1. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Changes to the Code of Practice on External Examining Academic Services Anne Marie O’Mullane December 2012 AnneMarie.O'Mullane@ed.ac.uk

2. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Revision 2012 Revised to comply with QAA UK Quality Code Next ELIR will look at use of external reference points Today – overview of key changes Follow-up – standard text for School use Code of Practice on External Examining

3. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes - appointment More explicit statements about knowledge and expertise of Externals (paragraph 14) Wider set of conflicts of interest (paragraph 15) Code of Practice on External Examining

4. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes – terms of appointment Term of appointment now 4 years with exceptional 1 year extension (paragraph 16) Re-appointment possible after 5 years have elapsed (paragraph 18) External Examiners should not hold more than 2 appointments (paragraph 19) UoE staff who are External Examiners – University/Schools expected to recognise role and agree time for staff to fulfil duties (paragraph 10) Code of Practice on External Examining

5. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes – involvement in assessment Assessed coursework – where 50% or more of marks are determined by coursework, External must receive information about and coursework samples (paragraph 34.4) Oral, practical and clinical exams – if more than 50% assessed orally, a minimum of 2 examiners must be involved, of whom 1 may be the External (paragraph 34.4) Same degree of involvement of External in practical exams as in written exams (34.6) Code of Practice on External Examining

6. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes – Board of Examiners meeting At least 1 External must participate in and approve the decisions of the Board of Examiners (paragraph 34.7.1) Replaces previous separate requirements for pre-Honours and Honours Boards Addition of contribution to Board of Examiners meeting by webcam/Skype if unable to be present in person (paragraph 34.71.) Code of Practice on External Examining

7. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes – student engagement External Examiner reports available in full to students on request (except any confidential report direct to HoC/APASQA) Involve student reps in consideration of comments/recommendations from External Examiner reports and responses – SSLCs Include names, positions & institutions of External Examiners in course and programme handbooks (paragraphs 52-54) Guidance available from Academic Services Code of Practice on External Examining

8. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Key changes – reports & cause for concern QAA Code emphasises External Examiner providing ‘informative comment and recommendations’, hence report form redesign General themes from External Examiner reports to be considered at institution level - key part of ELIR 3 (paragraph 47) Cause for concern procedure – an External Examiner can raise concerns with QAA if exhausts University procedures (paragraph 57) Code of Practice on External Examining