Policy and guidance on using video calls for a research degree transfer or viva

• The internal examiner is responsible for making the arrangements for the final oral examination following receipt of the thesis and must contact the external examiner, the PGR and the Independent Chair (if appointed) to arrange a date, time and location (or online platform) for the examination. The arrangements for a transfer viva will vary, and advice should be sought from the relevant Graduate School. 
• For a final viva, it is sensible for the PGR and Supervisor(s) to start to consider the format of the viva at the point of examination entry and as part of the selection of examiners. The preference of the PGR should be central to decisions about the format of their viva, but it must be recognised that there may be a need to manage expectations for example where an international external examiner is being nominated which may mean an in-person viva is not practical due to cost or distance of travel. In such cases some compromises would have to be expected over the choice of external examiner or the format of the viva. 
• The format of the final/transfer viva can be agreed on a case by case basis, considering the circumstances and preferences of participants. When taking decisions on the format of a viva, due consideration should be given to:
  • The preference of the PGR about the format of their viva
  • The circumstances/location of each party, where the cost or distance of travel may mean an in-person viva is not practical, desirable or sustainable
  • Any support arrangements or reasonable adjustments which have been agreed for PGRs and/or Examiners/Panel Members, and which might require a particular format. The process for identifying and agreeing support and reasonable adjustments for PGR assessments, including those for a video-streamed viva, can be downloaded from the SES website: Reasonable adjustments for PGR level assessment and examination.
  • Any particular IT equipment or software that might need to be accessible to support discussions
• The agreed format of the final viva should be confirmed by the internal examiner using the GRAD viva scheduling workflow. The Transfer Panel are asked to note the format of the viva in the transfer workflow. 
• In the unlikely event of a disagreement on the format of the viva the details should be forwarded to the Director of PGR Studies in the first instance. If the Director of PGR Studies is not able to resolve matters, they should refer this to the Head of the Faculty Graduate School for adjudication. If the Head of Graduate School is not able to resolve matters locally, the details should be forward to the Doctoral College Progression and Examination Team who will refer the matter to the Progression and Examinations Group. 

Before an online viva 

• An Independent Chair may be requested by the Examining or Transfer Panel team for a fully online or hybrid viva. Examiners will be advised that an Independent Chair can be appointed on request for an online viva. Where the examiners request that a Chair is in place to oversee the online viva, a Chair must be appointed. 
• For a final viva, the internal examiner must confirm that pastoral support (normally via the supervisor or other appropriate member of staff, who might be available via video streaming or telephone) will be available to the PGR immediately after the viva, should this be necessary. A Supervisor is expected to be in attendance for a transfer viva, and should therefore be available to provide immediate post-viva support if needed. 
• Both transfer and final vivas are expected to take place – and wherever possible conclude – in Office hours, irrespective of the format of the viva as this is when staff are available to provide advice and support to examiners and PGRs, should this be needed. Due consideration should be given to this when planning the start time of the viva to ensure sufficient time is available. Careful consideration should be given to time zones for an online or hybrid viva, where there may be a need to consider two, sometimes three, time zones for a remote viva with an overseas participant/s. 
• Examiners and Panels should avoid arranging a viva for the last day before a University closed period (Christmas and Easter), when there will be an extended period post-viva where advice and pastoral support may not be available. Wherever possible, examiners and Panels should avoid arranging a viva for a Friday afternoon. 
• The Examiners/Panel may wish to consider a thorough testing of the connection must be conducted before the oral examination. This should include both a ‘trial run’ a few days before the oral examination and immediate, prior testing of the connection on the day. 
• Consideration should be given to the location of the remote attendees, and that their environment is suitable for a University examination. This may include an appropriate Office Space/Meeting room at their place of work, a partner Institution or, if at home, then a space where attendees are confident they will be undisturbed. 

At the start of an online viva 

• Allow a period of time at the start of the viva for all parties to become familiar with the environment.
• Agree at the start what will happen if someone’s connection drops out and you need to pause the viva until connection has been resumed (e.g. alternative means of contact (email, telephone) in the event this is needed to discuss arrangements). If such communication problems continue and are severely disruptive, the examiners and chair should discuss with the PGR whether to postpone the viva. The PGR should be informed of this at the start of the viva. 
• Inform the PGR at the start that they must stop the examiners – or ask for a question to be repeated – if they find any issues with sound/video quality.
• Careful consideration should be given to the use of breaks for an online meeting. Reassure all parties at the start that they can request a break as and when needed and/or agree at the start some pre-arranged break times for the benefit of all parties (without interrupting the flow of the viva). 

During an online viva 

• All parties should have access to a copy of the thesis. This may be an electronic version of the thesis open on the computer so that each party can show their respective screens, or access to a printed copy of the thesis (if this has been arranged). This may be helpful in conversations about which equation, diagram, etc is being referred to. 
• If audio and/or visual communication is lost with one or more of the parties during the viva the viva should be paused until communication is re-established. If such communication problems continue and are severely disruptive, the transfer panel/examiners should discuss with the PGR whether to postpone and rearrange the viva. 
• The viva is a University examination and as such must represent a rigorous and secure assessment. It is considered highly unlikely that there might be misconduct in a viva, but examiners are expected to be alert to this possibility. For example, if the PGR appears to be consulting with a third party or using reference material or other sources of information (other than the thesis or transfer report). All parties should have access to a copy of the thesis/transfer report. PGRs may consult their copy of the thesis/transfer report (which may be annotated with notes/post-it notes) during the examination if it helps them. If concerns arise, the examiners may wish to seek assurance that the candidate is alone. If the examiners have any concerns about the integrity of the examination, these should be reported to the DPGR and the Doctoral College Progression and Examination Team. If concerns arise at an early stage and cannot be resolved, the examiners should postpone the viva pending investigation. If concerns arise close to the end of the viva, or seem to be resolved, the examiners might choose to complete the viva and come to a provisional recommendation pending any post-viva investigation.

At the end of an online viva 

• The Internal Examiner (or Independent Chair if appointed) should check with the PGR at the end of the viva whether they were happy with how it was conducted from a practical point of view and if there is anything they would like noted. 

Post-viva support where the PGR is a remote participant 

• It must be recognised that some PGRs will be disappointed by the outcome of their examination, and may be upset on receiving the examiners’ feedback. Please consult the Instructions to Examiners or the Transfer Panel Guidance for detailed advice on the post-viva support arrangements, if needed.