External Examining at Keele University

1. External Examining at Keele University Dorothea Ross-Simpson Head of Governance and Quality Assurance

2. External Examining at Keele • Is based on the UK Quality Code Chapter on External Examining (B7) • Is set out in the Keele Code of Practice on External Examining (2012)

3. Contents 1. Overview over the external examiner system at Keele 2. Administrative Arrangements 3. Available Support 4. Reporting Arrangements 5. How Keele deals with your reports

4. Appointment • All examiners appointed by Senate • The QA Office issues contract letters including fee and duration of appointment. • Normal term of office is 4 years. Standard fee scale. • Formal acceptance of appointment required (including visa checking as a UKBA requirement)

5. Staying in Touch • Single email address: externalexaminers@keele.ac.uk • Key administrative contact: • Jayne Bradley (fees, expenses, contracts) Telephone 01782 733037 • NicciChaddock (external examiner reports) Telephone 01782 733085

7. Attending Discipline Examination Boards • Dates agreed early (usually before Christmas) and notified to you, usually by the School Manager or the Examination Officer. • External Examiners are required to attend the Discipline Examination Board for the programme(s) to which they have been appointed. Attendance is compulsory where results are being considered that contribute to final awards (Level 5, 6 and 7). Exception: Resit Boards • In exceptional circumstances, should an external examiner be unable to attend a meeting of the Board, the School has to follow a formal procedure for proposed alternative external examining arrangement.

8. Your Role at the Discipline Examination Boards • Ensure that board procedures are followed and that the agreed results (module, progression and classification recommendations) are robust and defensible. • Provide verbal feedback to the Board at the end of proceedings about: overall standards, examples of good practice, how the provision and its assessment procedures might be enhanced. • If satisfied with the process, sign off the course results sheet.

9. If you are unsure • First point of contact: School Examination Officer • For regulatory advice: Head of Governance and Quality Assurance • For academic / standards questions: Faculty Chief External Examiner • Administrative matters: QA Office (Jayne)

10. Faculty Chief External Examiners • Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences Dr. Garry Crawford, University of Salford External Examiner for Sociology Contact: g.crawford@salford.ac.uk • Faculty of Natural Sciences Professor John Greenman, University of Hull External Examiner for Biomedical Science Contact: j.greenman@hull.ac.uk

11. Are external examiner posts part of the 2014 UCU marking boycott ? (28 April onwards) UCU advises: “No.  External examiner appointments are separate contracts.” The University will seek Senate approval for procedures to deal with the marking boycott and a copy of the agreed procedure will be made available to external examiners.

12. The report template invites confirmation: • that the academic provision is in good health; • that the programmes and principal subjects are achieving appropriate standards which compare well with other institutions across the sector; • that any issues you identified previously have been addressed; • that the enhancement of quality is being pursued and achieved.

13. Submitting Your Report • Deadline: normally one month after examination board (but for u/g no later than Friday 30 August 2013) • Report submission electronically to the QA office at: externalexaminers@keele.ac.uk • This triggers annual fee and expenses to be processed

14. Who reads your report? • Vice-Chancellor /Deputy Vice Chancellor • Subject Team and Head of School • Faculty Learning and Teaching Committees • Dean • Faculty Chief External Examiner (undergraduate only. Not Health Faculty) • QA Officer + Head of Governance and QA • Students

15. What happens then… The School will: • Consider your report • Draft a response to you • Submit their draft response for approval to SLTC and FLTC outlining action taken / planned

16. What happens then… FLTCs will: • Approve the School’s draft response so it can be sent to you. • Discuss external examiner findings across the Faculty and approve School responses University Learning and Teaching Committee, QAC and Senate will: • Receive an overview report over pan-University issues identified by external examiners (u/g and p/g) Head of Governance and Quality Assurance or the Dean will: • Respond to you if you highlight an issue outside the School’s remit

17. What happens then… • The University publishes your report, the School’s response and institutional overview reports on its intranet • Schools are asked to share your reports and their response with students

18. External Examining Overview Report 2013 • Undergraduate Recommendations: • Improve documentation of internal moderation processes • Improve guidance on feedback standards • Review assessment loading • Review practice of providing formative feedback on drafts • Postgraduate Recommendations: • Reinforce communication to students about the role played by external examiners and the identity of their external examiner(s) at programme level. • Produce curriculum maps where appropriate showing available pathways and/or assessment options through subject areas