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Reference

Glossary: the acronyms, briefly

The Bologna Process has its own alphabet soup. Here is a short key, with a pointer to where each term is explained in full.

Primary sourceEHEA and partner sources
Sources checked26 October 2026
Reading time2 min
Polish versionSłowniczek →

Terms A–Z

BFUG – Bologna Follow-Up Group
The group of EHEA members that carries the work forward between ministerial conferences. More →
Diploma Supplement
A standard document attached to a diploma that explains the qualification to readers abroad. More →
Dublin descriptors
General descriptions of what graduates of each cycle should be able to do, in five areas of learning outcomes. More →
E4
ENQA, ESU, EUA and EURASHE – the four organisations that prepared the ESG. More →
ECTS – European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
Credits that express the learning outcomes and workload of studies; 60 credits for a full-time year. More →
EHEA – European Higher Education Area
The area officially launched in 2010; its members are 49 countries and the European Commission. More →
ENIC-NARIC
Networks of national information centres on the recognition of qualifications. More →
EQAR – European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education
The register of quality assurance agencies that substantially comply with the ESG. More →
EQF – European Qualifications Framework
The EU framework covering all levels of learning; separate from the QF-EHEA. More →
ESG – Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the EHEA
The shared standards for internal and external quality assurance and for agencies; revised in 2015. More →
LRC – Lisbon Recognition Convention
The 1997 convention on the recognition of higher education qualifications in the European Region. More →
NAWA – Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange
The Polish ENIC-NARIC centre. More →
PKA – Polish Accreditation Committee
Poland's quality assurance agency for higher education, listed in EQAR. More →
PRK – Polish Qualifications Framework
Poland's national qualifications framework; higher education sits at levels 6 to 8. More →
QF-EHEA – Framework of Qualifications for the EHEA
The overarching framework adopted in 2005 and revised in 2018. More →
Short cycle
A qualification of typically 90–120 credits, added to the QF-EHEA in 2018. More →

Sources

  1. EHEA – Members
  2. EHEA – Ministerial Conferences and Communiqués
  3. EHEA – Diploma Supplement
  4. EHEA – Qualification Frameworks
  5. ECTS Users' Guide 2015
  6. EHEA – Quality Assurance
  7. EQAR – Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance (ESG)
  8. Europass – The European Qualifications Framework (EQF)
  9. Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (treaty record)
  10. EHEA – Recognition
  11. NAWA – About ENIC-NARIC
  12. EQAR – Register entry: PKA, Polish Accreditation Committee
  13. Dz.U. 2018 poz. 2218 – Regulation on second-degree characteristics for PRK levels 6–8

Sources checked on 26 October 2026. Official documents are linked, not republished.