NO. 921/2018
APPROVED BY THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL 20.09.2018
With amendments no. 513/2020 and no. 722/2023
Web-version last updated 8.11.2023
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SHORTCUTS
Course assessment for the University of Akureyri (UNAK) is based on continuous assessment and/or final assessment. Continuous assessment is assessment that takes place outside the regular examination period, for example through continuous assessment exams, essays, oral and written reports, diaries, portfolios, field studies or participation in classes. Final assessment is a formal assessment at the end of the semester, such as an exam in the regular examination period, a thesis, a seminar, a defence or an assessment of practical learning.
[Regarding the rights and obligations of students, refer to Article 43 of Regulations no. 694/2022 for the University of Akureyri, cf. also Article 19 of Act no. 85/2008 on Public Higher Education Institutions.
The supervisory teacher of a course decides the method of assessment, as the case may be, in consultation with the administrators of the School (Dean of School, Head of Faculty or Head of Department), and it must be presented to the students in the syllabus no later than on the first day of the course. After a course has started, changes to the assessment system are subject to the approval of all students and teachers in the course. Faculties must coordinate project due dates and exam dates for each term in cooperation with the supervisory teacher.]1
Each faculty …2 can establish more detailed rules for their assessment within the framework of the Regulations on course assessment at the University of Akureyri. However, such additional rules are subject to the approval of [the School Council]3 the University Council.
During the assessment, fair and reasonable consideration must be given to students who have recognized special needs, e.g. regarding project submissions, exam time, necessary equipment and location of exams. This is based on the “Policy on equal access to study and work at the University of Akureyri”. If a student requests special resources for assignments or examinations, they must submit a professional expert assessment of their learning needs based on impairment, trauma or illness. [Otherwise, refer to the procedures for specific resources in studies at the University of Akureyri.]4
1) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
2) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
3) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
4) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
a) [Examination preparation. The supervisory teacher coordinates the examination questions in the course they supervise, sets up the exam and returns it to the Examinations Manager no later than [five]¹ working days before the examination date. An examination submitted to the Examinations Manager must be clear and the questions must be numbered in consecutive order. If an examination is divided into sections, each examination section must have a title, with a clear indication of the weight of the examination section in the overall examination as well as the weight of each question. The cover page of the examination must include the name and number of the course, the name of the academic field and faculty, the examination period, permitted aids and the name and phone number of the teacher who is available during the examination.]3
b) The teacher’s role during an examination. In an examination, the student has the right to receive explanations of the wording of the examination questions. …4 In exceptional cases, the teacher is allowed to appoint a substitute with professional knowledge of the examination material. The teacher and the substitute must then review the examination together before the examination is held. The supervisory teacher and the Examinations Manager must be informed about the substitute.
c) [Handling of completed examination papers. The supervisory teacher has access to completed electronic examination papers after the examination. If there is more than one teacher, the supervisory teacher must ensure their access to completed examination papers. In the case of solutions on paper, the supervisory teacher will receive them from the Examinations Manager and sign for their receipt. The supervisory teacher organizes the examination display day, cf. Article 7 b, delivers the completed examination papers to the Examinations Manager for safekeeping once the display is over. Once two years have passed since the examination date, the completed examination papers shall be destroyed.]5
d) Returning grades. The supervisory teacher registers and posts a final grade no later than on the twelfth working day after the examination date. If there is more than one teacher in a course, grades from individual examination parts shall be submitted to the supervisory teacher no later than ten working days after the examination date. Grades from continuous assessment elements shall be published to the students within 30 days from the delivery date or examination date. The final grade from examination-free courses shall be submitted no later than on the twelfth workday after the end of the regular examination period. Students and the Head of Faculty shall be notified if an instructor's illness or other uncontrollable circumstances prevent the timely delivery of course grades.
e) [Previous examinations. The Examinations Manager generally sends the examination questions to the University Library, with the approval of the supervisory teacher, at the end of the academic year. Examination questions from all examinations from the regular examination period are kept there for one year. Students are given access to previous exams in accordance with the Information Act no. 140/2012.]7
1) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020
2) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
3) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
4) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
5) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
6) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
7) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
The Examinations Manager prepares and conducts regular examinations, examinations during the [resit examination period]1 and on special continuous assessment days. No examination during this period may be held without consulting the Examinations Manager. The Examinations Manager or a substitute shall be available during an exam in an assessment period.
The Examinations Manager's job description is to:
1) Amended with Regulation no. 513/2020
The Examiner shall be appointed by the [Head of Faculty]1 in the following cases:
The Examiner shall as a general requirement have received an approved university degree (at least a Master’s or a Cand. degree) in the academic field they will be examining, or in related fields, or have a record as a researcher in the field. …4 The Examiner works according to a job description approved by the Quality Council.
[Generally, it is not necessary to formally appoint an Examiner for oral and practical exams.]5
1) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
2) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
3) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
4) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
5) Amended by Regulations no. 722//2023
The regular examination period is at the end of each teaching semester in [November/]5 December and April/May. The academic calendar shall specify when [a final examination schedule will be available.]1 A final examination schedule shall be available before the deadline for confirming course registration has passed. [Resit examinations]2 for the current examination period are held at the end of the regular examination period.
a) [Registration for examinations in the regular examination period. At the start of the semester, students confirm registration for the courses they attend on the intranet of the University of Akureyri. The confirmation acts as registration for the course examinations. Deadlines for withdrawing from examinations are decided by the University Council and published on the academic calendar. Students are responsible for their own withdrawal from the examination, which is done on the University intranet.]6
b) Examination schedule conflicts. A student who plans to take more than one examination, which are held at the same time, shall report this to the Examinations Manager with at least a week’s notice, to allow for special arrangements so that the student can sit the examinations one after another.
c) [Examination absence. A student who does not show up for an exam must register themselves for the examination during the resit exam period. In the case of a competitive examination, the student must report the absence on the same day to the office of the School or the student register.]7
d) [Resit examinations]8 When at least 10 workdays have passed since the end of the regular examination period, [resit examinations]3 are held for the courses of the semester in question. Registration for [resit exams]4 [or other course assessment]9 shall be completed no later than one week before the scheduled examination period or within 24 hours of the release of the final grade if it has not already been posted. Resit examinations due to illness for competitive examinations are held immediately after the regular examination period. [A teacher can authorize the resit of an assessment component outside the resit examination period.]10
[e) Examination rights. Students are obligated to participate in all assessment in the courses which they have registered for. A student who does not attain the minimum grade, has been absent or who has not submitted a course component weighing 30% or more where the minimum grade is required, has a right to re-take the course component once during the semester. If the student has at that time not attained the minimum grade, they will have to re-enrol in the course. In course components weighing less than 30%, students do not have the right to resit. If the assessment is based on practical components, the faculty may, in exceptional cases, authorize a resit in another semester. The right to resit does not apply to diligence which is part of the assessment. A student who has attained the required minimum grade may repeat the assessment component if a resit is held in that semester, in which case the last grade is valid.]11
[f) Examination fee. The University is permitted to charge an examination fee for resit examinations. This fee is determined by the University Council, and payment shall be made when registering for the examination. Registration for resit examinations is not valid unless the examination fee is received before the registration deadline has passed.]12
1) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020 9) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
2) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020 10) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
3) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020 11) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
4) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020 12) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
5) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
6) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
7) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
8) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
a) General examination procedures. Students are expected to be at the examination location [ten]1 minutes before the examination starts. If a student arrives more than one hour after an exam begins, s/he is not allowed to take the exam. The student shall bring photo identification and place it on his/her table. The student is not allowed to have a coat or jacket, phone, bags or other accessories, which are not part of the allowed exam aids, at the exam table. Any disturbance in the exam room is forbidden.
b) Student attendance during examination. Students are only allowed to leave their exam table before completing the exam in order to visit the lavatory, and only under the supervision of an attendant. No one may submit exam papers before one hour has passed since the exam start. Students who complete their exams before the allotted exam time has passed, shall leave the exam room and take care not to disturb those who are still taking the exam. [Students shall work individually on their assignments and final examinations unless otherwise stated.]2
c) Examination duration. If there has been an unexpected interruption in the examination procedure, the Examinations Manager may alter the duration of the examination, and must notify the students of this immediately. Otherwise, the examination duration may not be changed after the exam has started, except at the course tutor’s request, and with the Examinations Manager’s approval. At the end of the allotted time, everyone is required to submit their exam papers immediately.
d) Submission of exam papers. In all written exams, the exam papers shall be submitted identified by name and national identity number, along with the exam questions and scratch paper, to the invigilator when the exam has finished. In multi-part exams students shall answer each exam part on a separate sheet of paper.
e) Registered exam location. Education and continuous education centres, university centres and associations, or municipalities can request registration as UNAK exam locations. If the location fulfils the quality standards of UNAK, the Examinations Manager can negotiate with the respective party on holding exams, if this results in no additional cost for UNAK. Students can take exams at all registered exam locations, on the condition that they are registered for an exam at the location in question.
f) Examinations outside registered examination locations. [If a student requests to sit an exam elsewhere than at a registered UNAK exam location, [they can apply]5 for such an arrangement to the Examinations Manager at least three weeks prior to the prospective exam date.]3 An application for this arrangement must be submitted in each semester that a student requests this. A student must provide an examination location that fulfils the quality standards of UNAK, and the Examinations Manager can permit a taking of the examination if the examination time overlaps with the first examination hour and this implementation results in no additional cost for UNAK.
g) [Online examinations. A student taking an examination on a computer may only use the software/programs specified by the course tutor. During an examination, a student is not permitted to use other software/programs, such as communications programs, communications devices or other than what is specified by the course tutor. A student must save examination documents only to the directory specified by the course tutor.]4
1) Amended with Regulation no. 513/2020
2) Amended with Regulation no. 513/2020
3) Amended with Regulation no. 513/2020
4) Amended with Regulation no. 513/2020
5) Amended with Regulation no. 722/2023
a) Course final grade. The supervisory teacher is responsible for calculating, registering and posting each student’s final grade in a course in the student registration system of the University. If a student has passed a course component but has not reached the required final grade, the grade for the course component which the student passed is only valid while the student has the right to take the examinations, cf. Article 5 [e]2, unless a faculty decides on a different rule, but never a shorter period. Students shall reach a minimum grade in all parts of the course assessments, unless otherwise noted. …3 The minimum passing grade …4 in a course is generally 5, cf. Article 7 [d]5, and can never be lower. …6 A faculty meeting can decide to assess a course with a letter S (passed). [The Student Registry and School Office Managers oversee registration in regard to assessed courses.]1 The Student Registry attends to safekeeping of final grades.
b) Clarification of course assessment. A student has the right to ask for clarification of course assessment within [a week]7 from its posting. A clarification of an assessment involves that the instructor provides the student with a break-down of marks, as well as the rationale for each grade, including how every examination question is graded. …8 The teacher is allowed, in consultation with a student who does not have the opportunity to take advantage of the examination display day, to find another time.
[c) Examiner appointment. A student who has failed a course and does not accept the final grade, even after receiving clarification, can request in writing that an Examiner be appointed, cf. Article 4 d, who will then review the failed course components of the student in the course. A written request concerning this shall be received by the Head of Faculty within four weeks of the posting of the final grade. The appointment of Examiners is subject to Article 4.]9
d) Calculation of grades. Final course grades shall be awarded in whole and half numbers from 0–10, as follows:
|
0–2.49 % merits the mark |
0.0 |
47.5–52.49 % merits the mark |
5.0 |
|
2.5–7.49 % |
0.5 |
52.5–57.49 % |
5.5 |
|
7.5–12.49 % |
1.0 |
57.5–62.49 % |
6.0 |
|
12.5–17.49 % |
1.5 |
62.5–67.49 % |
6.5 |
|
17.5–22.49 % |
2.0 |
67.5–72.49 % |
7.0 |
|
22.5–27.49 % |
2.5 |
72.5–77.49 % |
7.5 |
|
27.5–32.49 % |
3.0 |
77.5–82.49 % |
8.0 |
|
32.5–37.49 % |
3.5 |
82.5–87.49 % |
8.5 |
|
37.5–42.49 % |
4.0 |
87.5–92.49 % |
9.0 |
|
42.5–47.49 % |
4.5 |
92.5–97.49 % |
9.5 |
|
97.5–100 % |
10.0 |
e) Other grades. The following letters are also used in UNAK's grading system: S (passed), L (completed), M (assessed), F (absent), …10 Ó (incomplete).
f) Grade Point Average. The grade point average is the weighted average of all grades which count towards a degree. A grade point average is calculated with two decimal places, where 9,00–10,00 is distinction, 7,25–8,99 is first class, 6,00–7,24 is second class, and 5,00–5,99 is third class.
1) Amended by Regulations no. 513/2020 6) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023
2) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023 7) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023
3) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023 8) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023
4) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023 9) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023
5) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023 10) Amended by Regulations no.722/2023
[These regulations are set in accordance with the Act on Public Higher Education Institutions no. 85/2008 as amended, cf. Article 21, and Regulations for the University of Akureyri no. 694/2022, and will enter into force upon publication in Section B of the Official Gazette of Iceland (Stjórnartíðindi).]1
1) Amended by Regulations no. 722/2023
Thus approved in the University Council of the University of Akureyri on 20 September 2018.
Eyjólfur Guðmundsson, Rector.
Amendments no. 513/2020 approved by the University Council on 30 April 2020.
Amendments no. 722/2023 approved by the University Council on 22 June 2023.
