IR Glossary

This glossary includes institutional research terms and definitions that are the most commonly used in the reports published by the Department of Institutional Research and Analytics. The terms are sorted alphabetically based on the English version of the term.

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Terms	Definitions	Source
Academic Calendar	Includes dates of final exams, dates of start and end of official vacations, dates of early registration, dates of add /drop period, calendar of summer semester. The academic calendar must be approved by University Board of Regents.	Qatar University Faculty Bylaws
Academic Dismissal	Termination of the student’s university enrollment due to unsatisfactory academic performance or failure to meet graduation requirements in accordance with the applicable policies.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal Policy
Academic Entity	Include colleges, departments, programs, centers, institutes, and units. Academic entities other than centers, institutes, and units may offer academic and/or professional programs of study that lead to formal degrees.	Establishment of a New Academic Entity
Academic Probation	The academic standing status of any bachelor degree seeking student who has completed at least 19 GPA hours and obtained a cumulative GPA below 2.00.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Academic Record	Records directly related to the student education and maintained by the Enrollment Management Department.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Academic Standing	Determined by the Academic bylaws governing student status whether it is good standing, or academic probation or academic dismissal.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Academic Support	Reasonable inclusive and equitable academic support provided to students with special needs to reduce challenges that limit students’ participation and engagement in the learning process in order to ensure equal educational opportunities with other students.	President Decision No. (24) of (2022) Regarding the services of “Inclusion and Special needs Support Center”
Academic Support Staff	TA (Grade G and F) Teaching – non-teaching.	Academic Support Staff Performance Development
Academic Suspension	A student registered at the university is assigned a status of “academic suspension” after two unsuccessful attempts to pass the courses that follow the programs offered in the yearly system or the courses offered as part of the common year courses. In such cases, the student is considered inactive student.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Academic Warning	The academic standing status of any bachelor degree seeking student who did not achieve a semester average that is greater than or equal to the minimum required cumulative GPA for the student to be assigned a “Good Standing” academic standing.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Academic Year	Includes academic semesters: Fall, Winter and Spring, in addition to summer semesters.	Qatar University Faculty Bylaws
Active Student	A student status that is applied automatically once a student is admitted to the university and it remains as such unless it is changed to a different status.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Add and Drop	A period of time at the beginning of each semester when students can change course schedules by adding and/or dropping courses or switch sections of a course without any financial penalties being applied.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Administrative Unit/Units	The entities that neither bear teaching/academic responsibilities, nor do they grant academic degrees including all QU units except colleges and research centers.	President Decision No.(47) 2021 for Administrative Unit Review
Administrative Units Review	A systematic process to assess the effectiveness and quality of the Administrative Units’ performance, and promote planning and improvement to support their strategic development.	President Decision No.(47) 2021 for Administrative Unit Review
Admission Terminated	A status assigned to a student who is admitted to the university but does not register for classes during the semester of his/her admission and did not receive a deferral. This status is applicable to all levels and is applied after the end of the Add/Drop period and before the admission files are officially transferred to the Student Records Section.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Advisor Hold	A mechanism that prevents students from registering or dropping courses by placing a registration hold on the student’s record.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Assignments	Academic assignments and short tests that are not mid-term or final exams according to the course syllabus.	Student Code of Conduct
Assistive Technology	Any information and communication technology, products, devices or related services that are used for the purpose of enhancing or improving the academic performance of students with special needs.	President Decision No. (24) of (2022) Regarding the services of “Inclusion and Special needs Support Center”
Bachelor Degree Seeking Student	A student registered in any college to obtain a bachelor's degree by the end of his/her enrollment.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissa
Basic Salary	The salary prescribed for the financial category of the employee and the academic member as per the approved schedules or the employment contract, in addition to the due periodic/annual increments, separated from other increments, allowances, or remunerations.	Employee Handbook
Bylaws	A legislative instrument approved by the Board of Regents. It encompasses the general rules and procedures, and fundamental legal standards regulating university activities in alignment with the Law for the organization of Qatar University.	Policy Governance Framework
Center or Institute	A Center or an Institute is an academic entity that may offer research, instruction, training, and/or community service activities and programs. Although centers and institutes do not have jurisdiction over academic curricula and may not offer programs that lead to formal university degrees, they may provide instruction and offer courses, training programs, and technical assistance. A center or an institute may collaborate with entities from other institutions, agencies, or organizations, such as other colleges and universities, schools, hospitals, industry, foundations, or governmental bodies, for specific activities or projects. A center or an institute is headed by a Director and may be housed under a Program, Department, a College, any of the Vice President Offices, or the Office of the President	Establishment of a New Academic Entity
Chronic Diseases	Health conditions that last for long period of time with persistent effects that usually can be controlled but rarely cured. A medical certificate statement attesting to the chronic disease condition must be provided in a form of medical report issued by one of the hospitals or medical centers that are affiliated with the Ministry of Public Health, or certified by the medical office at a Qatari Embassy abroad.	President Decision Number (23) of (2022) Regarding Tuition Fees Refund
Clinical Practice instruction	It is conducted in the learning environment at the university but may include out-of-class assignments. It offers an experience-based instruction for the purpose of developing skills related to the discipline focused on “real world” activities that may be offered in a simulated “real world” environment generally in healthcare or service occupation programs. Clinical practice instruction is conducted under the direct supervision of an instructor.	Credit Hours
Clinical/ Professional Track Faculty	Intended to provide the educational basis for the graduate attaining professional licensure for a giving profession	Professional/ Clinical Faculty Track Policy
Co-author	Person who participates in the preparation of an academic work and meets the criteria of authorship, and with the rest of the authors, has full responsibility for the integrity of research.	Authorship Policy
College	An academic entity typically comprising one or more departments offering degree programs. A college is headed by a Dean and is housed under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. A College may or may not include Programs, Centers, Institutes, and/or Units.	Establishment of a New Academic Entity
Common Year Courses	A package of first-year courses for specific college or sector-specific programs that students of the college or sector must fully pass before moving to register for major courses, as determined by the Vice President to which the college or sector reports, and the Vice President for Student Affairs.	Undergraduate Students Course Repeat
Concentration	A focused component of a major that creates a curriculum emphasis within the major.	Enrollment Limits in Programs/Courses Policy
Consultancy	Any professional activity related to the faculty's field or discipline, where a fee-for-service or equivalent relationship with a third party exists.	Faculty Consultancy Policy
Contact Hour	50 minutes of instruction time.	Credit Hours
Copyright	Legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works.	Institutional Repository Policy
Course code	Is four alpha prefix that refer to the course subject	Course Numbering Policy
Course Learning Outcomes	The measurable competencies students would have achieved upon completion of the course, and are informed by the course description, course level, and course goals/objectives. Unlike course objectives, learning outcomes are specific and measurable.	Syllabus Policy
Course Number	The three numerical digits that follow the course code.	Course Numbering Policy
Course Objectives	General goals which the course seeks to achieve based on the course description and course level.	Syllabus Policy
Course Syllabi	Includes all information contained in the Master syllabus without modification. It contains additional material which is developed by the faculty member (such as details schedule, exam dates, assessment instruments). This syllabus is distributed to students registered in the course.	Syllabus Policy
Course Type	Reflects the course content and/or delivery method. Approved course type designations may be referred to in the faculty workload policy.	Syllabus Policy
Credit Hour	An amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement. For more details refer to the Credit Hours policy.	Credit Hours
Crimes involving moral turpitude or dishonesty	Crimes that occur due to faculty moral weakness and deviation from the normal norms of character, taking into account nature of the job, duty of the faculty, fiducial position, circumstances of the crime, acts constituting the crime, and the extent to which the crime was affected by lusts, whims, intention, deliberation and bad behavior affecting his or her job. Crimes against honor and honesty include, but not limited to, bribery, breach of trust, theft, fraud, perjury, forgery and use of documents, forgery, and imitation of seals, marks and stamps .	QU Faculty Professional Conduct Bylaws
Cumulative GPA (CGPA)	It is an indicator of the student's overall academic performance at QU. It is determined by dividing the total number of grade points accumulated for all courses completed by the student by the number of credit hours allocated for the completed courses.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Dean	Dean of the College. He is directly responsible for managing the college, in accordance with the approved organizational structure, duties, and responsibilities.	Qatar University Faculty Bylaws
Department	An academic entity that typically offers undergraduate and/or graduate degree programs. A Department is headed by a Head of Department and is usually housed within a College. A Department may or may not include Programs, Centers, Institutes, and/or Units.	Establishment of a New Academic Entity
Disability	Restrictions on activity and participation. It leads to a person's inability to obtain self-sufficiency, warranting the need for an aid to help in overcoming the disability. It is divided into two types: permanent disability (expected to last for life), and temporary disability (curable).	President Decision No. (24) of (2022) Regarding the services of “Inclusion and Special needs Support Center”
Discrimination	Discrimination includes: 1. Any distinction, exclusion or preference made on the basis of race, color, gender, political opinion, national extraction, social origin, age, religious beliefs, or disability, which has the effect of nullifying or impairing equality of opportunity or treatment. 2. Such other distinction, exclusion or preference that negatively affects the principles of equal opportunities and justice.	President Decision Number (20) of (2022) Regarding Anti- Discrimination
Distance Education	Formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a course occurs when students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous.	Online, Hybrid and Distance Offerings Policy
Dual Degree	The student, who is participating in the dual degree path, will be granted two graduate degrees at the same level and two certificates; the first one is to be granted by the home university and the other one is to be granted by the partner university. The dual degree is awarded either by two academic institutions or by an academic institution and an academic institute in accordance with the requirements set by both institutions in the agreement. Each party (the home university and the partner university/institution) shall be accountable for its degree.	Qatar University Graduate Studies Policy
Elective Course	Courses in a package of which a specified number should be selected from as options. Such courses are offered for a Major, Minor or Concentration.	Enrollment Limits in Programs/Courses Policy
Executive Management Committee (EMC)	Executive Management Committee shall be comprised of the University’s President (who serves as its Chairperson), and all Vice Presidents. Other individuals may be incorporated within the Executive Management Committee at the request and discretion of the President.	Policy on Policies
Extra-curricular/ Co-Curricular Student Programs	The programs, activities and experiences that the University offers to the student outside the classroom according to specific criteria and outcomes to develop and promote specific aspects of the student.	Student Code of Conduct
Faculty member	Includes professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers, teaching assistants (in the three tracks: research, teaching, and clinical), academic advisors, library specialists, learning support specialists, and those designated or accorded this status.	QU Faculty Professional Conduct Bylaws
Field Work	An academic activity that is conducted in the context of a course either on a weekly basis or by dedicating a specific amount of time for this activity. Field work is defined as any practical work carried out by students in the field as opposed to the classroom or laboratory. Field work provide students with the opportunity to apply theory learned in class in a real world environment.	Credit Hours
Final Academic Probation	The academic standing status of any bachelor degree seeking student who was placed under “Academic Probation” at the end of a semester and failed to achieve “Good Standing” at the end of the following semester.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
First Year Student	A student who is admitted and registered for the first time at the undergraduate level, including students admitted to the University who have already earned no more than 29 credit hours. This category does not include students admitted as transferred or second bachelor degree students.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Foundation Program Suspension-Absence	This status applies to students enrolled in the Foundation Program who did not register in any Foundation program courses for at least two semesters. Students placed under this status are considered inactive students.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Foundation Program Suspension-Academic	This status applies to students enrolled in the Foundation Program at the University who were not able to fulfill the Foundation Program requirements within four regular semesters. Students placed under this status are considered inactive students.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Freshmen	First year student who registered (1 to 29) credit hours.	Course Numbering Policy
FTE Faculty (Full-time equivalent)	A single value providing a combination of full time and part time faculty. Equals the sum total of hours taught divided by the number of hours considered to be full-time for a faculty.	Teaching Load Policy
Full-time Service	Working full-time for at least 8 of the previous 10 semesters	Sabbatical Leave Policy
Ghost Author	A person who performs major part of the academic work for a fee and his/her name is not listed as an author.	Authorship Policy
Good Standing	The academic standing of an undergraduate student is considered to be “Good Standing” before completing 19 GPA hours, or if the student achieves a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 after completing 19 GPA hours.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
GPA Hours	The total number of credit hours used in calculating the student's cumulative GPA.	Undergraduate Students Academic Warning, Probation, and Dismissal
Gross Salary	Basic salary plus increments and allowances established under the Human Resources Law, the Executive Regulations, and the Faculty Affairs Bylaws.	Employee Handbook
Guidelines	Directive principles aligned with laws and bylaws statements, applicable at the level of the university, sector, college, research center, etc.	Policy Governance Framework
Handbook	A document that encompasses the legislative and executive instruments (bylaws, policies, president decisions, instructions, etc.) related to the university, or a group of its community members.	Policy Governance Framework
Harassment	Any threatening psychological, sexual, verbal, or physical behavior. It includes a variety of acts ranging from minor misconduct to severe harassment. According to the provisions of Articles 290 to 293 of the Penal Code, harassment includes every act that constitutes an offense of shameless and indecent acts.	QU Faculty Professional Conduct Bylaws
Head of Department (HoD)/Director of Research Center	Head of Department/research center or relevant administrator (as designated by the Dean) for colleges that do not have heads of departments.	Faculty Performance Review and Development System Guidelines
Honor Course	Course designated to “Honors Program” students of QU.	Course Numbering Policy
Honorary Author	Person who is included within the authors and has not contributed to the production and publication of the academic work and does not meet authorship criteria.	Authorship Policy
Housing Fees	Fees paid by a student residing in the QU campus housing provided by the University for the cost of living and transporting (from and to the university).	President Decision No. (6) of 2021 Concerning the Regulation of Student Financial Aid
Hybrid/blended Course	A combination of face-to-face instruction with web-based instruction. In a hybrid/blended course, more than 25% to 50% of the course learning is online.	Online, Hybrid and Distance Offerings Policy
Hybrid/blended Program	A program where more than 25% but less than 50% of the courses are delivered online	Online, Hybrid and Distance Offerings Policy
Incentive Aid	A lump sum paid once during the Semester for Qatari students who are eligible for financial aid, and who are listed on the Vice President for academic affairs list.	President Decision No. (6) of 2021 Concerning the Regulation of Student Financial Aid
Independent Study	Independent study provide students with the opportunity to explore an area of interest in great details under the direct supervision and direction of a faculty with whom there is periodic contact and consultation throughout the study. Independent study includes Thesis and Project courses.	Credit Hours
Institutional Policy	Any policy that has university-wide scope and impact.	Policy on Policies
Institutional Risk Register	QU’s master risk register where QU’s key strategic risks are recorded.	Risk Management Process and Procedures
Instructions	Encompasses all executive processes issued by a competent administrative authority in the university, and aims to interpret or to properly implement the statements embedded in the bylaws, policies, and president decisions, or to ensure sound management of administrative units.	Policy Governance Framework
Intellectual Property	Provisions that protect creativity, including inventions, literary and artistic works, designs, logos, labels, marks and pictures (brandings) used in trade, by recognizing the rights of the intellectual property owner and enabling him/her to obtain a financial benefit from the innovation or invention. The IP includes the following: patents, copyright, trademark, service mark, trade secret , integrated circuit marks, research data, new plant varieties or plant variety protection certificate , or ownership of tangible research data, physical embodiment such as a model , device , machine , design , apparatus , instrument , circuit , and computer program, visualization representation, biological or chemical materials, or any other composition of matter or plant that originates in or relates to academic or research activity.	QU Faculty Professional Conduct Bylaws
Interim Policy	A policy that consists only of the cover page and impact statement, and which may be approved by the president when an urgent need occurs. Such a policy is valid for up to a period of one year from the approval date, by which time the normal process described in this policy document should be completed.	Policy on Policies
International Students	Students admitted to the University from outside or inside the State of Qatar, who have a residence permit under the sponsorship of Qatar University.	President Decision No. (6) of 2021 Concerning the Regulation of Student Financial Aid
Internship or Externships	Internship or externship offer students the opportunity to develop their job skills by providing them with a structured employment situation that is directly related to, and coordinated with, their program of study.	Syllabus Policy
Invention	Includes any discovery, invention, process, method, composition of matter, know-how, design, model, machine, computer software and hardware, technological development, biological material, strain, plant, chemical, variety, culture of any organism, and records or research considered inventive within the meaning of patent laws.	Intellectual Property Policy and Procedures
IP Grade	A grade given to a student who has not been able to meet the course requirements when taking a resit exam again, in order to allow this student to register in the next semester.	Undergraduate Students Course Repeat
Joint Degree	A graduate degree that is granted by two academic institutions; either by an academic institution and an academic Center or by an academic institution and an international organization with a particular specialization. The student, in this case, completes the required credit hours needed for both parties to grant the student a joint degree. Such degree will recognize both institutions/parties in accordance with the approved policies and regulations detailed in the joint degree agreement with both parties.	Qatar University Graduate Studies Policy
Junior	Students who are in their 3rd year of study	Course Numbering Policy
Junior faculty members	Faculty members in their early years of teaching and research or those who just graduated with a PhD and joined QU as assistant professors or lecturers.	Faculty Performance Review and Development System Guidelines
Laboratory	Laboratory instruction focuses on experimentation in a classroom or laboratory under the direct supervision of an instructor.	Credit Hours
Leave of Absence	A process by which an undergraduate student who is not registered in any course requests official permission to leave the university for a specific period, after receiving the approval of the concerned entity that is determined by the Vice President for Student Affairs. A student granted an approval for a leave of absence is considered enrolled student and may return to the university and register for courses in the semester he/she is expected to return. The period spent by a student on an approved leave of absence is counted towards the maximum number of years of enrollment in the university.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Lecture	A standard classroom instruction focusing on theory under the direct supervision of an instructor.	Credit Hours
Long Absence	An undergraduate student with an unapproved absence from the university of more than four consecutive or nonconsecutive regular semesters will, by the end of the add/drop period of their fifth regular semester of absence, be placed under the "Long Absence" status, excluding students who were granted an approval from the Vice President for students Affairs due to extenuating circumstances. A student placed under the "Long Absence" status is considered as inactive student.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Lower Division Courses	Courses designed primarily for freshman and sophomore level students. These courses are typically 100 and 200 level courses.	Enrollment Limits in Programs/Courses Policy
Lower-division	Courses numbered 100 and 200 levels.	Course Numbering Policy
Main Author	Person who leads an academic work and makes the largest contribution to it compared to other co-authors. The main author meets authoring criteria and shall ensure that the authoring standards apply to the authors involved as well as the final approval of the research and its preparation for publication. In addition, he/she and the other co-authors have full responsibility for the integrity of the academic research.	Authorship Policy
Major	A curriculum component of an academic program intended to provide in-depth study in a discipline or a professional field of study.	Enrollment Limits in Programs/Courses Policy
Master Syllabi	Ensures that various sections of a course will contain content in a manner that consistently meets the objectives of the course. Instructors will use the Master Course Syllabus to prepare a course syllabus for their courses. The Master Course Syllabus is a binding document and a permanent record. The master course syllabus is to be kept within specific college and/or academic programs and maintained by the office of the Associate Vice President for Academic Planning and Quality Assurance.	Syllabus Policy
Members of Administrative Academic Staff	The academic administrative positions include: • Deans • Directors of University Programs • Associate Deans • Deans Assistants • Heads of Departments • Directors of Academic Programs and Units • Coordinators of Academic Programs (Undergraduate and Graduate Studies).	Qatar University Faculty Bylaws
Minor	A curriculum component of an academic program intended to provide a limited depth and/or breadth study in a discipline or a professional field of study.	Enrollment Limits in Programs/Courses Policy
No Show	An active undergraduate student is placed under “No Show” status if he/she does not register for any course by the end of the add/drop period of a regular semester. No Show students are considered enrolled students as long as their absence from the university does not exceed four regular semesters.	Undergraduate Students Appeal, Reinstatement, and Readmission
Non-institutional Policy	A specific policy applicable for unit activities.	Policy on Policies