External Examiners
The following information is provided for the use of External Examiners of research degrees. If you are unable to download any of the documents please contact the Academic Support Office via pg.admin@durham.ac.uk
GUIDELINES FOR EXTERNAL EXAMINERS - FEES AND EXPENSES
Please note: the claim forms can be located at the end of this section.
Fees
The fee offered for the examination is an inclusive fee covering the examination itself and any further advice or assistance which may be sought in the case of an appeal against the examiners' recommendations. The University is unable to accept any liability for VAT which may be incurred by individual examiners.
A blue external examiners fee claim form must be completed and submitted to the Academic Support Office in order to ensure prompt payment. Payment of fees will only be processed upon receipt of an Annual Report.
Expenses
The following guidelines are taken from the University of Durham, Travel, Subsistence, Hospitality and other staff expenses: Policy and Procedures Manual, November 2004.
A pink external examiner's expense claim form must be completed (with receipts attached) and submitted to the Academic Support Office in order to ensure prompt payment. Please note however that expense claims are paid by the Department/School concerned. Payment of expenses incurred by attendance at interim Boards of Examiners meetings for taught programmes can be made before the payment of fees at the end of the academic year.
Travel Expenses
Travel Expenses will be paid in accordance with the University policy for its staff, namely mileage for use of own car or standard class rail fare, together with a local taxi cost to destination.
Mileage Rates- Standard Rate - £0.40 per mile for the first 60 miles of any round trip;
- Lower Rate - £0.22 per mile for the 61st and subsequent miles of any round trip.
Accommodation and other expenses
Accommodation should be arranged in College or Business School facilities, if available. Where no such accommodation is available, the University has negotiated special rates with a number of hotels in the Durham area. The Conference and Tourism Office acts as a central enquiry point for availability and booking.
Conference and Tourism Office, Room GB22, Mountjoy Research Centre, Block 2, Stockton Road, Durham DH1 3UP
UK.Tel: 0191 334 2886. Fax: 0191 334 2892 Email: conference.tourism@durham.ac.uk
The University will only reimburse the cost of the hotel room, meals eaten in the hotel and one reasonable private telephone call. Items of a personal nature such as wine, other alcoholic drinks, video hire, newspapers, laundry or gratuities etc. will not be reimbursed by the University.
Where meals are not taken in the hotel, separate restaurant receipts must be obtained to support reimbursement.
Entertainment of a visiting examiner is permitted if only one member of University staff is present per visitor. For this purpose, the maximum allowable reimbursement (on production of receipts) shall be as follows:
- Lunch - £17.50 per head (including gratuities);
- Dinner - £45.00 per head (including gratuities).
