Appointment of External Examiners for taught courses at undergraduate and postgraduate level

• Appointment process
• Nomination forms
• On appointment

External examiners are usually appointed for four years, starting on the 1 October of a given year and finishing on 30 September four years later. After an external examiner's four year term of office has expired they cannot be appointed to the University again until four years have passed.

Occasionally, an external examiner may have been appointed for a term of office less than four years. In this case, the examiner's term of office may be extended. Form EE4 should be completed and returned to the Senate Office.

In February, the Senate Office determines which external examiners are due to have their term of office expire that year. We then write to relevant Heads of School/Institute to request that they take steps to initiate the appointment of a replacement examiner.

Appointment process

1. Head(s) of Subject Area completes a nomination form (for type see below) and signs it.
2. The form is then passed to the Head of School/Institute for approval.
3. The signed form is then forwarded to the Senate Office.
4. After consideration and approval, an appointment letter is sent to the examiner. Copies of this appointment letter are also sent to the Head of School.

External examiner nomination forms

• EE1 - to replace an examiner [doc]
• EE2 - to extend a remit [doc] e.g. to extend the number of courses examined by an existing examiner
• EE3 - to nominate for a new course [doc] to nominate for a new course or appoint an additional examiner for an existing course
• EE4 - to extend tenure [doc] e.g. of an existing examiner

On appointment

When external examiners are appointed, they receive an information pack containing the following:

• Note of Guidance for External Examiners for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Courses
• Code of Assessment
• Guide to the Code of Assessment  
• Registration form