Responsibilities and engagement of External Examiners Graham Holden

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.

Responsibilities of an External Examiner confirm the maintenance of threshold academic standards confirm the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly confirm the academic standards and student achievement are comparable with other UK higher education institutions make comment on good practice and opportunities for enhancing the student experience endorsement of the decisions of the Subject Assessment Board

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 final arbiter for the award of marks/grades communicating directly with individual students

Appointment and Induction Appointment, agreement and acceptance of role Verification of eligibility to work in the UK Induction Publication of identity and current position of External Examiners for students Blackboard account and access Employment letter from Human Resources

Activities Moderation of coursework and exam assessment instruments Moderation of student work Placement visits where appropriate and/or meetings with students Attendance at Subject Assessment Boards Critical Friend of the course team Submission of written comments if required in connection with student appeals or complaints

Annual reporting and payment Submission of an annual report Payment of fees and expenses Responses to annual reports University overview of annual reports Annual reports provided for students Raising a matter of concern with the University Vice Chancellor Invoking the QAA concerns scheme

Points of reference and contacts External Examiners website and the Academic Quality Framework - to be published September 2012 Quality Assurance Agency UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Chapter B7: External examining - published December 2011 Higher Education Authority Handbook for External Examiners - published March 2012 UK Border Agency: Preventing Illegal Working Academic team Student Administration team in the Faculty Ruth Bartles, Quality Officer (External Examiners) Sarah McPherson, Senior Administrator (Quality) Graham Holden, Head of Quality Enhancement