Glossary of Useful Terms and Acronyms
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A
- AAR
Annual Assurance Return (to the Office for Students)
- Academic Freedom
Protected under UK law which means that Higher Education Institutions have a duty “to ensure that academic staff have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom, and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions, without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs, or privileges they may have at their institutions” (Education Reform Act 1988)
- Academic Governance
The structure for the oversight of learning, teaching, quality and standards in the institution.
- Adjustment
A service provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service which allows students who have exceeded the terms of their conditional offer to seek a place elsewhere whilst protecting their original place. Also termed “trading up”.
- Advance HE
A member-led charity and professional membership scheme promoting excellence in higher education. It advocates evidence-based teaching methods and awards fellowships as professional recognition for university teachers. (Formerly the Higher Education Academy).
- AFRC
Academic Freedom Review Committee: a standing committee of the Senate with responsibility to safeguard Academic Freedom, as outlined in Statute 11Link opens in a new window and Ordinance 11Link opens in a new window.
- Agent
An organisation or person contracted to work on the University’s behalf to promote the University to prospective applicants in their country or region. Agents counsel applicants and guide them and their families through the admissions and immigration processes.
- AHRC
Arts and Humanities Research Council
- AHUA
Association of Heads of University Administration
- Alumnus
A graduate of a particular university (plural = alumni).
- APP
Access and Participation Plans set out how higher education providers will improve equality of opportunity for students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access, succeed in, and progress from higher education. They are submitted by Higher Education Institutions to the Office for Students.
- Appointed member
Committee member who represents a department, Faculty, area of expertise or a designated part of the wider University community. May be elected.
- A&RC
- ARC
- ASC
- ASC.
- AUDE
Association of University Directors of Estates
B
- BA
Bachelor of Arts, a first degree in Arts
- BEIS
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
- BFA
Faculty Board (Arts) (replaced with Faculty Steering Group from 2025-26)
- BFSEM
Faculty Board (Science, Engineering and Medicine) (replaced with Faculty Steering Group from 2025-26)
- BFSS
Faculty Board (Social Sciences) (replaced with Faculty Steering Group from 2025-26)
- BSc
Bachelor of Science, a first degree in Science
- BSi
British Standards Institution
- BUFDG
British Universities Finance Directors Group
C
- CAHD
Committee on the Appointment of Heads of DepartmentLink opens in a new window
- CATS
Credit Accumulation and Transfer SchemeLink opens in a new window
- CCSG
Campus and Commercial Services Group
- Chancellor
The ceremonial head of the University. As well as official duties conferring degrees, they play a key role in promoting the University’s work and ambitions in the UK and overseas, and in development and fundraising activities.
- Charter
The Royal CharterLink opens in a new window grants Warwick its university status and defines how it will be governed.
- CITO
Chief Information & Transformation OfficerLink opens in a new window
- Clearing
A service provided by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Services which allows students who are unplaced in August to seek a vacant place at a university. Using Clearing as a mechanism to join a university is now a positive choice for a student, and no longer a stigma for a university.
- CLL
Centre for Lifelong Learning
- CMA
Competition and Markets Authority
- Conditional Offer
An offer of a place contingent upon the applicant achieving particular grades/marks in their current qualification, and/or other non-academic items such as a satisfactory reference.
- Confirmation
When applicants meet the conditions of their offer and have their place confirmed. For undergraduates this is in the summer and concentrated in August around A level results; for postgraduates it can be any time up until enrolment.
- Conversion
Activity: where the University communicates with an applicant in a number of ways to provide information which will help them decide whether to accept Warwick’s offer of a place or not.
Outcome: the percentage of ‘firm accept’ replies received from applicants. This is considered at course level and whole institution level. At undergraduate level an acceptable conversion rate is >20%. Good is >30%. At postgraduate level we would expect conversion rates >50%.
- COP Letter
Completion of Procedures Letter: if a student has no further avenues to pursue in relation to an issue or complaint raised, a Completion of Procedures Letter is issued by the University.
- Council
The CouncilLink opens in a new window is the University’s governing body. Also known in other Higher Education Institutions as Board of Directors/ Trustees/ Governors.
- CPD
Continuing Professional Development
- CPL
Consumer Protection Law
- CUC
D
- DA
A degree apprenticeship is a job that combines work and study to earn a degree. Apprentices work for a company while studying part-time at a university.
- DAP
Degree Awarding Powers
- Defer
A student can apply to enter university the following year. A student usually signals this intention in their original application. Sometimes a student will request permission to defer at some time later in the application process. In normal times most requests to defer will be approved.
- Degree
Qualification awarded after the successful completion of undergraduate study. BA (Bachelor of Arts) for a first degree in Arts and BSc (Bachelor of Science) for a first degree in Science, are the two most common undergraduate degrees.
Degrees can be studied as a single subject (single honours), two subjects (joint honours) or two or three subjects (combined honours).
- Degree Classifications
Honours degrees are divided into 4 “classes”:
1 - or first class, the highest level
2.1 - upper second class
2.2 - lower second class
3 - third class
A degree without honours is known as a “pass” degree or an ordinary degree.
- DfE
- Dip HE
Diploma of higher education. This qualification is the equivalent to completing two years of degree study. Many students use this course as a vehicle to continue onto a first degree, but it is also a qualification in its own right.
Courses are mainly taken in colleges of higher education and can include nursing, social work, music, and art and design.
- DL
Distance Learning. Study that doesn't involve physically attending the university.
- DLHE
Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education. Currently the source of employability data. DLHE collects information on the graduate labour market and what all leavers from higher education programmes are doing six months after qualifying from their higher education course. See also LEO.
- DSIT
Department for Science, Innovation and TechnologyLink opens in a new window
E
- EAUC
The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education (Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges)
- ECU
Equality Challenge Unit (now part of Advance HE)
- EdExec
Education Executive/ Education Strategy TeamLink opens in a new window
- EPQ
- ERC
- ESEC
Education and Student Experience CommitteeLink opens in a new window
- ESRC
Economic and Social Research CouncilLink opens in a new window
- Ex Officio member
A member on a committee due to the role or office held at the University.
F
- FAB
Faculty of Arts Building
- FCCG
Financial Control and Compliance GroupLink opens in a new window
- FEC
Faculty Education and Student Experience Committee
- FEC,
Further Education College. Provides courses to students, which may include provision at higher education level.
- FEC.
- FGPC
Finance and General Purposes CommitteeLink opens in a new window
- Firm and Insurance
Terms used in the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service process. An applicant can accept an offer as their first choice “Firm” or back up choice “Insurance”. They can only hold one of each. All other offers will be declined by the applicant.
- FOI
Freedom of Information
- Foundation Degree
A vocational degree, which is two years full-time or three years if taken as a sandwich course. A foundation degree can lead straight on to a first degree, which could be completed in 12 months. Entry requirements are at least one A level (or equivalent) or a vocational qualification at level 3, e.g. NVQ.
- FPC
- FPE
Full-Person Equivalent
- FTE
Full-Time Equivalent
- FtP
Fitness to Practise. Meaning that a student has the skills, knowledge and character to practise their profession safely and effectively.
G
- GDPR
General Data Protection Regulations
- GFD
- GMC
- Governing Instruments
In 1965 the University of Warwick received its Royal Charter of Incorporation. The Charter, and accompanying Statutes, set out the powers and purpose of the University and define how it is governed. The Charter and Statutes also form the basis of the University’s Ordinances and Regulations, which set out, in detail, the rules of conduct for University business.
- Graduand
A person who is about to receive an academic degree.
- Graduate
A person who has successfully completed a course of study or training, especially a person who has been awarded an undergraduate or first academic degree.
H
- HDC
- HEA
Higher Education Academy (now disestablished, replaced by Advance HE)
- HEFCE
Higher Education Funding Council for England (now disestablished, replaced by the Office for Students)
- HEFCW
Higher Education Funding Council for WalesLink opens in a new window
- HEI
Higher education institution
- HEIDI
Higher Education Information Database for Institutions (run by the Higher Education Statistics Agency)
- HEP
Higher education provider
- HERA
Higher Education and Research Act (2017)Link opens in a new window
- HESA
Higher Education Statistics Agency.Link opens in a new window The designated data body for England; collects, processes and publishes data about higher education in the UK.
- HoD
Head of Department. An Academic HoD is a member of academic staff in a department who is appointed to lead the department for a term of three years in the first instance. Within Professional Services, Heads of Department are usually referred to as Directors. In both cases they are responsible for the operational management of their department including staff structure.
I
- IA
Internal Audit
- IB
International Baccalaureate. An internationally recognised alternative to A Levels.
- ICO
- IDG
Information and Digital Group
- Independent member
A committee member who is not a member of the University. They are appointed to a committee because of their skills and expertise.
- Institutional Autonomy
Implies freedom from direct government control. The success of UK higher education is often linked to such autonomy. The governing body is the legal personification of a higher education institution and is therefore crucial to autonomy.
- ISC
- ITLR
Institutional Teaching and Learning Review
- ITT
Initial Teacher Training
J
- JANET
Joint Academic NETwork. A high-speed network for the UK research and education community provided by the Joint Information Systems Committee.
- JISC
Joint Information Systems CommitteeLink opens in a new window. A not-for-profit organisation that provides network and IT services and digital resources in support of further and higher education and research, as well as the public sector and is funded by institutional membership and government funding.
K
- KEF
Knowledge Exchange Framework. Provides a range of information on the knowledge exchange activities of Higher Education Providers in England.
- KISR
Key Issues and Status Report (committee report format)
- Knowledge Exchange
The wide range of activities Higher Education Providers undertake with partners.
- KPI
Key Performance Indicator
L
- LEO
Longitudinal Education Outcomes. A set of official statistics on employment and earnings outcomes of higher education graduates by degree subject studied and university attended.
M
- MA
Master of Arts. A higher level degree award that normally follows on from a BA.
- MPhil
Master of Philosophy. A postgraduate research degree that involves conducting original research and writing a thesis. Similar to a PhD but usually takes less time to complete.
N
- NCVQ
National Council for Vocational Qualifications
- Noms
- NSS
National Student Survey. Gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their courses. The survey purpose is to contribute to public accountability and help inform the choices of prospective students.
- NUS
- NVQ
National Vocational Qualification
O
- OfS
Office for StudentsLink opens in a new window. The independent regulator of higher education in England.
- Ofsted
- OIA
Office of the Independent Adjudicator. An independent body set up to review student complaints.
- Ordinance
OrdinancesLink opens in a new window are informed by the Charter and Statutes and set out, in more detail, the rules of conduct for University business.
P
- PGCE
Postgraduate Certificate of Education. A one-year teaching qualification for people who already possess a degree.
- PG/ PGT/ PGR
Postgraduate (PG) courses of study taken after a first degree. These are divided into taught programmes (PGT) such as Masters degrees and postgraduate diplomas/certificates and research programmes (PGR) such as PhDs and MPhils.
- PhD, DPhil
Doctor of Philosophy. A research-based graduate degree that is considered the highest level of academic achievement in a particular field. It's awarded after a student conducts original research and writes a thesis.
- POG
- PRES
Postgraduate Research Experience Survey
- PSG
Professional Services Group
- PTES
Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey
- PVC
Pro-Vice-Chancellor:
Q
- QAA
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher EducationLink opens in a new window. Carries out reviews using a variety of methods. The method used depends on a number of factors, including where a provider is based; whether they are a university, further education college or other type of provider; and the type of higher education qualifications that they offer.
- QSR
Quality and Standards Review
- QSS
Quality and Standards SubcommitteeLink opens in a new window
- Quality Code
Was developed with the higher education sector, and is maintained and published on their behalf, by the Quality Assurance Agency. It sets out the expectations all providers of UK higher education are required to meet.
R
- RAG
Red, Amber, Green (status report)
- RCUK
Research Councils UK (now disestablished, replaced by UK Research and Innovation)
- REF
Research Excellence Framework. The UK's system for assessing the excellence of research in UK higher education providers.
- Regulation
RegulationsLink opens in a new window contain principles designed to govern conduct or provide direction in an area (often academic) at a more detailed level than Ordinances.
- Reject
An institution rejects an application i.e. does not issue an offer.
- RemCo
- RG
Russell GroupLink opens in a new window. A self-selected association of twenty-four public research universities in the United Kingdom.
- RGaEC/ RGEC
Research Governance and Ethics CommitteeLink opens in a new window
S
- Sabb
Sabbatical Officer of the Students’ Union. The Sabbatical Officers represent the student body. Each officer has a different remit. The Sabbs often sit on committees to represent the student voice.
- Scope 1 Emissions
Direct greenhouse gas emissions that occur at a company’s site or one that is controlled by it. At Warwick: emissions created by combustion to generation of energy on campus from Combined Heat and Power plants, gas burnt in boilers, petrol/diesel used in University vehicles and some LPG that is used in limited locations.
- Scope 2 emissions
Indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy consumed by a company. At Warwick: electricity used for lighting, computers and electrical equipment being used.
- Scope 3 emissions
Emissions are any other indirect greenhouse gas emissions from the value chain of a company and are differentiated into upstream emissions that occur in the supply chain and downstream emissions that occur as a consequence of using the firm’s products or services. For example at Warwick: students and staff travelling to campus, waste being collected, and items being purchased.
- SDC
- Senate
The SenateLink opens in a new window is the Principal Academic Body, established in Charter and Statutes.
- SFC
Scottish Funding CouncilLink opens in a new window (formerly Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council)
- SLC
Student Loans Company
- SLT
Senior Leadership Team
- SNomP
- SSCP
Social Sciences Connect Programme
- SSR
Student: Staff Ratio
- Statutes
StatutesLink opens in a new window contain the fundamental constitutional and governance provisions of the University, defining the structures, objects and powers.
- StoC
- Student member
Student members on committees, including Full Time Officers of the Students' Union, act as representatives of collective student interests or as representatives of a defined part of the wider student community (department, level of study, protected characteristic, lived experience).
- SULG
Students' Union and University Liaison GroupLink opens in a new window
- SU/ Warwick SU
T
- Tariff
Points awarded by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service to a wide range of qualifications to allow comparison across qualification types, now used by newspapers and government as a proxy for “quality”. The points awarded reflect challenge, qualification size, and achievement obtained.
- TEF
Teaching Excellence Framework. Assesses and rates universities and colleges for excellence in teaching and learning above a set of minimum requirements for quality and standards. The outcomes (gold, silver, bronze) provide information to help prospective students choose where to study.
U
- UCAS
Universities and Colleges Admissions ServiceLink opens in a new window
- UCEA
Universities and Colleges Employers AssociationLink opens in a new window
- UCU
- UEB
- UEEC
University Estate and Environment CommitteeLink opens in a new window
- UG
Undergraduate. A student undertaking a first degree.
- UHSEC
University Health and Safety Executive CommitteeLink opens in a new window
- UKRI
- UKVI
UK Visas and Immigration
- Unconditional offer
An offer of a place at university where all academic and non-academic conditions have been met prior to application.
- Unistats
The official site that allows users to search for and compare data and information on courses in higher education institutions and higher education courses in further education colleges across the UK.
- UPS
University of Warwick Pension Scheme (Clerical Staff Pension Scheme)
- USS
Universities Superannuation Scheme (Admin and Academic Staff Pension Scheme)
- UUK
V
- Validation
A higher education provider that doesn't have the power to award degrees but wishes to offer a course leading to an award can enter into a “validation arrangement” with a provider that does have degree awarding powers. A validated course is described in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education as a module or programme which a degree-awarding body approves to contribute, or lead, to one of their awards. Students on the course normally have a direct relationship with the provider delivering the course. The course is owned by the institution delivering the course, but the degree awarding body is ultimately responsible for the academic standards of any awards granted in its name, and for the quality of the learning programme.
- VC
- VfM
Value for Money
W
- WBS
Warwick Business School
- WMG
Warwick Manufacturing Group
- WMS
Warwick Medical School
- WP
Widening Participation. Encouraging and supporting people from groups that are currently under-represented in higher education, who have the ability, motivation and potential to thrive at university.