Appointment as examiner

1. The examination board appoints examiners upon request by the programme director (PD) before the start of the academic year. To that end, and before the start of the next academic year, the examination board will supply the programme director with a list of potential examiners with qualifications and a deadline for the programme director to submit its request. Below you can find a roadmap specifying the actions and deadlines for all stakeholders involved
2. In case of an (urgent) appointment during the academic year, the programme director/programme coordinator(s) requests the examination board to appoint an examiner, using the related form, stating:
   a.      the necessity of the appointment;
   b.      the examiner’s expertise and qualifications.
3. The examination board may terminate the appointment of examiners during the academic year. Any such decision will be justified by the examination board and communicated to the programme director.
4. For each study unit, the programme director indicates an examiner. If there is more than one examiner in a study unit, the programme director indicates a coordinating examiner, who ensures that all examiners involved assess and grade the tests and exams of the study unit in accordance with agreed-upon standards and determines the final grade for the study unit.
5. An appointment as examiner is valid until the end of the current academic year (31^st of August).

The examination boards distinguish two types of examiners:
a)      Examiner: an examiner appointed for an entire programme and thus can act as examiner in all study units (including the thesis) of that programme for       which the examiner is qualified based on their expertise.
b)      Examiner thesis: an examiner who is only/exclusively appointed to assess and validate the grades of bachelor and/or master theses of (a) selected programme(s). For additional criteria see 4.3.3.

4.3.1 General criteria

The following criteria apply to all examiners (regardless of position or contract):

1. The examiner is a member of the academic staff (in Dutch: Wetenschappelijk Personeel or WP) of the University of Twente (UT) or has a so-called NOP appointment with the UT.
2. The examiner must have a UTQ certificate from the UT or another university, or equivalent [1].
3. The examiner must meet the conditions for English language proficiency as set in the UT language policy (i.e. C1/C2). Examiners in entirely Dutch-taught programmes are exempted from the English language proficiency requirement. In deviation from (section 1.3.5 of) the general UT language policy, examiners in Dutch-taught programmes who are non-native Dutch speakers must demonstrate to possess a C1/C2 level of Dutch.
4. Examiners without a UTQ certificate (or equivalent) and/or who do not meet the language proficiency requirements can be appointed with a waiver. This waiver is valid for a maximum duration of three consecutive academic years [2], and is conditional on the examiner being in the process of acquiring the UTQ certificate and language requirements. Examiners who, after the three-year waiver period, have not acquired the UTQ certificate and/or do not meet the language requirements, will no longer be appointed as examiner.
5. Some examiners have received dispensation [3] from the obligation to obtain a UTQ, based on UT-wide policy (i.e. staff/professors with a contract of 8 hours per week or less).
6. External parties/experts can be appointed as an examiner. They must however, meet the same requirements as internal examiners (UTQ and English language proficiency). If external parties do NOT meet the requirements, they cannot be appointed as examiner, but instead can act as advisor, e.g. to a thesis committee.
7. The examination boards BMS advises teaching staff (including PhD students) with a short contract or limited teaching tasks who can NOT obtain a full UTQ, to obtain UTQ Part Certificates [4]. The UTQ-Part Certificate competence 3 ‘Testing & Assessment’ (BKE) is recognized at other universities in the Netherlands.).
8. Examiners whose employment with the UT ends (e.g. due to retirement or job change) while sitting on (a) thesis committee(s), may, with the prior written approval of the corresponding examination board, continue to sit on the(se) committee(s) as examiner until the student(s) concerned has(have) graduated.
9. Examiners with a waiver who do not fulfil the requested criteria within the three-year waiver period but who are still sitting on (a) thesis committee(s), may, with the prior written approval of the corresponding examination board, continue to sit on the(se) committee(s) as examiner until the student(s) concerned has(have) graduated.
10. All thesis committees consist of at least two examiners, at least one of whom has a PhD degree.
11. The examination board has the authority to make individual exceptions to the criteria as mentioned under Article 4.3.

4.3.2 Additional criteria for examiners appointed for the entire programme

1. The examiner for study units in BSc programmes holds at least a MSc or MA degree in a field relevant to the programme and preferably holds a PhD degree or is conducting PhD research. 
2. The examiner for study units in MSc programmes has a PhD degree in a field relevant to the programme.

4.3.3 Additional criteria for examiners theses

1. The examiner holds at least an MSc or MA degree in a field relevant to the thesis and preferably holds a PhD degree or is conducting PhD research (for additional criteria see 4.3.1.10).

4.3.4 Special arrangements for persons not obligated by the faculty to obtain their UTQ (e.g. PhD students, researchers etc.)

The requirements for all staff members who are not obligated by the faculty (UT) to obtain their UTQ, but who would like to be appointed as examiner or examiner thesis are, that the following partial certificates which must be obtained within 3 years:

• For supervising and examining theses
  Competence 2 (Teaching and supervising) 
• For supervising and examining theses and examining regular courses
  Competence 2 (Teaching and supervising) and Competence 3 (Assessment)

If competence 2 is completed, an additional 2-year waiver may be requested as ‘examiner thesis’ to complete all other competencies to meet the requirements for a full UTQ.

If both competencies (2 and 3) have been completed within the 3 waiver years, an additional 2-year waiver may be requested as ‘examiner’ to complete all other competencies to meet the requirements for a full UTQ.

The examination board recommends the programme director (PD) to only appoint PhD’s as examiners from the second PhD year onwards, and to have the PhD's teach with more experienced lecturers during their first PhD year.

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[1] Equivalent certificates include: 1. a Dutch or foreign teaching qualification for secondary school teaching, supplemented with a reflection on the UTQ competences focused on the application of teaching theory in the university context. The Dean/director determines whether the reflections justify UTQ exemption; 2. A foreign teaching qualification for higher e ducation, comparable with the UTQ of the 4TU. 3. The VELON certificate for teacher trainers.

[2] According to 4TU UTQ regulation, paragraph 2.1

[3] According to 4TU UTQ regulations paragraph 5.2

[4] Also see article 4.3.4 ‘Special arrangements for persons not obligated by the faculty to obtain their UTQ (e.g. PhD students, researchers etc.)’