External Examiner – Faculty of Health, Social Care and Medicine (EE-FOHSM)

Shape the Future of Nursing and Midwifery Education: External Examiner Opportunity

Are you a dedicated academic professional with a passion for upholding the highest standards in higher education? This opportunity invites experienced individuals to contribute as External Examiners for key Nursing and Midwifery programmes, playing a crucial role in maintaining academic quality and student success.

This position offers a unique chance to influence educational excellence within the UK higher education sector, particularly in the vital fields of Urology Practice and Adult Nursing.

The Opportunity at a Glance:

The Faculty is actively seeking External Examiners for the following programmes:

• MSc/PGCert Urology Practice - Nursing & Midwifery
• BSc, MSci and PGDip Nursing (adult provision) - Nursing & Midwifery

Candidates should note that due to programme similarities, you may be asked to oversee more than one programme, ensuring this aligns with your expertise and a reasonable workload. Conversely, complex programmes may involve multiple examiners to cover diverse specialisms.

Advantages for Your Career Path:

• Influence Academic Standards: This role places you at the heart of academic quality assurance, allowing you to directly confirm that national threshold standards are met or exceeded. It's an opportunity to ensure fairness, rigour, and relevance in student assessment and learning outcomes.
• Significant Professional Development: Serving as an External Examiner significantly enhances your professional profile. It demonstrates a commitment to sector-wide quality, broadens your understanding of different institutional practices, and deepens your expertise in programme design, delivery, and assessment.
• Flexible Engagement: While crucial, the majority of the work can be undertaken remotely, offering considerable flexibility to integrate this responsibility alongside your existing professional commitments. This makes it an ideal opportunity for those seeking to contribute without rigid daily demands.
• Support for New Examiners: For those new to external examining, a valuable mentorship scheme is in place. You will typically join an experienced team and be guided by a seasoned examiner, providing a supportive entry into this important role.
• Expand Your Network: Engage with academic peers from another institution, fostering collaboration and broadening your professional network within the UK higher education sector.

Key Considerations for Candidates:

To ensure you are well-suited for this influential role, consider the following:

• Deep Commitment to Quality: The core responsibility is to confirm academic standards. This requires a thorough understanding of and commitment to the UK sector agreed reference points (FHEQ, Degree Characteristics, Subject Benchmark Statements) and, where applicable, PSRB standards.
• Relevant Expertise & Standing: Candidates are expected to be academic staff from other UK HEIs, qualified to at least the level of the qualification being examined, with demonstrable competence, standing, and credibility within their discipline.
• Time Management: While flexible, the role involves specific duties such as reviewing examination papers, moderating student work, and producing a comprehensive annual report. Be prepared to allocate dedicated time for these critical tasks. The role includes approximately 37.5 hours of work spread across activities like moderation, board attendance, and report writing.
• On-Site Engagement: While largely remote, there is a possibility of being required to attend assessment boards annually at the Ormskirk Campus. Candidates should be prepared for this occasional travel.
• Assessment Design & Delivery Acumen: A strong awareness of current developments in programme design, delivery, and experience in designing and managing assessment is vital for success in this role.

Compensation:

External Examiners receive an annual fee, currently approximately £620.31 (inclusive of holiday pay), which may vary slightly based on the size of the provision. This fee is in addition to the reimbursement of appropriate expenses. The comprehensive annual report is paid at a higher rate, reflecting its significance.

Who Should Apply?

This opportunity is ideal for academics in Nursing and Midwifery who are currently employed within a UK HEI, possess relevant subject expertise, a strong understanding of UK academic standards, and a dedication to ensuring fair and robust assessment practices. If you are keen to contribute to the quality assurance of future healthcare professionals, we encourage you to explore this role.

Closing Date: 03 Apr 2025

Department: External Examiner