Rights & Responsibilities

External Examiners are asked to consider the judgements made by internal boards of examiners at collaborative centres. They are not expected to change marks for individual students or be directly involved in assessment. Their role is not as a second marker. External Examiners should not be asked to arbitrate on academic judgments that should be made by an institution’s own assessment process. Recommendations to the University for the conferment of awards will not be valid without the written endorsement of External Examiners. Additionally, in relation to dissertations, External Examiners are required to review and moderate internal marking of dissertations conducted by internal examiners.

External Examiners are expected to attend meetings of the examining board. Where unforeseen circumstances prevent attendance, both the collaborative centre and the University must be informed, so that a decision can be made regarding the possibility to review students’ work and provide written comments in advance of the board as well as be available for consultation by telephone, video network or other suitable means.

In the event of non-attendance, External Examiners must indicate this in their written report and confirm that they have been fully involved in the assessment and external examining process.