LIBT Quality Glossary

Purpose

This glossary is the single source of truth for terminology used across the policy portfolio. Every policy must use these terms as defined here. If a policy needs to depart from a definition for a good reason, it must say so explicitly and explain why. If a policy uses a term differently from this glossary, the policy is wrong and needs correcting, not the glossary.

Structure and delivery terms

Programme The full qualification a student registers for and graduates with, for example the Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management. A programme has a title, an FHEQ level, a total credit value, and an awarding body.

Course Used at LIBT to mean the same thing as programme. The two terms are interchangeable in this portfolio. Where a policy says "course," it means the full qualification, not a single subject.

Module A single self-contained block of study within a programme, with its own learning outcomes, assessment, and credit value, for example "Strategic Marketing Management." Modules are sometimes called "units" by QUALIFI and other awarding bodies. Where LIBT is the awarding body, use "module." Where QUALIFI is the awarding body, "unit" may appear on official QUALIFI documentation. LIBT's own policies and student-facing materials should still say "module" for consistency. They should include a note that QUALIFI paperwork may use "unit" instead.

Unit Not used in LIBT's own policies except to explain that it means the same as module on QUALIFI documentation. Do not use "unit" and "module" interchangeably within the same document without a definition.

Credit A measure of learning time and achievement, referenced to the UK Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS), where 1 credit equals approximately 10 notional learning hours. Each module carries a stated credit value. Programme totals are expressed in credits.

Level The depth and demand of study. As set out in the Quality Framework Statement, LIBT voluntarily references the level of every Academic programme (see "Programme categories," below) against the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (FHEQ) as its chosen external benchmark. This is not a formal FHEQ accreditation. LIBT's Academic programmes are referenced against FHEQ Levels 4 to 8. Always state both the LIBT programme name and its referenced FHEQ level together on first mention in any document, for example "Undergraduate Diploma in Business Management (referenced to FHEQ Level 4/5)."

Academic year The 12-month cycle used for governance and policy review at LIBT, running 1 August to 31 July. See "Version that applies to a student," below, for how this relates to which policy version applies to a student.

Financial year LIBT's financial year runs 1 April to 31 March. Used for budgeting, and for the Board of Directors' financial reporting and financial sustainability planning under the Governance, Management Structure, and Conflicts of Interest Statement.

Student academic year The cycle used for student-facing planning and reporting, for example retention and progression data in the Course Monitoring Policy, running 1 September to 31 August. Distinct from both the academic year above and the financial year. LIBT students study on a rolling, self-paced basis and can start at any point in the student academic year. This term is about reporting periods, not enrolment dates.

Version that applies to a student Unless a policy states otherwise, a student is subject to the version of a policy or regulation that is in force on the date the relevant event happens (for example, the date an assessment is submitted, or the date an appeal is lodged), not the version in force when they started their programme.

Programme categories

LIBT's provision is organised into three categories. Only Academic programmes are award-bearing and within the scope of this policy portfolio. The other two are governed separately (see the README).

Academic programme LIBT's award-bearing Undergraduate Diplomas, Postgraduate Diplomas, and Postgraduate Doctoral Diplomas, whether LIBT-awarded (including where the programme carries CMI accreditation or endorsement), QUALIFI-awarded, or LIBT Malta-awarded. Delivery mode is set out in the relevant Quality Framework Statement (see "Delivery mode terms," below) and varies by entity. This is the only category this policy portfolio governs.

Professional Certificate A shorter-form, non-award-bearing certificate course. May be delivered online, synchronously, asynchronously, or on-site, depending on the course. Not an Academic programme; not within the scope of this policy portfolio.

Executive Development Corporate and organisational training delivered to client organisations rather than to individually enrolled award-seeking students. Delivered synchronously and on-site. Not an Academic programme; not within the scope of this policy portfolio.

Awarding and delivery terms

Awarding body The organisation that has the authority to confer the qualification and issue the certificate. For LIBT programmes, this is LIBT itself. For QUALIFI programmes, this is QUALIFI. Where CMI recognition applies (see "CMI accreditation and endorsement," below), CMI does not award the qualification, unless the specific CMI qualification says otherwise.

CMI accreditation and endorsement A LIBT programme may carry CMI accreditation, CMI endorsement, or both, from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). Accreditation gives a completing student access to CMI membership and progression to Chartered Manager status. Endorsement recognises that a programme meets CMI's standards, without that fuller relationship. The current status for each programme is shown on its page on the LIBT website.

Delivering institution The organisation that teaches the programme, marks assessments, and supports the student day to day. For all LIBT and QUALIFI programmes, this is LIBT, regardless of who the awarding body is.

Progression agreement An arrangement with a UK university under which LIBT graduates may apply for advanced entry to a later stage of that university's own degree. The university, not LIBT, teaches, assesses, and awards the top-up or final-stage qualification. LIBT's role is to prepare students academically and to support their application.

Agency agreement An arrangement under which LIBT introduces or refers applicants to a partner university's programme, in a similar way to an authorised recruitment agent. LIBT does not teach, assess, or award the university's qualification under this arrangement.

Sub-contractual arrangement An arrangement under which LIBT would deliver all or part of a partner institution's programme on that institution's behalf, with the partner remaining the awarding body. As of this version of the glossary, LIBT does not operate under any live sub-contractual arrangement, though one is in development. Where this changes, this glossary and the Quality Framework Statement must be updated before any related marketing goes live. The specific arrangement must be named.

Distinction between progression, agency, and sub-contractual arrangements This distinction matters because it determines what LIBT may accurately say about "delivering" a partner university's course. LIBT must never describe a progression or agency arrangement in language that implies LIBT delivers, teaches, or assesses the partner university's qualification.

Delivery mode terms

Online All teaching, learning, and assessment activity takes place through the internet, with no requirement for the student to be physically present anywhere.

Synchronous Real-time online activity where students and tutors interact live, for example a live video tutorial. Synchronous online activity is still "online," not "blended," because it involves no physical attendance.

Asynchronous Online activity a student completes in their own time, for example pre-recorded lectures or discussion boards.

Blended or hybrid A delivery mode that combines online activity with a required element of physical, in-person attendance. This uses the Office for Students' definition, which depends on physical attendance and not on whether the online activity happens live. A programme is described as "blended" only where it has a genuine, specified in-person element. Synchronous online tutorials are not, by themselves, "blended."

On-site training In-person delivery outside a blended Academic programme's specified in-person component. Professional Certificate courses may include on-site delivery. Executive Development training is always delivered synchronously and on-site.

Assessment terms

Assessor The person who marks a student's assessment and provides feedback and an initial grade.

Internal verification The process of checking and approving assessment tasks and marking criteria before they are issued to students, to confirm they are fit for purpose and fairly test the intended learning outcomes.

Moderation The process of checking a sample of marked assessments after first marking, to confirm that marking has been applied consistently and to the correct standard across assessors and cohorts.

External examining Independent scrutiny of assessment standards by an examiner from outside LIBT, used to provide external assurance that LIBT's standards are comparable to the wider UK sector.

Grade boundary The percentage range that corresponds to a Pass, Merit, Distinction, or Fail outcome, or to a Fail, as set out in the Assessment Policy.

Student conduct and academic integrity terms

Academic malpractice Any action by a student that could give them, or another student, an unfair advantage in assessment, including plagiarism, collusion, contract cheating, fabrication, and undisclosed or inappropriate use of artificial intelligence tools. Defined in full in the Assessment Malpractice Policy.

Staff misconduct Any breach of expected professional standards by a staff member, including breaches connected to assessment integrity. Defined in full in the Staff Conduct, Grievance, and Whistleblowing Policy, not in the Assessment Malpractice Policy.

Reasonable adjustment A change to how a student with a disability or long-term condition accesses teaching or assessment, made in advance, to remove a barrier they would otherwise face. Defined in full in the Reasonable Adjustments Policy.

Special consideration (extenuating circumstances) A short-term, often unforeseen, circumstance that affects a student's ability to complete an assessment on time or to their normal standard, such as illness or bereavement. Defined in full in the Special Consideration (Extenuating Circumstances) Policy.

Roles

Head of function The senior role with authority over the specific area an appeal or complaint concerns, rather than one fixed job title, for example the Head of Assessment for a grading appeal, or the Head of Admissions for an admissions complaint. Used in the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy to describe who conducts the Stage 2 formal review. A Head of function is never the person whose decision is being appealed or complained about. The individual currently holding each relevant role is published in the Governance Register (see the Governance, Management Structure, and Conflicts of Interest Statement).

Recourse terms

Appeal A formal request by a student to review an academic decision, on specific permitted grounds. Covers assessment outcomes, malpractice penalties, RPL decisions, and special consideration decisions. Defined in full in the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy.

Complaint A formal expression of dissatisfaction about a service, process, or the conduct of staff, that is not a request to change an academic decision. Defined in full in the Academic Appeals and Complaints Policy.

Version control

Any change to a definition in this glossary must be checked against every policy in the portfolio that uses the term. See the README for the cross-reference table and the change process.