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Induction for
Subject External Examiners
Nicola Clarke
Academic Standards and Quality Assurance Manager
Induction for Subject External Examiners
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Appointment process
• Appointments pack sent to all new External
Examiners includes a number of documents for
completion and a request that Examiners provide
evidence of Right to Work in the UK
• All Examiners, having submitted the appointments
paperwork required by the University are provided
with an MMU Employee Reference number –
required for payroll purposes and also to enable
access to the University’s VLE (Moodle)
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External Examining at MMU
• External Examiners are appointed to all taught
award-bearing programmes of the University
• They are appointed to provide externality in our
quality assurance processes and to enable us to
comply with the Quality Assurance Agency UK
Quality Code for Higher Education
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Quality Assurance Agency
• The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) was established in 1997
and is an independent body funded by subscribers and reporting
to the UK HE Funding bodies.
• The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) website at
http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Pages/default.aspx provides much useful
information regarding the UK Framework for Higher Education
Qualifications, information on subject benchmark statements
and the UK Quality Code for Higher Education
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Quality Assurance Agency
• The UK Quality Code for Higher Education sets out the
Expectations that all providers of UK Higher Education are
required to meet. Chapter B7 of the Code relates specifically to
External Examining.
• The Framework for Higher Education Qualifications describes
the key reference points against which all of our taught
programmes of study are aligned.
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Quality Assurance Agency
• Subject Benchmark statements set out expectations
about standards of degrees in a range of subject
areas, describing what gives the discipline its
coherence and identity. They also articulate what
abilities and skills are needed to develop
understanding or competence in the subject.
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Quality Assurance Agency
• The University ensures alignment with the QAA
UK Quality Code for HE and a document
detailing how this is demonstrated may be found
at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/regulations/docs/QAA_engagement.pdf
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External Examiner categories at MMU
• Subject External Examiners fulfil a discipline-based
role, operating at programme level. They attend Tier
One Unit Results Assessment Boards.
• Award External Examiners fulfil a Faculty-wide role
ensuring that due process is followed at the Tier Two
Progression and Awards Assessment Boards
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External Examiners on Franchised
Programmes
• Franchised programmes also running at MMU
normally fit into the MMU Two Tier system.
• Where the timing of delivery at partners does not
align with MMU-based provision the franchised
programme will operate on a single tier structure.
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External Examiners on Externally
Validated programmes
• For Externally Validated programmes operating
at partners, and for other programmes where a
single-tier Assessment Board structure operates,
the External Examiner fulfils both Subject and
Award External Examiner roles
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Roles of Subject External Examiners
• Information about the role, powers and
responsibilities of Subject External Examiners is
found in the Institutional Code of Practice and
Regulations for External Examining at
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/examiner
s/regulations-policies.php
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Role and Responsibilities
Subject External Examiners are:
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Required to attend main Unit Assessment Boards
Asked to endorse the recommendations of the Board
Asked to confirm that due process has been followed
Asked to confirm that assessments have been carried out in
accordance with University Regulations
• Required to submit an annual report following the main Unit
Assessment Board
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Role and Responsibilities
Subject External Examiners are also:
• Asked to ensure currency of unit content and the coherence of
units within a programme
• Consulted on any changes to units
• Consulted at the point of programme periodic review
The Role of External Examining on MMU programmes offered by
our collaborative partners is demonstrably the same.
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Role and Responsibilities
Subject External Examiners are NOT involved in:
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Second or Third marking
Arbitration in instances of marker disagreements
Changing individual student marks
Vivas (except where the Professional Body stipulates
involvement)
• Consideration of Exceptional Factors or cases of misconduct
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External Examiner Reports
• All External Examiners appointed by MMU
are required to submit a report, usually on an
annual basis and within six weeks following
the final Assessment Board which dealt with
the cohort of students to which the document
refers.
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Role of the reports
External Examiner reports play a key role in:
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Continuous Monitoring and Improvement;
Programme periodic review;
Curriculum design and modification;
Review of assessment regulations;
Quality enhancement;
External review – including QAA Higher Educational Review.
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The University requires Subject External Examiners, in
their expert judgement, to report on:
i.
administrative and procedural matters;
ii. assessment processes;
iii. student performance;
iv. and good practice and enhancement
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Report Templates
Bespoke templates for Examiners at each Assessment Board Tier:
• Tier 1 – Subject External Examiners EE4S
• Tier 2 – Award External Examiners EE4A
Subject External Examiner reports should be submitted using the
template EE4S, accessible together with guidance on reporting on
External Examiners’ website at
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/examiners/reporting.php
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Report submission
• Reports should be completed and submitted electronically to
facilitate distribution
• Reports should be submitted in the first instance to the relevant
Head of Faculty SAS – email address provided at the foot of the
report template
• Reports will be acknowledged and circulated to programme
leader, Dean of Faculty and Centre for Academic Standards and
Quality Enhancement (CASQE)
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Use of External examiner reports
• Reports are treated as public documents
• Reports are widely circulated so please do not refer to staff or
students by name
• Reports are made available to all students via their
programme VLE area
• Freedom of Information means copies of reports may also be
requested by the public - in which case we remove the
examiner’s name
• Please do not let this inhibit frankness
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Responses to External Examiner reports
• Reports undergo programme committee scrutiny and
student representatives contribute to discussion regarding
the issues raised
• Programme leaders must respond to their Subject External
Examiners and the response must address all key issues
raised in the report
• Programme committees also consider the reports of the
Award External Examiner responsible for their programme,
but are not required to make a formal response;
• A formal response to issues raised in the reports of Award
External Examiners is the responsibility of the Faculty
Executive Group;
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Continuous Monitoring and
Improvement
• Actions arising from the Subject External Examiner reports feed
into the University’s Continuous Monitoring and Improvement
Process
• Completed reports are appended to the Continuous
Improvement Plan and retained within the programme log
• Examiners receive updates on actions taken as part of
Continuous Monitoring Process
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Institutional Scrutiny of
External Examiner reports
• Issues of institutional significance are monitored by the
University’s Centre for Academic Standards and Quality
Enhancement (CASQE) and forwarded to the relevant
committee or review group for action
• An overview of the External Examining process, identifying
the main themes and issues as well as positive comments
concerning good practice emerging from the reports, will
form part of the Annual Report on Quality and Standards to
the University’s Academic Board
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Financial matters
• Annual fee – details notified in appointment letter
• Fee only payable on receipt of annual report
• Claim Form – Fin 1E available on the website at
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/examiners/feesexpenses.php
• Submit claim (with associated receipts attached) to
Faculty Quality Administrative Contacts
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Sources of Support and Information for
Subject External Examiners
• Contractual letter of appointment
• External Examining Handbook
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External Examiners’ Website
• External Examiners’ website:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/examiners/
- Code of Practice and Regulations on External Examining
- Assessment Regulations
- Policy on Moderation of Summative Assessment
- Procedures for Operation of Assessment Boards
- Induction Podcast for Subject External Examiners
- Details of key contacts – both centrally and at faculty level
- Links to relevant External websites such as the QAA
website and the Higher Education Academy website
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Support from the Programme team
• Programme leaders are the point of contact for
programme-specific information and for
arrangements for Boards of Examiners meetings.
• If you are new to External Examining, the programme
team will arrange mentoring for you in your first year
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Faculty Contacts
The local Quality Enhancement Team will also
provide support and be responsible for
processing your annual fee and other expense
claims.
Quality Enhancement Team contact details
available as links at:
http://www.mmu.ac.uk/academic/casqe/examiners/support-external-examining.php
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University Contacts
Nicola Clarke
Academic Standards & Quality Assurance Manager
[email protected]
Tel: 0161-247 1061
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