This research project was undertaken between January and July 2004. It focused on the nature of external examining in 12 institutions of higher education (HE) from across the UK three of which were colleges of HE four of which were 'old' (pre 1992) universities and five of which were 'new' (post 1992) universities. There were 34 interviews with individual external examiners and 12 with members of staff with managerial/administrative responsibility for examining arrangements (one of these taking place with two people who shared this role). In addition information was gathered from a total of 11 people who attended three focus groups (one of five people and the other two of three people each) 15 who attended a subject centre 'expert seminar' and five who were present at a professional development event (one of whom also attended a focus group).
