External Examiner System
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About the External Examiner System
The External Examiner System is an integral part of the University's quality assurance and enhancement processes. External Examiners play a vital role in the maintenance of academic standards, ensuring that assessment processes are conducted fairly, in accordance with our academic framework and without prejudice to any student.
External Examiner Information
Right to work in the UK
The Home Office requires that all organisations obtain proof of the right to work in the UK for all individuals who carry out work for them. You will be asked to provide this documentation as part of your contractual agreement with UEL.
You will be asked to present your documentation in person at UEL prior to your role commencing. You may present your documentation at the Quality Assurance & Enhancement (QAE) office, by appointment.
Where it is not possible for an external examiner to present their documentation in person, the external examiner should send their document(s) (via Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm) to the QAE office to be verified.
The examiner should notify the QAE office of their wish to submit their documentation so this can be tracked appropriately and a video conference call arranged with the examiner to verify the documentation. The documentation will then be returned to the examiner via Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed by 1pm.
This documentation will be kept on the external examiner's file in line with the Data Protection Act 2018.
Should you have any queries, please email the External Examiners' Administrator at extexam@uel.ac.uk.
*Alternative arrangements are in place during the current health emergency.
University External Examiners Induction
UEL recommends that all new external examiners to our University should familiarise themselves with the induction materials available.
We recognise that many external examiners have had considerable experience in assessing student work at undergraduate or postgraduate level, however, university systems of assessment do vary from one institution to another.
The aim of our External Examiners' Induction is to provide you with an opportunity to find out about the role of external examiner at UEL. Upon appointment, you will be granted access to our training site on Moodle.
Should you have any queries, please can you contact the External Examiners' Administrator via email at extexam@uel.ac.uk.
External Examiners Manual
The External Examiners' Manual provides detailed guidance for external examiners about their role within the assessment process at UEL. Download the Manual below.
Appendix 1: Assessment and Feedback Policy (Further guidance can be found within the Assessment Toolkit within Moodle.
Assessment & Feedback Policy - Supporting information and guidance
Appendix 2: Extracts from our University's Manual of General Regulations:
Manual of General Regulations - September 2021
- Part 1 - Descriptions of our University's Awards
- Part 3 - Academic Regulations (Levels 3, 4, 5 and 7)
- Part 3a - Transitional Provisions
- Part 3b - Academic Regulations (Level 6)
- Part 3c - Regulations for D Level or Level 8 Modules in Courses and for Professional Doctorates (and associated awards)
- Part 5 - Assessment of Students
- Part 6 - Extenuating Circumstances
- Part 7 - Appeals Against Assessment Board Decisions
- Part 8 - Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct
Appendix 3 - The Terms of Reference for External Examiners
Appendix 4 - External Examiner Report Proforma 2020-21
Appendix 5 - Travel Request Form
Appendix 6 - Travel, Subsistence and Expenses Policy
Appendix 5 - External Examiner Claim Form
Appendix 8 - e-Submission of Coursework - Guidance for External Examiners 2021
You will be directed to the policy section of our website - please view Other Policies
Appendix 9 - Engagement and Attendance Policy
Appendix 10 - Policy on the Accreditation of Prior Certificated and Experiential Learning
Appendix 11 - Support for Students - Centre for Student Success
Communication to external examiners, forms and useful contacts
Communications to External Examiners during COVID-19 Health Emergency.
- Alternative Assessment March 2020
- Assessment Framework April 2020
- Assessment Boards May 2020
- Dual Delivery arrangements for the return to campus June 2020
External examiners are required to submit their annual report within one month of the final boards taking place for the academic session.
We are operating an online process for reporting. A link to a personalised report form will be emailed to you in advance of the assessment period.
Please contact the External Examiners' Administrator, Caroline Quirk if you have any queries (extexam@uel.ac.uk).
Please note that Part Three of the pro forma is to be completed by the Lead Examiner only.
Please find below the expenses claim form.
Forms for staff and collaborative partners
We have provided below guidance notes and forms to enable staff members to locate the information required for nominating a new external examiner or to amend an existing examiners contract.
- Guidance Notes for Those Seeking to Appoint a New External Examiner
- Guidance Notes for Prospective External Examiners
- Criteria for the Appointment of External Examiners
External Examiner Application Forms
- External Examiner Nomination Form (Word Version)
- Re-allocation of Duties and Extension Form (Word Version)
Please contact the External Examiners' Administrator (extexam@uel.ac.uk) should you require the Guidance Notes for External Examiner Fees.
Useful Checklists for Schools/Partners
Sourcing an external examiner
To assist you with the nomination process we have produced guidance notes on the application process, from submitting a nomination to the school quality committee through to approval by the External Examiners' Sub-Committee.
Guidance notes for those seeking the appointment of a new external examiner
Finding an External Examiner
You may already have a pool of external examiners that you can approach, however if you require assistance there are many websites that can be of use. To enable you to find an external examiner, we have provided below a link to an academic mailing list. You will need to subscribe to the site and then you can post your requirements and fellow academics will reply to you directly. Subscription is free to the academic community.
There are other websites available that are specific to academic areas which have a tool to enable you to find external examiners. You may already have membership to such a site or perhaps you would be interested in becoming a member. As some of these sites do incur a subscription charge, please check with the budget holder for your school before committing to any payment.
If you are aware of any useful websites please can you email the External Examiners' Administrator on extexam@uel.ac.uk. Thank you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find information about being an external examiner at UEL?
Please refer to the External Examiners' Manual section above.
What will my role entail as external examiner at UEL?
External examiners help to:
- verify that academic standards are appropriate for the award or part thereof which the external examiner has been appointed to examine;
- support/advise our University to assure and maintain academic standards across higher education awards;
- support/advise our University to ensure that the assessment processes are sound, fairly operated and in line with our policies and regulations.
For further information see Guidance Notes for Prospective Examiners.
Will I have an induction?
In addition to the External Examiners' Manual, which provides an explanation of your terms of reference and all general University regulations relevant to the assessment of students, you will receive from our University's Quality Assurance & Enhancement Office: a contract and your terms of reference.
You will be given access to the Induction Moodle page where you will find video briefings on the main elements of your role.
Academic schools are responsible for induction at local level; you will also have an opportunity to meet staff in the school to discuss how you wish to fulfill your duties. At that point you will receive a copy of the module specifications and any other relevant information.
What support will be provided, if you are an inexperienced external examiner?
In addition to the External Examiners' Induction, the school will arrange for an experienced external examiner from the department (or associated department) to act as a mentor to offer you support and guidance. Your Head of Department will provide you with the details of your mentor.
Do I need to attend all assessment board meetings?
You should participate in relevant assessment board meetings. You should contribute to assessment board decisions and ensure that those decisions have been reached by means according with UEL's requirements and standard practice in higher education. If you are unable to attend a meeting in person or via video link, you should still be involved in the process, either by email or telephone.
When will I receive work to moderate?
It is up to you and the School to agree how you will undertake this responsibility.
Increasingly where the method of assessment allows, submission of coursework is via e-submission. The preferred method of e-submission is via Turnitin Grademark. Where assessment is submitted by students via e-submission, it should by marked and second marked online. The preferred approach for supporting you with your role within e-submission is to provide you with direct access to the relevant Moodle sites, enabling moderation directly via Turnitin Grademark. You may wish to access samples via Turntin Grademark off campus. You may alternatively wish to access samples via Turntin Grademark on campus by coming to our University the day or morning before the assessment board.
Some examiners prefer to come to our University the day or morning before the assessment board so that they have time to look at work in-depth prior to the meeting. Often a combination of both of these methods is preferable, we appreciate that this will probably be the most time-consuming part of your job and that it will often occur at the busiest time of the year.
Where can I find information on external examining and e-submission?
As part of an ongoing project to increase the use of electronic submission, marking and feedback of coursework, External Examiners may be required to access Moodle (the University of East London's Virtual Learning Environment) to moderate student submissions directly with Turnitin (a plagiarism detection tool used by a majority of UK Higher Education Institutions).
Turnitin, and its marking facility GradeMark, are being used to facilitate the widespread implementation of e-Submission of Coursework. This guide will provide information on how to access UEL Plus, locate the appropriate Turnitin link and how to moderate using Turnitin GradeMark.
Further guidance on External Examining and e-Submission of Coursework can be found in the External Examiners' Manual.
When and how do I submit my report?
External Examiners are required to submit their annual report within one month of the final boards taking place for the academic session.
We are operating an online process for reporting. A link to a personalised report form will be emailed to you in advance of the assessment period.
Please contact the External Examiners' Administrator, Caroline Quirk if you have any queries (extexam@uel.ac.uk).
Please note that Part Three of the pro forma is to be completed by the Lead Examiner only.
Which parts of the report pro forma should I compete?
All external examiners should complete Part One and Part Two of the External Examiner Report pro forma, with the exception of the specific School Lead Examiners (who attends the Award Board) who are required to complete Part Three only.
I am an external examiner for more than one delivery site; how do I report on the individual partners/sites?
We would prefer that you submit one report, however we would ask you to clearly identify which partner the comment refers to, if you cover modules that are delivered at more than one partner.
How do I claim my expenses?
Please complete the claim form below and submit it along with all receipts to the External Examiners' Administrator. You must complete all sections of the form, sign and submit with receipts within three months of the expense being incurred. Claims received after this deadline may not be paid.
How do I claim my fee payment?
Your fee payment is automatically processed following receipt of your completed annual external examiner report. Payroll is run once a month and payments are made on the last Thursday of the month.
Contact Us
The External Examiners' Administrator manages institutional links with our external examiners and can be contacted as follows:
- Phone: +44 (0)20 8223 2011
- Email: extexam@uel.ac.uk
Address: External Examiners' Administrator, University of East London, Docklands Campus, London, E16 2RD