Universities UK (UUK) and GuildHE have asked the Quality
Assurance Agency (QAA) to work with them to support universities
review and improve their external examining practices.
A recent progress review of
efforts to tackle grade inflation demonstrates that universities
are already taking steps to review how they use external
examiners – but inconsistencies remain and this could undermine
confidence in degree classifications.
Suggested areas for improvement include the following:
- Supporting more consistent use of and reference to sector
recognised standards and national frameworks.
- Increasing use of longitudinal data and appreciation of local
contexts (including degree outcomes statements in England and
Wales), supported by training, to assess performance across and
within cohorts.
- Reviewing eligibility criteria and qualifications required
for appointment of external examiners, including incorporation of
industry and PSRB expertise.
- Improving transparency and consistency in processes for
responding to external examiner reports, advice, and concerns.
- Advising on activities that, at a minimum, external examiners
should always expect to undertake and be consulted on.
- Establishing content and format requirements for effective
training and CPD of external examiners.
New principles will be added to the UKSCQA statement of intent
alongside principles published in 2020 which clarified good
practice in calculating degree classifications.
Professor Debra Humphris, Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Brighton and Chair of UUK's Student Policy Network,
said: “Universities recognise and continue to strengthen
external examining processes to ensure degree awarding processes
are fair, transparent and reliable. This work will help them take
appropriate action as part of continued efforts to protect the
value of degree qualifications.
“While there will be scope to adapt to local contexts, including
subject specific requirements, greater consistency in use of
external examiners will make it easier to compare awards.”
Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor of Northumbria
University, Newcastle and Chair of the UK Standing Committee for
Quality Assessment, said: “This new commitment
to uphold the value of university qualifications will help
maintain trust in our world-leading universities.
“A defined set of principles for external examining, and
greater alignment and consistency, will make an important
contribution to maintaining standards and quality assessment
across the sector.”
Gordon McKenzie, CEO, GuildHE said: "Teaching
and learning in UK universities is rightly seen as outstanding
with an international reputation for excellence, based in large
part on their robust academic standards. Over the last few years
the higher education sector has sought to further enhance the
rigor of quality assessment processes and tackle unexplained
grade inflation through our work on degree algorithms, degree
outcomes statements and degree classification descriptors.
"The external examining system provides a valuable source of
external, expert opinion on the standards of university awards
and we are pleased to further enhance this system through this
new project."
