External Examiner - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For new or existing external examiners.
- Where can I find information about being an External Examiner at NTU?
- What is my role as External Examiner?
- Will I have an induction?
- Will I have the ability to alter individual students' marks in the samples that I receive?
- How many Boards will I have to attend?
- What will be the period of my tenure in my role as External Examiner?
- When and how do I submit my report?
- Will I be expected to send my report in electronically?
- What happens to my report once I have submitted it?
- How can I claim my expenses?
- When can I expect to receive my annual fee?
- If I have an urgent academic matter that needs to be dealt with, whom can I contact?
- Due to unforeseen circumstances I am unable to complete my tenure as an external examiner with NTU, what should I do?
- When I was appointed my appointment did not create a reciprocal arrangement; however recently, my home institution has a approached
a colleague at NTU, is this acceptable?
- Can external examiners be dismissed?
3. Will I have an induction?
CADQ invites newly appointed UK based external examiners to a University induction event, which is organised jointly with
schools.
Induction for external examiners attached to Validated Centres and non-UK based external examiners attached to School based
provision is organised by Validated Centres and Schools respectively.
The event
CADQ invites UK based External Examiners to the Welcome and Induction event that takes place twice a year after which Schools
and the EEAP are notified of examiners who have not attended an event.
4. Will I have the ability to alter individual students' marks in the samples that I receive?
The External Examiner does not have the power to alter individual marks. However, it may be appropriate for the external examiner
to recommend a review of marks in a particular mark band.
5. How many Boards of Examiners do I have to attend?
An external would normally attend at least one Board of Examiners per academic year. This, and any other meeting requirements
of the course team, will be discussed with you prior to or on your appointment to the role at the start of each academic year.
6. What will be the period of my tenure in my role as External Examiner?
Normally the period of tenure commences at the beginning of September and continues until the end of December four years later,
for example from 1 September 2012 to 31 December 2016. The extra three months provides a handover period for the outgoing/incoming
External Examiners.
If your course operates to ‘non-standard' term dates or it is a new course then the start date and finish date may be slightly
different. If your course has multiple intakes the course team leader should advise you when your tenure is likely to begin.
7. When and how do I submit my External Examiner Report?
The external examiner annual report should be submitted within four weeks after the Board of Examiners and must submitted in the format prescribed by the University
on the standards and quality of the course(s) and awards for which they are responsible. This report is then used in the production
of the annual Course Standards and Quality Report (CSQR) and for course monitoring and enhancement generally.
8. Will I be expected to send my report in electronically?
Yes, the External Examiner form must be completed electronically. Details of how to submit this form can be found on the guidance notes.
9. What happens to the external examiners report once submitted?
Once submitted a copy of your annual report is sent to the Centre for Academic Development and Quality; the Vice-Chancellor
(who reads each report) and the School/Validated Centre, who then forward a copy to the Course Team.
10. How can I claim my expenses?
Expenses should be sent to the Course Leader (or their nominee) and will be dealt with via the School. External examiner financial contact details within the appropriate schools.
11. When can I expect to receive my annual fee?
On receipt of your External Examiner report the School will contact you to arrange payment of your fee. If you wish to discuss
the payment of your fee, please contact the appropriate person within the school in which the programme you are examining lies.
12. If I have an urgent academic matter that needs to be dealt with, whom can I contact?
Depending on the level of urgency and significance of the matter, different people for different reasons can be contacted:
13. Due to unforeseen circumstances I am unable to complete my tenure as an External Examiner with NTU, what should I do?
Ideally if you could negotiate with the Course Leader to see out the current year (including any referral Board of Examiners)
that would be very helpful. However, if circumstances dictate that you have to leave prior to this, if you could write to
the Dean of School (copy to the Course Leader) with your reasons for seeking an early termination of your tenure, and if possible
provide any thoughts on the course and/or the University's External Examining processes, in the form of a short report, this
would be greatly appreciated. Your comments will not only be helpful to the course team and NTU but would also be extremely
useful to the replacement External Examiner.
14. When I was appointed last year, my appointment did not create a reciprocal arrangement; however recently, my home institution
has a approached a colleague at NTU to be an External Examiner on one of our Courses, is this acceptable?
No – not if it creates a conflict of interest. The External Examiner Appointments Panel (EEAP) would hope that the Quality
Assurance processes of the other institution would identify the issue and reject the nomination; however it would be much
better for the NTU course team member to turn down the offer at the outset. Where there is an element of confusion the NTU
Course Leader should forward details to the EEAP for decision.
15. Can External Examiners be dismissed?
Whilst it is hoped that such a situation will not arise, the University reserves the right to give notice of premature termination
of appointment to an External Examiner whose performance or general conduct is unsatisfactory, for example where there is
a failure to:
- attend a Board of Examiners meetings without the prior agreement of the Chair of the Board of Examiners;
- submit their annual reports (e.g. three reports within three years) within the specified time;
- fulfill other duties identified in the University's Academic Standards and Quality Handbook.
The dismissal of an External Examiner is not taken lightly and should it become necessary to prematurely terminate the appointment,
this will be conditional upon the authorisation of the Vice-Chancellor, via the Academic Standards and Quality Committee,
in consultation with, and on the recommendation of, the Dean of School.
If you have any enquiries, please contact Nick Titmus – telephone: +44 (0)115 848 8200.
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