External examiners

The Code of Practice on the External Examining of Taught Programmes describes the role of an external examiner, procedures for their nomination and appointment, their functions, and the structure of their final report. You can download the document relevant to the current session here:

Code of Practice on the External Examining of Taught Programmes

A diagram summarising the process for the circulation and consideration of External Examiners' Reports can be downloaded here:

External Examiners Report flow chart

If you require an external examiner nomination form for a taught programme, please contact examiners@reading.ac.uk . 

For more information regarding fees and expenses for External Examiners, please refer to the External Examiners Expenses Policy 

For all other queries about external examiners, please email examiners@reading.ac.uk .

Information for Students

The external examining system is a key component of the University's quality assurance and enhancement processes. It plays an important role in ensuring that our awards are maintained at an appropriate standard, that our assessment process measures student achievement rigorously and fairly, and that the academic standards and achievement of students are comparable with those on similar programmes in other UK universities. External Examiners also assist the University in enhancing the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by advising on good practice.

The University appoints at least one External Examiner for each of its award-bearing programmes. External Examiners are normally drawn from other universities or, in the case of programmes with a strong professional dimension, from among relevant, suitably qualified professionals. They must meet rigorous criteria for appointment and be in a position to offer independent and impartial judgments. They are involved in scrutinising draft examination papers, moderating the marking of assessments, and determining the overall result for each student.

Each External Examiner is required to produce a report on the programme(s) to which he or she has been appointed. External Examiners' reports are considered by Staff Student Liaison Committees and by Boards of Studies. The Board of Studies is responsible for determining the action to be taken in response to the reports, and for reporting onward to the School and University Boards for Teaching and Learning on the reports and actions taken. The School is required to respond to their External Examiners explaining how points raised are being addressed.

The name, position and institution of External Examiners are published each year for information only, following their approval by the University Board for Teaching, Learning and Student Experience in the Spring Term each year. You should note that students are strictly prohibited from contacting External Examiners directly.

The list for 2023-24 can be found here

External Examiners' Reports are made available to students on the relevant programme. If you would like to view reports relevant to your programme, you may make an appointment to visit the Exams Office by emailing examiners@reading.ac.uk . Some guidance is being developed to help students understand and contextualise such reports.

Postgraduate Research Students

External Examiners for Postgraduate Research Students should contact the Doctoral and Researcher College for further information about the relevant policies and procedures.