External examiner

Examination at Durham University in 1842, where the external examiner system originated.

The external examiner plays an important role in all degree level examinations in higher education in the United Kingdom. The external examiner system originated in 1832 with the establishment of the University of Durham, the first in England since Cambridge was founded 600 years earlier. Durham used Oxford examiners to assure the public that its degrees were a similar standard to Oxford's.[1][2] The establishment of more universities in England from the 1880s was accompanied by a requirement that examinations be conducted by internal and external examiners. It is also found in countries whose higher education systems were developed from United Kingdom practice, or strongly influenced by it, after its introduction, including New Zealand and India. It is one of the oldest systems of quality control within higher education.[3]

External examiners are a requirement for all degree level examinations at English universities under criterion B3 of the regulatory framework for higher education.[4] In other countries of the UK, there is a requirement that providers "[use] external expertise, assessment and classification processes that are reliable, fair and transparent", with guidance making it clear that this includes using external examiners.[5][6]

  1. ^ Cuthbert, Mike (2003) "The external examiner: how did we get here? Archived 2013-05-18 at the Wayback Machine" Presentation to the UKCLE/ALT workshop on external examiners, 6 June 2003. Retrieved 21 May 2012.
  2. ^ Matthew Andrews (1 June 2018). Universities in the Age of Reform, 1800–1870: Durham, London and King's College. Springer. pp. 152–153. ISBN 9783319767260.
  3. ^ Richard Lewis (18 November 2009). "Quality Assurance in Higher Education – Its Global Future". Educational Research and Innovation Higher Education to 2030. Vol. 2. OECD. p. 325. ISBN 9789264075375.
  4. ^ "Securing student success: Regulatory framework for higher education in England" (PDF). Office for Students. 6 October 2022. pp. 203–204. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  5. ^ "The UK Quality Code for Higher Education" (PDF). Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. 10 May 2023. p. 3. Retrieved 8 November 2023.
  6. ^ "UK Quality Code for Higher Education Advice and Guidance: External Expertise" (PDF). Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. 29 November 2018.