The following are presented as current working understandings of the terms described. They do not form part of the formal determination of the Authority except where this has been specified elsewhere and are subject to change.

Access (as part of equity)
The global, inclusive, term of 'equity'...refers to...policies and procedures for enabling and encouraging groups in society at present under-represented as students in higher education institutions and programmes or study areas, to gain access to and demonstrate successful performance in higher education, and transition to the labour market

Access (de jure)
The process by which learners may commence a programme of education and training, having received recognition for knowledge, skill or competence acquired

Active Citizenship
The cultural, economic, political/democratic and/or social participation of citizens in society as a whole and in their community. It incorporates the mutually supporting objectives of personal fulfillment, democratic participation, social inclusion, adaptability and employability.

Award
An award which is conferred, granted or given by an awarding body and which records that a learner has acquired a standard of knowledge, skill or competence

Award Standard
Award standards are the expected outcomes of learning, inclusive of all education and training

Award-type
An award-type is a class of named awards sharing common features and level. Award-types can reflect a mix of standards of knowledge, skill and competence which is independent of any specific field of learning. Descriptors can be defined generically for award-types.

Award Type Descriptor
An award-type descriptor is a description of a class of named awards sharing common features and level.

Awarding Body (Private Awards Bodies, International Awards Bodies)
A body which makes awards

Competence
Competence is the effective and creative demonstration and deployment of knowledge and skill in human situations. Such situations could comprise general social and civic ones, as well as specific occupational ones. Competence draws on attitudes, emotions, values and sense of self-efficacy of the learner, as well as on declarative and procedural knowledge. Competence outcomes can thus be stated in the form, "In a specified range of circumstances, a learner will be able to ...".

Competence - context
The contexts in which a learner is able to apply his/her knowledge and skills

Competence - role
The responsibility the learner can take, personally and in groups, for the application of his/her knowledge and skills

Competence - learning to learn
The extent to which the learner can identify the gaps in his/her learning and take steps to fill those gaps

Competence - insight
The extent to which the learner has integrated the intellectual, emotional, physical and moral aspects of his/her learning into his/her self-identity and interaction with others

Criteria
Specific conditions that determine the features of the framework

Field of Learning
A basis for grouping awards within the framework based on the subject matter of the learning they contain

Grid of level indicators
The grid shows how the outcomes in each of the eight sub-strands progress across the ten levels.

Know-how and Skill
The exercise of a skill is the performance of a task that in some way responds to or manipulates the physical, informational or social environment of the person. Know-how underpins skill but is not identical to skill. Know-how, or savoir faire, is the procedural knowledge required to carry out a task.

Know-how and skill - range
The extent of the physical, intellectual, social and other skills demonstrated by the learner

Know-how and skill - selectivity
The complexity of the problems that a learner can tackle using the skills acquired and the approach with which the learner tackles them

Knowledge
Knowledge is the cognitive representation of ideas, events or happenings. It can be derived from practical or professional experience as well as from formal instruction or study. It can comprise description, memory, understanding, thinking, analysis, synthesis, debate and research.

Knowledge - breadth
The extent of the learner's knowledge

Knowledge - kind
The nature or quality of knowing has the learner engaged in

Learner
A person who is acquiring or who has acquired knowledge, skill or competence

Level
Levels are a series of sequential steps. Each level sets out a range of standards of knowledge, skill and competence acquired by learners. Levels are not in themselves standards but indicators of a range of standards and can be described in an ordered sequence.

Level indicators
Level indicators are broad descriptions of learning outcomes at a given level, in terms of the eight sub-strands of knowledge, skill and competence.

Lifelong Learning
All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective

Major award-types
Major award-types are the principal class of awards made at each level. At most levels, such award-types capture a typical range of achievements at the level.

Minor award-types
A minor award-type will provide recognition for learners who achieve a range of learning outcomes, without achieving the specific combination of learning outcomes required for a major award.

Named Awards
The particular awards, within an award type, which are named with respect to field of learning. Standards for named awards include reference to knowledge skill and competence within a specific field of learning (e.g. National Vocational Certificate Level 2 in Business Studies - Secretarial; National Craft Certificate - Motor Mechanic ; National Diploma in Construction in Architectural Technology; Master of Philosophy in Medieval Language, Literature, and Culture)

National Framework of Qualifications
The single, nationally and internationally accepted entity, through which all learning achievements may be measured and related to each other in a coherent way and which defines the relationship between all education and training awards.

Policies
The basic factors determining how the Authority will construct the framework

Process Guidelines
How the Authority will act in undertaking the task of developing the framework, rather than the practical and operational aspects of such work

Programme of Education and Training
Programme (of education and training) means any process by which learners may acquire knowledge, skill or competence and includes courses of study or instruction, apprenticeships, training and employment

Progression
The process by which learners may transfer from one programme of education and training to another programme where each programme is of a higher level than the preceding programme

Provider (of a programme of education and training)
A person who, or body which, provides, organises or procures a programme of education and training

Qualification
No distinction is being made between an award and a qualification.

Recognition (of Learning)
A formal acceptance of a claim to a standard of learning on the part of a learner as being true or valid.

Recognition of Prior Learning
Recognition of learning that has taken place, but not necessarily been assessed or measured, prior to entering a programme. Such prior learning may have been acquired through formal, non-formal, or informal routes.

Recognition (of Award Equivalence)
The formal acceptance of an award by an awarding body as equivalent, for some stated purpose or purposes, to another award of that body

Special-purpose award-types
Special-purpose award-types are made for specific, relatively narrow, purposes

Stakeholder
Any person or party who has an interest in the framework of qualifications

Strand
Learning outcomes are divided into three strands of knowledge, know and skill, and competence

Sub-strand
Learning outcomes are divided in to eight sub-strands. Sub-strands identify the sources of order within the kinds of learning outcomes associated with awards at the various levels.

Supplemental award-types
Supplemental award-types are for learning which is additional to a previous award.

Transfer
The process by which learners may transfer from one programme of education and training to another programme, having received recognition for knowledge, skill or competence acquired

Validation of a Programme
It is sometimes efficient for an awarding body to formally recognise a programme of education and training, thereby devolving responsibility for the assessment of learning to the provider of the programme, subject to appropriate quality assurance arrangements. Validation means the process by which an awarding body shall satisfy itself that a learner may attain knowledge, skill or competence for the purpose of an award made by the awarding body

Values and Principles
A set of statements underpinning the development of the national framework of qualifications.

Volume
Volume of standards of knowledge, skill and competence refers to the amount of knowledge, skill and competence at a particular level or levels. The more the amount of knowledge, skill and competence, the greater the volume.