External Examiner Induction Day

1
Welcome

• External Examiner Induction Day
• 18 November 2009

2
Aims of Induction

• To provide newly appointed External Examiners
  with
• Sufficient information to enable them to carry
  out their duties
• An opportunity to meet academic and
  administrative staff

3
Introduction

• Types of External Examiner
• Role of the External Examiner
• Specific responsibilities
• Universitys responsibilities
• Reporting

4
Types of External Examiner

• Subject Examiners are appointed to comment on
  assessment practices at module level and will be
  involved in
• Levels 5 and 6 of undergraduate degree programmes
• In the full programme for other awards (e.g. one
  year courses, postgraduate courses)
• Award Examiners are appointed by Faculties and
  will have a role in helping the institution to
  ensure that the assessment processes are sound,
  fairly operated and in line with the
  institutions policies and regulations

5
Role of the Subject Examiner

• To ensure that
• Standards are comparable with those across the UK
  HE sector
• Module assessment requirements meet aims and
  outcomes
• Standards across modules are comparable
• The achievement of programme aims and outcomes
  contribute to the commercial, industrial and
  professional environment as appropriate
• The assessment strategies and methods are in line
  with current best practice
• Student work is assessed carefully, accurately
  and fairly by internal examiners
• Assessment Boards give full and fair
  consideration to each student

6
Specific Responsibilities of the Subject Examiner

• To verify the implementation of the overall
  assessment strategy for the module/programme
• To approve all provisional examination questions
  and rubric, for the modules/programme assessments
  and re-assessments
• To scrutinise a representative sample of each
  grade or class of degree, cases of failure and
  cases identified by staff as being of particular
  interest

7

• To attend Module Assessment Boards (MAB) as
  required to
• confirm that they operate according to the
  University and programme regulations and with
  consistency and fairness
• provide advice on decisions where necessary
• agree the marks, recommendations and decisions
• Provide an Annual Report on the modules to which
  they have been appointed
• Provide advice to course teams on, and approve,
  proposed minor changes to courses/modules

8
Role of the Award Examiner

• Award examiner isnt subject related, but ensures
  that
• Standards are maintained at a level comparable
  with similar awards elsewhere in the UK
• The procedures are followed in a fair and proper
  manner with consistency in application of the
  Regulations and comparability of treatment for
  students in their interpretation across the
  University

9
Specific Responsibilities of the Award Examiner

• To attend all Faculty Assessment Boards (FAB)
• To ensure there is an experienced and objective
  input into the exercise of discretion by the FAB
  through his/her understanding and knowledge of
  how comparable situations are dealt with
  elsewhere and through experience in applying
  Regulations
• To provide an Annual Report

10
Universitys Responsibilities

• Providing the External Examiner with sufficient
  information to carry out their duties
• Providing the External Examiner with timely
  information on the dates of Module and Faculty
  Assessment Boards and any other meetings
• The timely dispatch of information for moderation
• Responding formally to the External Examiners
  annual report

11
External Examiners Annual Report

• The Annual Report Template requires commentary
  on
• Academic standards demonstrated by students and
  where possible their performance in relation to
  students on comparable courses
• The extent to which standards are appropriate for
  the award
• Organisation and arrangements in the assessment
  process
• Other comments
• Examiners are reminded not to identify any
  individual student or member of staff by name
• In their final report External Examiners are
  asked to provide an overview on the progress that
  has been made during their period of the office

12
Serious Concerns

• Serious concerns should be raised with the Chair
  of the MAB or FAB in the first instance.
• Should an External Examiner wish to raise matters
  of particular importance or sensitivity, this can
  be done through a separate, confidential report
  addressed to the Vice Chancellor

13
Consideration of Annual Reports

• Formal response to the External Examiners Report
• The Report and response will feed into the
  Programme Leaders Annual Report which in turn
  feeds into the Faculty Annual Evaluatory Review
  (AER)
• The Chair of the Faculty Academic Standards
  Committee (FASC) will report to the Universitys
  Academic Standards Committee (ASC) on the Faculty
  AER
• A separate annual summary of External Examiner
  reports is submitted directly to ASC drawing
  together any recurring themes or issues.

14
Housekeeping

• Reports should be submitted within 6 weeks of the
  Assessment Board
• Payment of fee is released until receipt of
  annual report
• www.cumbria.ac.uk/externalexaminers
• academicoffice_at_cumbria.ac.uk