Subject: Criteria for the Appointment of External Examiners
for Research Degrees
Origin: Dr B P Vale
Research Committee has
recently reviewed the criteria and arrangements for the appointment of External
Examiners for research degrees. Our
current criteria stipulate that External Examiners should be at least Senior
Lecturers from a pre 1992 University or Principal Lecturer from a post 1992
University. Provided that candidates
meet the requirements they will automatically be appointed as Examiners. Where candidates who do not meet this
criteria have been identified a case for their appointment can be made to the
AD(R).
It could be argued that our
current criteria and processes do not give sufficient emphasis to the principle
that research degree Examiners should be ‘demonstrably research active’ in
accordance with the recent HEFCE report on RDPs, nor do our processes currently
seek evidence that the External Examiner is actually research active. In addition the criteria may exclude those
whom it is appropriate to appoint and offer no guidance regarding the
appointment of individuals outside the UK University sector.
Following consultation with
Directorates, Research Committee proposes the following:-
·
That the current
criteria be abandoned.
·
That the proposed
Examiners’ eligibility to act be determined on the basis of research output and
research student supervision and examination experience.
·
When an External
Examiner is nominated for appointment on the first occasion the nomination form
shall be accompanied by evidence of the proposed Examiner’s recent research
output, normally publications, this would normally be downloadable from the
web. In addition the nomination form
will be amended so that the candidates experience of research degree
supervision and examination can be recorded.
It is expected that this information be obtained when a member of staff
informally contacts the proposed Examiner.
·
In a highly specialised
area it may be necessary exceptionally to approach a proposed Examiner who may
have had little previous experience of research degree supervision and/or
examination. In such circumstances,
provided that the proposed External Examiner’s expertise was unquestioned, they
may be appointed in conjunction with a highly experienced Internal Examiner or
a second External Examiner with a general and complementary knowledge of the
subject area. Exceptionally where a
second External Examiner is appointed a Senate Observer would also attend the
oral to represent the University in the absence of an Internal Examiner.
·
It may be appropriate
exceptionally to nominate an Examiner who is not an academic member of staff of
another University, provided that they are an expert in the student’s field of
research and hold a professional status equivalent to University Professor,
Reader or Lecturer. The first time the
nomination is made evidence of their research activity shall be submitted. In the event that they have little or no
previous examination/supervision experience they may be appointed in
conjunction with a highly experienced Internal Examiner or in exceptional
circumstances a second External Examiner with general, complementary knowledge
of the subject area should be appointed.
Where a second External Examiner is appointed a Senate Observer shall
attend the oral examination to represent the University.
·
The Associate Deans
(Research) shall approve the appointment of External Examiners and will offer guidance
on acceptable levels of experience and research outputs.
·
In the event that a
member of staff of a non UK University is proposed as an Examiner they will
need to demonstrate that they are familiar with the UK PhD system either
through previous employment or previous supervision/examination of PhD
students. If this is not possible then
an experienced Internal Examiner shall be appointed alongside who will
undertake to brief the External Examiner on the expectations of a research
degree submission. It should be noted
that all Examiners are asked to provide independent written reports on the
research degree submission prior to conducting the examination or consulting
with each other.