5. Examining doctoral candidates
27/28 January 11.00 start
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John Wakeford, Head, Missenden Centre for the Development of Higher Education
Richard Wakeford, Educational Advisor, Cambridge University School of Clinical Medicine & assessment consultant to a number of medical royal colleges
Clive Robertson , Seddons; contributing editor The Law of Higher Education by Farrington and Palfreyman, OUP

Examiners of doctorates carry at least as much responsibility as supervisors. Yet few have had any serious preparation for the job. Criteria for success in a doctorate are unclear and there are no standard procedures for the conduct of vivas. So it is not surprising that the OIA and institutions report that doctoral candidates are challenging decisions - often on the grounds of how they were made.

Such examinations are 'one-off' and infrequent activities for both parties. In contrast, in medical education at all levels, especially post-graduate, oral examinations are an embedded tradition, and serious attempts have been made in that field to 'challenge-proof' these. This seminar will be able to assess the relevance to the PhD viva of these experiences.

We will address the issues of examiner preparation and the viva process, and provide the opportunity for participants to develop new guidelines for examiners and institutions appointing them.

Participants will have access to the archive of diaries of candidates' accounts of examination and vivas and their experience of complaints, appeals and litigation. Participants are invited to share topics and problems of interest to their institution.

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