External Examiners’ Conference Context Professor Simon Payne Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Dean of Academic Partnerships 21 April 2016

Institutional Context Legacy going back to 1862 and the School of Navigation Mission to transform lives through education and research in World’s Top 800 universities (THE World University Rankings) and Top 200 in Europe No. 59 global universities under 50 years old/ranked 5th in the UK No.1 in People and Planet League Table c: 27,000 students and 2,900 staff

Faculties: – Faculty of Arts and Humanities – Faculty of Business – Faculty of Health and Human Sciences – Faculty of Science and Engineering – Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry Academic Partnerships – Over 20 partner colleges in the UK – 80 partnerships in 30 countries Institutional Context

Commitment to excellence in teaching and learning – ‘transforming lives through knowledge’ – 58% of academic staff PhD qualified Clusters of world-leading research Research-led teaching, with a focus on practical ‘real world’ learning REF 2014 – almost 2/3 of submissions graded world-leading or internationally excellent – top for output in Clinical Medicine Enterprise and Employability: – placements, internships and volunteering – 12,000 students in placements – 15,000 hours of volunteering by students in Institutional Context

Students as Partners – students involved at every level, including in quality assurance and enhancement Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Strategy – aim to ‘provide an excellent learning and stimulating student experience, where students are at the heart of all our considerations’ Assessment Policy – external examiners comment on whether assessment policy is realised in programmes Institutional Context