Examination

Primarily with forms of examination other than proctored campus exams

Examination will continue to take place primarily with forms of examination other than written proctored campus examination (examination or partial exams). Based on proven experience and to increase the diversity of examination forms, the First and Second Cycle Education Committee recommends that oral examination or digital unproctored examinations be used to a greater extent. Furthermore, continuous examination is encouraged. This is based on both the limitations due to COVID-19 and the long-term goals stated in the Development Plan 2018-2023 and Vision 2027.

Educational material and educational activities on choosing and designing digital examination can be found on E-learning's pages for Remote examination . This material will be expanded and improved on an on-going basis.

Deviation from the adopted syllabus in terms of the form of examination is permitted during the spring semester 2021. Decisions on such changes are made by the Director of First and Second Cycle Education after a presentation by the Examiner. Schools shall continue to keep a record of which courses have changed examination form deviating from the decided syllabus. The changes that become permanent should be included in the syllabus.

Campus-based examination and remotely monitored examination

Decisions on campus-based examinations or the implementation of remotely monitored examinations are made by the Vice President for Education after a presentation by the Director of First and Second Cycle Education or the Director of Third Cycle Education. A common timetable for exemptions is currently being prepared. For examination in a course given in period 3, a notice of exemption will be given before the Christmas break.

The approval of proctored campus exams or remotely monitored exams (for example via Zoom) will be highly restricted. Reasons for being restrictive with monitored exams are:

• To reduce the risk of spread of infection.
• The unsafe access for proctors.

The reason for being restrictive with camera-monitored examination is:

• That camera-monitored examination is perceived as intrusive and creates anxiety and stress among students and staff with regards to privacy.

In addition, if an exemption for a monitored written examination is granted, additional examination opportunities may also need to be offered, which means an increased workload (see below).

In order for a written campus-based examination or written remotely monitored exam to be carried out, the following must be fulfilled:

• The intended learning outcomes of the course include factual knowledge or procedural skills (such as problem solving skills) that can be individually examined only through assignments with unambiguous and well-defined solutions in proctored environments.
• That the number of students exceeds what is reasonable to examine through oral examination.

An application for a proctored campus examination will only be considered for courses in foundation year programmes (Technical Preparatory Year/Semester) and in first cycle education, while the application for remotely monitored exams will also be considered in second and third-cycle education.

The Examiner must also have a plan how the examination should be delivered if KTH cancels the examination on campus due to an increased spread of COVID-19. For courses that have been granted a proctored campus exam during the academic year 20/21 and have fewer than three examinations scheduled during the academic year, at least one additional examination (where raising grades, so called “plussning”, is not allowed) session should be planned before the summer break. This is to promote the participation of only healthy students in proctored campus-based exams.