Glossary

Term	Definition	Abbreviation
Academic staff	The staff of a higher education institution which, of any rank, which is employed for teaching and / or research purposes in the higher education institution.
Accumulation and transfer of credits system for vocational training	The learning system based on credit units to measure the workload of vocational education and training of students and the learning outcomes	ECVET
Agency	The Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education, established and operating under the provisions of Part VI of the Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education and the Establishment and Operation of an Agency on Related Matters Laws, 2015 and 2016.	CYQAA
Blended learning	The teaching/learning approach which combines distance and conventional face-to-face communication in exploratory learning communities.
Board of the Agency of Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education or Board	The Board appointed in accordance with the provisions of section 28 and exercising the functions provided for in sections 27 and 32 of the Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Higher Education and the Establishment and Operation of an Agency on Related Matters Laws, 2015 and 2016.
Concentration of the program of study	Specialization as a result of a group of related courses, which, in the undergraduate program, vary by at least 30% and at postgraduate level by at least 40% of the total number of courses in the program and between two or more specializations. Differentiation should be at least 50% if a dissertation is included in the postgraduate program of study. The specialization, for an undergraduate program of study is stated on the transcript whereas for postgraduate program it is stated in both the transcript and the final academic qualification.
Credit accumulation and transfer system	The learning system based on credit units for measuring the workload on students and the learning outcomes.	ECTS
Department	A university division which operates under a faculty which aims at promoting science, technology or the arts in the relevant scientific field, and which organizes teaching within the various programs of study ensuring continuous improvement of the learning process.
Diploma supplement	The accompanying explanatory document of the higher education qualification granted in accordance with the decisions for the creation of the European Higher Education Area.
Double/multiple degrees	Separate degrees awarded by higher education institutions offering the joint programme attesting the successful completion of this programme (if two degrees are awarded by two institutions, this is a “double degree”).
Educational evaluation	The systematic, documented and detailed evaluation and recording of the educational work with the use of objective criteria and critical analysis and finding any existing weaknesses and deviations in connection with the character, objectives and mission of the institution, the faculties and programs of study.
European Higher Education Area	The European area established in March 2010 by the European Ministers of Education and aims to ensure more comparable, compatible and coherent systems of higher education in Europe.	EHEA
European Quality Assurance Register	The competent European body for the accreditation of quality assurance agencies which meet the European Standards and Guidelines and their entry in the relevant list.	EQAR
European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance	The standards and guidelines set by the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA).	ESG
External Evaluation Committee	A committee of experts appointed by the CYQAA Council according to the relevant legislation.	EEC
Faculty	A entity of related disciplines, which ensures the multidisciplinary approach, the communication with each other and the coordination needed for their teaching and research.
High quality innovative research	Research with external funding attained from competitive programs, which results in findings with broad scientific, social, educational, economic impact, patents and publications with a large number of references in prestigious journals.
Higher education	Education provided by universities or other educational institutions operating in the Republic or overseas as higher and tertiary education institutions.
Higher education institution or institution	A tertiary education institution or university.
Higher vocational education	Education provided by universities or other educational institutions operating in the Republic or overseas as higher and tertiary education institutions, aiming at the acquisition of vocational qualifications.
Initial licence to operate	University license granted by the Council of Ministers after the relevant proposal of the Minister of Education and Culture, which is based on a recommendation made by CYQAA, for a period of four years and determines the date of commencement of operation of the university and its faculties.
Interdepartmental program of study	The program of study which is organized and offered jointly by at least two (2) departments of the same university.
Inter-university program of study	A program of study which is organized and offered jointly by at least two (2) universities from countries participating in the European Higher Education Area or from another country.
Joint degree	Separate degrees awarded by higher education institutions offering the joint programme attesting the successful completion of this programme (if two degrees are awarded by two institutions, this is a “double degree”). EQAR = The European approach relates only to joint programmes offered jointly by higher education institutions from two or more countries.
Joint programmes	Are understood as an integrated curriculum coordinated and offered jointly by different higher education institutions from EHEA countries, and leading to double/multiple degrees or a joint degree. EQAR = The European approach relates only to joint programmes offered jointly by higher education institutions from two or more countries.
Learning outcomes	What the student knows, understands and is able to implement after the completion of the learning process. They are defined and they are distinguished on the basis of the knowledge and skills the student is expected to acquire.
Licence to operate	University license granted by the Council of Ministers after the completion of the first five years of its operation following a proposal by the Minister of Education and Culture based on a recommendation made by CYQAA after and a university report which records the progress made, both in terms of achieving its objectives and mission, as well as in regard to its compliance with the Law and the university Charter.
Practical training	The part of the studies during which the student is placed in production or service facilities with the purpose of: (i) being informed in regard to their structure, functions, and the social, economic and technological factors affecting working conditions, (ii) his/her active participation in the processes and methods of production or of the provision of services and their correlation with the theoretical and laboratory knowledge acquired during the studies with the problems arising in the workplace, (iii) his/her contact with production sites and applied research to create a two-way relationship between the two.
Private higher education institution	An institution registered in the Republic and offering education, for which a natural or legal person of private law is responsible for matters of administration, operation and maintenance.
Private institution	Private institution of higher education established by private initiative and funds.
Private university	A university for which a legal person of private law, registered in the Republic in accordance with the provisions of the Private Universities (Establishment, Operation and Control) Laws, 2005 to 2011, is responsible for matters of administration, operation and maintenance.
Professor Emeritus or Emeritus	The honorary title that may be awarded to a university professor who retires in the higher academic grade.
Programs of study	The educational programs and the fields of study offered by institutions of higher education through regular schooling or through distance learning or other methods of cross-border provision of education.
Public institution	The institution, the responsibility for the establishment, operation and maintenance of which belongs to the Republic.
Public university	The university, the responsibility for the establishment, operation and maintenance of which belongs to the Republic.
Quality accreditation	The statutory recognition of an institution or a department or program of study on the basis of specific, predetermined by the Agency and published in advance criteria and indicators.
Quality assurance	The systematic confirmation of the continuous assurance and improvement of the quality level of an educational institution on the basis of the criteria prescribed by the Agency.
Recognized higher education institution	A higher education institution operating in the Republic or overseas and recognized as such by the competent authorities of the Republic or the competent authorities of the country in which it operates.
Research institution of postgraduate studies	A university-level research institution that provides high-quality, ground-breaking research and relevant postgraduate education (masters and doctoral level).
University	A higher education institution, which is recognised as such by the competent authorities of the Republic or by the competent authority of the country where it operates.

Note:
The present document does not constitute a legal document and when there is conflict with the current legislation governing higher education in Cyprus, the provisions of the legislation prevail.