This policy sets out how online oral examinations for PGR students must be organised.
1. A partly or fully online oral examination by video link can be held if the PGR student and the examiners agree to this approach and with School PGR Director and the Faculty PGR Director approval, as per the oral examination regulations.
2. The PGR student and/or any or all examiners can participate remotely in an oral examination.
3. No pressure must be put on any individual to agree to the oral examination being conducted partly or fully online.
4. All reasonable steps must be taken to ensure that the PGR student is not disadvantaged compared with an in-person oral examination. The School PGR Director and the Faculty PGR Director must be confident that the PGR student is content with an online oral examination before they approve the request.
5. The Faculty PGR Director can appoint an experienced academic as an independent chair if they decide that this would assist in ensuring the examination is fair and conducted in accordance with the University’s regulations. An independent chair is not however required for all online oral examinations.
6. If the PGR student is a remote participant, the Faculty PGR Director can require that an approved independent person, such as a member of academic staff from another academic institution, is present with the PGR student for the oral examination. This is not however required for all online oral examinations.
7. The internal examiner or, where there are only external examiners, the independent chair is responsible for arranging an online oral examination.
8. The video conferencing platform used for online oral examinations must be supported and licenced by the University of Bristol. IT Services provide guidance on appropriate platforms.
9. The technology used must accommodate the anticipated needs of the examination.
10. The quality of the equipment to be used and the quality of the internet connection (particularly for the remote participant/s) must be taken into account when agreeing and arranging an online oral examination.
11. Any equipment required for the online oral examination must be available for sufficient time for the examination to take place. If there is doubt about the length of time required, every effort should be made to ensure that possible overrunning can be accommodated.
12. Time should be allowed in advance of the examination for all participants to undertake a short familiarisation session in the use of the technology, if this is needed.
13. A trial run should be undertaken prior to the oral examination to ensure that the technology and the internet connection meet requirements.
14. If the examiners are at different sites, they must take account of their need to share their preliminary reports and consult privately with each other before and after the oral examination.
15. Any materials brought by the PGR student into the room during an online oral examination should be identified at the start of the examination.
16. Online oral examinations will not be routinely recorded.
