Responsibilities of Durham (Overarching) Board of Examiners

The Durham Board of Examiners is responsible for: 

1. receiving the confirmed anonymised marks for any students recommended for award; 
2. considering and determining, in accordance with the relevant University core regulations and programme regulations, the award and classification of all students registered on the programmes for which the board is responsible;  
3. considering the operation of academic discretion in line with Durham University’s policy on the operation of academic discretion. 

The Overarching Board of Examiners is held in Durham and meets twice a year - typically in August and December. See our Common Awards Calendar for this year’s dates.  

Following a meeting of the Overarching Board of Examiners, Durham will provide TEIs with:  

• confirmation of the awards granted to students, including classifications. These are known as ‘passlists’ and will be shared with TEIs within 2 weeks of the date of the meeting. TEIs are responsible for sharing these outcomes securely with individual students;  
• relevant extracts of the minutes of the Board of Examiners meeting;  
• students’ degree documentation – academic transcript, parchment and diploma supplement. See our information page for graduating students for more details.   

There shall be an Overarching Board of Examiners for the Common Awards Scheme which shall be constituted as follows: 

1. Chair (a senior member of academic staff within the University, who is not Chair of the Common Awards Management Board or a University Liaison Officer);
2. University Liaison Officer(s); 
3. the Common Awards External Moderator; 
4. one nominated representative from each TEI Board of Examiners;
5. the Secretary (a member of the Common Awards Team). 

Nominated representatives from each TEI are required to be available by phone consultation during meetings of the Overarching Board of Examiners. All other members are expected to attend all meetings of the Board.