Abbreviations / Acronyms
Organisations and terms which have been replaced, changed name, or cease to exist are marked with an asterisk *. They are included because they may continue to be referred to.
A
ACE |
Adult Continuing Education |
ACE |
Arts Council England |
ACU |
Association of Commonwealth Universities |
AGCAS |
Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services |
AGR |
Association of Graduate Recruiters |
AHRC |
Arts and Humanities Research Council |
AHUA |
Association of Heads of University Administration |
AIRs* |
accelerated & intensive routes (to Higher Education) - completed HEFCE-funded initiative |
ALF |
Access to Learning Fund |
ALI |
Adult Learning Inspectorate |
AMOSSHE |
Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education |
AMRC |
Association of Medical Research Charities |
AMS |
annual monitoring statement |
AOC |
Association of Colleges |
API |
Age Participation Index |
APL |
accreditation of prior learning |
ASNs |
additional student numbers |
AUA |
Association of University Administrators |
AUCF* |
average unit of Council funding |
AUDE |
Association of University Directors of Estates |
AURIL |
Association for University Research & Industry Links |
AUT* |
Association of University Teachers (now UCU) |
AY |
academic year |
Back to top
B
BA |
British Academy |
BA/BSc |
Bachelor of Arts/Science |
BBSRC |
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council |
BIS |
Department for Business, Innovation and Skills |
BMA |
British Medical Association |
BME |
black and minority ethnic |
BPE |
Beacon for Public Engagement |
BUFDG |
British Universities Finance Directors Group |
BUFVC |
British Universities Film & Video Council |
Back to top
C
CABE |
Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment |
CAFAS |
Council for Academic Freedom and Academic Standards |
CATE |
Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education |
CATS |
credit accumulation & transfer scheme |
CETL* |
Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning - completed HEFCE-funded initiative |
CFEE |
co-funded employer engagement |
CHEAD |
Council for Higher Education in Art & Design |
CHEIA |
Council of Higher Education Internal Auditors |
CHEMS* |
Commonwealth Higher Education Management Service |
CHERI |
Centre for Higher Education Research and Information |
CIF |
Capital Investment Framework |
CIHE* |
Council for Industry and Higher Education (now NCUB) |
CKE |
Centre for Knowledge Exchange |
CNAA* |
Council for National Academic Awards |
COI* |
Central Office of Information |
CPD |
continuing professional development |
CRE*
|
Commission for Racial Equality (now incorporated into EHRC)
|
CSG
|
Cost-sharing group
|
CSR
|
Depending on the context this means either Corporate social responsibility or Comprehensive Spending Review
|
CUBO |
Conference of University Business Officers |
CUC |
Committee of University Chairs |
CURL |
Consortium of Research Libraries |
CVCP* |
Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals (now Universities UK) |
CVU |
Council of Validating Universities |
Back to top
D
DAPs |
degree-awarding powers |
DBERR* |
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (now BIS) |
DCMS |
Department of Culture, Media and Sport |
DDA |
Disability Discrimination Act |
DEFRA |
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs |
DEL |
Department for Employment and Learning (in Northern Ireland) |
DELLS |
Department for Education and Lifelong Learning and Skills (in Wales) |
DENI* |
Department of Education (for) Northern Ireland (now DEL) |
DfES* |
Department for Education and Skills (now BIS) |
DH |
Department of Health |
DIUS* |
Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (now BIS) |
DLHE |
Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education |
DRC* |
Disability Rights Commission (now incorporated into EHRC) |
DSA |
Disabled Students' Allowance |
DTI* |
Department of Trade & Industry (now BIS) |
Back to top
E
EAUC |
Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges |
EAZ* |
Education Action Zone
|
EBITDA
|
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation |
EC*
|
European Community |
ECU |
Equality Challenge Unit |
EEA |
European Economic Area (all EU member states plus Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) |
EHRC |
Equality and Human Rights Commission |
EiC* |
Excellence in Cities |
ELQ |
Equivalent or lower qualification |
ELWa* |
Education and Learning Wales (now part of the Welsh Assembly Government) |
EOC* |
Equal Opportunities Commission (now incorporated into EHRC) |
EP* |
A HEFCE electronic publication |
EPSRC |
Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council |
EQUALL |
Equal Opportunities, Access and Lifelong Learning (a HEFCE committee) |
ERDF |
European Regional Development Fund |
ESECT* |
Enhancing Student Employability Co-ordination Team |
ESF |
European Social Fund |
ESRC |
Economic & Social Research Council |
EU |
European Union |
Back to top
F
FACE |
Forum for Access and Continuing Education |
FAMD |
Funding and monitoring data |
FAQ |
frequently asked questions |
FD |
foundation degree |
FDF* |
Foundation Degree Forward |
FDGMP* |
Fund for the Development of Good Management Practice |
FDS* |
First Destination Survey (now the DLHE) |
FDTL* |
Fund for the Development of Teaching & Learning |
FE |
further education |
fEC |
full economic cost |
FEC |
further education college |
FEESS |
Further Education Early Student Statistics |
FEFC* |
Further Education Funding Council (now the Skills Funding Agency and the Young People's Learning Agency) |
FEFCW* |
Further Education Funding Council for Wales (now part of the Welsh Assembly Government) |
FHEQ |
Framework for Higher Education Qualifications |
FM |
Financial Memorandum |
FOI |
Freedom of Information Act |
FPE |
full-person equivalent |
FSR |
HESA Finance Statistics Return |
FSSG |
Financial Sustainability Strategy Group |
FTE |
full-time equivalent |
FY |
financial year |
Back to top
G
GCSE |
General Certificate of Secondary Education |
GDP |
gross domestic product |
GMP |
good management practice |
GR |
generic research |
GTP |
Graduate Teacher Programme |
Back to top
H
HE |
higher education |
HEACF* |
Higher Education Active Community Fund |
HEAPES |
Higher Education in Alternative Providers Early Statistics survey |
HE-BCI |
higher education-business and community interaction (survey) |
HE-BI* |
higher education-business interaction (now HE-BCI) |
HEBRG |
Higher Education Better Regulation Group |
HEEON |
Higher Education Equal Opportunities Network |
HEEPI |
Higher Education Environmental Performance Improvement |
HEERA |
Higher Education External Relations Association |
HEFCE |
Higher Education Funding Council for England |
HEFCW |
Higher Education Funding Council for Wales |
HEI |
higher education institution |
HEIF |
Higher Education Innovation Funding |
HEIFES |
Higher Education in Further Education: Student Survey |
HEPI |
Higher Education Policy Institute |
HEPISG |
Higher Education Public Information Steering Group |
HEPS |
Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability |
HEQC* |
Higher Education Quality Council |
HEROBC* |
Higher Education Reach-out to Business and the Community Fund |
HERRG* |
Higher Education Regulation Review Group (now HEBRG) |
HESA |
Higher Education Statistics Agency |
HESDA* |
Higher Education Staff Development Agency |
HESES |
Higher Education Students Early Statistics |
HEW |
Higher Education Wales |
HLSP* |
Higher Level Skills Pathfinders |
HMRC |
Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs |
HMSO* |
Her Majesty's Stationery Office (now TSO) |
HNC |
Higher National Certificate |
HND |
Higher National Diploma |
HR |
human resources |
Back to top
I
IAGS |
Intentions After Graduation Survey |
ICT |
information and communication technologies |
IIP |
Investors in People |
ILR |
individualised learner record |
ILT* |
Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education |
INSET |
In-Service Education and Training |
IP |
intellectual property |
IQER* |
Integrated Quality and Enhancement Review |
IRC |
Interdisciplinary Research Centre |
ISR |
individualised student record |
IT |
information technology |
ITT |
Initial Teacher Training |
Back to top
J
JACCC* |
Joint Advisory Committee for Church Colleges (now the JACCUC) |
JACCUC |
Joint Advisory Committee for Church Universities and Colleges |
JACS |
Joint Academic Coding System |
JCPSG* |
Joint Costing and Pricing Steering Group |
JIF* |
Joint Infrastructure Fund |
JISC* |
Joint Information Systems Committee (now Jisc) |
JMAC* |
Joint Medical Advisory Committee (now UK Healthcare Education Advisory Committee) |
JPPSG* |
Joint Procurement Policy and Strategy Group |
JREI* |
Joint Research Equipment Initiative |
Back to top
K
KIS |
Key Information Set |
KPT |
key performance target |
Back to top
L
LAD |
Learning Aim Database |
LDCS |
Learndirect Classification System |
LEA |
Local Education Authority - The County council, Metropolitan District or London Borough with responsibility for education |
LFHE |
Leadership Foundation for Higher Education |
LGM |
leadership, governance and management |
LLN |
Lifelong Learning Network |
LPN |
Low-participation neighbourhood |
LSC* |
Learning and Skills Council |
LTSN* |
Learning and Teaching Support Network |
Back to top
M
MA/MSc |
Master of Arts/Science |
MaSN* |
maximum student number |
MRC |
Medical Research Council |
Back to top
N
NAB |
National Advisory Board |
NAO |
National Audit Office |
NARIC |
National Academic Recognition Information Centre |
NATFHE* |
National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education (now UCU) |
NCIHE* |
National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education |
NCT* |
national co-ordination team |
NCTL |
National College for Teaching and Leadership |
NCUB |
National Centre for Universities and Business (formerly CIHE) |
NDPB |
non-departmental public body (otherwise known as 'quangos') |
NDT* |
National Disability Team |
NERC |
Natural Environment Research Council |
NESTA |
National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts |
NFER |
National Foundation for Educational Research |
NIACE |
National Institute of Adult Continuing Education |
NIHEC
NSP
|
Northern Ireland Higher Education Council
National Scholarship Programme
|
NSS |
National Student Survey |
NTI* |
New Technology Institute |
NUS |
National Union of Students |
NVQ |
National Vocational Qualification |
Back to top
O
OECD |
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
OFFA |
Office for Fair Access |
OFSTED |
Office for Standards in Education |
OGC |
Office of Government Commerce |
OIA |
Office of the Independent Adjudicator |
ONS |
Office for National Statistics |
ORSAS* |
Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme |
OSI* |
Office of Science and Innovation (now part of BIS) |
OST* |
Office of Science and Technology (became Office of Science and Innovation) |
OTTP |
Overseas Trained Teacher Programme |
Back to top
P
P4P* |
Partnerships for Progression (joint initiative between the HEFCE and the then LSC) |
PAC |
Public Accounts Committee |
PCFC* |
Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council |
PFI |
Private Finance Initiative |
PG |
Postgraduate |
PGCE |
Postgraduate Certificate in Education or Professional Graduate Certificate in Education |
PGR |
Postgraduate Research |
PGT |
Postgraduate Taught |
PhD |
Doctor of Philosophy |
PI |
performance indicator |
POLAR |
Participation of Local Areas |
PPARC* |
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council |
PPP |
public/private partnership |
PSRB |
Professional, statutory or regulatory body |
Back to top
Q
QAA |
Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education |
QCA* |
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority |
QR |
quality-related research (funding) |
QTS |
qualified teacher status |
Back to top
R
R&D |
research and development |
RAB |
Resource Accounting Budget charge |
RAE |
Research Assessment Exercise |
RAS |
Research Activity Survey |
RCUK |
Research Councils UK |
RDA* |
Regional Development Agency |
RDP |
Research Degree Programme |
REF |
Research Excellence Framework |
REFI |
Review of exceptional funding for institutions |
RIN |
Research Information Network |
RLN* |
Research Libraries Network |
RPG |
Regulatory Partnership Group |
RRAA |
Race Relations (Amendment) Act |
RSLG* |
Research Support Libraries Group |
Back to top
S
SASS |
Strategy for Access and Student Success |
SCONUL |
Society of College, National and University Libraries |
SCOP* |
Standing Conference of Principals (now GuildHE) |
SDF* |
Strategic Development Fund |
SENDA |
Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 |
SFC |
Scottish Funding Council |
SFE |
Student Finance England |
SFEFC* |
Scottish Further Education Funding Council (now SFC) |
SHEFC* |
Scottish Higher Education Funding Council (now SFC) |
SIA* |
Sector impact assessment |
SIS |
strategically important subjects |
SIVS |
strategically important and vulnerable subjects |
SLC |
Student Loans Company |
SME |
small to medium-sized enterprise |
SORP |
Statement of Recommended (Accounting) Practice (accounting in HE institutions) |
SPA |
Supporting Professionalism in Admissions |
SRHE |
Society for Research into Higher Education |
SRIF* |
Science Research Investment Fund |
STEM |
science, technology, engineering and mathematics |
SWOUT |
sandwich year out |
Back to top
T
TDA* |
Training and Development Agency for Schools |
TDAPs |
Taught degree-awarding powers |
TESS |
teaching enhancement and student success |
TLTP* |
Teaching and Learning Technology Programme |
TNE |
Transnational education |
TQA* |
Teaching Quality Assessment |
TQEF* |
Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund |
TQI* |
Teaching Quality Information (now public information about higher education) |
TQSE |
Teaching Quality and the Student Experience |
TRAC |
Transparent Approach to Costing |
TRAC(T) |
TRAC for teaching (a national framework for costing teaching, based on TRAC principles) |
TSO |
The Stationery Office |
TTA* |
Teacher Training Agency (now the NCTL) |
Back to top
U
UACE* |
Universities Association for Continuing Education |
UALL |
Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (formerly UACE) |
UCEA |
Universities and Colleges Employers Association |
UCET |
Universities Council for the Education of Teachers |
UFC* |
Universities Funding Council (formerly University Grants Committee) |
Ufi |
University for Industry |
UG |
undergraduate |
UGC* |
University Grants Committee |
UKADIA |
UK Arts & Design Institutions Association |
UKBA* |
UK Border Agency (see UKVI) |
UKCISA |
UK Council for International Student Affairs |
UKCOSA* |
United Kingdom Council for Overseas Student Affairs (now UKCISA) |
UKERNA* |
United Kingdom Education & Research Networking Association (now JANET(UK)) |
UKRO |
UK Research Office |
UKRPIF |
UK Research Partnership Investment Fund |
UKVI |
UK Visas & Immigration (replaced visa service of UKBA April 2013) |
UN |
United Nations |
UOA |
unit of assessment (in RAE and REF) |
UQP |
Unsatisfactory quality policy (HEFCE’s policy for addressing unsatisfactory quality in institutions) |
UUK |
Universities UK (formerly the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals) |
UVAC |
University Vocational Awards Council |
Back to top
V
VAT |
value-added tax |
VC |
vice-chancellor |
VFM |
value for money |
Back to top
W
WP |
widening participation |
WPSA |
Widening Participation Strategic Assessment |
WPSS |
Widening Participation Strategic Statement |
Back to top
X
There are no entries for this letter.
Back to top
Y
There are no entries for this letter.
Back to top
Z
There are no entries for this letter.
Back to top