This internal regulation is based on:

• The Higher Education Ordinance (1993:100)
• President’s decision reg. no. 930-0092-93 Doss. 13
• President’s decision 982/2005, reg. no. 930-2005-1421, doss. 55
• President’s decision 0687/2007, reg. no. V-2007-0858

Background

Examining students at the various educational levels is one of KTH’s most important tasks. The quality of the examination is of the greatest importance for the reputation of both KTH and the students. Moreover, it is one of the university's most important tasks as a public body and involves a large number of decisions. As a public body, it is necessary for KTH to have clear rules, clear missions and clear documentation of decisions on examinations. This applies to first cycle, second cycle and third cycle courses. Continuous examinations are both a form of action as a public body and a stage of students’ learning processes. In order for examinations to be perceived as legally secure, rules and procedures must be clearly set out for students, teachers and administrators.
The Higher Education Ordinance (HF) contains the following regulation concerning the duties of examiners:

HF chapter 6, paragraph 18 (first cycle and second cycle education). "Unless otherwise prescribed in the course syllabus, a grade is to be awarded on completion of a course. The grade is to be determined by a teacher specially appointed by the higher education institution (an examiner)".

(Third cycle education) “Examinations included in third level education are to be assessed in accordance with the grading system prescribed by the higher education institution. The grade is to be determined by a teacher specially appointed by the higher education institution (an examiner)”.

“Higher education institutions may employ teachers as professors (including visiting professors), senior lecturers (including visiting senior lecturers), lecturers (including visiting lecturers), research assistants, part-time teachers and guest teachers.

Higher education institutions may not employ other categories of teachers.
Within the framework of pilot projects, however, higher education institutions may employ teachers as associate senior lecturers”.

(First cycle and second cycle education). “A student who has taken two examinations in a course or a part of a course without obtaining a pass grade is entitled to have another examiner appointed, unless there are special reasons to the contrary.”

A person holding a post as a teacher at KTH can be appointed as an examiner at KTH. Teacher categories that may be considered as examiners are set out in chapter 4, paragraph 1 of the Higher Education Ordinance. At KTH, it is also the case that a teacher must hold a teacher’s post that involves at least 20 per cent full-time equivalents and the post must be current at the time of the examination.

One examiner must be appointed for each course (course code), normally for each academic year. Examiners must also be appointed for licentiate theses. Examiners are appointed by Heads of School. Decisions on the appointment of examiners can be delegated, though only to Director of Undergraduate and Masters´studies (first and second cycle courses) and Director of Doctoral studies (third cycle courses). Examiners appointed in this manner must be entered on KTH’s studies database and filed.

Examiners for particular courses must be clearly named in the studies database/study handbook and course memorandum (or similar) and in written examinations or other documents used during examinations.

After consulting the Director of Undergraduate and Masters´ studies/Director of Doctoral studies, examiners may delegate the task of examiner to another person who holds a teaching post in accordance with the above. The delegation may refer to the task of being an examiner for certain groups of students (or certain individuals). This task may not be delegated further. Decisions on such delegation must be stored at each School.

Examiners have final responsibility for examinations. In support of his or her final decision, an examiner may obtain supporting information and/or viewpoints from relevant persons both in and outside KTH.

Examiners are responsible for ensuring that an up-to-date syllabus exists for each course for which he or she is examiner. The contents of the syllabus are set out in chapter 6, paragraph 15 of the Higher Education Ordinance. Examiners are also responsible for drawing up a basis for grading, grade thresholds and how subsequent examination in the case of borderline fail grades is to be carried out. Examiners can make amendments to syllabuses within a certain period of time prior to each academic year, provided that the amendments are not of such a nature that a new course must be established. If a new course must be established, an examiner must initiate the case.

Examiners’ responsibilities and duties in the case of written examinations are set out in the KTH rules on written examinations (President’s decision 610/2002) which is published in the KTH handbook (regulations).

The role of examiner may (occasionally to great advantage) be separate from the role of the person responsible for the performance of the course or element. Besides an examiner, a person responsible for the course/person responsible for the element or for administration of examination work may be appointed by the Head of School (or this may be delegated to the Director of Undergraduate and Masters´ studies/Director of Doctoral studies). This person need not necessarily hold a teaching post at KTH in accordance with the above. The teacher responsible for the course is responsible for ensuring that the course memorandum is drawn up and for all information which is not directly linked to examinations, but which may be considered necessary to enable students to take the course in a satisfactory manner. The course memorandum must also include information on the forms of examination. The teacher responsible for the course is responsible for ensuring that the course is carried out in accordance with the syllabus and the course memorandum. The same applies to supervisors of degree projects.

The President has also resolved that

Requests for a change of examiner must be submitted to the Head of School. In cases where the Head of School is the examiner, requests for a new examiner must be submitted to the Deputy Head of School.