Introduction

This handbook seeks to address this challenging, varied and rapidly changing field of academic activity. It has been written for readers who are or may become external examiners in engineering, who may work with such external examiners in the context of their institutional duties or who may wish for other reasons to inform themselves of the current practices of external examining in engineering subject areas. It supplements the clear outlines contained in the Quality Assurance Agency’s Code of Practice for External Examining. It concentrates on the work of academic external examiners, rather than those drawn from the profession, who have a special, but different, contribution to offer.

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The topics covered in this handbook include: the role of external examiners, their appointment and briefing and their formal contract; academic infrastructures in the UK, current developments in Europe and considerations for students with disabilities; practicalities such as the use of predecessor’s reports, of relevant minutes and the scrutiny of assessed student work; meetings with students and collegial contacts with staff. Attention is given to assessment board meetings, formal and informal reporting, and the raising and resolution of concerns, together with a summary of issues worthy of particular attention. Brief mention is made of external examining of other forms of certificated learning. Finally the benefits for the external examiner when taking on these duties are discussed.

Author’s biography

John Cowan is a structural engineer who practised as a designer before entering academia. There, amidst his engineering teaching and research, he sought ways to improve the effectiveness of engineering education through what were then radical and evidence-based moves to student-centred learning. He was soon appointed as the first Professor of Engineering Education in the UK, with a particular interest in the “hidden curriculum” of assessment and in developments in the process of assessing, on both of which topics he has noteworthy publications. He moved in the later years of his career to the Open University, in which he was to be Professor of Learning Development. He served for many years as specialist adviser on assessment to the Institution of Structural Engineers. He is now, technically, retired, although active as a teacher, assessor and external examiner. His commitment to engineering education remains. He still acts as an external examiner for engineering degrees, was the first moderator of the JISC mailbase for external examiners and is much in demand to contribute to induction events for external examiners.

Acknowledgements

Grateful acknowledgement is made here of the author’s debt to the writers of the Handbook for External Examiners: Guidance for the Degree in Social Work, prepared by the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Social Policy and Social Work (SWAP) in conjunction with the Joint Universities Council Social Work Education Committee (JUC-SWEC) and the four UK Care Councils in January 2009. This handbook owes a great deal to the structure and content of that exemplary document.

Copyright © 2009 Higher Education Academy Engineering Subject Centre.
All rights reserved.

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