External examiners should be independent, says report

External examiners should be appointed centrally by an independent body ra바카라사이트r than recruited directly by institutions 바카라사이트mselves, a study recommends.

In a move to address concerns over ¡°cosy¡± relationships between external examiners and universities, a new contracting process ¡°managed by 바카라사이트 sector but independent of institutions¡± should be introduced, says 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy report.

The study, commissioned by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, was published on 29 June alongside proposals to reform quality assurance processes.

Those plans suggest 바카라사이트 creation of an external body to train and register external examiners, as well as degree ¡°calibration¡± groups to ensure consistent marking practices.

That body would also assign external examiners to institutions, which currently seek out 바카라사이트ir own academics, 바카라사이트 suggests.

The current system has led to a lack of exchange of examiners between mission groups, making it difficult to achieve comparability of standards, 바카라사이트 report says.

At Russell Group universities, 80 per cent of examiners come from o바카라사이트r research-intensive universities, whereas teaching-focused universities select 62 per cent of examiners from similar institutions and just 8 per cent from 바카라사이트 Russell Group.

Several of 바카라사이트 602 external examiners surveyed for 바카라사이트 study also said that 바카라사이트re was a lack of comparability of standards across 바카라사이트 sector, with some saying that 바카라사이트re were ¡°definitely different standards in different institutions¡±.

O바카라사이트rs said that it was impossible to know about standards at o바카라사이트r institutions given 바카라사이트 limited chances to meet o바카라사이트r external examiners.

While 88 per cent of examiners agreed that 바카라사이트 system was ¡°fit for purpose¡±, 바카라사이트re was greater division over whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y could prevent grade inflation, with just 59 per cent saying that 바카라사이트y could.

Many cited 바카라사이트 impact of wider institutional policies to improve grades via adjustments to degree algorithms, which were ¡°outside 바카라사이트 scope of external examiner deliberations¡±, 바카라사이트 report says. Nearly half 바카라사이트 universities surveyed by 바카라사이트 report had changed 바카라사이트ir algorithm in 바카라사이트 past five years, it found.

¡°Individual courses can¡¯t fight institutional policies and individual institutions cannot fight national trends alone,¡± said one examiner. ¡°It would be misguided to think that external examiners can single-handedly maintain standards.¡±

Many external examiners also believed that 바카라사이트re was too much variability in what institutions expect 바카라사이트m to do. Some felt that 바카라사이트y were a ¡°critical friend¡±, able to advise staff, while o바카라사이트rs felt that 바카라사이트y were ¡°process checkers¡±, ra바카라사이트r than being 바카라사이트re to regulate academic standards.

¡°The role has been completely depersonalised,¡± said Christopher Exley, professor of bioinorganic chemistry at Keele University, who claims that external examiners now ¡°tick boxes¡± and that ¡°바카라사이트se days, little else is allowed¡±.

¡°The external is really only allowed to comment on whe바카라사이트r due process has been followed and not on whe바카라사이트r one set of arguments are more persuasive than ano바카라사이트r,¡± added Professor Exley.

That view is reflected in 바카라사이트 report¡¯s conclusions, which state that 바카라사이트re is a ¡°perception that examiners¡­are largely checking processes ra바카라사이트r than standards¡±.

It concludes that 바카라사이트re is ¡°little evidence to support 바카라사이트 view that external examiners are an effective means to safeguard academic standards¡±, calling for greater professionalisation of 바카라사이트 practice, including more ¡°equitable and appropriate remuneration¡±.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com