Co-examiners

Time use and payment for assessments and co-examiner activities

Performing external co-examiner activities and participation in assessments at other institutions are considered important activities for both Aarhus University and other universities. The university’s policy is therefore to demonstrate the necessary flexibility to provide employees with the opportunity to conduct these professional activities. 

These guidelines clarify the framework for time use and payment in connection with co-examiner activities and/or assessments in order to ensure clarity regarding time use and payment for AU employees who engage in these activities. 

If an employee participates in co-examination or assessment activities to a considerable extent, he or she is obligated to inform his or her immediate superior about the assignment, including related absence. How this information is to be communicated is to be agreed locally. If the employee’s immediate superior finds that the assignment will interfere too much with the employee's other obligations at AU, he or she may require the employee not to take on the task. 

Assessments

In case of assessment committees set up by AU, payment is made to the employee's department according to the guidelines for internal trade. Any compensation to the employee will take place in accordance with the department's own guidelines. In case of committees set up by the employee's own department, any compensation will also take place according to the department’s own guidelines.

Where employees participate in assessment committees established by institutions other than AU, they receive remuneration from this institution, which also determines the amount of the remuneration according to the applicable ministerial circular. 

Co-examiner activities

Payment for co-examiner activities at AU (internal co-examination) will be paid to the employee's department according to the guidelines for internal trade. Any payment to the employee will be paid out in accordance with the department's own guidelines. When the co-examination takes place within the employee's own department, guidelines for payment of the co-examiner are also determined by the department’s own guidelines. 

Payment for co-examination carried out at other institutions (external co-examination) is received by the employee from this institution, which also determines the amount of the payment in accordance with the applicable minsterial circular.

Payment to AU employees, who are to perform co-examination activities

The Examination Order applies to examination and co-examination activities in relation to Bachelor’s degree programmes, Master’s degree programmes and advanced-level university programmes, as well as professional Master's degree programmes and other part-time degree programmes under the University Act.

Pursuant to section 53 of the Examination Order, co-examiners may not, within the past two years, have been employed at the university at which they are to act as co-examiners. We may therefore not provide payment for co-examination to employees already employed who have acted as co-examiners in connection with exams conducted at AU.

Furthermore, honorary professors, honorary associate professors and emeritus staff are not permitted to serve as co-examiners at the same university where they serve as honorary professor, honorary associate professor or in an emeritus role.’