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The article about how little help is on offer for those making their first formal review of a PhD candidate certainly struck a chord with me about the need for appropriate training before becoming an external examiner (¡°For doctoral examiners, it¡¯s all about preparation¡±, News, 18 June).

I remember the first time I was an external examiner for a PhD, never having undertaken any kind of training or mentoring for the role. At the preliminary meeting with the internal examiner at the candidate¡¯s institution, I was asked what I thought of the thesis. I said that I thought it was a fail because it was so poor. After a shocked silence, the internal examiner said, ¡°But you don¡¯t understand. The mere fact that he has reached the viva means that he has passed. The only question is whether he passes with corrections or without.¡± Feeling intimidated by this statement, I agreed after the viva that the thesis should be passed, subject to various corrections. Some weeks later, I bumped into the candidate at a railway station. He thanked me profusely for letting him through with corrections, saying, ¡°Both I and my supervisor were convinced that I was going to fail.¡±

Charles Oppenheim
Visiting professor in library and learning services
University of Northampton