UK Quality Code for Higher Education B7: External Examining

1. UK Quality Code for Higher EducationB7: External Examining Dr. Anett Löscher & Dr Tim Burton Research, Development & Partnerships Group The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786

2. Overview Context for B7: • UUK/GuildHE review • UK Quality Code for Higher Education B7: External Examining • Key points

3. B7: External Examining – context • QAA’s review of the Academic Infrastructure • UUK/GuildHE, Review of external examining arrangements in universities and colleges in the UK Recommendations: • 3 principles – institutional autonomy, institutional accountability, transparency • national set of minimum expectations of the role • national set of criteria for appointment • support for external examiners • core content of reports • response to reports • concerns procedures, internally and externally • student engagement

4. UK Quality Code for Higher Education Expectations: Things higher education providers expect of each other and which the general public can expect of all higher education providers

5. Chapters of the Quality Code • Part A: Setting and maintaining threshold academic standards • Part C: Information about higher education provision • Part B: Assuring and enhancing academic quality • B1: Programme design and approval • B2: Admissions • B3: Learning and teaching • B4: Student support • B5: Student engagement • B6: Assessment of students and accreditation of prior learning • B7: External examining • B8: Programme monitoring and review • B9: Complaints and appeals • B10: Management of collaborative arrangements • B11: Research degrees • A1: The national level • A2: The subject and qualification level • A3: The programme level • A4: Approval and review • A5: Externality • A6: Assessment of achievement of learning outcomes General introduction

6. B7: External Examining 18 indicators of sound practice: • defining the role (Indicators 1-3) • nomination and appointment (Indicators 4-6) • carrying out the role (Indicators 7-10) • recognition of the work of external examiners (Indicator 11) • external examiners' reports (Indicators 12-16) • serious concerns (Indicators 17, 18)

7. Defining the role (Indicators 1-3) assurance scrutinise whether • threshold standards are being maintained • assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly • standards and student achievements are comparable with other HEIs enhancement • identification of good practice • opportunities to enhance the student learning experience impartial, independent advice, informative comment, recommendations

8. Nomination and appointment (Indicators 4-6) • institutional processes and regulations – appointment, support, termination • national criteria (‘core+’ approach) for appointment, emphasis: • competence for the role - standards - enhancement - experience • minimise potential conflicts of interest • preparation for the role – provider’s role and responsibilities

9. Carrying out the role (Indicators 7-10) • clear ‘instructions’: • appointment to what modules/programmes/awards • roles, responsibilities, powers: • membership of exam/assessment boards • sampling of assessed work • transparency about external examining/examiners • endorsement of assessment outcomes • evidence to carry out the role: • opportunities to meet students, purposes • availability of evidence • communication with staff

10. Recognition of the work (Indicator 11) • ensure ‘supply’ of external examiners • create space • develop forms of recognition • support aspirations • benefit from external examiners’ experience • communicate appointments • disseminate experience

11. External examiners' reports (Indicators 12-16) • annual report, designated recipient • core content, aligned with role definition • standards • enhancement and also - confirmation of ‘sufficient evidence’ - confirmation that previous report issues addressed - professional body issues - end of term of office overview • reports available to students • consideration of reports and actions in response • feedback to external examiners

12. Serious concerns (Indicators 17, 18) • confidential report to the head of the institution • QAA Concerns scheme (or the PSRB): • concerns which indicate serious systemic or procedural shortcomings, not isolated mistakes or occurrences of bad practice • QAA's concerns scheme: guidance for external examiners,http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Publications/InformationAndGuidance/Documents/QAA_concerns_scheme_guidance_external_examiners.pdf

13. External Examining:The student perspective The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. Registered charity numbers 1062746 and SC037786

14. B7: External Examining Indicators of sound practice: • Information about external examiners (Indicator 8) • Sharing of reports (Indicators 14, 15, 17) • Meetings with students (Indicators 8, 10) • QAA Concerns scheme (Indicator 18)

15. Context • Public confidence in academic standards and external examining • The role of students in HE quality management

16. To secure widespread confidence the system should be more open, so that students know what external examiners do, what they say about programmes, and how institutions respond to this. ... A clear entitlement for students to know what they can expect from external examiners regardless of subject, course or university/college. We believe there is much to be gained from a positive, confident and open approach to reports. (UUK/Guild HE, 2011)

17. Chapter B5: Student engagement • Students as partners in quality systems to enhance their learning experience • Opportunities individually and collectively • Sharing of information to enable students and staff to have informed discussions • Part C – information about HE provision • HE providers set out what they expect of current students and what current students can expect of the HE provider (Ind 5)

18. Information about external examiners Indicator 8 Institutions include the name, position and institution of their external examiners in module or programme information provided to students. • Transparency • No direct contact – appeals mechanisms • If direct contact received

19. Sharing reports Indicator 14 Institutions make external examiners' annual reports available in full to students, with the sole exception of any confidential report made directly, and separately, to the head of the institution. Indicator 15 Institutions ensure that student representatives are given the opportunity to be fully involved in [considering reports] enabling them to understand all the issues raised and the institution's response.

20. Sharing reports (2) • Information provided as part of involving students in quality management • Not written for students per se • No requirement to publish • History (HEFCE 06/45, UUK/GuildHE) • HEI decides the mechanism for sharing • Edited only in specified circumstances

21. Sharing reports (3) • Involvement in considering reports and actions to be taken or not taken • At programme/subject level • At institutional level • Consideration of general issues and themes

22. Meetings with students • No view on whether desirable • Clarification of whether entitled to meet students (Ind 10) • Clarification of purpose for external and students (Ind 8, 10) • QA, assessment, orientation?

23. QAA Concerns scheme • Anyone can use the scheme • Evidence of systemic failings not one off bad practice • Internal processes first • Other mechanisms

24. Website: www.qaa.ac.uk/qualitycode Email: qualitycode@qaa.ac.uk Sign up to QAA News http://www.qaa.ac.uk/Newsroom/News/Pages/QAA-news-alert.aspx Find out more