The purpose of these regulations is not only to enunciate procedures for the appointment of External Examiners, but to set out what research students can reasonably expect from the University regarding the examination of their work. The regulations are designed to safeguard both the academic standards of the university and the interests of individual students.

1. Selection and Nomination of External Examiners

In line with the University's policy and stated commitment to best practice in equality issues, Heads must ensure, insofar as possible, a balanced gender representation in the appointment of External Examiners to the examining team for research awards.

Most particularly for research awards, Heads must ensure that an examining panel of one gender only is avoided when the presenting candidate is of the opposite gender.

For research awards, external examiners are appointed for specific candidates. External examiners for research students should not normally be appointed more than twice in a four-year period. Such appointments should be made irrespective of external examiners' duties with regard to taught programmes. No distinction should be made, for the purposes of appointing external examiners, between Master's and PhD.

Qualities

External examiners should normally have the following qualities and competencies:

• Recognised expertise in the area which is the subject matter of the thesis which is being examined.
• Experience in supervising postgraduate students and in the examination process of such students.
• Formal academic qualification and/or professional qualification and experience at the level of the area being externed.
• Ability to command the respect of colleagues.
• A willingness to respond to requests to read dissertations within specified time deadlines and to be available to attend such oral examinations and/or examiners meetings as are appropriate.

Independence

It is imperative, for quality assurance, that the external examiner is independent of the University, of its internal examiners and of the candidates presenting themselves for examination. Thus, all external examiners should:

• Have no close personal relationship with examiners or candidates
• Not have been in the employ of the University (in any capacity) in the five years prior to appointment.
• Not have been a student of the University in the five years prior to appointment.
• Not be a beneficiary of any bursary or remuneration from the University other than from the post of external examiner, member of accreditation panel, or recruitment/promotions panel.
• Not have advised the postgraduate student on the work underpinning the preparation of his/her thesis.

2. Appointment Procedures

Candidates for Research degrees are required to notify their supervisor initially of their intention to submit a thesis for examination, using the special PGR4 form provided for this purpose. They must give at least three months' notice and provide a typed 200 word abstract of their work.

On receipt of this notice of intention to submit a thesis, the supervisor is required to consult with the relevant Head(s) of School on the selection and nomination of appropriate Internal and External Examiners.

Two External Examiners are required where the candidate is a member of staff of the University. Two examiners are appointed in this case to add an additional layer of independent assurance to the process. The External Examiner(s) should be informally contacted to ascertain availability and willingness to undertake this role in the time scale envisaged.

Where the candidate holds, or has within a period of five years prior to the notification of intention to submit held, a part-time or short-term contract with the University, the Head of School (or Executive Dean of Faculty where the Head of School is the supervisor) will be requested to determine whether or not he/she falls into the category of candidate for whom two external examiners are required.

3. Following completion of the process of consultation referred to above, the supervisor is required to submit the completed PGR4 form to the Registry within two weeks of initial receipt from the candidate. Completed forms will be submitted to the next scheduled meeting of Standing Committee of Academic Council.

4. Following approval by Standing Committee of the appointment of the Examiners nominated, the Registry will issue a formal written invitation to the person(s) nominated to act as External Examiner(s) and, in addition, provide a copy of the abstract of the work to be examined.

5. Candidates are required to submit two copies of the thesis to the Registry. The agreement of their supervisor should be obtained prior to such submission.

6. Following receipt of these copies, the Registry will immediately forward a copy to each Examiner together with the relevant Examiners Report Form (PGR6) and the Examination Regulations for Examiners. Examiners are normally expected to carry out their duties within six weeks of receipt of the thesis to avoid hardship to the candidate. The Registry and the candidate's supervisor should be notified immediately if there is any difficulty in adhering to this time requirement.

7. In the case of a thesis submitted for the award of a PhD, it will be the duty of the supervisor to liaise with the Examiners regarding arrangements for the oral examination. Such arrangements should be finalised as soon as possible after receipt of the thesis by the Examiners and notified in writing to the candidate and to the Registry. The oral examination will be supervised by an Independent Chairperson nominated jointly by the Supervisor and the Head of School.

8. Examiners' Reports and Recommendations will be referred to the next meeting of the relevant Faculty Awards Board for Research degrees (see Section 10 for details).