External Examiners

Our External Examiners play a crucial role in helping us to assure the appropriateness of the standards of our awards, the quality of assessment opportunities afforded to students and the soundness and fairness of our assessment processes. We also welcome External Examiners' independent and insightful perspective on the standard of our students' performance compared with those on similar programmes in other UK universities. This role contributes to the academic integrity of our institution.

We value our External Examiners' contribution in assuring the quality of vital elements of our students' experience, enabling us to ensure that high quality teaching, learning and assessment are developed and maintained.

We aim to establish clear and effective dialogue with External Examiners, to provide them with all necessary information, and to draw on their informed view to enhance assessment for our students.

If you have any queries not covered by the information on this page, please email externalexaminers@salford.ac.uk.
If you are one of our External Examiners and are having issues accessing your University account, please contact our DIT Service Desk on +44 (0)161 295 2444.
Information for staff can be found on the Staff Hub.

Role and Functions of External Examiners

to verify that academic standards are appropriate for the award, or part thereof, which you have been appointed to examine;
to ensure national comparability of academic standards;
to ensure that the assessment process is rigorous, fair and fairly operated, in line with the university’s policies and regulations.

The university expects external examiners:

to become familiar with the university’s policies, procedures, programme and/or module specifications, procedures and functions of Module and Programme Assessment Boards and assessment schedule, as provided by the university;
to comment and give advice at all levels on programme and/or module content, coherence, currency, balance, structure and assessment procedures;
to provide feedback on assessment briefs/exam papers through the verification process before they are issued to students and to monitor the availability of any necessary marking schemes and model answers;
to moderate samples of student work and check that the university’s moderation process is followed;
to attend ephemeral assessments as necessary;
to assist in assuring equivalence of standards and examining procedures between the university and its affiliated institutions for the university's awards;
be prepared to offer comment (where appropriate) on new or revised articulation agreements with partner institutions;
to attend relevant Module/Programme Assessment Boards;
to sign the record of awards from the Programme Assessment Board meeting(s) attended to endorse the assessment outcomes and signal that assessment processes have been carried out in accordance with the university’s policies and regulations;
to submit a written report annually by the published deadline.

Please note that the role of an external examiner does not permit:

negotiating changes to individual student marks.