss the assessed work; and then the formal meeting of the examination board. 8

Responsibilities of External Examiners Confirm the maintenance of threshold academic standards; Confirm the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly; Confirm that academic standards and student achievement are comparable with other UK higher education institutions; and Provide informative comment on good practice and opportunities for enhancing the student experience 9

Responsibilities of External Examiners Approval of modifications to modules or programmes Approval of assessment tasks and examination papers Review of samples of student work Endorsement of student marks Attendance at Boards of Examiners Submission of an Annual Report

External Examiners are not responsible for The assessment of individual students Encouragement to raise or lower marks for individual students Individual cases relating to mitigating circumstances or academic integrity Acting as final arbiter for the award of marks/grades Communicating directly with individual students

Summary High quality must be a key attribute of all provision in the University External Examiner system is central to quality assurance and enhancement External Examiner system must help to ensure whole University is educationally fit for purpose