EXTERNAL EXAMINERS’ INDUCTION 20 NOVEMBER 2013

EXTERNAL EXAMINERS’ INDUCTION 20 NOVEMBER 2013



Academic Quality/Standards at Middlesex University

Appointment of External Examiners

• Ensure all subjects/programmes are covered by an external examiner

• Send out letters of appointment

• Payment of Fees and Expenses

• Subject/School Assessment Boards



Roles and Responsibilities

• University’s Learning Quality and Enhancement Handbook (Section 4)

• University’s Regulations (Section D)http://www.mdx.ac.uk/aboutus/strategy/regulations/

• Letter of Appointment

• Report Cover Sheet Templates



DUBAI AND MAURTIUS

•Set-up in January 2005 and January 2010 respectively

•Middlesex is responsible for academic delivery

•Same quality assurance and monitoring systems as the London-based campuses

•Dubai delivers over 30 undergraduate and 9 postgraduate programmes with over 90 nationalities represented

•Mauritius delivers 15 programmes both undergraduate and postgraduate



Function of External Examiners

To provide independent adjudication on quality andstandards of academic provision and on associatedprocedures by:

• approving exam papers [and coursework assignments];• approving programme and module changes/proposed new

modules;• moderating student work (grades); • attending viva examinations (if required);• attending/contributing to Assessment Boards;• providing the programme team and the University with

informed and constructive critical comment and feedback on academic provision and assessment through submission of written reports by required deadline dates



Moderation of student work

EEs receive a representative sample of student work whereby to judge appropriateness of standards and of assessment overall. Key student work should have been double-marked/moderated internally.

[NOTE - EEs are not markers and so do not alter marks of individual students; nor are EEs normally expected to resolve marking disagreement between internal markers]



Key documents needed

Programme handbook

Includes • programme specification;

- module aims - learning outcomes

- syllabus- teaching learning and assessment strategy- assessment weighting- learning materials

• Module narrative• University regulations (especially Sections J and M)



Involvement of external examiners in quality assurance processes

Quality and annual monitoring - EE reports on in-house and

collaborative programmes feed into quality/annual monitoring reports

Periodic Review - EEs may be consulted by programme/subject teams when preparing for academic review and reports would be considered by review panels

Internal audit of EE appointment process at 5 yearly intervals

Boards of Study – reports are presented to Boards of Study meetings, which include student representatives

External audits – reports may form part of evidence base for other audits, including QAA audits



Reporting (1/6)

• External Examiners’ reports provide feedback to the

University on the comparability of standards and the

student achievement

• Internal report but also a public document as it is widely

circulated and used for internal reviews, audits and

committees and external audits and reviews



Reporting (2/6)

Appendix 4b

• The External Examiner is invited to make detailed

comments on academic standards as well as the

management and operation of the EE system



Reporting (3/6)

Comments are invited on:Assessment (standards)

Compare marking and moderation for modules taught at different campuses including overseas MU campuses and modules on franchised and joint validated programmes

Was work fairly and consistently marked?Was assessment properly moderated?Was the feedback to students useful?Were students treated in a fair and consistent manner?



Reporting (4/6)

Achievement (standards)

•Are the profiles of achievement acceptable or do they merit comment? (e.g. within/between modules)

•Are they exceptionally good/uneven/ cause for concern?

Awards (standards)

•Are awards made at the appropriate level and do they accurately reflect achievement?

•Is such achievement comparable to that at other HEIs



Reporting (5/6)

Administration & Conduct (the assessment process)

•Was assessment conducted in accordance with relevant regulations? (University and/or PSRBs).

•Was assessment well administered?

•Are there suggestions whereby the procedures might be improved?



Reporting (6/6)

• External Examiners should submit reports within one

month of the final assessment board to AQS

• Templates are circulated annually just before the

assessment period

• All reports should be sent to AQS

• Reports not submitted on time are followed up



Central Overview

• AQS writes an External Examiners’ Overview report to the

Assurance Committee each year

• Report comments on the External Examiner activity

during the previous year, the quality of External

Examiners’ reports and highlights generic issues to be

addressed by the University and areas of good practice.



Where to find us on the web:

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/aboutus/Strategy/qualitystandards/index.aspx

Gloria TurnerUniversity Quality Enhancement Manager (Externality)Tel: 02084116387

[email protected]

Documents

EXTERNAL EXAMINERS’ INDUCTION 20 NOVEMBER 2013