Learning
Learning is the process by which an individual acquires new knowledge, skills, behaviours or values through experience, study, practice or instruction. Educational research distinguishes between formal learning (school, university), non-formal learning (extra-curricular courses) and informal learning (everyday experiences).
Curriculum
The curriculum is the structured set of learning content, objectives, pedagogical methods and assessment criteria that defines an educational programme. It encompasses both the explicit curriculum (what is intentionally taught) and the hidden curriculum (values and norms tacitly transmitted by the school environment).
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the discipline that studies and designs teaching practices. It concerns the selection of methods, tools and strategies most effective for facilitating learning in relation to educational objectives, student characteristics and context.
Assessment
Assessment is the systematic process of collecting, analysing and interpreting data about student learning. It is distinguished as formative assessment (ongoing, to guide instruction) and summative assessment (end-of-period, to certify outcomes achieved).
Competency
A competency is the ability to mobilise and integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes to effectively address complex situations and tasks across different contexts. The European Qualifications Framework (EQF) distinguishes cognitive, practical and social competencies.
Learning Objective
A learning objective describes in a specific and measurable way what a student must be able to do at the end of an activity or educational programme. Well-formulated objectives follow criteria of specificity, measurability and attainability, typically using verbs from Bloom's Taxonomy.
Bloom's Taxonomy
Bloom's Taxonomy is a classification system for educational objectives proposed by Benjamin Bloom in 1956 and revised in 2001. It organises cognitive objectives into six hierarchical levels: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate, create. It is widely used to design courses and assessment instruments.
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning refers to the process of acquiring knowledge and skills that extends across the entire lifespan, beyond traditional school and university pathways. It includes professional courses, certifications, MOOCs and self-study, and is considered essential for adapting to labour market changes.
Credit (Academic)
An academic credit (such as the ECTS in the European system) is a unit of measure that quantifies the workload required for a student to achieve specific learning outcomes. One ECTS corresponds conventionally to approximately 25–30 hours of total student work.
Accreditation
Accreditation is the formal procedure by which a competent authority certifies that an educational institution or programme meets certain quality standards. Internationally, bodies such as AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA accredit business schools; WASC, Middle States and others accredit US institutions.
Enrolment
Enrolment is the formal act by which a student registers for a course, programme or institution, establishing a legal and administrative relationship entailing rights (access to resources, faculty, examinations) and obligations (payment of fees, compliance with regulations).
Student
A student is the subject who actively participates in an educational process with the aim of acquiring knowledge, competencies or qualifications. At university level, a distinction is made between on-time students and students who have exceeded the nominal programme duration.
Teacher / Instructor
A teacher or instructor is the education professional responsible for designing and delivering instruction. Depending on context, they may be called a teacher (school), professor (university), trainer (corporate setting) or tutor (individual support).
Educational Institution
An educational institution is a formal organisation dedicated to delivering education and training programmes. It includes primary and secondary schools, universities, vocational training colleges, professional development centres and certifying bodies.
Certifying Body
A certifying body is an authorised organisation empowered to issue certifications attesting possession of specific competencies, generally after passing a standardised assessment. Examples include ECDL Foundation (IT skills), Cambridge Assessment (English language), the Project Management Institute (project management).
Examination
An examination is a structured assessment procedure used to verify the level of learning achieved by a student against specific objectives. It may be written, oral, practical or computer-based; results contribute to the summative evaluation of a programme.
Study Plan
A study plan is the document defining the set of courses, learning activities and credits a student must complete to obtain a qualification. It may be standard (pre-defined by the institution) or personalised (student-constructed within programme regulations).
Internship / Placement
An internship or placement is a period of practical training in an external organisation. Its purpose is to develop professional competencies in real work contexts. It may be curricular (mandatory, credit-bearing) or extracurricular.
Thesis / Dissertation
A thesis or dissertation is a scholarly or project-based piece of work produced by a university student under the guidance of a supervisor, demonstrating competencies acquired during studies and the ability to conduct independent research.
Diploma
A diploma is the official document certifying the completion of a qualification at the end of an educational programme. It has legal value and is frequently required as a prerequisite for further study or employment.
Bachelor's Degree
A bachelor's degree is the first-cycle academic award conferred by universities, typically requiring 3–4 years of study. Under the Bologna Process it corresponds to Level 6 of the EQF. In Italy it requires 180 ECTS credits.
Master's Degree
A master's degree is the second-cycle academic award conferred after the bachelor's degree, typically requiring 1–2 additional years of study and corresponding to EQF Level 7. It focuses on advanced specialisation in a discipline.
PhD / Doctoral Degree
A doctorate (PhD) is the highest academic qualification, awarded upon completion of an original research programme typically lasting 3–4 years. The doctoral candidate conducts supervised research, participates in academic activities and defends a thesis before an expert committee.
Guidance / Counselling
Educational guidance and counselling is the support activity provided to students to help them plan their academic and professional paths in line with their aptitudes, competencies and aspirations. It includes information sessions, one-to-one counselling, tutoring and competency assessment.
Tutoring
Tutoring is an individual or small-group support activity that complements conventional instruction. A tutor accompanies the student in the learning process, clarifies difficulties, provides feedback and monitors progress.
Distance Learning / E-learning
Distance learning or e-learning is an instructional modality in which students and instructors do not share the same physical space. It uses digital technologies for content delivery, interaction and assessment, including MOOCs, asynchronous LMS courses, synchronous video conferencing and blended learning.
LMS (Learning Management System)
A Learning Management System is a software platform supporting the management, delivery and monitoring of educational programmes. It allows uploading learning materials, managing enrolments, collecting student activity data, administering tests and generating reports.
MOOC (Massive Open Online Course)
A Massive Open Online Course is an online course designed to allow participation by a potentially unlimited number of students, usually without formal entry requirements and often free of charge. Characteristics include video content, discussion forums, automated quizzes and, in some cases, paid certificates.
Credential
A credential is any document, certificate or attestation that formally verifies possession of knowledge, competencies or qualifications. Digital credentials (open badges, blockchain-based) enable online sharing and verification of qualifications beyond the limitations of paper documents.
Open Badge
An open badge is a digital credential compliant with the IMS Open Badges standard, embedding verifiable metadata about the issuer, recipient, achievement criteria and issue date. It allows recognition and communication of competencies gained in both formal and non-formal settings.
Assessment Rubric
An assessment rubric is a scoring tool that makes assessment criteria and expected performance levels explicit, facilitating transparent and consistent evaluation. It may be holistic (global judgement) or analytic (separate rating for each criterion). Rubrics reduce evaluator subjectivity and help students understand expectations.
Student Portfolio
A student portfolio is a structured collection of work, reflections and evidence of learning selected by the student to document their learning journey and competencies acquired. It supports reflective learning and metacognitive awareness.
Cooperative Learning
Cooperative learning is a pedagogical method based on small heterogeneous groups in which students pursue shared learning goals by collaborating and supporting each other. It differs from simple group work through explicit structure, individual accountability and evaluation of both process and product.
Flipped Classroom
The flipped classroom is an instructional model in which the content-delivery phase (typically the lecture) takes place at home via videos or digital materials, while class time is devoted to application, elaboration and problem-solving guided by the instructor.
Differentiated Instruction
Differentiated instruction is the pedagogical approach that adapts content, processes, products and learning environments to the diverse needs, cognitive styles and readiness levels of students. It is particularly relevant in inclusive classrooms with students with special educational needs.
Inclusion (Educational)
Educational inclusion is the principle and practice that ensures all students, including those with disabilities or special educational needs, attend mainstream schools and fully participate in classroom life. It is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) and UNESCO's Salamanca Statement.
Individualised Education Programme (IEP)
An Individualised Education Programme is a legally mandated document for students with certified disabilities. It is developed by the teaching team in collaboration with the family and health specialists, and defines personalised educational goals, intervention strategies, required resources and evaluation methods.
Special Educational Needs (SEN)
Special Educational Needs is an administrative category encompassing students with disabilities, specific learning difficulties (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia) and other cases in which an educational difficulty is identified, including on social or linguistic grounds. Students with SEN are entitled to personalised educational support.
Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD)
Specific Learning Difficulties (also known as learning disabilities in North American usage) are neurobiological difficulties affecting specific learning capacities in the presence of normal intelligence and adequate schooling. They include dyslexia (reading), dysgraphia/dysorthography (writing) and dyscalculia (mathematics).
Competency Certification
Competency certification is the formal process by which an authorised body attests that an individual possesses specific competencies at a defined level, often referenced to a national or European framework. It applies to competencies acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings.
EQF (European Qualifications Framework)
The European Qualifications Framework is an 8-level reference system enabling comparison of qualifications across European countries. It describes qualifications in terms of learning outcomes - knowledge, skills and competencies - rather than inputs, facilitating transnational recognition and mobility.
Recognition of Qualifications
Recognition of qualifications is the procedure by which a competent authority validates qualifications obtained in another country or educational system. Academic recognition (for further study) is handled by individual receiving institutions; professional recognition (for regulated professions) follows specific national and EU legislation.
Academic Freedom
Academic freedom is the principle that faculty and students are free to pursue scholarly inquiry and express findings without external interference. It is considered a foundation of quality higher education and research and is protected by institutional autonomy and legal frameworks in most democratic countries.
Quality Assurance (Education)
Quality assurance in education is the set of planned and systematic activities carried out by an institution to ensure that its programmes and qualifications meet defined standards of quality. External quality assurance is performed by accreditation bodies; internal quality assurance is managed by institutions through self-assessment and periodic review.