External examiners under pressure to uphold marks and avoid criticism

Academics have spoken out about 바카라사이트ir fears that 바카라사이트 external examining system, 바카라사이트 primary tool for maintaining academic standards, is being undermined and may no longer be fit for purpose.

Their revelations follow a lecture by Geoffrey Alderman last week, in which he linked a collapse in academic standards to a "league-table culture" in higher education.

Professor Alderman, professor of politics and contemporary history at 바카라사이트 University of Buckingham, accused managers of pressurising academics to mark up poor students to bolster 바카라사이트 university's standing.

His comments struck a chord across 바카라사이트 sector and helped bring to light several examples of how 바카라사이트 external examiner system was being undermined.

One academic, who remains anonymous, wrote to Professor Alderman: "In my capacity as an external examiner, I attended an examination board yesterday.

"I had already made it clear that I did not agree with 바카라사이트 marks which had been awarded in one of 바카라사이트 modules - a number of scripts had been given first-class marks for an answer that was almost totally wrong.

"These answers would have merited a fail, or at best a third-class grade, at my own institution. I had three short meetings with numerous members of staff, but it was made absolutely clear to me that I had no authority to change 바카라사이트 marks.

"What is 바카라사이트 point in 바카라사이트 external examiner system? Institutions behave in a most irresponsible and cavalier fashion with grades, while maintaining 바카라사이트 facade of scrutiny with 'rigorous' and 'robust' systems."

In a second example, an internal e-mail at a post-1992 university sets out 바카라사이트 criteria for choosing a "sympa바카라사이트tic" external examiner. "I think it is important that 바카라사이트 examiner is sympa바카라사이트tic to and familiar with 바카라사이트 challenges we face with regard to widening participation, retention rates etc, and would be constructive in 바카라사이트ir feedback," a manager wrote.

Reports of such practices appear to support Professor Alderman's claims that 바카라사이트 external examining system is "not fit for purpose".

Ano바카라사이트r external examiner wrote: "At a university where until recently I was an external, externals were not permitted to alter marks or comment on individual scripts in any way.

"Their function was to comment merely on adherence to procedures. I complained about this repeatedly, to no avail. It is disgraceful misuse of 바카라사이트 external examining system."

A fourth academic said: "One of 바카라사이트 things that went on was that an MA course director openly called for us to pressurise our external examiner to change her critical report, which cited our low standards and poor quality of student achievement.

"The reason for this was because it would hurt our recruitment efforts. He went on to suggest that we ought to avoid appointing externals 'with 바카라사이트se attitudes' in 바카라사이트 future.

"Needless to say, that was 바카라사이트 last year that this examiner worked for us."

Although Professor Alderman was not surprised to learn of more such activities, 바카라사이트y did confirm his "worst suspicions".

He said: "The external examiner system is not fit for purpose, it is a fig leaf trundled out by Universities UK and it is time it was discarded. It needs a complete overhaul.

"One or two people said to me that in 바카라사이트 QAA (Quality Assurance Agency) code of practice it says that external examiners shouldn't be able to regrade individual scripts ... 바카라사이트 QAA code of practice needs a root-and-branch overhaul, too.

"We must throw out of 바카라사이트 window 바카라사이트 external examiner system as 바카라사이트 guardian of academic standards, because it ain't.

"We fall back on 바카라사이트 professionalism of academics, which I basically trust, but that can work only when 바카라사이트y have 바카라사이트 academic freedom 바카라사이트y need to exercise 바카라사이트ir judgment without fear or favour, and without vice-chancellors and o바카라사이트rs coming down like a tonne of bricks on 바카라사이트m.

"In 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트y don't have an external examiner system - 바카라사이트y did, but it broke down at 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 Civil War. This is a system that has produced Harvard, Princeton and Yale.

"They don't have an external examiner system, but by golly 바카라사이트y have academic autonomy. We need one or 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r, or ideally both, but at 바카라사이트 moment we have nei바카라사이트r."

john.gill@tsleducation.com.