UWE Bristol External Examiner Annual Reporting Rebecca Smith, Curriculum Enhancement Manager

Overview What is annual reporting? Why do we carry out annual reporting? Who is your audience? The Report UWE2020 Strategy - Theme Submission What happens with your report? The ‘Faculty Response’ Reporting to the Vice-Chancellor The Logistics

Points of Engagement with UWE Moderation Reports/Process Scrutiny Days/Pre-Examination Boards Examination Boards Field/Award Boards/Boards General correspondence with module leaders and programme managers Professional practice placement observations The External Examiner Annual Report

What is annual reporting? QAA Quality Code: Chapter B7: External Examining Indicator 12: External examiners submit a report annually, at a time determined by the institution, to the head of the institution or to one or more named individuals that he/she designates. We require all of our External Examiners to submit a written report annually summarising their confidence in the standards of our curricula and recognition of good practice and areas for enhancement.

Why do we carry out annual reporting? This is a critical aspect in the Monitoring and Evaluation of our programmes to assure the quality and standards of our students’ degrees from an external standpoint. i.e. externality and independence. It will inform an overarching report at University, Faculty and Department level on the academic health of the University to Academic Board.

QAA Quality Code Underpinned by QAA Quality Code: Chapter B7 External Examining Indicator 2: Awarding institutions expect their external examiners to provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not: –an institution is maintaining the threshold academic standards set for its awards in accordance with the frameworks for higher education qualifications and applicable subject benchmark statements –the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly against the intended outcomes of the programme(s) and is conducted in line with the institution's policies and regulations –the academic standards and the achievements of students are comparable with those in other UK higher education institutions of which the external examiners have experience.

QAA Quality Code Cont. Indicator 3: Awarding institutions expect their external examiners to provide informative comment and recommendations on: –good practice and innovation relating to learning, teaching and assessment observed by the external examiners –opportunities to enhance the quality of the learning opportunities provided to students.

Who is your audience? Module leaders Programme leaders Field leaders (Quality) / Heads of Department Faculty Academic Standards and Quality Committees Academic Quality and Enhancement Committee Collaborative Provision Committee Collaborative Partners Learning and Teaching Enhancement Team (Me & QME Acc Man) Students – Student Rep Staff Forums Freedom of Information Requests

The Structure of the Report Each report aligns specifically to your role and there are minor differences within the questions: –Field External Examiner –Chief External Examiner –Non-Modular External Examiner Post Graduate Certificate in Education Graduate Diploma in Law Bristol’s International College

The Structure of the Report Cont. 1.Academic and Professional Standards (Questions ); 2.Assessment Strategy (Questions ) 3.Process and Procedure (Questions ) 4.Collaborative Provision (Question 4.1) 5.Quality Enhancement (Questions ) 6.Closing Comments (Questions ) 7.External Examiner Resources (Questions )

Confidence Judgements Judgement Statements: Likert Scale – 1-4 –Complete Confidence (1) –Broad Confidence (2) –Limited Confidence (3) –No Confidence (4) Two judgements per question: –UWE Delivered Provision –Collaborative Provision Supporting Commentary (Reviewing - 2 Boxes this year) –Please be specific e.g. identify partner/module

Example Report

General Pointers Be concise and specific – please see the good and poor examples of responses to the report on the External Examer Resources website Detail the module/programme, and if application the collaborative partner to which your comment relates so we can review & action When you highlight areas of good practice please expand on why it is good? i.e. substantiate your comment with the example As above for areas for enhancement

UWE2020 Strategy - Theme UWE 2020 Strategy Launched in 2013 We will provide a theme and background information that is informed by our strategy Ask to identify areas of good practice and areas for enhancement in achieving the identified theme.

Submission Why meet the deadline? –Critical aspect of our internal Monitoring and Evaluation –The sooner we can engage the sooner we can share the identified good practice or action any areas of enhancement –Chief External Examiner access

Feedback loops – What happens with your report? Shared with your audience (discussed earlier)

The ‘Faculty Response’ Closing the feedback loop A response from the Field Leader –Acknowledge recognition for highlighted areas of good practice (to share with colleagues across Department/University as appropriate) –Acknowledge any recommended areas for enhancement and actions that will be taken –Rationale if we disagree with any aspects of your report Expect to receive your response by December

Reporting to the Vice-Chancellor External Examiners may, in exceptional circumstances, report separately and confidentially to the Vice-Chancellor on any matters of serious concern. Detailed in your report how you may do this. Expected that these concerns would have been raised through your initial engagement i.e. moderation process and Examination Boards.

The Logistics Receive an from the Learning and Teaching Enhancement Team with your personalised report pro forma approx. 4 weeks before June Boards. Submission Date advised Submit to us by Fee Payment

Thank you for listening! Any questions?