Section 3Sec./Art. 3

Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Accreditation refers to the process of identifying, assessing, validating, and recognizing learning obtained by the individual through formal, non-formal, and informal training or experiences;

(b) Center of Excellence/Center of Development refers to a public or private higher education institution that has attained a certain level of quality or standard in a given field of instruction, research, or extension as identified by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED);

(c) Equivalency refers to the process of assigning academic credits equivalent to the competence demonstrated by an individual by means of assessment tests, demonstrations, or actual work performance;

(d) Formal learning refers to the hierarchically structured and chronically graded learning organized and provided by the formal school system and for which certification is required in order for the learner to progress through the grades or move to higher levels;

(e) Higher educations institution (HEI) refers to an institution of higher learning which primarily offers degree-granting programs duly recognized by the CHEF and leading to the conferment of a diploma;

(f) Informal leading refers to non-structured and non-directed learning obtained from experiences at home, place of work, community, civil society, religious institutions, mass media, and other incidental sources;

(g) Non-formal learning refers to the intentional learning gained through participation in organized workplace-based training, non-credit courses, and workshops, the completion of which does not lead to formal credit; and

(h) Tertiary education refers to the stage of education following the secondary cycle and covers post-secondary non-degree diplomas, technical-vocational education and training, and higher education programs including graduate education.