1. External Examiners’ Induction Quality Assurance Services

2.  Welcome  Introduction  Roles and responsibilities of External Examiners/Advisers  The assessment cycle  Remit of Boards and Committees  Progression and Awards  Administration

3. Appointment  Examiners are proposed by the Faculty, and approved by the University External Examiners Sub-Committee  After approval, a letter and appropriate documents are sent from the Quality Assurance Services team  Thereafter, the Faculty/College will communicate key dates to the Examiner and liaise regarding specific duties

4. The Role of External Examiners  The primary role is to confirm that the awards made to students are comparable in standard with awards in UK higher education generally  A second important role is to ensure fairness and equity to students  The third role is to assist the University and the course team to maintain and enhance the quality of its courses

5. The Roles of Advisers & Mentors Subject advisers  Appointed for their subject expertise and primarily confirm that the awards made to students are comparable in standard with awards in UK higher education generally Mentors  Appointed for one year to support an inexperienced external examiner in ensuring that the proper processes of assessment take place Practitioners  External Examiners who are Practitioners within their field rather than academics

6. Rights and responsibilities of External Examiners (1)  No recommendation for the conferment of an award above the level of Certificate of Higher Education can be made without the written consent of the external  The external examiner must:  be able to judge each student impartially  confirm the standards for the awards are appropriate by referencing:  relevant national subject benchmark statements  framework for higher education qualifications  university approval documentation  any appropriate professional/statutory body requirements  compare the performance of students

7. Rights and responsibilities of External Examiners (2)  The external examiner must:  be consulted about and agree to any major proposed changes to the approved assessment regulations  attend examiners meetings – have right of access to all assessed work  approve the form and content of proposed examination papers, coursework and other assessment that count towards the award  see a sample of the work of all students proposed for the highest available award and for failure  be consulted following an appeal hearing where the decision of the Board of Examiners is to be changed and an award made to the student or a higher classification awarded

8. Rights and responsibilities of External Examiners (3)  The external examiner :  has the right to moderate the marks awarded by internal examiners  has the right to conduct a viva voce examination of any candidate  must attend the meetings of the relevant examination committee / board of examiners  must report to the university on the effectiveness of the student assessment Please see Regulations C11.3.3 - C13.1.5 - C13.6

9. Disagreements  Matters of principle  Disagreements between external examiner(s) and Boards of Examiners  Disagreements between external examiners  External Examiners have the opportunity to raise serious matters of concern directly with the Vice-Chancellor  Examiners may also contact the QAA directly via their “Concerns Scheme” where they have serious concern relating to systemic failings with the academic standards of a programme or programmes and have exhausted all published applicable internal procedures (www.qaa.ac.uk/complaints/concerns/pages/default.aspx)

10. The Assessment Cycle (1)  Assessments approved by External Examiner(s)  Coursework and deadlines  Late submission penalties, (excludes Bank Hols / weekends or other days when the university is considered closed)  Full Time - 5% per day, Part Time - 5% per 2 days  0% if more than 10 days late  Written examinations  Invigilators’ reports  Marking and Internal Moderation  Unfair Practice Boards  Mitigation Panels

11. The Assessment Cycle(2)  Examination Committees (Ratify module marks)  Board of Examiners pre-meeting (internal)  Board of Examiners (determine progression and awards)  Results-on-line (within 5 working days of the Board of Examiners)  Re-assessment (no Examination Committee required)  Reconvened Board of Examiners  Appeal panels

12. Unfair Practice Board: Remit for Proven or Admitted Cases  Requirement to undertake the assessment again at next available opportunity, normally a different piece of assessment  Each case considered on the basis of:  the gravity of the case  the circumstances of the case  the level at which the offence took place  whether the offence was a repeat offence  Penalty imposed by UPB:  Full Range of marks, cap at 40%, cap at 30% or fail level and required to withdraw  Penalty implemented by Board of Examiners  Letters of advice, warning, final warning and requirement to withdraw issued

13. Mitigation Panel: Remit of Fit to Sit policy  Student requests mitigation in writing with evidence  Mitigation at the point of assessment:  5 to10 days extension, decided by designated academic  reported to Mitigation Panel  Mitigation Panel: established at faculty level  Determines: assessments affected and category of seriousness:  A : very serious, range of options open to Board of Examiners  B : sufficient to warrant deferral  Rejected  For each student’s assessment the determined category is presented to Boards of Examiners

14. Examination Committee: Remit  Determine the standard of student module assessment outcomes  Consider amendment of cohort’s marks as appropriate (not individual students)  Record credit where the student is not presented for progression or award  For example part time, postgraduate, etc.  Note cases of cheating, plagiarism and unfair practice and mitigation (is it spent?)  Determine student progression (level 4 only)  Results-on-line – within 5 working days

15. Board of Examiners: Remit  Assess students in accordance with the regulations  Consider mitigation outcomes - Category A only  Implement outcomes of Unfair Practice Boards  Determine the outcomes of re-assessment (where relevant)  Determine student progression  Determine student awards

16. Reassessment  Opportunity for re-assessment is given once only  Any failed module (mark of < 40%) can be reassessed  Each failed component within a failed module will be reassessed  It is the Student’s decision whether to take re-assessment opportunities unless there is a professional body requirement  Maximum mark 40% for reassessed component

17. Undergraduate Progression and Award Students must:  study modules worth 120 credit points at the level (20 credit modules)  must submit work for every component of assessment  achieve an average across the whole level of 40% or more  pass (achieve 40% in) modules worth at least 100 credit points  meet any Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements including determined prerequisites Students may:  fail one module but must achieve no less than 30%

18. Foundation Degree – Merit, Distinction  Available dependant on specific course regulations  Merit – An average of level 5 module marks between 60% and 69%  Distinction – An average of level 5 module marks 70% or more

19. Determination of Classification of Honours The average mark calculated from  the best 100 credit points at level 5 weighted at 25% and  the best 100 credit points at level 6 weighted at 75% Students enrolled under former regulations (2011/12 or before)  classification outcomes will be calculated using both this and the former methods of  Weighted average mark for all modules (25% level 5 and 75% level 6)  Profiling – cumulative weighted total for each classification band, where more than half is in a higher classification band  the better outcome for the student will be applied

20. Achievement of Masters Students must:  study modules worth 180 credit points  must submit work for every component of assessment  achieve an average across the whole level of 40% or more  pass (achieve 40% in) modules worth at least 160 credit points  meet any Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body (PSRB) requirements including any determined prerequisites Students may:  fail one 20 credit module but must achieve no less than 30%  dependant on specific course regulations be awarded:  Merit for average between 60% to 69%  Distinction for average 70% or over

21. Contained Awards Undergraduate: Certificate of HE 120 credits Level 4 Diploma of HE 120 credits Level 4 + 120 credits level 5 Bachelor Degree 60 credits at Level 6 Postgraduate: Postgraduate Certificate 60 credits at Level M Postgraduate Diploma 120 credits at Level M

22. Outcome of Board of Examiners Decision codes PA Pass Award PP Pass Proceed DE Deferred not allowed to proceed DP Deferred – allowed to proceed (passed but may improve marks) FW Fail withdraw (little evidence of engagement largely due to NS) CP Components Pending – unable to progress to next level FR Fail Repeat (failed less than or = 50% of level - repeat failed modules only) At final level all failed modules can be repeated FL Fail Level (more than 50% of modules failed – repeat the level) This is not available at the Final level.

23. External Examiners’ Reports (1)  Need to include:  comments on the curriculum, learning/teaching methods and resourcing  the overall performance of the students in relation to their peers  the strengths and weaknesses of students  the structure, organisation, design and marking of all assessments  the quality of teaching as indicated by student performance

24. External Examiners’ Reports (2)  Should directly address the issues listed on the report form  Must not identify individual students or members of staff  Should be submitted electronically  Can be rejected for being too short  Are read within faculties and within Quality Assurance Services  Form the basis for internal university reports  Will be anonymised and printed on our web pages

25. External Examiner Reports (3) Where you are examining a franchised or joint collaborative delivery of an award you are specifically asked to comment on that delivery within the report template. We would expect that you would elucidate which delivery of the award you are referring to on the first page of the report and Section k.

26. Response to External Examiner Reports  A written response is required from the course leader within 30 working days of their receipt of the report.  Where an examiner has put a no against any of the first three items on the report summary page the report will be sent to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for Quality Assurance and Student Experience and the Dean of the Faculty for comment.  Where an examiner has raised particular issues of concern these will be addressed within the response and a proposed action plan will be included in order to address the issues or a reason given as to why the issues raised cannot or will not be addressed.

27. ADMINISTRATION PROCESS  Quality Assurance Services will, before Easter, send you a link to our webpage where you will find:  Annual report templates and an expenses claim form to fill out when you have completed your examining duties – it is also important to ensure that you have filled in a personal details form with your bank details and returned this to us as we cannot pay you unless we have them  You are required to fill out a risk assessment and insurance declaration for EACH year of your tenure for any car journeys that you make during your duties if you fail to do so then your travel expenses will not be paid to you

28. Fees and Expenses  A claim form should be submitted each year for all reasonable expenses incurred  Expenses can be claimed at any time during the year, but you must submit your annual report before your examining fee will be paid – failure to submit your annual report may result in your tenure being terminated  Receipts are required for ALL expenses claimed  Ensure that you sign and date the form and send it to the correct person within the Faculty  For more information on expenses claims allowances, please refer to the guidance on our website

29. QUESTIONS Any questions can be sent to our email address: external-examiners-admin@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

30. Contact Details Carol Blackall, Quality Assurance Services, 0113 8123919 c.blackall@leedsbeckett.ac.uk Or external-examiners-admin@leedsbeckett.ac.uk