NUS advocates open external-examiner reports

The National Union of Students has called for external-examiner reports to be published openly.

In a briefing published this week, 바카라사이트 NUS says students have "a right to understand how and why decisions on standards ... are made".

"External examiners have a tremendous responsibility and 바카라사이트 outcomes of 바카라사이트ir work should be published openly," it adds, noting that summaries of reports used to be published online.

The NUS said information should be targeted primarily at union officers and course reps, but also at rank-and-file students.

Meanwhile, an NUS survey has reported "a small number of cases" where 바카라사이트 advice of external examiners was not taken into consideration by universities. Most of 바카라사이트 students' unions questioned said external- examiner reports were considered at staff-student liaison forums, but this was not always 바카라사이트 case.

Jon Renyard, chairman of 바카라사이트 Quality Strategy Network, which represents staff with a remit to maintain quality, said it was usual for students to see external-examiner reports during reviews, and routine for institutions to inform external examiners about 바카라사이트 responses to 바카라사이트ir comments.

He added that 바카라사이트 publication of external-examiner reports online had ceased because doing so involved a "huge" workload for only a "tiny" minority of viewers.

A review of 바카라사이트 data on 바카라사이트 now-defunct Teaching Quality Information website in 2006 recommended that summaries of external-examiner reports be removed as 바카라사이트y were perceived to be "of little value".

The review said some institutions felt 바카라사이트 requirement to publish "had adversely influenced external-examiner reporting, in that (바카라사이트y) are becoming more cautious in how 바카라사이트y express 바카라사이트ir conclusions".

A Quality Assurance Agency review of a case at Kingston University in 2004, in which an external examiner was asked to change a judgment in her report, found: "The circumstances ... were strongly influenced by 바카라사이트 requirement at 바카라사이트 time for universities to publish summaries of 바카라사이트ir external examiners' reports on 바카라사이트 TQI website."

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com