View Current

Regulations for Online Oral Examinations

This is not a current document. To view the current version, click the link in the document's navigation bar.

Part A - Academic Integrity Statement 

(1) Students are always expected to adhere to College regulations, as set out during the registration process, with particular reference to the Hibernia College Quality Framework. 

(2) Candidates are advised to refamiliarise themselves with the Hibernia College Student Charter, the Establishing Overarching Standards for Student Conduct Policy and the Academic Integrity and Good Practice Policy prior to the examination. 

(3) Candidates are reminded that academic misconduct is any form of cheating or other attempt to seek an unfair reward for the amount of genuine effort put into an assessment task or an advantage over other students. Consequences for academic impropriety can include: 

  1. Automatic fail for an assessment task 
  2. Suspension from a programme 
  3. Expulsion from a programme 
  4. Withholding of a professional reference 
  5. Annotation of an academic transcript 
  6. Annotation of a European Diploma Supplement 
  7. Any other appropriate sanction made by a disciplinary hearing 

(4) Please note that it is now a prosecutable offence to provide, or arrange the provision of, answers for assignments or examinations to any person without authorisation from the person setting the assessment. 

Part B - Preparing for Online Oral Examinations 

Before the Exam  

(5) Candidates should: 

  1. Inform themselves of the dates, times and online venues of each examination 
  2. Inform themselves of the technical requirements of the examination and ensure that they are in place and, where possible tested, prior to the commencement of the exam

The Examination Environment 

(6) Candidates should prepare the examination environment in advance of the examination.  

(7) Candidates must take the test in a room alone.  

(8) The room lighting should be of daylight quality so that candidates can be clearly seen by the Invigilator/Assessors.

(9) Their laptop or camera and keyboard should be placed on a clear desk or flat table.  

(10) They must sit on a standard chair, i.e. couches, beds and so on are not permitted.  

(11) Candidates must ensure that their ears and eyes remain visible throughout the examination and must not wear any hats, sunglasses or headphones. Hearing aids are only permitted when requested prior to the sitting. 

(12) Candidates may not take or consume food in the examination room. A clear glass of water is permitted. 

(13) Candidates must ensure that their hands remain in sight throughout the examination. 

Unauthorised Material 

(14) Candidates must remove any unauthorised material from the room in which they will be undertaking their examination, including books, coats, mobile phones, smartwatches, computers, electronic devices or laptops that are not connected with the examination. 

(15) Any written, printed or digital materials shall be considered to be unauthorised materials. Candidates may not take notes during the oral examination, and so, writing materials are considered unauthorised.  

(16) It is in each candidate’s own interest to ensure that any additional materials in their possession during the examination are authorised by the Invigilator/Assessors prior to the commencement of the examination. 

(17) A candidate found to have unauthorised materials in their possession during the examination shall be deemed to be in breach of examination regulations and subject to disciplinary action. 

Part C - Regulations During Online Oral Examinations 

Attendance 

(18) Candidates must present themselves in the online waiting room at least 10 minutes before the commencement of the examination but must not enter the online examination until instructed to do so. 

(19) Candidates are required to present their Student Identity Cards at all examinations.   

(20) All examinations will commence on time.   

(21) No extra time will be given to latecomers. 

(22) Any candidate who attends for an examination more than 10 minutes late will not be permitted to take the examination.  

Recording  

(23) Online oral examinations are normally recorded by Hibernia College for the purposes of assessment and/or assuring academic integrity.  

(24) Candidates are not allowed to record the examination; this is to ensure the integrity of the examination process.  

Technical Issues 

(25) If an IT connection is lost during the pre-examination or examination period, candidates must remain at their desk/table and await further instruction.  

(26) Where technical issues arise, examination recordings may be reviewed for the purposes of assuring academic integrity. 

Securing the Oral Examination Environment 

(27) Online oral examinations are overseen by Invigilators and/or Assessors. 

(28) During examinations, candidates must comply with the instructions of the Invigilators/Assessors. 

(29) Candidates must sit their examinations in a room with no other persons present. Should another person be found in the room or enter the room, the matter will be considered as a potential breach of regulations.  

(30) A candidate must not, under any pretext whatsoever, speak to nor have any communication with, any person other than the Invigilators/Assessors during the course of an examination. Any such communication will be considered as a potential breach of regulations.  

(31) Prior to commencement of the examination, candidates will be asked to demonstrate the security of the examinations environment by moving their laptop or web-camera as instructed to demonstrate their compliance with the examination regulations e.g. that they have no notes or unauthorised materials in the room and that they are alone in the room.  

(32) Candidates should ensure that all programs, applications and websites are closed unless instructed to open them by the Invigilators/Assessors for the purpose of taking the exam. Candidates may be asked to share their screen with the Invigilators/Assessors throughout the examination to ensure no unauthorised applications are opened. 

Part D - Breach of Examination Regulations 

(33) When a candidate is suspected to be in breach of examination regulations, they will be allowed by the Invigilators and/or Assessors to finish the examination.  

(34) The Invigilators and/or Assessors will notify the Assessment and Awards Manager (AAM) of the suspected breach. 

(35) The AAM will contact the candidate after the examination to discuss the incident. The AAM may also review any examination recordings. If, following this discussion and any review, the AAM concludes that the candidate is likely to have committed an academic misconduct, the case will be referred to the College Registrar, who will determine whether a disciplinary procedure should take place.  

(36) Where the Registrar deems the matter to be grave, a Discipline Committee will be convened.