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)
Formal appointment letter only after formal approval by University.

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

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:
Faculty of Natural Sciences
Professor John Greenman, University of Hull
External Examiner for Biomedical Science
Contact:

11. Are external examiner posts part of the 2014 UCU marking boycott
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.
We review our template annually so always important to use latest template. Recent changes: now ask for list of recommendation and ask if subject teams have responded to previous recs. .

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:
This triggers annual fee and expenses to be processed
Electronic submission is necessary to allow for speedy upload onto HERO.

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