6 Sutton Park Road, Sutton, SM1 2GD
External Examiner Regulations
Policy Statement
The School is committed to upholding high academic standards through collaboration with external examiners. Our regulations require module and programme leaders to engage closely with external examiners in drafting summative assessments, scrutinising marking, and participating in examination boards. External examiners ensure that processes are followed, providing students with confidence and contributing to continuous improvement.
Principles
- Independence: Ensuring external examiners are free from any conflicts of interest, enabling unbiased evaluation.
- Expertise: Selecting examiners with relevant expertise to provide informed and authoritative insights.
- Objectivity: Upholding impartial assessment and feedback on academic standards and student performance.
- Credibility: Appointing respected academics to bolster the integrity of our academic judgement.
- Transparency: Clarifying the roles and responsibilities of external examiners within the School’s assessment structure.
- Confidentiality: Maintaining strict confidentiality regarding student work and examination processes.
- Equity: Ensuring consistent application of standards across similar courses and awards.
- Feedback: Valuing constructive feedback from external examiners to improve teaching and assessment practices.
- Collaboration: Fostering productive working relationships between external examiners, faculty, and administrative staff.
- Diversity: Striving for diversity in the selection of external examiners to reflect a multiplicity of perspectives.
- Continuous Development: Utilising external insights to drive the evolution of our curriculum and assessment methods.
- Accountability: Holding all parties accountable to the principles outlined in the regulations for fair and ethical conduct.
Regulatory Context
This Policy has been developed in line with the applicable laws, regulations, regulatory advice, and sector best practices, including the following:
Functions and Responsibilities of External Examiners
Title |
---|
Rule
External Examiner Appointment and Reporting The Academic Board, responsible for programme standards and quality, has delegated the appointment and induction of external examiners to the Director of Education. The Director of Education must report to the Academic Board on external examiners. The Academic Board will review these reports and conduct an analysis of the institutional and professional backgrounds of the appointed external examiners. This delegation ensures effective management and oversight of external examiners, maintaining high standards and accountability. |
Rule
Roles and Responsibilities of External Examiners External examiners are appointed to:
A. Module external examiners:
B. Programme external examiners:
They are appointed to all School modules with summative assessments contributing to final awards. For exit awards involving modules without an external examiner, a relevant examiner will scrutinise the assessment process before ratification. They also scrutinise programmes and conferment. Specific roles and the duties of Chief External Examiners are in the External Examiners' Handbook. This ensures external examiners uphold academic standards, provide independent oversight, and contribute to continuous improvement. |
Process for Appointing External Examiners
Title |
---|
Rule
Terms of Office External examiners are typically appointed for 4 years, extendable by one year in exceptional cases. Any changes to their duties, like adding new modules, require Academic Board approval. Reappointment is rare and only after a 5-year gap. Normally, an examiner should hold no more than 2 appointments for taught programmes simultaneously. Retired examiners may continue if they remain active in their field. These regulations ensure continuity, limit conflicts of interest, and maintain high standards by allowing only actively engaged examiners to serve. |
Rule
Preventing Conflicts of Interest for External Examiners The School must not appoint external examiners who:
To detect and address conflicts of interest:
These restrictions ensure external examiners remain independent, impartial, and free from conflicts of interest, maintaining the integrity of the examination process. |
Rule
Director of Education and Induction The Director of Education must brief new external examiners promptly, preferably through an onsite visit. An annual workshop covering academic regulations, examiner roles, modules, examination boards, reporting, and administrative tasks is also required. External examiners must have AGS access to:
These measures ensure new external examiners are well-prepared and have the necessary resources to fulfil their duties effectively, maintaining high academic standards. |
Rule
External Examiner Liability External examiners, as examination board members, are involved in all relevant decisions but hold no legal responsibility beyond what the law mandates. This clarifies the role and limits the legal liability of external examiners, ensuring they can contribute without undue concern for legal repercussions. |
Rule
External Examiner Compensation External examiners are entitled to fees, travel, and subsistence expenses according to School policies, provided they submit the required reports. Compensating external examiners ensures their contributions are recognised and reimbursed, supporting their role in maintaining academic standards. |
Rule
External Examiner Information and Student Contact Names, positions, and institutions of external examiners should be included in module or programme information. Students must not contact external examiners directly but should follow School procedures for assessment issues or contact their Personal Academic Tutor, programme or module leader, or Student Success Team. This ensures transparency about external examiners while directing students to the correct channels for support and issues, maintaining proper communication protocols. |
Rule
Interaction Between External Examiners and Students External examiners generally do not meet with students unless arranged by programme or module teams. Such meetings help examiners:
Students should be informed that:
External examiners should not assess students unless required by regulation or a professional body, agreed at validation, and included in programme/module specifications. Examiners may interview students for alternative or additional assessments if valid reasons for poor performance are established. This guideline clarifies the interaction between external examiners and students, safeguarding impartiality while allowing beneficial feedback and assessment processes. |
Advice
External Examiner Information Access Information on the role and responsibilities of external examiners, including this regulation, is available on the School website and the Automated Governance System (AGS). This ensures transparency and accessibility, allowing stakeholders to understand the role and responsibilities of external examiners. |
Criteria for Selecting External Examiners
Title |
---|
Rule
Recommendations Module and programme teams should suggest external examiners, who should be appointed at least 6 months before the first assessments. Nominations are submitted to the Director of Education for initial consideration, then presented to the Academic Board for approval. Appointments should be phased for mentoring and handover. Significant changes or extensions to duties require Academic Board approval. Early appointment and phased integration ensure smooth transitions, effective mentoring, and adherence to academic standards. |
Rule
Criteria for Appointing External Examiners The School applies the following criteria for appointing external examiners from academia, industry, business, and professions:
These criteria ensure external examiners are highly qualified, respected, and knowledgeable, maintaining the School's academic standards and quality. |
Rule
Exceptions for Nominating External Examiners The School must meet all criteria when nominating external examiners. Exceptions may be made for:
This flexibility ensures qualified individuals can serve as external examiners, even in niche or vocational fields, maintaining high standards. |
Rule
Appointing Nominees Who Do Not Meet All Criteria Nominees who do not meet all criteria may be appointed as part of an experienced examining team, overseen by the Director of Education. The School may appoint a Chief Examiner from the approved team, meeting the usual criteria and relevant subject responsibilities. First-time examiners require mentoring and must attend the School's workshop. Nominations from diverse contexts are encouraged. This ensures flexibility in appointments while maintaining rigorous standards and benefiting from diverse external scrutiny. |
External Examiner Oversight: Assessment Review, Programme Evaluation, and Board Participation
Title |
---|
Rule
Information and Collaboration with External Examiners Module leaders must send external examiners:
Programme leaders must send external examiners:
External examiners:
In the event of a disagreement between a module leader and an external examiner regarding marking or standards, the module leader should first document the differences and seek an informal discussion with the external examiner. If the issue remains unresolved, it will be escalated to the Director of Education, who will serve as the final arbiter. Throughout this process, maintaining academic standards is essential. Emphasis will be placed on continuous improvement through the use of reports, professional development for staff as needed, data analysis, and policy revisions, all aimed at fostering a culture of ongoing enhancement. External examiners also send a written report to module or programme leaders, who should collaborate on any issues. The Director of Education can assist. Both leaders must respond to examiner reports and engage in further discussions. Module examiners should attend MEB; programme examiners should attend PEB. This ensures external examiners receive the necessary information to uphold academic standards, provide independent scrutiny, and collaborate effectively with module and programme leaders. |
Rule
Exam Board Membership and Presence The Academic Board is responsible for the standards and quality of the School's programmes. It delegates authority to two bodies:
The MEB ensures:
The PEB ensures:
All external examiners are members of the MEB and PEB and must attend these exams boards. A quorum requires at least one external examiner. External examiners are required to sign a Statement of Procedural Compliance at the end of every examination board meeting. If they are unwilling to sign, they must report their concerns in writing to the Chair of the Academic Board. The School will investigate the matter. This structure maintains the validity, reliability, and standards of assessments and awards, ensuring academic integrity and quality through wide consultation and compliance. |
Rule
Submission and Handling of External Examiner Reports External examiners must submit:
The specific report, commenting on assessment and award standards, should be included in the reports from module leaders, programme leaders, and the Director of Education, and sent to the Academic Board as part of the Monitoring and Evaluation Regulations. The report should go directly to the Chair of the Academic Board. Recipients must respond and discuss these reports. This process ensures thorough review and incorporation of external examiner insights, contributing to the Board of Governors' standards review and continuous improvement. |
Procedures for External Examiner Resignations and Terminations
Title |
---|
Rule
Resignation and Replacement of External Examiners External examiners should resign if unable to complete their term or if unavailable for an extended period. The resignation procedure is in the External Examiners’ Handbook. Reasonable notice should be given for replacement. Resignations must be reported to the Academic Board. If tenure ends unexpectedly, the School must promptly appoint a qualified substitute. This ensures smooth transitions and continuity in external examining, maintaining academic standards. |
Rule
Termination of External Examiner Appointment External examiners are crucial for maintaining the School's academic standards. Failure to fulfil duties may lead to termination by the Academic Board in cases of:
This ensures that only committed and compliant external examiners are responsible for upholding the School's academic standards. |
Advice
Early Termination of External Examiner Appointment For early termination of an external examiner, the following steps apply:
This process ensures orderly and justified termination, maintaining the integrity and continuity of external examining. |
Metrics and KPIs
The following metrics will be measured and regularly reviewed as key performance indicators for the School to ensure the effectiveness of this policy and associated operations.
Title |
---|
Diversity of External Examiner Appointments
Appoint external examiners from at least 5 different institutions or professional backgrounds each academic year. Encourages diverse perspectives and insights, enhancing the School's assessment processes and maintaining robust academic standards. |
External Examiner Attendance
Achieve 95% attendance of external examiners at required examination board meetings each academic year. Ensures active participation and oversight by external examiners, enhancing the integrity and credibility of the assessment process. |
Implementation of External Examiner Recommendations
Address 90% of actionable external examiner recommendations within one academic year. Promotes continuous improvement by integrating external feedback into the School's processes, ensuring enhancements are made promptly. |
Timeliness of External Examiner Reports
100% of external examiner reports submitted within 10 working days after the examination board meetings. Ensures prompt feedback, allowing timely implementation of recommendations and maintaining seamless academic operations and improvements. |