2 August 2024
We know exam security is important to both candidates and employers, and we’ve heard members’ concerns about academic integrity and honesty.
That’s why we’ve been working to enhance security on our online exam platform.
We can now confirm that we will introduce remote invigilation and identity verification in 2025.
Exam candidates from April 2025 will have to produce documentation to confirm their identity before accessing their exam papers. Candidates will also be monitored via web camera for the duration of their exam.
Candidates taking exams before April 2025 are not affected by this change.
Current data suggests that improper conduct takes place in around 2% of total exams taken. We have retrospective controls in place to identify such conduct, but we are aware that these don’t fully address the risk of such activity going undetected.
We also understand that the integrity of our exams is an area of importance and concern for members, particularly for those who do not and would not behave inappropriately in an exam situation, and who are most unfairly impacted by improper conduct.
Exam integrity is also a major consideration for employers. In addition, we need to protect the ongoing reputation of the IFoA and, by extension, of its members and the profession.
While we continue our efforts to introduce a new digital-first exam platform that will support more modern forms of assessment, we also recognise the need to increase our existing security measures.
Remote invigilation is designed to be a short-term, tactical step towards addressing current levels of risk within the existing exam platform. It does not limit or pre-empt future exam delivery options.
Remote invigilation uses specialist software to record candidates and their screens while they take their examination on the exam platform. It also monitors a candidate’s online activity.
A trained invigilator will view the recorded information once the exam is complete. Any concerns about improper conduct will be reported to the IFoA for further investigation.
Exams will continue to operate as they do now, on the existing platform. Only the way candidates access the platform will change.
We will tell you more about those changes in the coming months, to ensure all 2025 candidates have the time and information they need to prepare. They will also have the opportunity to practice using the new system before sitting a live exam.
We’ll be issuing further information and guidance about the changes to online exam security in the coming weeks and months.
You’ll find it on our exam developments and exam news pages, and in our member and other newsletters. We’ll also send dedicated communications to relevant candidates, examiners, employers, academic institutions and key stakeholders.