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MX Institute Staff Handbook
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www.mxinstitute.com
MX Institute for Higher Education Ltd
183, Triq il-Bażilika Mosta MST3292
Malta (EU)
T: (00356) 21432334 M: (00356) 79888609
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Staff Engagement ............................................................ 5
Procedure .................................................................... 6
Appeals and Complaints ............................................... 10
General Rules and Processes for Filing a Complaint . 11
Safeguarding of Learners .............................................. 13
Provision of Adequate training ................................. 13
Internal Verification and Assessment ........................... 14
The purpose of internal verification ......................... 14
Learner Support ............................................................ 16
Lectures and Presentations ...................................... 16
Voice Recorder .......................................................... 16
Extended Deadline .................................................... 16
Extra Exam Time........................................................ 18
Recognition of Prior LEARNING .................................... 20
Appendix 1: Code of Ethics ........................................... 21
Responsibilities to Students ...................................... 21
Professional Responsibilities and Practice ................ 21
Responsibilities to Colleagues ................................... 22
Responsibilities to Society ........................................ 23
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Be sensitive and up-to-date with environment issues
................................................................................... 23
Appendix 2: Conflict of Interest Policy.......................... 25
Policy ......................................................................... 25
Managing a Conflict of Interest ................................ 26
Appendix 3: Contingency Plans ..................................... 27
Principles ................................................................... 27
Circumstances requiring contingency arrangements27
Approval process for implementing contingency
arrangements ............................................................ 28
Contingency Arrangements ...................................... 28
Contingency arrangements for setting assessment . 29
Contingency Arrangements for Marking Assessments
................................................................................... 30
Personal Notes .............................................................. 32
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STAFF ENGAGEMENT The Management of MX Institute is committed to employ
staff - both academic and non-academic that apart from
having the required capabilities and academic
certifications can also act as role models for all the
students attending MX Institute. All information related
to each member of staff shall be stored in our database.
Soft copies of CVs and academic certificates as stored in
a dedicated folder on our cloud storage solution. This
information is kept and possibly updated during the
employment duration of the staff member. All
information is deleted and discarded as requested by the
GDPR legislation once the staff member quits his/her
engagement with MX Institute.
All members of staff are responsible for adhering to MX
Institute’s code of ethics listed in Appendix 1: Code of
Ethics on page 21 of this handbook.
It may also be required that during the engagement
process, other staff take on additional duties or
responsibilities, where a need has been identified. It is
the responsibilities of the recruitment team to
communicate this clearly with the relevant staff
member/s.
All staff involved in the recruitment process must declare
any conflicts of interest with potential candidates. This is
essential to ensure that all candidates are treated fairly
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and equally, and that none face preferential or adverse
treatment due to a conflict of interest. Depending on the
nature of the conflict, staff may or may not be able to
continue in the recruitment
The following procedures for recruitment must be
followed where there has been an identified need for
new member of staff, either due to the creation of a new
role, or due to another staff member leaving the
organisation.
Procedure
PRE-RECRUITMENT
Prior to recruiting for a position, an informal needs
assessment must be conducted to ensure there is a need
to recruit, or to identify any viable alternatives that may
meet the requirements. This should be conducted by the
manager overseeing the position, for internal staff, or by
the relevant Director for teaching staff, and may be made
in consultation with other relevant staff as required.
Where it has been determined that there is a definite
need for recruitment, the role must be designed by the
relevant staff. Where the position is replacing a previous
staff member, this analysis and design phase may involve
reviewing the duties and responsibilities of the role as it
was conducted by the previous staff member, including
whether any additional responsibilities should be added,
or whether other staff may be better equipped to
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manage some components. For new roles, the position
description must be designed, and analysed to ensure
there is no overlap with other roles within the
organisation. This process will help maximise the
likelihood of a successful recruitment process.
At this stage, approval must be given by MX Institute’s
Director to proceed with recruitment.
RECRUITMENT
MX Institute shall advertise vacant positions through all
relevant and effective pathways, to maximise the hiring
potential by recruiting from a diverse and high-quality
field of candidates. The method of advertising the role
will vary depending on the position, but may include
social media, MX Institute’s website, a recruitment
agency, or a job finding website.
MX Institute usually requires that applicants submit their
CV in Europass format, along with a cover letter,
explaining their suitability for the role. Once applications
are received, MX Institute’s director or another manager
in charge shall review and store these in line with
relevant legislation, including GDPR and local
regulations. Applications received after the closing date,
if one is specified, will not be considered except under
extenuating circumstances.
In some rare cases where it has not been possible to
create a suitable shortlist of applicants, a position may be
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re-advertised. In these cases, a review of the advertising
methods may be undertaken, to sample from a more
varied and diverse pool of candidates.
SHORTLISTING
Once the closing date has passed, the management will
review all valid, submitted applications for suitability. To
be shortlisted, an applicant must have demonstrated
how they meet the requirements for the role, including
both education and experience, and how they can apply
these to the advertised position. Where applicants may
not meet all the education requirements, appropriate
experience may be considered by the shortlisting panel.
Unsuccessful applicants may not be contacted but may
follow up on their application and be advised on the
outcome. All shortlisted applicants will then be
contacted to advise them of the outcome of their
application, and to coordinate interviews.
Interviews should be well-structured, with questions
planned, and consistent between applicants. Questions
will focus on the attributes, skills and experience relevant
to the role, and may require the candidate to provide
examples of these attributes. In some cases, candidates
may be asked to provide a portfolio of work, however,
this will be clearly communicated prior to the interview.
Each member of the interview panel will record their
assessment of each candidate, to determine the second
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shortlist, for the second round of interviews. Second
interviews should follow the same guidelines as the first
interview but may ask more detailed questions on
specific salient points or issues. At this point, if
applicable, reference checks may also be made for
candidates under consideration.
DECISION AND CONTACTING SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
The selection decision will reflect the consensus of the
interviewing panel, following first and second interviews,
as the result of an objective assessment of each
candidate and their ability to perform in the advertised
position.
Once a successful candidate has been selected, they will
be contacted by a member of the interviewing panel to
coordinate a meeting with a conditional offer for the
role. This meeting will discuss the contracts, including
salary, contract duration, start dates, any probation
period if applicable, and any other relevant entitlements
or questions from the applicant.
When the successful candidate has accepted the offer, all
unsuccessful candidates who were interviewed will be
contacted, to notify them that they were not successful.
Where applicants give explicit permission, their details
may be retained for future opportunities within MX
Institute.
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APPEALS AND COMPLAINTS It is important that employees are treated fairly and
receive prompt responses to problems and concerns. For
this reason, MX Institute provides a complaints and
grievance procedure to promote prompt and responsible
resolution of issues raised by employees. The process
outlined below should be used if an individual disagrees
with a supervisor’s action, including any disciplinary
action that may be taken or recommended.
There are two types of matters which are addressed by
this policy.
1. Complaints: A complaint is a concern that an
employee wants to discuss informally to resolve
the issue. Employee concerns such as job
performance or performance appeals do not fall
under the definition of a complaint.
2. Grievance: A grievance may result from any
incident taken against the employee which:
a) Violates MX Institute’s policies or involves
inconsistent application of these same
policies.
b) Violates any legal, human rights or the
right to a safe work environment.
An employee may only grieve those matters defined in
sections a and b above.
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General Rules and Processes for Filing a Complaint Employees using this procedure are entitled to do so
without fear of retaliation, interference or discrimination.
A complaint/grievance must be presented to the
immediate person to whom the employee reports within
ten (10) working days after the occurrence of the incident.
Any claim not presented within the designated time
frame shall be deemed waived.
For repetitive and/or ongoing incidents or circumstances,
the complaint/grievance must be filed within ten (10)
working days of the last occurrence of such incident or
circumstance.
STEPS FOR FILING A COMPLAINT
1. Discussion with Direct Report: The employee should
detail the basis for the complaint and if possible, identify
a suitable corrective action desired for resolution. The
employee and the immediate person to whom the
employee reports shall discuss the complaint in a manner
aimed at fostering resolution. The person to whom the
employee reports shall investigate as required and inform
the employee upon full consideration of all the facts
within ten (10) working days of the initial discussion.
2. Written Grievance Report: If the employee and the
person to whom the employee reports are not able to
reach a mutually satisfactory resolution to the complaint,
the employee may submit a written grievance report to
the management who shall then submit a report which
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must be filed within ten (10) working days from the date
of the follow up discussion with the immediate person to
whom the employee reports.
The grievance report requires that the employee state in
writing their grievance, providing a detailed description of
the issue, the steps that have been taken to address it and
why these have not been successful, and to sign and date
the report.
The Grievance Board shall report a written and final
decision not later than fourteen (14) working days from
the date after the grievance was submitted.
The employee may choose to act as his/her own
representative in any step of this procedure. The
employee may testify and present witnesses and
materials in support of his/her position. Any employee
who testifies, whether on their own behalf or for a co-
worker, will not be subject to retaliation or discriminatory
action. The employee may choose to be accompanied and
represented by his/her legal representative.
The timelines above are subject to amendment on a case-
by-case basis due to operational requirements, travel
away from premises, in-depth investigations, etc. The
Director shall have final authority to resolve any disputes
regarding the implementation of this Complaint
Procedure, including determination of the appropriate
decision makers.
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SAFEGUARDING OF LEARNERS
Provision of Adequate training All staff working with young people and adults with
additional needs receive appropriate training to
familiarise themselves with safeguarding issues and their
responsibilities, including refresher training at least every
three years. The Quality Assurance Manager has the
responsibility to coordinate and provide such training.
SAFEGUARDING OF STUDENTS
It is the responsibility of all staff to:
• Treat all students with an equal respect and
respect their right to privacy.
• Ensure that all interaction with students is done
so in a professional manner.
• Exercise the duty to report any observations or
suspicions of abuse to the Director or Quality
Assurance Manager.
• Report any observations or suspicions of non-
compliance with this code to the management
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INTERNAL VERIFICATION AND ASSESSMENT Verification is a crucial element of the quality assurance
and enhancement process. It ensures that all candidates,
entered for the same qualification, are assessed fairly
and consistently to the specified standard to maintain
national standards.
The purpose of internal verification Formal qualifications delivered by MX Institute abide to
the respective awarding body’s policies and procedures.
The quality of teaching and assessment at MX Institute is
maintained through the implementation of the
following:
• Ensuring that all assessments are valid, reliable,
practicable, equitable and fair.
• Ensuring that internal assessment is conducted
by using appropriate assessment instruments.
• Applying the standards of assessment uniformly
and consistently and by judging whether learners
have met the national standards for the
qualification
Internal Verifications carried out by the Quality
Assurance Manager ensure that assessments are:
• Appropriately administered and that any
possibility of non-compliance is minimised.
• Valid for each qualification.
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• Capable of generating enough evidence to
demonstrate that national standards have been
met.
• Sampled for external or internal verification.
• Reviewed to ensure validity Internal Verification
of the Assessment Instrument or Reassessment.
The Quality Assurance Manager will ensure that
assessors:
• Are familiar with the required standards,
according to the unit being taught.
• Reach accurate and consistent decisions for the
same qualification for all candidates in line with
the required national standards.
• Are given appropriate support and training.
• Have the opportunity to participate in training
sessions so as to be able to adequately plan their
lessons and assessments.
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LEARNER SUPPORT
Lectures and Presentations Most adjustments relating to the delivery of lectures and
presentations are met by standard academic practice. It
is the specific course/module’s teacher responsibility to
ensure that course notes are provided where
appropriate and book lists are published in good time on
MX Institute’s student portal. Module teachers should
also ensure that all staff lecturing on their modules are
aware that students with relevant impairments are
permitted to voice record lectures.
Voice Recorder Permission to use a voice recorder to record lectures and
seminars may be granted to students having physical or
cognitive impairments that impedes them taking
accurate written notes quickly. Students with such
impairments are to inform the Director, so that the staff
is informed accordingly. Students are to seek permission
to record at the beginning of each module and such
permission does not allow them to share, copy or publish
their recordings.
It is the responsibility of members of teaching staff to
deal with requests to record appropriately.
Extended Deadline Modification of deadlines for assignments and projects,
may be adjusted to take into account the impact of the
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student’s disability, the credit rating of the assignment,
and the intensity of other deadlines.
It is the student's responsibility to arrange this with the
relevant member of staff and/or complete an extension
form as soon as possible after the assignment has been
set. Extensions to deadlines are most commonly afforded
to students where it is felt that their academic
productivity may not be in keeping with the number of
hours for which they study. These students therefore
require additional time in order to be able to produce a
comparable level of work to their peers.
For example, this may include:
• Difficulties with concentration/distractions which
means that students must ‘pace’ their studies–
either because of cognitive processes or as a
result of a side-effect of their disability (such as
pain management, medications which impact on
sleeping patterns, anxiety, etc…).
• Slower reading speeds which mean that
assignment research and the assimilation of ideas
takes more time.
• Reduced writing accuracy, which means that
more time is needed for proof-reading Course
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leaders and year tutors should grant appropriate
extensions to students with this adjustment.
The extension should not usually exceed 14 days and is
subject to the rules governing particular modules
according to the rules of the specific awarding bodies.
It may also be appropriate to consider the ‘clustering’ of
assignment deadlines that a student may experience as
it would be helpful if the student could be given details
of forthcoming assignments as early as possible, in order
that they can plan their study time in advance. This can
be of assistance to students who struggle with time
management or who have a disability such as Asperger’s
Syndrome where they need explicit instructions to plan
their time. It is good practice for staff to publish
deadlines for all module assignments with as much
notice as practicable.
Extra Exam Time Any extra exam time (if applicable) may be afforded to
students where it is felt that their academic productivity
may not be in keeping with the number of hours for
which they study. These students therefore require
additional time in order to be able to produce a
comparable level of work to their peers. For example,
this may include:
• Difficulties with concentration/distractions which
means that students must ‘pace’ their efforts in
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exam situations–either because of cognitive
processes or as a result of a side-effect of their
disability (such as pain management, medications
which impact on sleeping patterns, anxiety etc).
• Slower reading speeds which mean that it takes
more time for them to digest and respond to
questions.
• Slower processing speeds which means that the
assimilation of ideas and structuring of essay
responses takes more time.
• Reduced writing accuracy, which means that
more time is needed for proof-reading Staff
should ensure that they are aware of those
students with an extra time entitlement before
the exam commences.
The latter is subject to the rules governing particular
modules according to the rules of the specific awarding
bodies.
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RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING (Including exemptions)
The Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) is the process of
recognising learning obtained through formal, non-
formal and informal learning other than the mainstream
certification.
Such learning can also include the acquisition of
competencies gained through other educational
institutions such as schools, colleges, workplaces, life and
work experiences, or even through personal interests.
During the RPL process, applicants will be asked to
compile a portfolio to include the following:
• A detailed C.V.
• Certificates confirming participation in training.
• The scope of duties performed to date.
• A report from an internship/apprenticeship
agreement.
• Professional certification.
• Articles or other works written by the applicant.
• Reference letter/s issued by an employer,
manager or leader of an organisation.
• Evidence of participation in a project and the
scope of the duties involved.
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APPENDIX 1: CODE OF ETHICS Responsibilities to Students
• Offer the necessary assistance to students in the
pursuit of learning.
• Provide students with the required tools and
material to enhance their learning experience.
• Maintain professional relationship with students
and restrain from engaging in discriminatory
actions of any form.
• Protect students from any unacceptable
behaviour occurring inside and outside of
classroom.
• Enhance the student’s opportunities to prevail in
their studies.
• Refrain from any form of conflict of interest when
dealing with students.
• Keep confidentiality at high levels and do not
disclose any sensitive information concerning
students.
• Represent MX Institute’s values, policies, and
practices when dealing with students.
Professional Responsibilities and Practice
• Maintain high levels of practice in relation to
student recruitment, research, teaching and
assessment process, and student guidance.
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• Maintain on-going professional development to
be more effective and efficient throughout the
institute’s processes.
• Stay updated regarding new policies and
procedures related to their line of work.
• Assess and reflect on personal development.
• Maintain an open and positive attitude towards
students and colleagues, seek guidance when
needed.
• Aid and help to students and colleagues when
needed.
• Offer only services of quality to students.
• Refrain from working towards a competitive goal
which may hinder MX Institute’s reputation and
values.
• Refrain from any form of substances that affect
your behaviour or job performance negatively.
Responsibilities to Colleagues We are committed to providing a workplace
environment free from any form of discrimination and/or
harassment which may lead to unfavourable actions.
Staff members at MX Institute must:
• Treat each other with fairness, dignity, and
acceptance.
• Work together with integrity and courtesy.
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• Respect the individuality, personal beliefs and
values without any discriminatory actions.
• Promote teamwork and play an effective role in
the collective efforts.
Responsibilities to Society Ensure that our actions are inclusive and are welcoming
for all corporate social responsibility. Community
involvement is a manifestation of our Shared Values. We
take our role in society seriously and encourage
individuals to engage in charitable, educational and
community service. It is our responsibility to take our
role in society seriously.
Be sensitive and up-to-date with environment issues
• Carry out daily practices and activities in a
manner that values ethics, people, and
communities.
• Create and maintain reliable records to meet
national requirements and standards.
• Build a recruitment and selection process free of
any discrimination.
• We will not permit undisclosed or unrecorded
revenues, expenses, assets or liabilities. We will
never create or participate in the creation of
records that are misleading.
• We will avoid conflict of interest situations. We
will avoid any situation that may create, or may
seem to create, a conflict between personal
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interests and the interests of MX Institute. Re-
fare to MX Institute’s Conflict of Interest Policy
listed in Appendix 2: Conflict of Interest Policy on
page 25 of this handbook.
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APPENDIX 2: CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY
Policy MX Institute trusts the professionalism of the staff it
employs, and this trust underlies any attempt to handle
questions which raise potential conflicts of interest. Yet
the damage to the reputations of individuals and MX
Institute caused by conflicts of interest could be
considerable. Every employee is obliged to act in the best
interests of MX Institute in fulfilling their responsibilities.
A conflict of interest is defined as a conflict between the
official responsibilities of an individual in a position of
trust, and any other interests the individual may have.
This definition includes both actual breaches of trust, as
well as circumstances where there is merely the
appearance of a conflict.
This policy requires all staff and agents to identify and
disclose any potential or actual conflicts of interest to the
director as a matter of urgency. It is then the shared
responsibility of the employee and the director to work
to manage or eliminate this conflict.
It is important that all staff are aware that they must
always disclose conflicts of interest. In most cases, the
conflict will be managed with support from the director.
However, in some cases, some activity may be prohibited
when necessary, to protect interests of MX Institute.
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Failure to comply with this policy may result in
disciplinary action against the individual concerned.
Managing a Conflict of Interest Once a conflict has been disclosed, it is the shared
responsibility of the individual and the director of MX
Institute to manage the conflict. This may involve conflict
evaluation, to determine the extent of the conflict and
the actual or perceived risk to MX Institute.
In many cases, conflicts of interest can be resolved by
fully disclosing the nature of the conflict, and creating a
written record of that declaration, if it is found that the
risk can be managed. However, in some cases, a conflict
of interest management plan may need to be developed
and implemented. This outlines a clear path to actively
manage the conflict and avoid or minimise any risks. This
plan must be documented, agreed to and signed by both
the individual and the director of MX Institute.
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APPENDIX 3: CONTINGENCY PLANS
Principles The contingency plans are informed by the following
principles:
• The integrity of the assessment processes is
preserved.
• Students are not disadvantaged in terms of
overall achievement or progression.
• Academic standards are protected through the
preservation of normal rules of conduct for the
quality assurance of assessment, including the
use of appropriate alternatives.
• There is no compromise to the principles of
fairness, equity, clarity and consistency in relation
to assessment and awards.
• Independence (through appropriate use of
external examiners) in assessment processes is
maintained.
Circumstances requiring contingency arrangements As noted above, contingency arrangements will only be
implemented in exceptional circumstances and only
where it is judged necessary because of the scale of
impact on the timely completion of assessment
processes. Contingency arrangements will not be
implemented to address situations arising from
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individual staff absences which can be addressed
through usual procedures.
• Where staff are absent and/or unable to either
set or assess work submitted within the period
required to enable normal assessment or
approval processes to occur.
• Where circumstances affect staff, whose absence
would prohibit the normal operation of an
examination processes.
Approval process for implementing contingency
arrangements The Director shall approve the implementation of
contingency arrangements in consultation with the
Quality Assurance Manager. The decision to implement
contingency arrangements shall be communicated to
members of staff concerned as soon as possible.
Contingency Arrangements The Director carries the overall responsibility for
managing the delivery of assessment across the Institute
and will be proactive in achieving this, consulting with the
Staff on specific matters relating to the particular subject
or programme and with the Quality Assurance Manager
on quality assurance and academic standards. Normal
processes for the consideration of appeals, complaints,
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exceptional circumstances and cases of academic
misconduct will continue to apply.
Contingency arrangements for setting assessment The Director shall be responsible for establishing a secure
process for setting assessment(s) in the event of staff
absence(s). Wherever possible, the intention is for the
assessment to take place within the normal time period,
even if marking cannot take place on the original
timescale. The following actions may be initiated by
Director:
1. To identify assessments affected and to delegate
responsibility to a member(s) of staff with
appropriate specialist subject knowledge to be
responsible for setting the assessment, including
examination/assignment questions where
necessary.
2. To agree an alternative form(s) of assessment for
this period only provided it meets the
requirements of the module (in terms of
assessing learning outcomes), is achievable
within the reporting timescale and is fair to
students (no unfamiliar assessment instruments
will be used).
3. If neither (1) nor (2) can be achieved, then the
Director shall recommend deferral of the
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assessment until the exceptional situation has
passed. Assessments and examinations will be set
as soon as possible after events have returned to
normal.
Contingency Arrangements for Marking Assessments The Director shall be responsible for establishing a secure
process for marking assessments and examinations in the
event of staff absence(s). Where there is a requirement
for two markers then this will remain the case under the
contingency arrangements.
The following actions may be initiated by the Director:
• To identify any assessments affected and, where
possible, to assign marking to a member of staff
with relevant specialist subject knowledge and, if
required, a second marker with knowledge of the
subject if another specialist is not available.
• If at least one specialist marker cannot be found,
to identify a substitute to mark the assessment as
pass/fail so that credit can be awarded for the
work. In this case the assessment will be marked
in full once events have returned to normal.
• In all cases where a mark has been awarded by
substitute marker(s), to ensure that processes are
in place for the resulting marks to be analysed
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against previous years’ performances and across
comparable modules in the current year.
• To inform the external examiner (where
applicable) of any changes made to the marking
process including, for example, the reallocation
of markers and the method of moderation.
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