GCU adheres to the QAA Quality Code for Higher Education expectations and the national criteria for the appointment of External Examiners. External Examiners are appointed to provide the University with impartial and independent advice, as well as informative comments on standards and student achievement in relation to these standards.
Further information on regarding GCU External Examiners can be found in Section 10 of the Academic Quality Process and Practice with the role of the External Examiner outlined in Appendix three of the Process and Criteria for the Appointment, Resignation and Termination of External Examiners (for staff use).
External Examiners are appointed for a period of four academic sessions and nominations are considered for University Approval by the External Examiners Approval Panel on behalf of LESC and Senate. Institutional oversight and management of the External Examiner appointment process are maintained by the Department of Quality Assurance and Enhancement.
External Examiner Appointment Forms (for staff use)
- EXT1 form (Application for the Appointment of a new External Examiner)
- EXT2 form (Application for the Approval of Extension to Tenure/Duties or reallocation of duties of an existing External Examiner
The dates and deadlines for the External Examiners approval panel meetings are available for staff.
The University Handbook for External Examiners has been produced not only to provide guidance on the role of the external examiner at GCU but also to provide External Examiners with up-to-date information about the University, its assessment regulations, and the expectations it has of its External Examiners.
It also informs External Examiners of what they can expect from the University in support of their role and lists details of key contacts to whom they may require to speak during their approved period of tenure. A copy of the handbook is sent to all External Examiners with their appointment letters. It can also be accessed here: External Examiner Handbook
The purpose of the External Examiner's Annual Report is to enable Senate to judge whether the programme award is meeting its stated objectives and to allow any necessary improvements to be made, either immediately or at the next programme re-approval, as appropriate.
Access to the new online External Examiner report requires Examiners to log in using a domain username and password (most commonly an Authorised Guest account). When entering your username please prefix with caledonian\
If anyone has any problems accessing the report they should contact externalexaminers@gcu.ac.uk
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the new EU Framework for data protection. This, along with the Data Protection Act 2018, introduces greater protection for personal data and brings data protection and data law into the digital age.
The University creates, gathers, stores and processes data on a variety of data subjects. The University takes its responsibility seriously and ensures that all processing is carried out in line with current data protection legislation.
The University needs to process and retain certain information relating to our employees, workers, volunteers, trainers, external secondees, visiting/honorary members of staff, consultants, agents or contractors and provides the External Examiner Privacy Notice which you can download below for further information on how we process and retain data relevant to your appointment.
External Examiner Privacy Notice
Glasgow Caledonian University provides an annual External Examiner induction that helps to introduce you to the role. During the event, we host various sessions including:
- Information about the role of the External Examiner at GCU
- Opportunity for questions and answers with the programme and module teams you will be working with
- Overview of GCU Assessment Board process and student reports presented for consideration an introduction and demonstrations regarding accessing the GCU systems including the GCU virtual learning environment and electronic marking systems, the External Examiners community site and the External Examiners Online Annual Report.
Dates and invitations will be sent out to new External Examiners and those who could not attend the previous session's induction in August 2022.
