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Glossary

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Academic recognition

Academic recognition regards higher education qualifications and refers to the procedure and process of acknowledging and accepting qualifcations coming from other institutions and/or other countries.

Academic year

The academic year covers the annual cycle of a university or a national higher education system from the yearly starting date to the finishing date. The academic year normally encompasses teaching, learning and assessment activities and can be divided up in terms, semesters and trimesters.

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Access (to higher education)

The right of qualified candidates to apply and to be considered for admission to higher education. (Not to be confused with 'Admission' here below.)

  • Convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the European region, Lisbon 1997, Art. 1

Accreditation

A formal and independent decision indicating that a programme and/or an institution meets certain predefined quality standards.

Accreditation agency

An accreditation agency is an independent organisation that takes formal decisions indicating that programmes and/or institutions meet the organisation's predefined quality standards.

Admission (to higher education institutions and programmes)

 The act of, or system for, allowing qualified applicants to pursue studies in higher education at a given institution and/or a given programme.

  • Convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the European region, Lisbon 1997, Art. 1

Assessment panel

A panel consisting of people with relevant expertise responsible for the assessment of a programme and/or insitution and who are external of the programme and/or institution being assessed.

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Associate degree

An Associate degree refers to the qualification awarded after successfull completion of the so-called short cycle in the Qualifications Framework of the European Higher Education Area. The short cycle fits within or is linked to the first cycle. The degree requires approximately 120 ECTS credits.

Audit

See quality audit.

  • INQAAHE, (Ton Vroeijenstijn, ed.), Clarification and Glossary, 2002

Autonomy

Autonomy is being able to undertake activities without seeking permission from a controlling body.

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