External Examiner Sub-Committee

EXTERNAL EXAMINER HANDBOOK

September 2017

C O N T E N T S External Examiner Handbook

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1 Introduction 4

2 Purpose of the External Examiner Role 4

3 Reciprocity and Conflict of Interest 5

4 Teesside University Academic Provision 5

5 Types of Assessment Board 5

6 Induction and Support for External Examiners 6 6.1 Induction 6 6.2 Documentation and Information Supplied Following

Appointment 6.3 Data Protection Act 6.4 Non-Disclosure Agreements

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7 Roles and Responsibilities 10 7.1 Module Examiner's Role 10 7.2 Award Examiner's Role 12

8 Non-Attendance at Boards 14

9 Reporting 14 9.1 Module External Examiner Annual Reports 16 9.2 Award External Examiner Annual Reports 17 9.3 All Annual Reports 17 9.4 Expenses and Fees 18

10 Related Regulations 18 10.1 Extenuating Circumstances 18 10.2 Academic Appeals 19 10.3 Academic Misconduct 19 10.4 Recognition of Prior Learning [RPL] Policy 20

11 Information Provided to Students about External Examiners 20

12 Administration of the External Examining Process 21

13 Termination of Appointments 25

External Examiner Handbook Appendices

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A External Examiner Mentor Process and Guidelines 26

B External Examiner Confirmation of Endorsement of Assessment Process

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C External Examiner Annual Fee Table 30

D External Examiner Expenses Form 32

E Status of Assessment Board Decisions 33

F External Examiner Role Guidance 35

G TNE Enhancement Report 38

Glossary of Abbreviations:

AAC Academic Appeals Committee

AR Academic Registry

DPA Data Protection Act

EESC External Examiner Sub-Committee

FoIA Freedom of Information Act

NDA Non-Disclosure Agreement

PSRB Professional, Statutory & Regulatory Body

QAA Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education

RCNVP Regional College Network Validated Partners

RP(E)L Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning

RP(C)L Recognition of Prior Certificated Learning

RPL Recognition of Prior Learning

SLEC Student Learning & Experience Committee

SSLESC School Student Learning & Experience Sub-Committee

TNE Transnational Education

TVHEBP Tees Valley Higher Education Business Partnership

UAB University Academic Board

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1. INTRODUCTION

External Examiners play a central role in assuring the University’s academic provision and

maintaining the standards of its awards. External Examiners provide informed,

independent and impartial judgements and advice to the University. We will draw upon

your professional advice and expertise and will give serious and active consideration to

your reports. This Handbook outlines the responsibilities of External Examiners including

any specific requirements of the University and relevant information regarding its

processes and policies that you need to be aware of in undertaking this role.

2. PURPOSE OF THE EXTERNAL EXAMINER ROLE

The role of an External Examiner is to:

assist the University in the comparison of academic standards of its awards across the

HE sector

verify that standards are appropriate for the award or modules for which the External

Examiners take responsibility

ensure that the assessment process is equitable and is fairly operated in the marking,

grading and classification of student performance, and that decisions are made in

accordance with University Regulations

report on the standards of student achievement

identify, where appropriate, examples of good practice and areas for enhancement

The University has two categories of External Examiner: Module and Award, and a full list

of both Module and Award External Examiner roles and duties can be found in Section 7 of

this Handbook and the Role Guidance is attached as Appendix F.

The University’s arrangements for external examining are designed to operate in

accordance with the QAA UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Chapter B7:

External Examining (December 2011).

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3. RECIPROCITY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The University has institutional procedures to ensure that potential conflicts of interest are

identified and resolved prior to the appointment of External Examiners.

You are required to advise your contact within the School/Partner of any conflict of interest

or change of circumstance that arises during your appointment, which may result in

termination of your appointment.

You are also required to advise your School/Partner contact immediately of any changes of

address, email, etc., so that our records can be amended accordingly.

4. TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY ACADEMIC PROVISION

The guidance in this Handbook covers the arrangements for external examination of both

awards delivered by Schools at Teesside University as well as those delivered by Partners.

The type of partnership arrangement will affect some aspects of the administration of

external examination:

where the University has franchised a course(s) to the Partner for delivery, the

University will lead on all aspects of the administration of external examination

in the case of validated courses which are designed and delivered by the Partner, the

University will delegate certain aspects of the administration of external examination to

the Partner

In all cases, award pathways are defined within a modular framework and the assessment

of students’ work against defined levels of achievement is defined at module level.

5. TYPES OF ASSESSMENT BOARD

The University operates a two stage assessment system. The first stage is concerned with

individual modules or clusters of modules (Module Assessment Boards) and the second

with progression and awards (Progression/Award Boards).

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Although Assessment Boards will usually meet on a serial basis, the Boards may be

combined, provided that the agenda is structured appropriately to separate the module and

progression/award issues, and provided that cross-School issues resulting from module

sharing are adequately addressed. Assessment Boards normally meet either as “first sit”

boards following the completion of summative assessment, or as “re-assessment” boards

to deal with re-assessment. Meetings at other times are permitted, particularly where there

are issues associated with progression and awards.

Where the pattern of provision requires, Schools and Partners may operate with multiple

Module Assessment Boards, feeding into a Progression/Award Board.

Assessment Boards that are convened to review modules and awards for validated

provision will be organised by the Partner institution.

Good practice has been identified in the use of Pre-Assessment Boards, without the

External Examiner in attendance, to ensure adequacy and correctness of data and to

identify items for discussion at the formal Board.

Within this system, there are two clearly defined External Examiner roles: a Module

External Examiner and an Award External Examiner.

For further details of the University’s Module Framework, see Credit Accumulation &

Modular Scheme [CAMS].

For information on the Status of Assessment Board Decisions, see Appendix E.

6. INDUCTION AND SUPPORT FOR EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

6.1 Induction

All External Examiners will receive some form of induction. Academic Registry hosts two

induction events, normally in January and March each year for Teesside University

External Examiners.

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All newly appointed External Examiners will be invited to attend one of these events,

although current External Examiners are welcome to attend if they wish. Both events will

follow the same format, with a central induction in the morning and an optional visit to the

School in the afternoon. Regional College Network Partners are responsible for inducting

their External Examiners and the Partners will advise on the induction activities on

appointment.

Where an External Examiner is appointed who has no previous experience of external

examining, Schools/Validated Partners will implement mentoring arrangements to ensure a

balance of experience within the rest of the External Examiner Team. This will have been

clearly indicated on the nomination form [see Appendix A – External Examiner Mentor

Guidelines].

6.2 Documentation and Information Supplied Following Appointment

Following appointment, External Examiners will be sent the following by:

a) Academic Registry

A contract letter stating the module(s) and/or awards to be examined, the length of

the tenure, fee band and the name of the School/Partner contact. The External

Examiner is required to sign and return one copy of the contract letter within two

months of the date of the letter as an indication of their acceptance of the post. If a

signed copy of the contract letter is not received by Academic Registry [AR], by this

deadline, it will be assumed that the External Examiner does not wish to accept the

post and the School/Partner will be advised of this by AR, so that arrangements can

be made to find an alternative External Examiner

a link to this Handbook on the External Examiner website at:

http://extra.tees.ac.uk/externalexaminers/welcome/Pages/default.aspx

the final report of the previous External Examiner, if applicable

Mentor Guidelines and name of mentor if relevant.

b) Schools

an email requesting you to submit a colour scanned copy of your Passport to the

School, prior to appointment, in order to satisfy the UK Visas & Immigration

requirements that Universities undertake identity checks on all temporary staff,

including External Examiners, to ensure that they are eligible to work in the UK.

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You will be asked to bring your original Passport the first time you visit the

University/College.

School contact details

an Induction Pack

details of how you can communicate with internal examiners and others involved in

the teaching and assessment of the relevant courses/modules

an up-to-date Assessment Board calendar

a written statement identifying your role in relation to the rest of the External

Examiner Team, including clarification on whether you will be required to report on

standards and quality at module or course/award level, or both

list of modules/award(s) which you are responsible for

programme specification(s) and other relevant documentation, including Course

Handbook

Course Regulations and variances

module descriptions, including learning outcomes and assessment methods policy

[Assessment & Feedback Policy]

arrangements for sampling students' work in accordance with Threshold Quality

Standards (Section C4, Quality Handbook)

if you are responsible for collaborative provision courses(s), information and details

of the nature of the provision and any variations in the course compared to those

run at Teesside University

the arrangements, where appropriate, for you to meet with students on the course.

External Examiners will not normally meet with students, unless Professional,

Statutory & Regulatory Body [PSRB] requirements necessitate, or by request in

exceptional circumstances. These must be agreed by EESC on an individual basis,

and the reasons for deviating from the standard process noted in the EESC Minutes

you will be offered the opportunity to visit the University at any time during your

appointment and the School will consult you on a regular basis

you may be required to visit a Transnational Education [TNE] site and complete a

report in the following circumstances:

o where the ratio of overseas to home student numbers on a given course is

greater

o where a single course is delivered at a number of partner institutions

o where a significant issue has arisen during an academic year that impacts on

QA arrangements [see Appendix G]

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PSRB requirements and details of any additional duties required of you

c) Partner College (Validated Provision only)

College contact details

details of how you can communicate with internal examiners and others involved in

the teaching and assessment of the relevant course/modules

an up-to-date Assessment Board calendar

a written statement identifying your role in relation to the rest of the External

Examiner Team, including clarification on whether you will be required to report on

standards and quality at module or course/award level, or both

list of modules/award(s) which you are responsible for

programme specification(s) and other relevant documentation, including Course

Handbook

Course Regulations and variances

module descriptions, including learning outcomes and assessment methods policy

arrangements for sampling students' work including Partner institution policy and

process

the arrangements, where appropriate, for you to meet students on the course.

External Examiners will not normally meet with students, unless Professional,

Statutory & Regulatory Body [PSRB] requirements necessitate, or in exceptional

circumstances. These must be agreed by EESC on an individual basis, and the

reasons noted in the EESC Minutes

you will be offered the opportunity to visit the Partner institution at any time during

your appointment and the Partner institution will consult with you on a regular basis

PSRB requirements and details of any additional duties required of you

6.3 Data Protection Act

Newly appointed External Examiners are encouraged to consult the Higher Education

Academy Handbook for External Examiners at the following link:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/HE_Academy_External_

Examiners_Handbook_2012.pdf.

Comments by an External Examiner about the performance of an individual candidate may

be personal data and so available to a student under the Data Protection Act [DPA] 1998.

This would apply to comments and opinions made by Internal or External Examiners,

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whether they are on an examination script or on a separate marking script. Information

which does not relate to specific individuals, such as External Examiners’ Reports, may be

publicly accessible under the Freedom of Information Act [FoIA] 2000.

examination scripts are considered to be “personal information” under the DPA. Due

care must be taken to keep them secure and confidential

Examiners should bear in mind that any written comments may be liable to disclosure,

either generally or to individual students, and should therefore be intelligible and

appropriate

comments relating to specific examination scripts should ideally be made on attached

sheets rather than directly onto the scripts

where comments are handwritten and potentially illegible, it may be necessary to

provide a word-processed version to fulfil the requirements under both the DPA and

FoIA to provide information in an intelligible format

6.4 Non-Disclosure Agreements

External Examiners may have sight of certain confidential information in the work

submitted by students that are on placement and may be required to sign a confidentiality

agreement/non-disclosure Agreement [NDA] on the insistence of such placement

providers. External Examiners are reasonably expected to sign these in the performance

of their duties, but this will not affect their ability to make reports to any relevant regulatory

body, as may be required during the performance of their duties.

7. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

7.1 Module Examiner's Role

The Module Examiner is a subject specialist who works closely with academic staff

responsible for the development and delivery of modules within particular subject areas.

They are appointed for all taught modules at Levels 5, 6, 7 and 8. Module Examiners are

required for Level 4 awards of more than 60 credits, foundation degrees and HNC/D

awards and the duties for Level 4 awards are the same as for Levels 5 and 6, as indicated

below.

The role of the Module Examiner is to assure the University of the overall standard of

achievement within a subject area. The School/Partner will advise you, either at the

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commencement or during your appointment, of any additional responsibilities which may

be required of you, for example, involvement in any proposed changes to the course.

Module External Examiners will be required to indicate whether, in their expert judgement,

the standards for the modules and subject areas are appropriate, making reference, where

relevant, to subject benchmarks, learning outcomes, level descriptors, and marking criteria.

Comment is also sought on the assessment process, the quality of the student learning

experience and student achievement.

The principal objective of a Module External Examiner is to ensure the performance of and

standards achieved by students are comparable with their peers on similar modules

elsewhere in higher education. To achieve this, the Module External Examiner is required

to:

receive and advise on the form, content and assessment criteria of proposed summative

assessments for first sitting and re-assessments (including examination and other forms

of summative assessment) for modules in their subject area. Judgements may be made

as to whether the challenges that the tasks present allow the students to demonstrate

the required learning outcomes and whether the differing achievements of students may

be adequately discerned

scrutinise a sufficient sample of students' examination scripts, assignments,

projects/dissertations, etc. in line with the Assessment & Feedback Policy to ensure

the standard for modules in their subject area. The marking and moderation processes

are included in this Policy. Judgements may be made as to whether students have

performed to a sufficiently high standard and whether their performance has been

appropriately judged by the internal examiners

attend Module Assessment Boards (or appropriate alternative) for modules in your

subject area. You are encouraged to join in discussion and make comment throughout

the Board. There is no requirement for Level 4 Module Examiners to attend Foundation

Degree and HNC/D module/progression boards, but you are encouraged to do so. If

you are not able to attend, you must provide formal comments which will be recorded at

the Assessment Board.

Note: The Module Assessment Board considers students' results from modules studied

in all three terms of the academic year.

confirm to the Module Assessment Board that all students have been assessed fairly in

relation to the relevant module specification and regulations, and that the students who

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have passed have fulfilled the learning outcomes of the modules and reached the

required standard. The External Examiner is not allowed to amend any individual marks

at the Assessment Board. If any adjustment to assessment results arising from the

consideration of the External Examiner views is judged to be necessary, this

should operate on the basis of the whole cohort, not on individual students at the

margins, nor through the sampling process

satisfy yourself that the Module Assessment Board has been conducted in accordance

with University Regulations

present a minuted verbal report to endorse the outcomes at the end of the Module

Assessment Board

at the end of the Assessment Board, you will be required to complete and sign a

proforma [see Appendix B] as confirmation of your endorsement of the Assessment

process

attend Module Re-assessment Boards and sample re-assessment work as requested

by the School/Partner. If you are not able to attend, you must provide formal comments,

which can be recorded at the Re-assessment Board

present a formal word processed Annual Report [see the External Examiner website

for the Report Form] to be submitted electronically to SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk, by

30 September [see also Section 9 on reporting]

7.2 Award Examiner's Role

The Award Examiner is concerned with the application of Assessment, Award &

Progression Regulations rather than with academic subject areas. External Examiners

are expected to be conversant with these Regulations and provide comment in your

Annual Report on the extent of their correct application. Award Examiners are likely to be

associated with one or more named awards. The primary function is to oversee and verify

the implementation of the University's Assessment & Progression Regulations in the

progression of students through the stages of an award(s) and in the classification of

awards, ensuring comparability of treatment between students. The Award Examiner will

not be involved in detailed consideration of students' work and does not have to be (or

have been) a Module Examiner, although in many cases they will be a Module External

Examiner for one area of the award(s) under consideration.

Specific Award Examiners are not appointed for undergraduate awards of 60 credits or

less and postgraduate awards of less than 60 credits, unless required by PSRBs. The

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rationale for this is that external examining will have occurred for the modules and there

are no discretionary regulatory decisions to be made regarding the awards.

Schools/Partners should make appropriate arrangements to ensure that Level 5 Award

External Examiners are present for all relevant Progression and Award Boards for the

target awards at Level 4, to ensure oversight and endorse the results of any intermediate

qualifications.

In the case of provision leading to a professional qualification, Award External Examiners

may also be required to oversee and approve the implementation of the PSRB's

requirements.

The Award External Examiner is required to:

attend the Progression & Award Board(s) (or appropriate alternative) for all the award(s)

to which they have been appointed

ensure that decisions and recommendations are reached in accordance with the

University's Assessment & Progression Regulations or variance agreed

Note: All Progression & Award Boards require an External Examiner to be in

attendance. If Award External Examiners are concerned about the standard of

the award, then they should make representation about the whole group of

students affected. They might recommend that boundaries between

classifications are adjusted so that the standards of the award become

comparable with those of similar students elsewhere (but this must not entail the

changing of grades/marks at module level).

be consulted where changes to standard University Assessment Regulations which

directly affect students currently on an award are to be presented to the Student

Learning & Experience Committee [SLEC]

participate, as required, in reviews of decisions about individual students

present a minuted verbal report at the end of a Progression & Award Board. This

should include a statement that they accept the classification/award decisions

at the end of the Assessment Board, complete and sign a proforma [see Appendix B]

as confirmation of their endorsement of the assessment process. Additionally, the

School/Partner will formally record in the Minutes that the results presented are formally

endorsed and note any exceptions that need further action. If an External Examiner is

unwilling to endorse the results of the Assessment Board and where the issue cannot be

resolved by the Board, the Chair of the Board must notify the Pro Vice-Chancellor

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(Learning & Teaching) as soon as possible, providing relevant information. The Pro

Vice-Chancellor (Learning & Teaching) will then make a recommendation to the Chair of

Academic Board. In such cases the School will subsequently inform the External

Examiner of the final decision of the Academic Board

present a formal word-processed Annual Report [see the External Examiner website]

to be submitted electronically to SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk by 30 September [see

also Section 9 on reporting]

The External Examiner Role Guidance [see Appendix F] includes the time commitments

involved in the role.

8. NON-ATTENDANCE AT BOARDS

If you are not able to attend the Assessment Board, the School/Partner will communicate

with you to ensure that your views are considered and noted, and follow the process for

reporting External Examiner non-attendance at Assessment Boards.

Even if you are absent from the Board, the School/Partner will send you a Confirmation of

Endorsement of Assessment Process Appendix B, which you are required to sign and

return to the School/Partner.

9. REPORTING

All External Examiners are required to provide a written Annual Report which is a key

feature of the University's Continuous Monitoring & Enhancement process in assuring

national comparability of the University's awards and in quality assurance and

enhancement.

Failure to submit an Annual Report may result in the termination of your contract

and non-payment of fees.

The Report template is available in ‘forms and templates’ on the External Examiner

website.

This Report should be submitted electronically to SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk by 30

September each year. If this is not possible, a word-processed paper copy will be

accepted. Reports are received by the AR on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor and forwarded

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onto Schools and relevant collaborative partners, who will provide you with a response

normally within 20 working days. The School/Partner will complete the front page of the

annual report template prior to sending to you.

If you raise any significant concerns, your comments are subjected to institutional level

analysis and reported to the Academic Board, following discussion at the relevant Schools’

Student Learning & Experience Sub-Committee [SSLESC].

Schools will respond to all External Examiners, normally within 20 working days from

receipt of the Annual Report via letter or e:mail. If you have raised a significant concern in

Box 10 or indicated in Box 11 that you are not satisfied with the response you received to a

significant concern raised previously in Box 10, the School/Partner will complete and return

to you Part 3: Response Section of the Annual Report Template. In the case of validated

provision, the Partner will normally respond to you within 30 working days after liaising with

relevant TU colleagues.

Reports are made available for discussion widely in the University/Partner and to students

and external audiences. We therefore, request that you do not refer to individuals,

either students or staff, within your Report. In certain circumstances where the findings

of External Examiners would expose the Higher Education Institution to legal liabilities or

unfairly damage its reputation, the availability of this information may need to be delayed or

withheld. An additional and separate confidential report may be sent by the External

Examiner to the Vice-Chancellor. If you are not satisfied with the response received from

the Vice-Chancellor, having exhausted the University’s internal procedures, you may

invoke the QAA's Concerns Scheme or inform the relevant Professional, Statutory &

Regulatory Body.

Due to the importance of External Examiner Reports to our quality assurance and

enhancement processes, if we do not receive your completed Annual Report by the end of

October, we will send you a first reminder and then if still not received by the end of

November, a second reminder. We appreciate that there are often reasons why a report

cannot be completed within the given timescale and would appreciate it if you could

discuss any difficulties with the relevant School/Partner contacts or the Academic Registry

via SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk.

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9.1 Module External Examiner Annual Reports

In the Report, the Module External Examiner is asked to:

address the adequacy of opportunity provided for involvement with and discussion of

the modules and their assessment prior to the Assessment Board

address the performance of students in relation to their peers on comparable

assessments elsewhere in UK universities

address the quality of knowledge and skills (both general and subject-specific)

confirm that the curriculum remains current

address the structure, organisation, design and marking of all summative assessment

components

confirm the assessments in modules of the same level are of a comparable standard

confirm that the assessment processes are carried out in accordance with the

Institution’s regulations and procedures

confirm that the assessments are appropriate for the subject, the students, the

respective level of study and the expected outcomes

confirm that the marking scheme/grading criteria have been properly and consistently

applied and also whether internal marking is of an appropriate standard, fair and

reliable

confirm that the assessment criteria, marking schemes and arrangements for

classification are set at the appropriate level

confirm that procedures governing extenuating circumstances, academic misconduct

and borderline performances have been considered fairly and equitably applying

Institutional regulations

address the strengths and weaknesses of the modules as evidenced through student

performance

feedback on the comparability of standards and student achievement across the

modules within a single course, across courses within a single subject area and where

the External Examiner has experience across cohorts during their period of

appointment

address possibilities for future enhancement in terms of curriculum, teaching,

assessment and resources

confirm that there is appropriate comparability of standards if provision is delivered to

more than one cohort at more than one site, and by a collaborative partner

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confirm that standards are appropriate if provision is delivered through flexible, distance

or work-based mode (including e-learning)

confirm the appropriateness of assessing the learning outcomes of the module(s), the

reliability of internal marking procedures and the effectiveness of the School's/Partner’s

moderation process

address the conduct of the Module Assessment Board and associated administrative

procedures, including the extent to which the Board operated in accordance with

published Regulations

confirm the comparability of standards across collaborative partnerships. Where

collaborative partnerships are involved, please be specific about which Partner your

comments relate to.

9.2 Award External Examiner Annual Reports

In the Report the Award External Examiner is asked to:

address the adequacy of opportunity provided for preparation and discussion before the

Progression/Award Board

address the overall performance of students in relation to their peers on comparable

courses elsewhere in UK universities

confirm that the assessment processes are carried out in accordance with the

Institution’s regulations and procedures

confirm that there is appropriate comparability of standards if provision is delivered to

more than one cohort or at more than one site

address the conduct of the Board and associated administrative procedures, including

the extent to which the Board operated in accordance with published regulations

specifically identify positive features and recommendations for enhancement to the

University and Course Teams

report on whether the standards set for staff and students are appropriate for the award

confirm that procedures governing extenuating circumstances, academic misconduct

and borderline performances have been considered fairly and equitably applying

Institutional regulations

the comparability of standards across collaborative partnerships. Where collaborative

partnerships are involved, please be specific about which Partner your comments are

relating to

9.3 All Annual Reports

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confirm, or otherwise, that you are satisfied that any previous significant concerns raised

by you as an External Examiner have been noted and acted upon, as appropriate

if this is your first Annual Report, confirm that you have attended an induction event and

comment if necessary

provide comment on the mentoring experience, if relevant

External Examiners whose tenure is due to end shortly are provided with the opportunity

to provide a brief summary on your overall experience as an External Examiner at

Teesside University

if you are involved in multi-site collaborative provision arrangements, we request that

you are specific in your Report about the provision and which Partner you are referring

to

9.4 Expenses and Fees

See Appendix C and Appendix D. The annual fee agreed on your appointment and

included in your contract letter will only be paid once per year following receipt of an

Annual Report. If you undertake additional or fewer duties within the academic year,

Schools will use their discretion, when deciding on the fee amount to be paid in that year.

Expenses forms should be sent direct to the Senior School Administrator at Teesside

University and these will be processed on receipt. Please note that all fees paid to

External Examiners (including the mentoring fee) are subject to deduction of PAYE in line

with HMRC Regulations.

If the course(s) close before the end of your tenure and you are no longer required to

examine, you will be sent a letter from AR(SERA) confirming this and that your annual fee

will no longer be paid.

10. RELATED REGULATIONS

10.1 Extenuating Circumstances

To give some assurance of consistency of practice, the University has adopted School-

based Extenuating Circumstances Boards. Partner institutions offering validated provision

will hold their own Extenuating Circumstances Boards congruent with Teesside University

Regulations.

It is the responsibility of individual students to notify their School or Partner of any

extenuating circumstances that they feel may have affected their performance in

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assessments. These circumstances will be considered by the School's or Partner’s

Extenuating Circumstances Board. Only those extenuating circumstances that are

accepted by the Extenuating Circumstances Board will be identified at the subsequent

Assessment Board.

See the University Extenuating Circumstances Regulations, available on the following link:

https://unity3.tees.ac.uk/Departments/USEC/UniversityRegulations/University%20Re

gulations%20Documents/Forms/Academic%20Regulations.aspx.

10.2 Academic Appeal

The University Academic Board [UAB] has established the principle that the decisions of

an Assessment Board should not be overturned if the Assessment Board has been

properly constituted, has acted within its Terms of Reference, and has applied current

Regulations. However, UAB may ask an Assessment Board to reconsider a decision.

UAB has established an Academic Appeals Committee [AAC] to undertake responsibility

for the consideration of applications for Academic Appeal.

See the University Academic Appeal Regulations for Taught Programmes, available on the

following link:

https://unity3.tees.ac.uk/Departments/USEC/UniversityRegulations/University%20Regulatio

ns%20Documents/Forms/Academic%20Regulations.aspx.

10.3 Academic Misconduct

Academic Misconduct is unacceptable conduct for any member of the University

community. The work submitted by a student for assessment should, therefore, have been

carried out by the student. Any attempt to potentially "pass off" the work of others as if it

were one's own is, therefore, an offence and UAB has established Regulations to penalise

those found guilty of such offences.

External Examiners are not required to comment on the work of individual students who

have committed an academic misconduct offence. However, there will be an opportunity

for External Examiners to comment on the application of the Academic Misconduct

Regulations at the appropriate Assessment Board, where individual cases are discussed

and ratified.

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See the University Regulations relating to Academic Misconduct (Taught Components and

Programmes), available on the following link:

https://unity3.tees.ac.uk/Departments/USEC/UniversityRegulations/University%20Re

gulations%20Documents/Forms/Academic%20Regulations.aspx

10.4 Recognition of Prior Learning [RPL] Policy

The University has approved procedures for Recognition of Prior Experiential Learning

[RPL] as regards both certificated (Recognition of Prior Certificated Learning [RP(C)L]) and

experiential (RP(E)L) learning.

External Examiners are only involved directly in these processes as regards RP(E)L

decisions on Advanced Standing.

The volume of such decisions will vary across Schools/Partner and they may either

operate with a dedicated RPL Board and Examiners or may make RP(E)L decisions

through their normal Module Assessment and other Boards.

The School/Partner you are associated with will be pleased to supply you with details on

any expected role with reference to RPL.

The University Policy relating to RPL is available on the following link:

Recognition of Prior Learning

11. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO STUDENTS ABOUT EXTERNAL EXAMINERS

The University/Partner informs students of the name and institution of the External

Examiner for their course and a statement explaining the role of External Examiners and

details on how to access their reports is included in all Course Handbooks.

The following statement is included in all Course Handbooks:

“Students often ask questions about how we know that their degree is broadly of the same

standard as degrees awarded for similar courses by other universities. In the UK we have

a system called external examining which is one of several ways that we confirm that

standards are met. An external examiner is generally an experienced lecturer from

another university who offers an independent view as to whether the work of students on

21

the course is of the correct standard. The external examiner does this by looking at a

sample of work (e.g. assignments, exam answers, dissertations), discussing the work with

your lecturers and attending the assessment boards to endorse results. They then

produce an annual report which tells us about any concerns they have and any good

practice they have identified. The external examiners’ reports are made available to

students via the ‘courses’ tab in e:vision.

The main external examiner for your course is [insert name here] and they work at [insert

place of work here]. Sometimes, your modules may have a different external examiner

and your module leader can provide details on request.

Please note that students are not permitted to contact external examiners directly and

external examiners will not respond to any communication from individual students. If you

have any concerns about your course then please speak to your programme leader.”

External Examiners are requested not to respond to any enquiries you receive from

students as a result of your external examining role with us at Teesside University. Any

enquiries received by the External Examiner should be forwarded to

SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk.

12. ADMINISTRATION OF THE EXTERNAL EXAMINING PROCESS

To ensure the effective and efficient operation of the process and ensure that you can

carry out your duties effectively, the following responsibilities are allocated as follows:

a) The Role of the Schools/Partners

External Examiners will be provided with the following annually by Schools/Partners:

any amends to School/Partner contact details

revised programme specification(s), if appropriate

notification of the timing of the Assessment Boards

module descriptors, including learning outcomes and assessment methods

significant changes to approved modules or courses that have taken place between

periodic reviews

assessment approval information [see Assessment & Feedback Policy] which

includes a description of levels of attainment adopted for assessed work, together

22

with any other assessment criteria, including classification criteria and where

appropriate, a description of the marking schemes/criteria adopted for each type of

assessment

Assessment Internal Moderation Pack [see Assessment & Feedback Policy]

including quantitative assessment data

a collection of assessed student work (examination papers, assignments, etc.), the

selection of which should have been agreed earlier in the academic year, as well as

negotiating a timetable for despatch, therefore allowing adequate time your

consideration and response. The School/Partner will ensure that the Module

Internal Examiner(s) informs you of their response to the assessment

recommendation [see Assessment & Feedback Policy]

Module External Examiners will receive sample re-assessment work in preparation

for Module Re-assessment Boards. A sample will also be sent to the Award

External Examiner upon request

notification of sampling system to be used for the consideration of students’ work, in

accordance with the Assessment & Feedback Policy. The sample of student

work to be made available to Module External Examiners is negotiated with

individual examiners and should include the following as a minimum for first sit

assessments:

o the work of 10 students’ (for modules with fewer than 10 students, then the work

of all students) across all bands, but this can be expanded at the request of the

External Examiner. The sample can include work that has been single-marked,

double-marked, and internally sampled, and not be restricted to the sample that

was used for internal sampling

NB: The UK Quality Code for Higher Education, Chapter B7: External Examining

notes that “in viewing samples of students’ assessed work, external examiners

are not normally in a position to expect or encourage an examination board to

raise or lower marks for individual students, on the basis that such a practice

would be unfair to those candidates whose work is not part of the sample”.

Therefore, where the External Examiner has concerns about the internal

marking, then the External Examiner should be asked to review the work of the

full cohort following which, the Assessment Board may accept recommendations

for adjustment.

In addition to samples of work from a module, the External Examiner will be

provided with an Internal Moderation Pack for each assessment and the Module

23

Assessment Report, showing the cohort’s performance and related statistics

(normally available at the Module Assessment Board)

the arrangements, where appropriate, for the External Examiner to meet with the

students on the course. This is normally only required on awards with PSRB

involvement

Annual Report Template [see the External Examiner website] and information for

claiming fees [Appendix C] and expenses [Appendix D]

In addition, the School/Partner will:

prompt External Examiners for reports not received by 30 September

identify issues raised and recommendations for enhancement in External Examiner

Annual Reports and produce a summary of conclusions and good practice via the

Continuous Monitoring & Enhancement process (School Student Learning &

Experience Sub Committee [SSLESC] report, or Collaborative Provision Annual

Monitoring & Enhancement Report [CPAMER] process to SLEC) with associated

actions and allocate the responsibility to relevant staff members. SLEC will use the

above conclusions to compile a report for presentation to UAB as part of the

Continuous Monitoring & Enhancement process

ensure that the verbal and written External Examiner Reports are considered and

that a written response is submitted to the External Examiner normally within 20

working days. In the case of Regional College Network validated provision, the

Partner will respond to the External Examiner within 30 working days from receipt of

the report from the University after liaising with relevant TU colleagues. If the

External Examiner has raised a significant concern in Box 10, or indicated that they

are not satisfied with a response received to a previous Box 10 concern, the

School/Partner will respond by returning the completed Part 3 of the Annual Report

Template (School’s/Partner’s Response) via letter/e:mail. Reports and action plans

form part of the information used in Continuous Monitoring & Enhancement

in the case of External Examiners in other collaborative arrangements, ensure that

the Annual Report, along with the DRAFT Response prepared by the School, will be

sent to the designated contact at the collaborative institution. In some cases, the

School may wish to liaise with the relevant collaborative institution(s) and construct

a joint Response. Schools, not the collaborative partner, are required to respond

direct to the External Examiner. Collaborative partners will be required to discuss

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External Examiner Annual Reports at relevant Partner meetings and feed into the

School's Continuous Monitoring & Enhancement process (via the Course Journal),

and also ensure that a copy of each report is lodged with the Academic Registry

External Examiners should be offered the opportunity to visit the University/Partner at

any time during their appointment and Schools/Partners are encouraged to consult with

External Examiners on a regular basis.

b) The Role of Academic Registry

Academic Registry will:

invite External Examiners to attend Central Induction Events.

acknowledge receipt of reports and forward a copy of all reports to the School

Deputy/Associate Deans and Senior Administrators and contacts at Collaborative

Partners, normally within 5 working days of receipt.

maintain a record of External Examiner Reports received and send reminders as

and when required and provide EESC with a Report in January each year of any

outstanding reports. For those reports outstanding, EESC will recommend to SLEC

whether an External Examiner's contract should be terminated and, if SLEC

approves, AR(SERA) will write to the External Examiner accordingly.

if a report does not conform with the University format, it is incomplete, or includes

names of individuals, Academic Registry will return to the External Examiner to

complete/amend and any fees will be withheld pending completion and return

through SLEC, collect and collate issues and good practice identified in Continous

Monitoring & Enhancement Reports and produce an Annual Report to UAB.

Review national comparability of standards as reported by Module and Award

External Examiners; report on procedural compliance; identify areas of common

concern which may affect standards; and highlight areas of good practice

maintain a reciprocity database to ensure that there are no clashes of interest

between staff at Teesside University (and Partners with validated provision) who act

as External Examiners at other institutions and External Examiners contracted to

Teesside University

maintain a database of External Examiner induction and mentoring arrangements

upload External Examiner Annual Reports onto the University e-Vision site to allow

TU students to view Reports and onto SharePoint to allow TVHEBP and RCN

25

Validated Partners to access, so that they can make arrangement for their students

to view the reports.

13. TERMINATION OF APPOINTMENTS

If you wish to resign from your role prematurely, you are required to provide 12 weeks’

notice. Resignations should be sent to SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk. Schools, Partners,

HR and EESC will be advised accordingly.

The Student Learning & Experience Committee [SLEC] reserves the right to terminate the

appointment of an External Examiner. This would normally only occur when an External

Examiner was unable/did not fulfil his/her duties, including the non-submission of an

Annual Report or Passport within the timescale for submission, continual late submission

of Annual Reports, or repeated non-attendance at Module/Award Boards without a valid

reason(s), and repeated late or non-return of students’ work. In these cases, Schools will

submit a detailed proposal for termination to EESC, which will decide whether to

recommend to SLEC that an appointment is terminated. The Academic Registrar will send

out a letter to the External Examiner.

26

Appendix A

External Examiner Sub-Committee

External Examiner Mentor Process and Guidelines Teesside University Awards and Modules

(including Validated Partner Awards and Modules)

The Mentoring Role

Teesside University’s External Examiner Sub-Committee [EESC] requires that all newly

appointed External Examiners who are new to external examining have the support of a mentor.

This is in addition to the support for External Examiners provided by the University’s Academic

Registry [AR] and the University’s Academic Schools.

In the case of newly appointed External Examiners who are new to external examining for

Regional College Network Validated Partner provision, the Validated Partner is responsible for

finding a mentor for the proposed External Examiner and should identify the mentor on the

External Examiner Nomination Form.

The mentor should normally be an existing TU Higher Education External Examiner with at least

two years’ external examining experience at TU. It is preferable, but not essential, that the

mentor has experience in the same discipline area as the mentee.

Mentors will normally take on the role for one complete assessment cycle and a one-off fee of

£100.00 is paid to mentors for each mentee. This mentoring fee is subject to deduction of PAYE

in line with HMRC Regulations.

The maximum number of mentorships allowed at any one time is two and the outgoing External

Examiner is not allowed to mentor their successor. AR will keep a record of External Examiners

who are mentors.

27

Guidelines for Mentors and New External Examiners

The advice of the mentor is intended to complement any training or information provided for the

External Examiner by the University and/or the Partner, and will normally comprise guidance on

the University’s expectations, standards and practices, and on the handling of difficult or unusual

cases.

The following guidelines are intended to act as broad advice for mentors and mentees. However,

it is recognised that individual arrangements can be agreed between the two and an initial

conversation should be held to discuss and agree the expectations of each.

The mentor is expected to offer guidance on the role of the Examiner in:

moderating examination papers and providing comment on other forms of assessment

clarifying the strategy for sampling of students work in line with TU Assessment & Feedback

Policy

providing advice to the Assessment Board

compiling a formal annual report

any other mentee queries related to the external examining process, e.g. matters related to

PSRBs

The mentor should also work alongside the mentee to ensure the proper process of assessment

has taken place in terms of confirmation of standards and fairness to students.

Immediately following approval by EESC of a nomination where a mentor has been appointed,

AR will contact the mentee, via email, to advise them of the name of the mentor and the

mentorship period, and attach a copy of the External Examiner Mentor Process and Guidelines.

The email will be copied to the mentor and the relevant Partner.

The mentor should contact the new External Examiner (mentee) as soon as possible after receipt

of the email from AR and arrange to have an initial meeting, either face-to-face or virtually. The

purpose of this meeting is to discuss any matters relating to the duties of the External Examiner

that the new Examiner, having reviewed the information supplied by the University and the

Partner, has questions about, and to identify areas where immediate support is needed. If the

28

mentee does not receive any communication from the mentor, they are encouraged to contact AR

via SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk.

Following the initial discussion, the mentor should:

identify the type of support the External Examiner will need and arrange either to provide this

support or to identify where the External Examiner may access relevant support

agree a series of meetings (as appropriate) to review the mentee’s support needs

agree how the mentee may contact the mentor between scheduled meetings

Following the initial discussion, the new External Examiner should:

access the support provided by the mentor

notify the mentor of any emerging support needs

seek advice between scheduled meetings as necessary to fulfil the external examining role

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Appendix B

External Examiner Sub-Committee

External Examiner Confirmation of Endorsement of Assessment Process

Section 1: for completion by the Chair/Secretary of the Assessment Board

School/Partner:

Title of Board:

Date of Board:

Chair of Board:

Secretary of Board:

Name of External Examiner:

Was the External Examiner Present at the Board?

YES NO

If YES, the External Examiner to complete and sign Section 2 below

If NO, the External Examiner to complete and sign Section 3 below

Section 2: for completion by the External Examiner if PRESENT at the Board

I confirm that I was present at this Assessment Board and I was involved in the decisions made and endorse those decisions

External Examiner Signature Date:

Section 3: for completion by the External Examiner if ABSENT from the Board

I confirm that I was not present at this Assessment Board but I was consulted about the decisions made and endorse those decisions

External Examiner Signature Date:

Guidance on completing this form:

Step 1 Schools/Partners to complete Section 1

Step 2 If the External Examiner is present at the Module/Progression/Award Assessment Board, Schools/Partners must provide all External Examiners with a copy of this form for signature in Section 2 immediately after the Assessment Board

Step 3 If the External Examiner is absent, the External Examiner should be sent the form for confirmation and signature in Section 3, and requested to return this to the School/Partner. An email confirming their endorsement of the decisions may be attached to this form in lieu of signature

Step 4 All completed and signed forms must be retained by the School/Partner as part of the Assessment Board record

30

Appendix C

External Examiner Annual Fee Table – effective from January 2016

Band Fee Indicative Basis (for translation/transition purposes only)

A £100 For externals who are only examining one or two modules, or who do not need to attend Boards in a particular year.

B £350 Module Examiners up to 12 modules Module and Award Examiners with 3-6 modules

C £500 Module Examiners 12+ modules Module and Award Examiners 7-12 modules

D £750 Module Examiners with very high loads and/or multiple boards Module and Award Examiners 12+ modules and/or multiple boards

E £1000 Very high load Module and Award Examiners

NOTE: The fee will only be paid once per academic year following receipt of an Annual

Report. If an External Examiner undertakes additional or fewer duties within the

academic year, Schools can use their discretion when deciding on the fee amount

to be paid in that academic year. All fees (including mentoring fees) paid to

External Examiners are subject to deduction of PAYE in line with HMRC

regulations.

POSTGRADUATE EXAMINERS

A fee of £250 will be paid to Postgraduate External Examiners for moderating major pieces of

independent work regardless of the number of students, for example dissertations, final year

projects, etc.

DOCTORATE MODULE EXAMINER FEES

A fee of £100 will be paid for each piece of Advanced Independent Research [AIR] examined,

capped at six theses per Examiner per sitting. These Examiners will not be paid any retainer

fees.

EXTERNAL EXAMINER MENTORING FEE

A fee of £100 (first year only) will be paid to mentors for each mentee. This is subject to PAYE

deductions.

Please note that the Finance Department will not sanction the payment of any fees until a

completed Annual External Examiner Report Form has been received by the Academic Registry

and our Human Resources Department has received confirmation from the School that your

original Passport has been verified in accordance with UKVI requirements.

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EXPENSES

Expenses are paid at the discretion of the School and the University has no specific rules relating

to the level and type of expenses incurred by External Examiners but expects that:

public transport will be used wherever possible. This is normally interpreted as second class

rail travel, although Schools may agree alternatives such as air travel where this is necessary

use of own car will be funded on the basis of the current University Subsistence & Travel

Allowance Rates issued by the Finance Department

Schools will normally make hotel reservations on behalf of External Examiners. In the case of

Validated Provision Partners, External Examiners will normally book their own accommodation

based on recommendations from the Partner and in line with Teesside University guidance

regarding costs. External Examiners should liaise with the partner regarding travel connected

with an Assessment Board.

the University’s normal Subsistence Rates will apply, unless otherwise agreed

Schools are requested to explore these issues with External Examiners prior to their first visit, so

as to agree a mutually acceptable basis on which expenses will be incurred and funded.

All expenses must be submitted on a Teesside University Expenses Claim Form in accordance

with the requirements set out in the External Examiner Handbook. These claim forms, including

relevant receipts, must be sent to the relevant School Senior Administrator at Teesside

University.

32

Appendix D

External Examiner Expenses Form

[to be authorised by Schools, then forwarded to Payroll]

NB: We request that your expenses are claimed separately to ensure as quick a turnaround as possible. Fees are paid automatically on receipt of your Annual Report.

SECTION A: PERSONAL DETAILS

Surname: Forenames:

Title: Prof/Dr/Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms (delete as appropriate)

School/Partner:

SECTION B: DETAILS OF EXTERNAL EXAMINER EXPENSES

Date(s) of Attendance:

Details of Expenses Claimed (please supply receipts for all claims where possible):

Amount

Taxis:

From: To:

From: To:

Public Transport (usually reimbursed at second class):

From: To:

From: To:

Subsistence:

Car Mileage (number of miles travelled): ………

From: To:

From: To:

Accommodation (if not previously arranged by School)

Number of Nights .........

Mentoring Fee (if applicable) £100 paid once to mentor for each mentee

TOTAL £

AUTHORISATION

Signed (Budgetary Head)

Signature: Date:

Payroll Number:

Cost Centre to be Charged:

33

Appendix E

Status of Assessment Board Decisions

1. INTRODUCTION

The authority of an Assessment Board is established through a chain of

delegation. Degree awarding authority is delegated by the Board of Governors to

the University Academic Board [UAB] which, in turn, delegates to each

Assessment Board authority and responsibility for determining the academic

progress of students and for making awards.

2. ACADEMIC APPEALS

UAB has established the principle that decisions of an Assessment Board should

not be overturned if the Assessment Board has been properly constituted, has

acted within its Terms of Reference, and has applied current Regulations.

However, UAB may ask an Assessment Board to reconsider a decision in defined

and specific circumstances. UAB has established an Academic Appeals

Committee [AAC] to undertake responsibility for the consideration of applications

for Academic Appeal.

2.1 Early Resolution Stage

If a student believes they have grounds to request reconsideration of a decision

of an Assessment Board, they can first attempt to obtain resolution by contacting

the appropriate Dean’s nominee or Head of College nominee. If informal

resolution is not reached, the student may formally submit a request for a review

of the decision of the Assessment Board.

2.2 Formal Stage

An AAC is established to consider formal written applications requesting reviews

of decisions of Assessment Boards.

34

The AAC may:

reject the application

or

ask the Assessment Board to reconsider its decision along with any additional

recommendation(s)/decision(s) made by the Committee

The Committee, for student enrolled on Research Degree courses, under their

Final Examination or Re-Examination, can direct the Assessment Board to:

invite the examiners to reconsider their decision

or

appoint new examiners

When an application is upheld and referred to the Assessment Board, then it may

be necessary to hold a Reconvened Assessment Board. This Board:

shall meet as promptly as possible, normally within 15 days of the publication

of the AAC’s decision

members of the Assessment Board will be invited to attend

External Examiners will be invited to the meeting but if they are unable to

attend, then their views must be ascertained before the decision of the

Assessment Board is published

Finally, it should be noted that if an Assessment Board does not, or becomes

unable to, act as directed by the AAC, the Committee has the right and duty so to

inform the UAB. If after enquiry the UAB finds that an Assessment Board will not

or cannot conduct itself appropriately in the light of the relevant Constitution,

Terms of Reference and current Regulations, the UAB shall consider and institute

any necessary reforms of an Assessment Board and/or any emergency

arrangements and procedures necessary to ensure equity for affected students.

In circumstances where the Assessment Board does not heed the advice of the

UAB, the UAB may annul decisions of the Assessment Board.

35

Appendix F

External Examiner Sub-Committee

External Examiner Role Guidance Designed for Schools and Validated Partners to use when considering an

appointment.

This guidance is intended to ensure that prospective External Examiners are

provided with sufficient information about the role to enable them to make a

sound decision prior to accepting the role.

All External Examiners appointed by the University must fulfil the criteria for appointment

based on the national criteria stipulated in the QAA UK Quality Code for Higher

Education - Chapter B7: External Examining (December 2011).

Before agreeing to take on the role of an External Examiner, the nominee is strongly

encouraged to familiarise themselves with the roles and responsibilities as listed in

Section 7 of this Handbook. This explains in detail the exact requirements of the role

and responsibilities, although it is essential that the nominee is made aware of the

following time constraints in the role, for example:

all External Examiners will be required to attend an induction event at Teesside

University, normally a whole day event, or at the Validated Partners, organised by

the relevant Partner - this may be virtual. If an External Examiner is unable to attend

an Induction Event, alternative induction arrangements will be arranged by the

School/Validated Partner.

Module External Examiners will be sent samples of examination scripts,

assignments, projects, dissertations, or other assessed work in the post, which in

some cases may be numerous (although the External Examiner will be given prior

warning of the numbers). These will require scrutinising and comments returned to

Teesside University or the Partner within a very short timescale and in some cases,

36

in less than 10 working days. For full details relating to sampling, see Assessment

& Feedback Policy

Module and Award External Examiners will, in some cases, be required to visit the

University or Partner to view students’ work and provide comments

Module and Award External Examiners will be required to attend at least one First-

sit Assessment Board and one Re-assessment Board per year at Teesside

University or the Partner site. First-sit Assessment Boards, on average, last for two

hours and take place usually in May/June. Re-assessment Boards are shorter and

usually take place in September. Please note some Schools and Partners may have

Assessment Boards at other times of the year, depending on the nature of their

provision. External Examiners involved in collaborative provision may be required to

attend additional Assessment Boards.

If an External Examiner is not able to attend an Assessment Board due to

exceptional circumstances, for example, illness, they will be required to submit formal

comments prior to the Assessment Board, which will be recorded formally in the

minutes, and also complete and sign the External Examiner confirmation of

endorsement of assessment process [Appendix B].

at the end of the Assessment Board, the External Examiner will be required to

present a verbal report (which will be minuted) and also complete and sign a

proforma as confirmation of their endorsement of the assessment process

[Appendix B]

all External Examiners are required to submit an electronic copy of their Annual

Report by 30 September each year. Only one Annual Report is required per year

covering both First-sit and Re-assessment. Failure to submit an Annual Report may

result in the termination of the contract. Fees are paid automatically on submission

of the Annual Report

all External Examiners are expected to be conversant with relevant Teesside

University Regulations, which are on our External Examiner website:

http://extra.tees.ac.uk/externalexaminers/welcome/Pages/default.aspx

if there are PSRB requirements involved with the course, the School or Partner will

explain these prior to appointment and point out any additional requirements

External Examiners are required to advise Teesside University or the Partner

immediately of any change of circumstances which may create a conflict of interest

during their tenure. It is also essential that External Examiners advise of any

37

changes to their address, email, etc., so that records can be amended

experienced TU External Examiners may be requested to mentor newly appointed

External Examiners who have no previous external examining experience for one

assessment cycle

External Examiners who wish to resign from their role, are required to provide TU

with 12 weeks’ notice via SERAResponse@tees.ac.uk

Finally, the Higher Education Academy [HEA] at a QAA Conference on External

Examining, Sharing Good Practice in 2012, provided the following as a summary list of

what makes a good External Examiner:

reflection (on decisions and consequences)

able to form, express and justify opinions and judgements

diplomacy and negotiating skills

willing to challenge poor practice and unfairness

willing to act in the best interest of the students

able to prioritise workload and work speedily

acknowledging and empathising with differing institutional practice, and ability to

transfer own knowledge to new teaching and learning contexts with “no baggage”

share experiences and offer help and support to subject teams, and willingness to

share good practice

produce a timely and constructive report

possess integrity, enthusiasm, stamina and motivation

The HEA’s definition of an External Examiner is a “critical friend and advocate in the

enhancement of the Student Experience”. The HEA Handbook for External Examiners

is available at the following link:

https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/sites/default/files/downloads/HE_Academy_Externa

l_Examiners_Handbook_2012.pdf

38

Appendix G

External Examiner Sub-Committee

TNE ENHANCEMENT REPORT

When would we consider using an External Examiner to visit a TNE site?

1. Where the ratio of overseas to home student numbers on a given course is greater.

2. Where a single course is delivered at a number of partner institutions.

3. Where a significant issue has arisen during an academic year that impacts on QA arrangements.

Schools will consider these risk factors in the context of the External Examiner report and reports from Centre Leaders. However, for appropriate independent oversight and enhancement it is recommended that where TNE meets the risk factors identified in 1. and 2., that an External Examiner visits every three years for an undergraduate course; or every other year for a top-up course or postgraduate course. For risk factor 3. an immediate intervention is required. As agreed through SLEC, the Examiner may conduct a desktop exercise followed up with a Skype dialogue, or the Examiner may visit the centres. The School will determine the best approach and agree this with the Examiner from the outset. The completed form must be submitted to the School’s Student Learning & Experience Sub-Committee, via the SSLESC Secretary with a copy to the Academic Registry.

Centre: Visit Schedule:

External Examiner: Accompanying Staff:

39

1. Teaching and Assessment The Module Examiner will have oversight of the modules. However, where it is deemed appropriate for the modules to be further scrutinised, this section will be populated with module performance data prior to the visit or the desktop exercise. Links will be provided for the Examiner to access the teaching materials and student work.

Module Title: Partner Module Leader:

Module Guide Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Teaching Materials Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Module Marks Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Student Work Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

Module Title: Partner Module Leader:

Module Guide Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Teaching Materials Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Module Marks Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Student Work Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

40

Module Title: Partner Module Leader:

Module Guide Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Teaching Materials Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Module Marks Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Student Work Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

Module Title: Partner Module Leader:

Module Guide Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Teaching Materials Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Module Marks Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Student Work Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

Module Title: Partner Module Leader:

Module Guide Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Teaching Materials Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Module Marks Yes/No (delete as appropriate) Student Work Yes/No (delete as appropriate)

Comments:

41

2. Student Meeting The meeting must take place without the presence of partner staff and all students will be encouraged to attend. The topics outlined provide a framework for discussion, however, it is permissible to bring in other topics depending on the situation.

Topic Discussed Yes No N/A Comments

Operation, content and delivery of modules.

Operation, content and delivery of the course.

Overall experience.

From your meeting(s) with the students, are you satisfied that the quality of their learning experience is sound? YES/NO Are there any comments you would like to make about quality of the student experience?

42

3. Partner Staff Meeting The meeting should be facilitated by the Centre and all partner staff will be encouraged to attend. The topics outlined provide a framework for discussion, however, it is permissible to bring in other topics depending on the situation.

Topic Discussed Yes No N/A Comments

Operation, content and delivery of modules.

Operation, content and delivery of the course.

Student support and guidance.

Quality Assurance.

From your meeting with the Partner course staff team are you satisfied they are able to support students to achieve their award(s)? YES/NO Are there any comments you would like to make about course staff team and any staff development needs they have?

43

4. Learning Environment (Physical and virtual) To be considered independently and as part of the discussion with students and staff.

Facilities viewed Yes No N/A Comments

Library facilities.

Teaching environment.

Computer facilities.

VLE.

Are the learning resources /learning environment appropriate to support student achievement? YES/NO Are there any comments you would like to make about quality of the learning resources or the learning environment?

44

5. Recommendations to the School

Topic Comments/Recommendations

Positive Features Are there positive features arising from your oversight visit that you would like to highlight?

Recommendations for Enhancement Are there any other concerns or comments that you would like to share with us to assist in enhancing provision at TNE centres? If yes please provide details. If more than one course or centre has been visited, please be specific about which your recommendations relate to.

Matters of Significant Concern Do you have any significant concerns about the University or TNE partner’s oversight of academic provision, which you feel must be addressed in order to maintain quality and standards? If yes please provide details.