EDINBURGH NAPIER UNIVERSITY

EXTERNAL EXAMINER REPORT 2011/12

All External Examiners are requested to fill in a report upon completion of their duties
associated with first diet assessments each session. Please note that all sections of the
report must be completed for payment to be authorised.

Your report will be given primary consideration at subject level and will inform annual
monitoring. The University Quality Committee will also receive a summary report of general
themes from the reports submitted in each academic year.

The deadlines for submission of reports for session 2011/12 are

 02 July 2012 for duties relating to undergraduate provision

 12 October 2012 for duties relating to taught masters provision

Section A: Personal Details

Title XXXXX Email address XXXXXXX

Surname XXXXX Date report completed 2012-09-27

First name XXXXX

Institution XXXXXXX

This report is for: modules & programmes/ modules/programmes

Insert module titles and numbers to which this report refers:

Insert the programme title to which this report refers:

Insert module titles and numbers to which this report refers:

ELE11100 Computer Applications in Engineering

ELE11112 Industrial Software

ELE11109 MSc Project

MEC11100 Applied Design

MEC11101 Control Engineering

MEC11102 Design analysis

MEC11103 Design Methods

MEC11104 Mechanical Computer Aided Engineering

MEC11105 Sustainability and Environment

MEC11106 Manufacturing Systems and Technology

MEC11107 Automation and Robotics

MEC11108 CAE Management

MEC11114 Mechatronic Systems.

Insert the programme title to which this report refers:

52754MM/52755 MSc Automation and Control

52756MM/52757 MSc Mechanical Engineering

52758MM/52759 MSc Digital Systems

52760MM/52761 MSc Electronic and Electrical Engineering

52731MM/52732 MSc Energy and Environmental Engineering

52733MM/52734 MSc Computer Aided Engineering

52735MM/52736 MSc Engineering Design

52737MM/52738 MSc Mechatronics

Section B:

In accordance with Edinburgh Napier University regulations A9.4a-d, please confirm

the following:

Yes No

Academic Issues yes

Is the academic standard of each module or programme of study
being considered set and maintained at the appropriate level?

Student Performance yes

Are the standards of student performance properly judged against the
level set?

Assessment yes
Is the assessment process appropriate, rigorous, equitable and
conducted in accordance with University guidance?

Comparable Standards yes

Is the standard and level of student achievement comparable with
those in other higher education institutions?

If you answered no to any of the questions please provide details in section C as

appropriate.
Section C:

1) Comparability
Please comment on the comparability of standards of student work between modules within
a course (if appropriate) and those in other higher education institutions you may be familiar
with.

The standard of modules is comparable with that of MSc Modules at XXXXX. I have for example
experience of MSc in Engineering Design and MSc in Integrated Product Design

As well as at XXXXX MEng in Product Design and manufacture.

2) Commentary on Academic issues

Is the academic standard of each module or programme of study being considered set
and maintained at the appropriate level?

The Engineering and Built Environment Team are maintaining appropriate standard standards.
Evidence for this is from examples of coursework and examinations sent to me as well as seen at
Napier. Also informal discussions at the University as well as examination boards reinforce this.

3) Student Performance
Please comment on the strengths and weaknesses of the student performance with respect
to module and/or programme content
For the current session I have noticed fewer examples of poor English language in the written
reports. Nevertheless there are still pieces of work marred by poor use of English and sometimes this
makes the submissions difficult to understand.
The technical content, however, is strong.
I was particularly impressed with the Project Reports which bring together much of the learning
from other modules. Within the examples there was evidence of mature and carefully considered
critical work.

4) Learning and Teaching

Please comment on the effectiveness of the Learning and Teaching methods employed on
the modules and/or programmes

There was an appropriate set of methods for learning and teaching; these methods varied from
module to module. The assessment methods were appropriate for the module content and for the
student learning experience.

5) Assessment
Please comment on the fairness and the rigour of the assessment and feedback process
employed on the modules and/or programmes

The work submitted had been carefully marked and in general there was clear indication of the way
in which the marks had been awarded.

I was able to see the proposed assessments in advance to judge them for rigour and fairness, and my
comments were forwarded to the module leader. Inevitably because of time constraints this process
wasn't a full dialogue. However the suggestions and comments do appear to have been appreciated.
 6) Good practice
Please comment on any areas of good practice that you wish to highlight

The examples of project reports included a range from the lower grades through to distinctions. This
process enables an external examiner to assess the culmination of learning from the programme.

Also, once a high standard has been achieved students from succeeding years will tend to aim to
reach that standard.

7) Recommendations
Please specify any recommendations that you wish to make.

I am concerned about the Trimester changes recently introduced. These appear to leave less
Time in Trimesters 1 and 2 for teaching and assessment. This could exacerbate the problem
of feedback for 'end of Trimester' assessments and such potential problems need to be
monitored. In order to maintain and enhance discussion of feedback I will ask for brief
meetings with academic staff prior to the examination boards.

Having read examples of the Project Reports, I am convinced that in the field of Energy and
Environmental Engineering (and indeed in other areas) students need very clear guidance on
their chosen topics. Choice of a very broad topic can easily lead to a mediocre report
whereas a more focussed subject can lead to more interesting conclusion within which the
results are those of the student.
Section D:

This checklist is included to take into account the recommendation from the review of
external examining arrangements in universities in the UK undertaken by Guild HE and
Universities UK. We welcome any comments you have about this section.

Yes No NA

Programme and Module materials: have you received or been

given access to:

a. Programme Handbook(s) Yes

b. Academic Regulations Yes

c. Module Descriptors Yes

d. Assessment briefs/marking criteria Yes

Draft Examination Papers

a. Did you receive all the draft papers (answer ‘NA’ if you did not Yes
because it was at your request)

b. Was the nature and level of the questions appropriate? Yes

c. Were suitable arrangements made to consider your comments? Yes

Marking Examination Scripts

a. Did you receive as a minimum a square root sample of completed Yes
scripts? (as specified in regulation A9.4)

b. Was the general standard and consistency of marking appropriate? Yes

c. Were the scripts marked in such a way as to enable you to see the Yes
reasons for the award of given marks?

Dissertations/Project reports

a. Was the method and standard of assessment appropriate? Yes

Coursework/Continuously Assessed Work

a. Was sufficient coursework made available to you for assessment? Yes

b. Was the method and general standard of marking and consistency Yes
satisfactory?

Board of Examiners meeting

a. Were you able to attend the meeting? Yes

b. If you were unable to attend the meeting were you offered the Yes
opportunity to provide views on student performance, progression
and awards?

c. Was the meeting conducted to your satisfaction? Yes

d. Were you satisfied with the recommendations of the Board of Yes

Examiners?

e. Were issues raised in previous report(s) addressed to your Yes

satisfaction?

Any other comments?

Please use this space to address any other comments you wish to make, including but not
limited to
a) any issues as specifically required by any relevant professional body
b) an overview of your term of office (when concluded).
Thank you for completing this report and for undertaking External Examiner duties at

Edinburgh Napier University.

Please email the completed report to [email protected]