(1) As part of the assessment for a unit, higher education (HE) students may be required to undertake a formal examination during a coordinated examination period. (2) The intent of this document is to ensure that examinations which are centrally organised and occur during a central examination period and are consistent with the University’s Higher Education Examination Policy. These Procedures apply to such examinations as are held on University campuses or at designated and approved University examination centres/locations. (3) This procedure applies to all Higher Education students. (4) All centrally organised examinations are administered by the Timetabling, Examinations and Results within Student Administration with the exception of examinations with a practical component such as. laboratory/oral/aural assessment or examinations where students require access to computers that are not as a result of an approved reasonable adjustment. In these instances, the owning College of the unit will be responsible for the administration and invigilation of the examination and the Timetabling, Examinations and Results will only be responsible for scheduling. (5) Students are expected to undertake their examination/s at the time scheduled and at the campus or Examination Centre advised by the University. (6) Students who reside within 80km of an approved CDU Examination Campus are required to attend that Examination Campus. Examinations at these venues will be referred to as “on-campus examinations”, regardless as to whether or not the student’s study mode is internal or external. Where a student resides more than 80km from a CDU Examination Campus, these will be referred to as an “off-campus examinations”. (7) For off-campus examinations, students who reside within 80km of an approved University Examination Centre are required to attend that Examination Centre. In these cases, each student will be allocated an approved centre. The University, where appropriate, may allow a student to request another approved University Examination Centre, however the University reserves the right to not approve such a request. (8) Students who reside more than 80 km from an approved University Examination Centre are required to make suitable arrangements to sit the examination/s at another tertiary institution. Students must notify the University with the name of the local tertiary institution. If a local tertiary institution does not exist, students are required to identify a suitable private invigilator. (9) A private invigilator cannot be a person related to you by blood or marriage, or a close friend of the family. A private invigilator must be approved by CDU before arrangements can be finalised. Charles Darwin University will make contact with the nominated person to make the necessary arrangements. Examples of suitable people for invigilation: doctor, dentist, lawyer, staff development officer, director of nursing (DON), justice of the peace (JP), police officer, school principal or assistant principal, librarian, an examination officer from s similar educational institution or examination centre. (10) Charles Darwin University reserves the right to amend the kilometre radius to facilitate examinations as needed. (11) All correspondence regarding examinations and their locations will be via the student email address held on the University student system. It is the responsibility of the students to check their University email account (12) A final timetable for examinations held during a Central Examination Period will be posted no later than two (2) weeks before the examinations commence. All examinations are timetabled by the Timetabling, Examinations and Results to avoid timetable clashes. (13) Examinations will not be conducted during the period designated as Study week, which is a revision period of not less than one (1) week after the conclusion of each core teaching period and before the commencement of the Central Examination Period for final examinations. Lectures or other teaching activity may not be scheduled during this period. (14) The Special Examination period for each semester is concluded prior to the start of the following enrolment term, allowing students the best opportunity to finalise their unit and progress in their course. The Special Examinations will be held over a one (1) week period in accordance with the University Academic Calendar. The College Dean has the authority to alter these timelines in cases of immediate, extreme misadventure, however the College will be required to provide invigilators. (15) University staff members are NOT permitted to provide examination times over the phone – students must be referred to the web-based timetable or if the request for information is in the form of an email, a reply must be sent to the student’s email address as held in the University Student System. If the student is unable to access a computer, the incoming phone call must be forwarded to the Timetabling, Examinations and Results. (16) A request for examination data collection through the Examination Management System will be forwarded to Colleges no later than week 3 of the teaching period of assessment, or in the case of Special Examinations, 3 weeks after Grade Release date. Generally, academic units will have two weeks to provide this information. (17) Student Administration will schedule examinations against criteria to determine arrangement of units within the examination timetable, including: (18) Student Administration will endeavour to accommodate requests from Colleges for examinations to be scheduled for a particular time during an examination period, however reserves the right to schedule examinations on any day during the period. (19) Examinations will be scheduled with the following set reading/writing duration: (20) A recommended reading time is provided as a guide to students for them to be able to adequately plan their examination. Students will, however, will be able to write from the commencement of the examination session as directed by the Head Invigilator. (21) The examiner for a unit will be the Unit Coordinator for the Teaching Period, as listed on the Student Management System (Callista). (22) The examiner shall furnish the College Dean, by such date as the College Dean may specify a copy of: (23) The Timetabling, Examinations and Results will supply to each College, a schedule of units for which there will be an examination held during the Central Examinations Period according to the assessment methods accredited for relevant units. The College will also supply to the Timetabling, Examinations and Results, the name of the examiner for each unit, if different to the Unit Coordinator for that Teaching Period. (24) Examination papers will be submitted by Examiners electronically via the Examination Management System (EMS). Coversheets for each unit will be generated via the EMS and will be checked against the paper prior to final submission to Student administration. (25) Examination papers must be provided at least 7 (seven) weeks prior to a centrally organised examination. (26) University staff involved in handling examination papers are responsible for ensuring proper handling and storage so that no unauthorised access to electronic or hard copies occurs. All versions of an examination paper must be held securely at all times. (27) Only staff with direct involvement in the development, approval and administration of an examination will have access to the examination in both electronic and hard copy formats. Where a breach of security is believed, the unit co-ordinator will provide a new examination prior to the examination commencing. (28) Staff in breach of these handling and storage directions may be found in breach of CDU Code of Conduct. (29) Only authorised persons may enter an examination room unless approved by the head invigilator. The examiner whose unit is being examined must be contactable by a provided phone number at least until the end of the reading period. The examiner whose practical unit is being examined must be present throughout the practical examination. Except with the permission of the College Dean, an examiner must be available during an examination to attend to any problems, which may arise in the course of the examination. In this instance, the College should nominate an alternate examiner (30) A student may not enter the examination room unless the head invigilator gives permission, and in any event, not later than the first thirty (30) minutes of an examination session. (31) No food or drinks (with the exception of water) is permitted in an examination venue. Water bottles are permitted in the case that the bottle is transparent, with the label removed. (32) On-campus examination students allocated to sit their examination/s at a CDU Examination campus may be assigned a seat number. Where seat numbers are allocated, this will appear on the students personalised examination timetable approximately 1 week prior to the commencement of the examination period. Seat numbers will also be posted at the examination venue on the day of the examination. (33) On entering the examination venue, students must proceed directly to their allocated seat. Any student who has not been allocated a seat number should report to the Head Invigilator prior to the commencement of the examination. (34) No student may leave the examination room during the first thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled duration of an examination session or during the last ten (10) minutes of the examination. (35) A student who needs to temporarily leave the examination room for any urgent purpose approved by an invigilator must be accompanied by an invigilator at all times. (36) On re-entering an examination room, a student must occupy, without delay, such place as is indicated by signs or by an invigilator and must not change place except with the permission of, or under instruction from, the invigilator. (37) A student must bring to the examination room the student’s Student Identification Card and keep such identification displayed during the examination. In the absence of such identification, the head invigilator may accept other photographic evidence of identification to the satisfaction of the invigilator but retains the right to refuse entry to students without appropriate identification. (38) Examination Coversheets must clearly identify if the examination is: (39) Where an Open Book examination permits all written and printed materials, with the exception of CDU library books, a Restricted Open Book examination permits specified materials (including dictionaries), as listed on the examination coversheet and a Closed book examination permits no written or printed materials other than those supplied by the Invigilator. (40) A student must not, except with the explicit permission of the examiner as indicated in the examination paper, bring into the examination room anything whatsoever which conveys or is capable of conveying information concerning any unit, or which, in the opinion of the invigilator, gives rise to suspicion that it is so capable. (41) The University takes a most serious view of any attempt to gain unfair advantage over other students in examinations. Any student who takes into an examination room any aids or materials not authorised for an examination, risks confiscation of the aids or materials, which would then be subject to a report, which may lead to misconduct proceedings under the provisions of the University By-Laws. Students should be particularly careful to check with the examiner well before an examination whether their calculator (programmable or non-programmable), portable computer or device incorporating one of these features (e.g. a memory watch, calculator watch or watch computer) is an authorised aid. (42) Invigilators will provide a final warning at the commencement of the examination to surrender any mobile/electronic ICT device where that may not have already occurred. Any detection of an ICT device during an examination will automatically result in a report detailing a possible breach of academic integrity for consideration by the College Dean. (43) In Restricted Open Book examinations, a student may bring a translation dictionary (in paper form and unannotated) into an examination, provided it is on the list of permitted materials. For the purposes of this provision, unannotated means the dictionary must not be marked with handwriting, other than personal identification, or with printed material(s) attached to or interleaved with the original. (44) Where permitted by the relevant examiner, calculators may be used in examinations. The examination coversheet will list the type of calculator permitted: (45) Restricted calculators not permitted commonly have the following features: (46) During an examination, examination invigilators have authority to confiscate calculators, which do not comply with the type permitted for that examination. (47) Where an invigilator detects use of unauthorised materials, or suspects an incident of cheating is occurring, the student/s will be allowed to finish the examination, but will be informed that an incident report will be written. Any unauthorised materials will be confiscated when detected. (48) The incident report will be forwarded by the Director, Student Administration to the relevant College Dean for investigation and subsequent action against the University’s Governance documents. A copy will also be forwarded to the Complaints Management Unit. (49) Any incident report must be signed by the student involved prior to leaving the examination venue. Signing the report indicates ONLY that the student has read the report, not that they are admitting to a breach of academic integrity. (50) Confiscated materials will be held by the Timetabling, Examinations and Results, and will only be returned to the student when the examination incident has been concluded by the College Dean, and the subsequent appeal timeframe to Complaints Management Unit has passed. (51) A student must comply with all instructions set forth on the examination book and/or the examination paper, and with any examination notice displayed in the examination room, and with any instruction given by an invigilator. (52) A student must not remove from the examination room any worked script, paper, examination book or other material, which is the property of the University. (53) Invigilation of an examination at any Charles Darwin University campus may be carried out by University staff or persons external to the University, employed on a casual basis. (54) Student Administration is responsible for arranging invigilation and for providing proper instruction concerning the conduct of the examinations. Invigilators must be advised of appropriate action to take if they observe behaviour on the part of a student which may be interpreted as misconduct or a breach of academic integrity. (55) The Timetabling, Examinations and Results maintains and distributes a procedures manual to guide invigilators of the roles and responsibilities of University examinations. Private invigilators, nominated by students for off-campus examinations must be approved by the University prior to confirming examination arrangements, and will be provided with the appropriate procedures manual. (56) An invigilator may: (57) Any of these actions may result in an Incident Report. (58) Unless the College considers that there is good reason why an application could not have been made in due time, any application for a Special Examination or Reasonable Adjustment must be submitted to the College not less than seven (7) days prior to the relevant examination, and not more than seven (7) days after the relevant examination. (59) A student who applies for a Special Examination for reasons other than medical grounds, must submit, with the application, external supporting documentation. In the absence of external supporting documentation, students must submit a statutory declaration stating the facts upon which the application relies and shall offer such supporting evidence as may be available. (60) A student who has entered the examination room for an examination will not be granted a Special Examination except on the grounds of an unforeseen and non-pre-existing illness arising at the time of the examination as testified by a certified medical certificate, signed by a qualified medical practitioner. In such a case, a student must leave the examination within the first 30 minutes of the examination period. After 30 minutes, a student will no longer be eligible for a Special Examination and must apply for Reasonable Adjustment. Note that students who experience an episode or attempt after the 30 minute mark (for example the sudden onset of a new or pre-existing condition) will still be eligible for a secondary examination under special consideration rules, but will have their examination attempt graded rather than recorded as a “did not sit”. (61) A student who fails to attend a scheduled Special Examination will be deemed to have failed that examination, except in cases of immediate, extreme misadventure. In such a case, a student must apply for Reasonable Adjustment within the required timeframe. (62) Students who have an approved Learning Access Plan, which refers specifically to examination conditions do not need to apply for Reasonable Adjustment – any conditions will be applied automatically via the Examination Management System. (63) Early departure for vacation shall not be an acceptable reason for a change of venue or a Special Examination. (64) Unless the application is on the grounds of a previously disclosed disability, the application must include a statutory declaration and third party evidence to support the application. (65) If suitable supervision or a suitable venue cannot be arranged, a student may be permitted by the College Dean to sit for a Special Examination. (66) The Head Invigilator will announce any corrections to examination scripts that are known before the commencement of the examination session. (67) Any errors discovered after the commencement of the examination session will not result in any examination paper or question being reissued. In such cases, unit co-ordinators will adjust the criteria applied and the marks for the examination where appropriate.Higher Education Examination Procedure
Section 1 - Introduction
Section 2 - Scope
Section 3 - Procedure
Examination Administration
Examination Location
Examination Timetable
Reading/Writing Time
Appointment of Examiners
Duties of an Examiner
Receipt of Examination Papers
Security of Examination Papers
Conduct of Central Examinations
Entry to Examination Rooms
Food/Drink in Examination Venue
Seat Allocation
Leaving Examination Rooms
Identification
Unauthorised Materials
Dictionaries
Calculators
Examination Incidents
Compliance with Instructions
Removal of Papers
Invigilators
Powers of the Invigilator
Special Examinations and Reasonable Adjustment
Examination Paper Errors
View Current
This is not a current document. It has been repealed and is no longer in force.