External examiner arrangements

All courses at the University of Suffolk and its partner institutions have an external examiner appointed to them, in accordance with the University’s External Examiners Policy. An external examiner is an academic, usually from another higher education provider, who has significant experience of course delivery and assessment within the subject area. External examiners make judgements on marking standards, and assess the quality of the assessment processes and the experience of the students on the course.

Each external examiner provides an annual report which makes explicit judgements on particular aspects of the course, as well as providing feedback on good practice, strengths and innovative features. Course teams are required to respond to external examiner feedback, with identified actions feeding into course action plans where appropriate. The reports, along with the responses, are approved internally before being shared with the course committee and with students (through the online learning environment).

An induction event is held for new external examiners every year (usually in October). This External Examiners' Forum is designed to provide an introduction to the University of Suffolk and its quality management processes, as well as explaining the role of the external examiner. It also provides an opportunity for external examiners to meet relevant staff and gain a better understanding of the course(s) they will be overseeing. A copy of the presentation from the most recent External Examiners' Forum is available below under guidance for external examiners.