Boards of examiners
Boards of examiners are responsible for ensuring examinations and assessment procedures under their remit are carried out in accordance with College regulations and other regulations governing the programme.
Role of the Chair and terms of reference
The terms of reference and quoracy for both Programme and School Board of Examiners can be found in Section 3 of the Academic Regulations, C1: The Academic Board and its sub-structure.
The role of the Chair is to ensure that meetings are carried out in a fair and impartial way allowing each member to contribute to the discussions with a view to the Board arriving at a concensus on an issue. The Chair will play a key role in directing the business of the Board through the setting of the agenda.
Chair's action
The Chair is empowered to take action on behalf of the body of which s/he is Chair in any matter being in his/her opinion either urgent or non-contentious. Action taken will be reported at the next meeting for confirmation. However, it is good practice that, where urgent matters can be identified in advance, the relevant Programme/School Board of Examiners formally empowers the Chair to take action. Double Chair’s action, ie where a result has not been determined, either by a School or Progamme Board, and has subsequently been approved by Chairs’ Action, is not permitted under any circumstances.
Quaracy requirements
Regulation C1, 13.10 and 13.11 notes that "the quorum for any meeting of a Board of Examiners held to determine the final recommendations on examinations/assessment shall be:
(a) the Chair or Deputy Chair
(b) the External Examiner(s)
(c) one half of the internal membership of the Board eligible to vote.
At all other meetings of Board of Examiners, the quorum shall be:
(a) the Chair of Deputy Chair
(b) one-third of the total voting membership (which includes External Examiners for Boards of Examiners)"
The virtual presence of an examiner by the way of video or telephone conference call will only count for quoracy where the examiner is able to hear and participate in the Board's full discussions.
Support for student examinations
The following examination pages provides guidance for students in relation to their examinations, including guidance for any students requiring special examination arrangements:
Examination of Research Degrees
In addition to the A4 Regulations for research degrees, the following examination pages provides guidance on the examination of research degrees: