Jargon Buster
A
AHRC
Arts and Humanities Research Council
Almanac
University's diary of events for the academic year.
Athens
An identity management system which allows users in Higher Education access to a wide range of otherwise restricted databases and other online resources. Athens
AVS
B
BBSRC
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
BDRA
Beyond Distance Research Alliance
Blackboard
The University's virtual learning environment (VLE) - which supports a range of academic and administrative functions. Blackboard
BRC
Budget and Resources Committee
C
Calendar
A guide to committee memberships, the Almanac (see above), a list of University senior staff.
CFS
CFS (Central File Server) was the central computing service managed by IT Services. University staff and students were issued with a CFS account. Now staff and students are issued with a University IT account which gives staff and students access to University managed IT systems such as University PCs, Blackboard virtual learning environment, eduroam wi-fi and much more.
Chancellor
The formal head of the University, the Chancellor is Chair of the Court and a member of the University Council (although does not usually attend Council meetings). The Chancellor presides at degree ceremonies and other formal occasions, but also has a wider role in representing the University to the world at large.
CLMS
Centre for Labour Market Studies
Council
Council is the governing body of the University made up of University staff and lay representatives.
CPP
Department of Cell Physiology and Pharmacology
CUH
CWIS
The University's website system before the introduction of Plone. Campus Wide Information System/Corporate Web Information Service (name changed)
D
DL
Distance Learning
DMH
De Montfort Hall
E
EBDO
Enterprise and Business Development Office
EFMD
Estates and Facilities Management Division
ELH
(Centre for) English Local History
ELTU
English Language Teaching Unit
EPSRC
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
ESRC
Economic and Social Research Council
F
FJB
Fielding Johnson Building
G
GTA
Graduate Teaching Assistant
GRA
Graduate Research Assistant
H
HEFCE
Higher Education Funding Council for England
HWB
Henry Wellcome Building
HR
Human Resources (previously Personnel)
I
III
Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation
ITS
J
K
L
LPT
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (mental health services provider)
LRA
The Leicester Research Archive, the University's open access research repository
M
MRC
MSB
Maurice Shock Medical Sciences Building
N
NERC
Natural Environment Research Council
O
OSCE
Observed, Structured, Clinical Examination
P
Paternoster
The constantly moving series of open boxes for travelling between floors in the Attenborough Tower.
PDC
Programme Development Committee
PG
Postgraduate
PGR
Postgraduate Research (eg. PhD)
PGT
Postgraduate Taught (eg. MA, MSc)
PIT
Project Implementation Team
Plone
The content management system used for University of Leicester websites. University Webcentre
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
The Pro-Vice-Chancellors assist the Vice-Chancellor in maintaining and promoting the efficiency, effectiveness and good order of the University, and the senior of them stands in for the Vice-Chancellor in his/her absence.
PVC
Pro-Vice-Chancellor
PubMed
An online resource of citations, abstracts and full papers in medicine and biological sciences. PubMed
Q
R
RACS
Residential and Commercial Services
Registrar
The Registrar and Secretary is the senior member of the University's administrative staff. He/she is responsible for providing all the University's administrative services.
Registry
The Registry is responsible for administrative matters relating to undergraduate students.
S
Senate
Senate is the principal academic body of the University.
SRC
SSDS
Student Support and Development Service
STFC
Science and Technology Facilities Council
SU
Students’ Union
T
U
UCAS
Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
ULAS
University of Leicester Archaeological Services
UG
Undergraduate
UHL
University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
V
VC
Vice-Chancellor
VCAC
Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Committee
Vice-Chancellor
The Vice-Chancellor is the chief academic and executive officer of the University.
VLE
Virtual Learning Environment (Blackboard)
W
X
Y
Z
Please send suggestions for other jargon, abbrieviations or acronyms to: webcomms@le.ac.uk
