1. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Assessment Regulations Registry Academic Services Sara Welham 31 August 2010

2. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Topics Why the regulations are important Sources of advice What is in the regulations Changing the regulations Plans for the future Assessment Regulations

3. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Why the regulations are important Quality, standards and accountability Consistency for students Taking collective responsibility Safeguard of working within the rules Avoids appeals Assessment Regulations

4. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Sources of advice – documents Assessment regulations www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/assessment-regulations www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/academic-services/staff/assessment/assessment-regulations Principles of Assessment Exam Hall regulations Guidance for Boards of Examiners External Examiners Code of Practice Guidance on Special Circumstances QAA Code of Practice on Assessment of Students www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/ www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/codeOfPractice/ Assessment Regulations

5. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Sources of advice - people Colleagues Convener and Secretary of the Board of Examiners College Offices Registry Academic Services –Assessment regulations – Sara Welham –Appeals – Jane McCloskey Curriculum and Student Progression Committee (CSPC) Ask questions – it is how we know the regulations need improving. Assessment Regulations

6. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange What is in the UG and PGT regulations? Examiners’ duties, including External Examiners’ role Role of the Board of Examiners, BoE meetings Assessed work – coursework; late penalties Exam timetable and conduct Marking and the Common Marking Scheme Release of assessment information Retention and destruction of assessed material Suspension from Honours Year / Postgraduate Degrees Failure to complete degree assessment Academic best practice and academic misconduct Unsatisfactory progress – procedure for exclusion Appeals Interpretation and adjudication Assessment Regulations

7. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange What is in the PGR regulations? Examination process Thesis regulations Regulatory standards for the format and binding of a thesis Degree specific examination requirements Consideration and approval of Examiners’ reports Submission of the final version of a thesis Posthumous degrees and diplomas Academic best practice and academic misconduct Appeals Interpretation and adjudication Grounds for the award of specified research degrees Assessment Regulations

8. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Evolving Regulations Should be enabling Change over time, e.g. –Use of IT –Returning exam scripts Reflect current practice and plan for future Clarify interpretation They are never going to be perfect. Assessment Regulations

9. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange What is new in 2010 – UG and PGT Electronic submission of results – move away from signing lists to minuting approval Exam Hall regulations no longer in the Assessment regulations – but they still exist Number of internal examiners present at BoE meeting – harmonised UG and PGT... “No Board may have fewer than two internal examiners present.” Assessment Regulations

10. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Issues for consideration during 2010 Postgraduate masters progression rules Aggregation rules in undergraduate assessment Failure to complete degree assessment adequately Anonymity in assessment Use of oral examinations Return of examination scripts Resit entitlement Assessment of different types of work This is not an exhaustive list. Email Sara.Welham@ed.ac.uk with suggestions for CSPC.Sara.Welham@ed.ac.uk Assessment Regulations

11. Excellence - Education; Research; Knowledge Exchange Plans for the future Merging UG and PGT assessment regulations – for use from 2011/12 Restructuring –Regulation –Guidance –Links to other information Then look at PGR assessment Assessment Regulations