Menu EXTERNAL EXAMINERS' ROLE Roles and responsibilities of External Examiners Provide the institution with impartial and independent advice and informed comment on the institution's standards and student achievement in relation to those standards. Provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not an institution is maintaining the threshold academic standards for its awards in accordance with the frameworks for higher education qualifications and applicable subject benchmark statements. Provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not the assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly against the intended outcomes of the programme(s) and is conducted in-line with the institution's policies and regulations. Provide informative comment and recommendations upon whether or not the academic standards and the achievements of students are comparable with those in other higher education institutions of which the external examiners have experience. To provide informative comment and recommendations on good practice observed by the external examiners and opportunities to enhance the quality of the learning opportunities provided to students. Prior to the confirmation of mark lists, pass lists or similar documents endorse the outcomes of the award(s) they have been appointed to scrutinise. Contribute as board members to examination / assessment boards to provide an expert view of the rigour and fairness of the assessment process by endorsing, or not, the decisions of the board and confirm that he/she is satisfied with the conduct of the assessment process. Submit a report annually, to Academic Governance and Policy, at a time determined by the institution, to reflect the nature of the provision, the duration of teaching and assessment periods and their timing in the calendar / academic year. Where the external examiner has reached the end of his/her term of office, the report should include an overview of that period. Follow guidance concerning the expected contents of the reports, to ensure that the core content is addressed in each report. Individual staff and students must not be identified in the external examiner's reports. Ensure annual reports provide clear and informative feedback to the institution and confirm that sufficient evidence was received to enable the role to be fulfilled (where evidence was insufficient, they give details), state whether issues raised in the previous report(s) have been addressed to their satisfaction, address any issues as specifically required by any relevant professional body and give an overview of their term of office (when concluded). Additional responsibilities of Chief External Examiners Meet with relevant external examiners to discuss issues common across the course, especially if such issues are inherent in the design and operation of the course as a whole Provide feedback to the course team on generic issues both informally and via their Chief External Examiner's report Attend final examination and resit boards External examiners have the right to address any issues with the Head of Academic Governance and Quality should they wish. Office for Students Complaints and Notifications scheme Meetings with students Sample and Determination of Marks Compensation You might also be interested in ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE AND POLICY PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT SCHOOLS OF STUDY Edit section | Website feedback to web@bathspa.ac.uk