Exams KU Leuven Practical information Content of this

Exams @ KU Leuven : Practical information

Content of this session • • Individual exam schedule Corona in exam time Different examination formats Cultural differences Grading Do’s and don’ts Consultation of results & feedback Ombuds

IES

Individual exam schedule (IES) • Where can I find it?

Individual exam schedule/exam card • Exam date, hour, room o o Students with exam facilities are located in different rooms Check before the start of the exam period • And during the exams (e. g. switching rooms) Exam card • Questions? o Contact your ombuds o

Corona in exam time

Exam Period for January • The exams will be on campus and they are between: Wednesday 6 January and Monday 1 February and can be on Saturday and Sunday (for those students who need to be in quarantine, you need to be in Belgium at the latest by 27 December)

Corona in exam time • Exams on campus in a safe environment: o o hygiene measures: wear MASK at all time! physical distancing capacity classrooms exam supervision https: //feb. kuleuven. be/eng/student-platform/studyingcorona https: //www. kuleuven. be/coronavirus/english

Different examination formats

Different examination formats • Written Essay questions o Multiple choice • Paper • Computer exams • Oral o • Read the ECTS file of your course carefully • Check the information of the course o o Toledo instructions Sample questions, tips and tricks

Written exam : essay questions • Reading the question carefully “Why” vs “how” o “What’s theoretical relevance of …. ” Draft in keywords Situating answer o broader context, background info Not : just showing knowledge, always relevant for question Structure … o • •

Written exam : multiple choice • Uniform system for multiple choice exams in MIBEM: standard setting Example: An exam with 40 multiple choice questions each with 4 different answers • Suppose a student guesses all questions (no knowledge). How many correct answers do you expect this student to give? 10 • How many correct answers does a student have to give to pass the exam? 25 • What is the grade for a student with 20 correct answers (10 out 30) or with 30 correct answers (20 out of 30)? • Hint: Solve all questions during a multiple choice exam!

Papers • Independent work • Sources and referring o Required in scientific writing (better too much than not enough) o KU Leuven has tool to detect plagiarism o Within text quotations, reference list o Avoid plagiarism : www. kuleuven. be/plagiarism

In rare occasions: oral exam • Location: classroom • Materials • • • Mask Student card Pen Open book or closed book No food/drinks unless otherwise told • Questions o 2 -3 questions on cards

Oral exam : progress • Check the guidelines of your professor • Preparation time : Mostly about 30 minutes (can be shorter) • Presenting (mostly +/- 15 minutes) o Oral presentation based on written preparation o Goal of additional questions? o Prof stops you? o • Is this a good sign? o o Dress code No feedback!

Cultural differences

Cultural differences? • Exams are difficult! • Grades are probably lower than in your home country • No information about results after oral exam

Grading

Grading Mark Transcript US ECTS % of succesfull Your answer 20 Outstanding A+ A 10% Exceptional, additional analyses, additional information Very good A B 25% 19 18 17 16 15 Good A- 14 13 Above average Satisfactory 10 30% D 25% B 12 11 C B-C+ C E 10% Own examples, counter examples, comparisons, critics, applications Structuring answer Memorizing literally, basic understanding 8 -9 Insufficient D Superficial knowledgecomprehension 0 -7 Very insufficient F Lack of knowledgecomprehension

Marks • Average : 12/20 • • 0 – 9 : 25% 10 – 14 : 50% 15 or more : 25% 20/20 : only 0. 2%

What are the levels of achievement? What are the levels of achievement a student can receive when he or she obtains the degree of Bachelor or Master? • • Distinction (cum laude) = 68% Great distinction (magna cum laude) = 77% Greatest distinction (summa cum laude) = 85% Greatest distinction (summa cum laude) with the congratulations of the examination committee = 90%

Do’s and don’ts

Do’s and don’ts • Always bring: MASK, student card, pens/pencils… (in transparent plastic bag) • Additional items for exam? : calculator, study material, dictionaries BEFORE EXAM o Check info on ECTS-fiche/TOLEDO o Calculator? • Calculators with memory capacity is never allowed (e. g. no TI 84!) o Dictionary? • Not allowed, unless mentioned in ECTS-file (course description) of the course DURING EXAM o Supervisor will let you know at the beginning of the exam o when in doubt ask supervisor before taking out the items o Check first page of your exam

Do’s and don’ts • • • Arrive on time= 30 minutes upfront Only use assigned seats, in order to garantuee physical distance Bathroom breaks are ‘facilitated’: don’t go alone Drinks are allowed, food normally not More than one group in the room – colour coded exams Scrap paper will be given to you (if needed). You need to hand these in as well, can’t take them home… You need to take off your jacket and put it underneath your seat No hats, … Do not disassemble your exam No mobile phones or smartwatch: possession of phone is fraud!!! Leave these in your backpack and turn your phone off to avoid any disturbances during the exam.

Do’s and don’ts • If you like to receive a ‘zero score’ o Stay in exam room for at least 45 minutes with the exam copy, hand in your blank copy after 45 minutes • If you do not want to take part in the exam, do not show up, you will receive an ‘NA’ grade = not attended exam grade (students who entered the country on a student visa are advised to avoid an ‘NA’) • If you take a seat and start the exam o Stay in exam room for at least 45 minutes, in this way people arriving late can still start their exam. • Finalizing the exam o Complete and sign both parts of the proof of participation • One part for you, one part for the supervisor • This is the only verification of participation for you: keep this somewhere safe just in case!

Not on time? • I am late: can I still participate? Go to your exam room • If you arrive within 45 min of the official starting time: you can still start your exam • You can not start if another student has handed in an exam already • Official end time of the exam also holds for you (no additional time)

Not able to make it? • Contact the ombuds before the exam!!! o o Students with a student visa: make sure you participate in the exams Unforeseen conditions (e. g. illness) • Official attestation needed (e. g. certificate from physician) • As soon as possible, send copy by mail to your ombuds • Catch-up exam? o o o Decided independently by your ombuds Only if the student has followed the procedures NEVER CONTACT YOUR PROFESSOR

Consultation of results & feedback

Degree students MIBEM Results and study progress

Exams: Pass/fail? • Passing a subject ? Min. 10/20 o Only the courses < 10/20 2 nd exam chance • 2 chances to pass the course o Eg fail course in January o • 2 nd chance in August/September o Eg fail course in June • 2 nd chance in August/September

Courses < 10/20 2 nd exam chance • Retake a course for which you obtained less than 10 out of 20 -> Best result-principle: you keep the best mark! (only within the same academic year) o Eg Introduction to Management • January: 9/20 • August/September: 6/20 => You keep the 9/20! Faculty of Economics and Business

Courses 8/20 or 9/20 (prep MIBEM) • Prep Mibem: 8/20 or 9/20 choice: o o Retake (2 nd exam period or next academic year) Tolerate: • Only for 8/20 or 9/20 • Up to a maximum of 10% of the total amount of SU of the whole preparatory programme minus exemptions (no tolerance credits for students with exemptions) • Prep Mibem = 27 credits 2, 7 credit tolerance after round up 3 credit tolerance • Advise: only tolerate after 2 nd attempt, not in January! • Master programme: no tolerances!

Obtaining a master degree o If credits obtained for 60 units o Or if you only have one 9/20 and can graduate with distinction (minimum 68%) Faculty of Economics and Business

% CSE

Your study progress file •

Re-registration • Re-registration for failed courses in following academic years: o 2 nd time: no problem o 3 rd time: no problem o 4 th time: not possible -> you will be denied access to the (prep) MIBEM (and similar programmes) for 3 years! Faculty of Economics and Business

Contact page Study career consultant for the (PP) MIBEM = Dorien Steegmans 40

Feedback

Feedback Exams • • • After every exam period (Jan, June and Aug/Sep) Feedback lecturers o Have a look into your exam o Compare expected answer with your answer o Discuss study method o Expectations lecturer o Register digitally!!! General feedback o Discuss overall results and study planning & study method o Year program & tolerances o Study career consultants (T’Serclaes 1 st floor A-side)

Ombuds & support

Who Is My Ombuds? • • Leen De Wolf: leen. dewolf@stuvoplus. be Maarten Kindt: maarten. kindt@stuvoplus. be Marc Ophalvens: marc. ophalvens@stuvoplus. be Astrid Peeters: astrid. peeters@stuvoplus. be Where? T’Serclaesbuilding – 1 st floor (STUVO+) Ombuds | Stuvoplus Brussel Exam ombuds KU Leuven campus Brussels | Stuvoplus Brussel

Ombuds – Stuvo+ - www. stuvoplus. be • Issues with educational services/internships and or exams • Force Majeure • Irregularities – Fraude or Plagiarism • What if you don’t understand your exam results or deem them unreasonable

Possible Questions for Your Ombudsperson • There is an overlap in my exam schedule. Can something be done about this? • I am ill and cannot participate in my exam tomorrow. What do I have to do? • I have a certificate for exam accommodations from the Disability Office. How can I make use of these exam accommodations ? • I am facing some personal problems that make it hard for me to focus on my studies. Who can I contact? • …. .

Ombuds person: Who? • your point of contact and confidential adviser • information about rights and duties concerning exams Illness during exams, exceptional individual circumstances … • accommodations for students with disabilities o Dyslexia, AD(H)D, hearing impairment … • officially recognized special statuses o working students, student athletes, student artists • mediator between students and instructors/examiners if needed o

Ombuds: How and When? • Contact ombuds during exam periods: o Monday to Friday: 8 h 00 till 19 h 00 • Room A 01 -01: 1 st floor of the T’Serclaesbuilding • Tel. 02 210 13 19 o Saturday and Sunday: 8 h 30 -9 h 30, 12 h 30 -13 h 30, 16 h 30 -17 h 30 • • Mobile phone: 0470 90 43 89 Only for cases of force majeure for exams of that day. no text messages and no messages on voicemail mobile number only for Saturday’s and Sunday’s! • Always phone force majeure on the day of the exam or the day before. Other issues, complaints, asking for an appointment is possible by mail. • More detailed information: Exam ombuds KU Leuven campus Brussels | Stuvoplus Brussel

Student psychologists – STUVO+ • If you encounter one of the following problems, you can contact one of the student psychologists; • Fear of failure and exam stress • Feelings of anxiety, depression, … • Confronted with circumstances that interfere with your studies • … Who are the student psycholgists? • Leen De Wolf: leen. dewolf@stuvoplus. be • Maarten Kindt: maarten. kindt@stuvoplus. be • Marc Ophalvens: marc. ophalvens@stuvoplus. be

ONLINE INFORMATION • Homepage | Stuvoplus Brussel • Student counseling | Stuvoplus Brussel Tips for study method and planning and tips for dealing with the special circumstances o Study planners: weekly and monthly o Information about the online sessions o … • Studies without Worries: online self-help fear of failure, lack of assertiveness, procrastination | KU Leuven…. o

Find all Student Services at The T’Serclaes Building • Ombuds service and student psychologists: T’Serclaes – 1 st floor – A • Study career consultants: T’Serclaes – 1 st floor – A • Student administration: T’Serclaes – 1 st floor - B • International office – T’Serclaes – 5 th floor - A

Extra information

Deadlines on FEB’s student platform (https: //feb. kuleuven. be/eng/student-platform/study-career/deadlines )

Check us on the student platform! https: //feb. kuleuven. be/eng/student-platform/exams

Good Luck!