External Examiners
***The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) launched the new UK Quality Code for Higher Education on 29 November 2018, including a new chapter on External Expertise which relates to the role of External Examiners. ***
External examining is an integral part of the College's quality assurance and enhancement processes. It ensures effective and appropriate assessment and assures the standard of the RVC's degrees and our processes and procedures are closely aligned with the precepts of the UK Quality Code for Higher Education.
For all Examiners – see the Examiners & Assessment section of the Academic Quality,
Procedure for External Examiners
The College's Procedure for External Examiners sets out information on nomination, appointment, training and support, reporting processes, duties of External Examiners. It is consistent with the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) current guidelines and is managed by the Academic Quality Office. The team also maintains a register of all External Examiners, coordinates the annual reports from External Examiners and pays their fees and expenses upon the fulfillment of their contract.
Lists of Examiners
Click below for 2020/21 lists of :
- Internal Examiners and Assessors
- List of External Examiners, Exam Board Chairs & Deputies, Course Directors & Year Leaders
- The Distance Learning Board of Examiners - MSc Livestock Health and Production & MSc Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health
External Examiner Reports 2019-20
External Examiner Reports with the College Responses for 2019-20:
As approved by the Teaching Quality Committee & subject to approval by the Academic Board
- Gateway
- BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- Graduate Year
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- Graduate Diploma Veterinary Nursing
- Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research
- FdSc & BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Undergraduate Biological Science
- PgDip Veterinary Clinical Practice
- MVetMed
- Cert AVP (Oct 2020)
- Cert AVP (Feb 2020)
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc One Health
- MSc Wild Animal Biology /Wild Animal Health
- MSc ILHP (2018/19 & 2019/20)
External Examiner Reports (previous years)
External Examiner Reports with the College Responses for 2018-19:
As approved by the Teaching Quality Committee & subject to approval by the Academic Board
- Gateway
- BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- Graduate Year
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- Graduate Diploma Veterinary Nursing
- Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research
- FdSc & BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Undergraduate Biological Science
- PgDip Veterinary Clinical Practice
- MVetMed
- Cert AVP (Oct 2019)
- Cert AVP (Feb 2019)
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc One Health
- MSc Wild Animal Biology /Wild Animal Health
- MSc ILHP (no exams in 2018/19)
External Examiner reports with College responses for 2017-18:
- Gateway
- BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- Graduate Year
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- FdSc & BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Graduate Diploma Veterinary Nursing
- Undergraduate Biological Science
- PgDip Veterinary Clinical Practice
- MVetMed
- MSc ILHP
- Cert AVP (Oct 2018)
- MSc One Health
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc Wild Animal Biology /Wild Animal Health
- MSc Veterinary Education
- DL UoL MSc VEPH LHP
- Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research
External Examiner reports with College responses for 2016-17:
- Gateway
- BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- Graduate Year
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- FdSc & BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Graduate Diploma Veterinary Nursing
- Undergraduate Biological Science
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc One Health
- MSc WAB WAH
- MVetMed
- MSc ILHP
- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice
- PgDip Veterinary Clinical Practice
- MSc LHP VEPH (DL)
External Examiner reports with College responses for 2015-16:
- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice
Ms Carole Clarke - Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice Professor Mike
Herttage - BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- Final BVetMed
- FdSc BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Grad Dip
- UG Biological Sciences
- Gateway
- Graduate Year
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc One Health
- MSc WAB WAH
- MVetMed
- MSc ILHP
- MSc LHP VEPH (DL)
External Examiner reports with College responses for 2014-15:
- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice
Ms Carole Clarke - Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice Professor Mike
Herttage - BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- Final BVetMed
- Gateway
- Graduate Year
- FdSc BSc Veterinary Nursing
- Grad Dip
- UG Biological Sciences
- BSc Comparative Pathology
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc One Health
- MSc WAB WAH
- MVetMed
- MSc ILHP
- MSc PgDip Livestock Health and Production/Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health DL
External Examiner reports with College responses for 2013-14:
- Gateway
- Accelerated BVetMed
- BVetMed 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- BVetMed Year 3
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- BSc Biovet Sci
- BSc Comparative Pathology
- FdSc/BSc Veterinary Nursing Cohort 7&8
- FdSc/BSc Veterinary Nursing Cohort 9 &10
- Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing - Core Modules
- Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing - Elective Modules
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc Wild Animal Biology/MSc Wild Animal Health
- Masters in Veterinary Medicine
- MSc Intensive Livestock Health and Production
- MSc One Health
- Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice
Ms Carole Clarke - Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice Professor Mike
Herttage - PGCert Risk Risk Analysis in Health and Food
- Distance Learning MSc Livestock Health and Production / MSc Vet Epi & Public Health
The College responses to External Examiner reports for 2012-13:
- Gateway Programme
- BVetMed Year 1
- BVetMed Year 2
- BVetMed Year 3
- Graduate Year
- BVetMed Year 4
- BVetMed Final Year
- BSc BioVet Science
- FdSc/BSc Veterinary Nursing Cohort 6 & 7
- FdSc/BSc Veterinary Nursing Cohort 8 & 9
- Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing - Core Modules
- Graduate Diploma in Professional and Clinical Veterinary Nursing - Elective Modules
- BSc Veterinary Nursing Hong Kong PolyU
- MSc Veterinary Epidemiology
- MSc Veterinary Education
- MSc Wild Animal Biology/MSc Wild Animal Health
- MSc Control of Infectious Diseases in Animals
- Masters in Veterinary Medicine
- MSc Intensive Livestock Health and Production
- Distance Learning MSc Livestock Health and Production / MSc Vet Epi & Public Health
Submitting External Examiner Reports
External Examiners are asked to submit their annual reports to the Royal Veterinary College via the College’s online system.
Instructions for External Examiners:
During your exam board meeting, please confirm with your exams officer:
- whether you will submit a collaborative or individual report?
- for collaborative reports, who will act as ‘lead examiner’ to submit the final report and ‘collaborating examiner(s)’ to approve the final report?
- if you already know who will be the lead and collaborating examiners, please let your Exam Officer know so if you wish to begin to write the report during your meeting you will be able to do so. Whilst at the College we would ask that you use an RVC laptop or PC. Your Exam Officer will be happy to arrange this for you.
After your exam board meeting, emails will give you access to the online system and guide you through the process. Once you have submitted your final report you will receive an email with the fees and expenses claim forms attached. Please note that the College is unable to accept credit card receipts as part of your claim.
A final report must be submitted:
- as an online document ·
- Individual report must be submitted within 2 weeks from exam board meeting ·
Collaborating report must be submitted within 1 week bylead examiner, and approved within 1 week by collaborating examiner.
If one or more collaborating examiners have not approved the report, the lead examiner will have an opportunity to amend and re-submit the final report for approval by collaborating examiners. The system will allow amending the report once only. Thereafter the collaborating examiners can choose to withdraw from the collaborative report and submit their individual examiner report.
A brief guide for External Examiners to the online system can be found here . For further information please contact Ana Filipovic afilipovic@rvc.ac.uk 01707 666 938 or your exams officer.
External Examiner reports are responded to via the following process .
Responding to External Examiner Reports
Here is a guide for Course Directors and Year Leaders to respond to External Examiners.
Fees and Expenses
External Examiner Fee Claim Form
External Examiner Expense Claim Form
Exam Timetables
Printable Examination Timetables for 2020/21
Accelerated BVetMed (Graduate Entry)
UG Biological Sciences Year 1 & Gateway
MSci (Year 4) and the Certificate in Work-based Learning and Research
BSc/FdSc Veterinary Nursing Year 1
BSc/FdSc Veterinary Nursing Year 2 - 4
Graduate Diploma Veterinary Nursing 2019 Intake
Graduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing
Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Nursing
Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research – Intake 2017-18
Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research – Intake 2018-19
Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research – Intake 2019-20
Graduate Diploma Equine Locomotor Research – Intake 2020-21
Inset Day on Assessment
Please note that the Inset Day on Assessment is now organised by Learning and Wellbeing. For further information, please contact Alison Robinson Canham, Head of Educational Development ( arobinsoncanham@rvc.ac.uk )
Useful links and contacts
RVC Information:
- RVC Learn - external examiners have access to RVC Learn for obtaining specific details about the course(s) they examine. Log-in details are available from the Academic Quality Officer 'Standards', Ana Filipovic (afilipovic@rvc.ac.uk)
- RVC Strategic Plan 2014-2019
- RVC Learning, Teaching and Assessment Enhancement Strategy 2014-2019
- RVC Undergraduate Prospectus
- RVC Postgraduate Studies
RVC Staff and Teams:
Exams Office (exams@rvc.ac.uk)
Academic Quality Officer ‘Standards’, Ana Filipovic (afilipovic@rvc.ac.uk)
Academic Quality Manager, Cheryl Jackson (cjackson@rvc.ac.uk)
External Agencies:
Higher Education Academy (HEA) - a handbook for external examining
Quality Assurance Agency (QAA):
QAA UK Quality Code for Higher Education
Quality Code - Part A: Setting and maintaining academic standards
Quality Code - External Expertise
QAA Subject benchmark statements
If an External Examiner has a serious concern relating to systemic failings with the academic standards of a programme(s) and has exhausted all published applicable internal procedures, including the submission of a confidential report to the head of the institution, the Principal (principal@rvc.ac.uk), he/she may invoke the processes of Notifications and Complaints which allow students, staff or others with a direct interest in the College, to raise issues with the Office for Students. It will investigate serious or systemic issues about academic standards or the student academic experience.