Appointed external examiners

If you have trouble getting access, see the ‘Accessing HWU systems’ FAQ, below.

• Handbook: Handbook on External Examining for Taught Programmes
• Your Individual External Examiner folder on our intranet (SharePoint) contains exam papers for review, the course review forms you need to complete, and scans of exam scripts.
• Virtual Learning Environment (Canvas) hosts the courses you are assigned.  Coursework assignments are posted and students upload their submissions.
• Curriculum explorer contains summaries of our programmes and courses. https://curriculum.hw.ac.uk/
• Regulations: Heriot-Watt University Regulations
• Travel and Expenses: See Travel and Expenses Policy and Visitor expenses claim form. Please submit completed expenses claims to externalexaminerstaught@hw.ac.uk
• Quality Assurance Agency (QAA): UK Quality Code: Advice and Guidance: External Expertise

Many questions are answered in the Handbook on External Examining for Taught Programmes.

If you have a question which isn’t covered in the handbook, or in these FAQs, please get in touch with your Primary Contact.

Exams

Where do I find the exam papers I need to review?
The examinations team will place the exam papers for you to review in your Individual External Examiner folder.

When are the exams?
The main exam diets take place in December and April / May. Some programmes have teaching in the third Semester and so those students are examined in August. Reassessments are usually scheduled in August. 

• See the HWU Academic Calendar for more precise dates Coursework

Where do I find the coursework assignments I need to review?
In the VLE (Canvas).

Are Final Online Assessments (FOA) exams or coursework?
At Heriot-Watt University, FOA are considered to be a type of coursework.

Boards of Examiners

Which Boards of Examinations do I need to attend?
Each discipline has one or more Progression and Award Boards following each Exam diet; these take place in January, May, and August. You will be sent e-calendar invitations to attend one or more board via Teams

• See the HWU Academic Calendar for more precise dates of each exam diet

Accessing HWU systems

How do I access Heriot-Watt course and programme materials?
See Key Resources. Note that when you use the links, you will be asked to enter your Heriot-Watt username and password and may also be asked to use multi-factor authentication.

• If you are having issues with multi-factor authentication then please contact ISHelp@hw.ac.uk

Can I access the programme and course materials using my home institutions log-in details?
No, a Heriot-Watt username and password is required.

How do I get a Heriot-Watt username and password?
Once the application to appoint you has been approved you will be sent a username and password with instructions for next steps. These steps will include setting up “Multi-factor authentication” which will require using your mobile phone as part of the sign-in process.

What do I do if I cannot access one or more of the links provided?

• Check whether you have been sent a Heriot-Watt username and password. If you have not please get in touch with your Primary Contact.
• Double check that you have followed the user account set-up instructions sent to you, including multi-factor authentication. If you are confident that you have followed these instructions please get in touch with your Primary Contact for more support.

What do I do if there isn’t a personal folder set up for me when I follow the link, or there are no courses assigned to my account in the VLE (Canvas)?
Please get in touch with your Primary Contact.

For a full list of acronyms, see the Sharepoint site.

• Course: a unit of study on a particular Programme, often referred to as a Module in some institutions.
• Final Online Assessment: an open-book, non-invigilated, assessment which is allocates a window of time for completion; usually between 2 hours and 48 hours.
• Programme: a set of courses leading to a defined award such as an undergraduate degree (e.g., BSc Psychology).

Academic Quality holds a briefing session in November each year, aimed at new External and Chief External Examiners. A recording of the latest briefing session for November 2024 is available here.