The role involves engagement with the subject team at intervals throughout the year. It is regarded as the key role in ensuring that assessment matches intended learning outcomes
and that standards in the subject modules are set at the right level (in line with the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) and that they accord with subject benchmark
standards. Experience is also desired of the awarding function, including application of regulations, mitigating circumstances, and the exercise of judgment in cases of failure.
External examiners attend one or more meetings of the exam board during the year but are not involved in approving examinations and coursework briefs or determining marks.
A few external examiners are appointed to a single course, most commonly where the course is designed and delivered elsewhere but leads to a London South Bank award, or where the
award is also made by a statutory body.
As an external examiner, you will normally be allocated up to 15 course modules, which might be at different academic levels and used in more than one course. However, this is dependent
on the credit value of the modules. Some external examiners may be allocated more modules than this. Usually some of the modules run in Semester 1 and some in Semester 2.
As an external examiner, you should expect to:
- receive the module guides as issued to students
- comment on draft examination papers for modules assessed by examination
- receive coursework briefs for information
- comment on new coursework briefs for modules wholly assessed coursework
- sample marked work; the scope of the sample is negotiable. You are NOT asked to remark work, and should not change individual marks seen as part of a sample, but you
might recommend changes to the whole set of marks for a module - attend the meeting of the exam board. The external examiner shares the remit of the
whole board, advises the board in the light of sampling, but does not have sole
authority to decide marks - make an external examiner report to the University
As an exam board external examiner, your main commitment is to attend a meeting of the board, which may typically last half a day, but in the case of large courses might take nearly
all day. You advise the board on consistency and fairness to students within the University’s regulations and provide a report which is usually shorter than that at the subject area stage.
Some Departments invite external examiners to visit the University during the year to discuss issues of assessment and in some cases also to meet students.
You will be asked to provide information for the nomination form and should not agree to be nominated if a member of London South Bank University staff is an external
examiner in your own institution for a course or subject with which you are directly involved. All nominees must also ensure they have not been a member of staff at LSBU
for at least 5 years prior.
External examiners must be experts on the subject matter and the intended mode(s) of delivery, and they will be familiar with quality and standards and quality assurance in a
higher education context. Where this cannot be achieved by one external examiner, or the workload is extensive, additional engagements may need to be made, for example, where
a programme is accredited by a professional body there may be a requirement for one external examiner with academic expertise and another