External Examiner Induction Day - 13 May 2015. Aims of induction To provide newly appointed External Examiners with: Background to University of Cumbria.

External Examiner Induction Day - 13 May 2015

Aims of induction

To provide newly appointed External Examiners with:•Background to University of Cumbria

•Information to help you carry out your duties:• Types of External Examiner• Role of the External Examiner• Specific responsibilities• University’s responsibilities• Reporting

•Opportunity to meet team and undertake programme-level

•An insight into the operation of our assessment boards and exemplar paperwork

All the information you need can be found on our website at:http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/externalexaminers

Context and background to UoC

•A new University of Cumbria (wef 2007) – 3 main campuses (Lancaster/Carlisle/Ambleside)

•Has a history of educating professionals going back over 150 years

•Student demographics:

(not including dormant students)

2013-14 Full-time Part-time Total

Postgraduate 966 1366 2332

Undergraduate 5472 1836 7308

Collaborative 182 11 P/G

171 U/G

999 754 P/G

245 U/G

1181

6620 4201 10,821

Context and background to UoC – Cont’d

• Ethnic minority students (7%)

• Approx two thirds female to male student ratio

• Almost two thirds of full-time U/G students are under 21 years old

• Award classifications in 2013-14: 1st class 15.6%; 2:1 50.1%

Employability outcomes:• No. of graduates unemployed and looking for work has fallen each year since

2009-10

• Slight fall in those in f/t employment; increase in those in p/t employment

• Significant rise in those going on to further study, training and/or research

QAA Quality Code – B7:External Examining

•The QAA Quality Code sets out the following ‘Expectation’ in Chapter B7, stating that:

‘Higher Education providers make scrupulous use of external examiners’

•Changes as a result have included:• EE details in Module Guides for students• EE reports shared routinely with students through Programme

Blackboard sites

Types of External Examiner

Subject External Examiners are appointed to comment on assessment practice at module level and will be involved in:•Levels 5 and 6 of undergraduate degree programmes•Levels 4 and 5 of Foundation degrees and target DipHEs•In the full programme for other awards (eg 1 year courses, P/G courses)•Minor change validation (including Level 4 modules)

Award External Examiners are appointed to ensure the University’s assessment processes are sound, fairly operated and in line with the institution’s policies and regulations.

•External Examiner findings have a strong impact in relation to QAA review

•The External Examiner is seen as a critical friend and external moderator and plays an important role in quality enhancement

Role of the Subject External Examiner

•To ensure that academic standards are comparable with those across the UK Higher Education sector

•To ensure that module assessment requirements meet aims and outcomes

•To ensure that standards across modules are comparable (including cross site parity, and parity across collaborative provision where appropriate)

•To ensure that the achievement of programme aims and outcomes contributes to the commercial, industrial and professional environment (as appropriate)

•To ensure that assessment strategies and methods are in line with current best practice

•To ensure that student work is assessed carefully, accurately and fairly by internal examiners

•To ensure that Assessment Boards give full and fair consideration to each student

Specific Responsibilities of the Subject External Examiner

•To scrutinise a representative sample of each grade or class of degree, cases of failure

•To approve exam questions

•To attend Module Assessment Boards (MAB) to:• Confirm MABs operate according to Regulations and with consistency and fairness• Provide advice on decisions where necessary• Agree marks, recommendations and decisions

•To provide an annual report

•To provide advice to course teams on, and approve, proposed minor changes to the programmes/modules

Role and responsibilities of the Award External Examiner

To ensure that:•Academic standards are maintained at a level comparable with similar awards elsewhere in the HE sector

•Regulations and Procedures are followed in a consistent, fair and proper manner and applied to ensure comparability of treatment for all students

•To provide experienced and objective input into the application of Academic Regulations and knowledge of how comparable situations are dealt with elsewhere

•They attend University Assessment Boards (UABs)

•They provide an annual report to the University

University responsibilities

• To provide you with sufficient information to carry out your duties

• To provide you with timely information on the dates of Assessment Boards and any other meetings

• To ensure a timely dispatch of information and work for moderation

• To provide a formal response to your annual report

• To ensure timely payment of fees and expenses

External Examiner’s Annual Report

Subject External Examiners – provide comment on:•Academic standards and comparability to similar courses/modules elsewhere•The quality of learning opportunities available to students•The assessment process•Organisation and arrangements in enabling you to fulfil your duties

Award External Examiners – provide comment on:•The operation of University Assessment Boards•Consistency in interpretation/application of Regulations and Procedures•The administration of the Assessment Board process

Serious Concerns•In the first instance, to the Chair of MAB or UAB•To the Vice Chancellor via a confidential report

External Examiner’s Annual Report – cont’d

•Reports should be submitted by 31 July (or within 6 weeks of the assessment board)

•Please do not name students or staff

•Standard template must be used (available from the website here)

•Report goes to programme team (and other relevant departments/Services)

•Report is shared with students

To submit reports (or for general queries), please e-mail:[email protected]

External Examiner’s Report – cont’d

A good report should:

•Fully address each point within the template

•Be constructively written to aid enhancement

•Clarify any actions required (it helps to prioritise these)

•Provide specific and individual input regarding collaborative provision (if applicable)

•Recognise and highlight good practice

•Confidential section should only be used for serious matters of concern

Consideration of Annual Reports

•You should receive a formal response to your report, addressing the issues raised by you within 6-8 weeks

•Reports feed into the Faculty annual monitoring (AER) process:

•Annual monitoring process reports, (via Faculties), to the Academic Quality & Standards Committee (AQSC)

•A summary of issues arising from External Examiner Reports is provided to AQSC annually, and actions are monitored through Faculties and AQSC at the mid year point

•A summary of issues requiring action at University-level is provided to Academic Board and monitored through AQSC.

Common themes emerging from 2013-14 reports

Good practice:•Students well prepared for future employment•Able to moderate student work on-line•Electronic submission working well for students and Externals•Innovative and creative assessment strategies•Quality of student feedback (including use of audio feedback)

Issues/points for further enhancement:•Some Externals requested more opportunities to meet students•Some reports suggested more could be done to publish the very best student assignments

Finance and accommodation

Fees and expenses•A set annual fee, stated in the appointment letter•Expenses refunded, but must include full receipts (exception is mileage)•Maximum allowance for subsistence (see information pack)•Annual fee (not automatic – it must be claimed) will be paid on receipt of annual report•The claim form is available from the website here and must be returned to Resource Support at the address shown on the form. Further detail on expenses can be found in the External Examiner Handbook

Accommodation•The Resource Support service can book accommodation for you and can be contacted at: [email protected]

Finance and Accommodation

Claim forms•Ensure all sections of the claim form are completed – including bank details, National Insurance and date of birth

•A copy of your passport photo page should be submitted

•Please submit all claims promptly •University makes payments on the 26th each month (where claims are received by 5th of the month)

Receipts•Must be original and not credit card flimsies or statements•Alcohol and newspapers are not refundable

Useful resources for External Examiners

•UK Quality Code Chapter B7: External Examining (Dec 2011)

•Higher Education Academy (HEA) Handbook for External Examiners (2012) which can be found here

•University’s Quality Handbook

•Academic Regulations

•Appendix 3b to Academic Regulations - ‘Marking & Moderation’

•Appendix 3c to Academic Regulations – ‘Conduct in Assessment’

•Appendices 4a to 4f relate to External Examining and can be found here

Finally …

Thank you for listening

Any questions?