5.1 Introduction

1. The role of an External Examiner is an integral and essential part of the University’s quality assurance. Section 5 of the Academic Quality Handbook (AQH) has been developed taking into account, and should be read in conjunction with, the QAA’s UK Quality Code for Higher Education (2018 and May 2023 updates), especially UK Quality Code, Advice and Guidance: External Expertise (published November 2018), The Frameworks for Higher Education Qualifications of UK Degree-Awarding Bodies (February 2024), External Examining Principles (published August 2022), External Examining: Putting Principles into Practice, External Examining Principles: Reflective Questions (both published November 2022) and Advance HE Fundamentals of External Examining (published February 2019).

2. In this section of the AQH the term ‘External Examiners’ refers to External Examiners for Taught Degrees; initial degrees, undergraduate and postgraduate diplomas and certificates (including the Cert HE), taught postgraduate Master’s schemes (Master’s degrees by examination and dissertation) and integrated undergraduate Master’s schemes. The Senate External Reviewer refers to an External who attends the final Senate Examining Boards at which all taught scheme results are confirmed. The ARCHE External refers to an External who attends the two annual ARCHE panels at which candidates get awarded a HEA fellowship.Associate External Examiners have responsibility for small numbers of modules in specialist areas and may be required to report to the main External Examiner for the scheme/subject area. All External Examiners are ultimately responsible to the Senate, which is responsible for the conduct of all examinations at Aberystwyth University (AU).

3. Please refer to Section 7: Research Degrees for guidance on the University’s external examining arrangements for Postgraduate Research Degrees.