Terms appearing in Small Capitals throughout this Framework carry the
meanings assigned below. Where a term is used in a clause and is not
defined here, it takes its ordinary meaning in the context of Swiss
educational law and UNESCO ISCED terminology.
A
Academic Session — The period of instruction
constituting one school year at an Affiliated School, commencing on
the date notified to WEQSC and concluding on the date specified by
WEQSC for that jurisdiction.
Affiliated School — A school that has been
granted affiliation by the WEQSC Affiliation Committee, whose
affiliation is current, and whose name appears on the WEQSC public
register of affiliated institutions.
Affiliation — The formal partnership
relationship between WEQSC and a School, established under this
Framework, granting the School the rights and imposing the
obligations set out herein.
Affiliation Certificate — The official
document issued by WEQSC evidencing the affiliation of a School,
bearing the WEQSC seal, the validity period, and a verifiable
reference code.
Affiliation Committee — The body within
WEQSC constituted under Part VIII with authority to approve, suspend,
terminate, and renew affiliation, and to decide all matters reserved
to it under this Framework.
Affiliation Cycle — The five-year period
commencing on the Effective Date of an Affiliation and concluding on
the date falling five years thereafter, subject to renewal under
Part VII.
Approved Auditor — An independent
qualified accountant holding a current practising certificate from a
recognised professional accountancy body, appearing on the WEQSC list
of approved auditors, and having no material relationship with the
School beyond the audit engagement.
Audit Finding — A deficiency, irregularity,
or area of non-compliance identified by WEQSC or an Approved Auditor
in the course of an audit conducted under Part VI. Findings are
classified as Critical, Major, or Minor.
Authorised User — An individual holding
valid credentials granting access to the Institution Management
Portal, acting within the role assigned to them by the School and
WEQSC.
B
Bonus Marks — Additional marks added to a
student's Class 10 or Class 12 WISE examination score under Chapter
17, in recognition of representation in sports, NCC, Scouts &
Guides, or co-curricular activity.
Breach — Any failure by a School to comply
with an obligation imposed by this Framework, whether by act or
omission, and whether or not resulting in harm.
C
Class 10 — The tenth year of schooling
within the WEQSC framework, corresponding to the final year of ISCED
Level 2, and a WISE examination year.
Class 12 — The twelfth year of schooling
within the WEQSC framework, corresponding to the final year of ISCED
Level 3, and a WISE examination year.
Clause — A numbered provision of this
Framework. Cross-references are to clause numbers as they appear in
the published version.
Compliance Audit — An annual audit
conducted by WEQSC under Chapter 28, assessing the School's adherence
to curriculum, examination, data, and security standards.
Conditional Compliance Period — The period,
ordinarily ninety days, during which a School with Major or Critical
Audit Findings must implement corrective action under WEQSC oversight.
Continuous Affiliation — A status available
to Schools of sustained excellence under Chapter 31, removing the
requirement for periodic renewal while retaining annual audit.
Corrective Action Plan (CAP) — A formal
document submitted by a School under Chapter 28 setting out how each
Audit Finding will be addressed, by whom, and by what date.
Credential — A WISE certificate, marksheet,
transcript, or verification record issued to a student evidencing
assessment outcomes. Credentials are permanently verifiable.
Critical Finding — An Audit Finding
involving fraud, misappropriation, falsification of credentials, or
a safety risk to students, requiring remediation within thirty days.
Cure Period — The period, ordinarily thirty
to ninety days, granted to a School to remedy a Breach before further
sanction is imposed.
D
Data Modification — Any editing, updating,
changing, adding to, or removing of a record stored in the
Institution Management Portal or on any storage medium governed by
this Framework. All Data Modification requires prior WEQSC approval.
De-affiliation — The loss of affiliated
status, whether through voluntary withdrawal, non-renewal,
suspension escalating to termination, or termination for Breach.
Definitions Register — This register,
constituting the authoritative glossary of defined terms used in
this Framework.
Digital Record — A record held in
electronic form on a Non-Corruptible Medium, retained under Chapter 21.
District Level — A tier of representation
in sports or co-curricular activity at the administrative district
level, entitling the representing student to Bonus Marks under
Chapter 17.
E
Effective Date — The date on which an
Affiliation commences, being the date on which the initial fees are
received in full by WEQSC and the Affiliation Certificate is issued.
Elite Support Tier — The comprehensive
support package available to students representing their country
at national or international level, as set out in Chapter 18.
Examination Irregularity — Any conduct
compromising the integrity of a WISE examination, including
unauthorised access to question papers, impersonation, use of
prohibited materials, or collusion.
Examination Year — Class 10 and Class 12,
being the years in which students sit WISE board examinations and in
which examination fees are payable.
F
Financial Audit — The annual external
audit of a School's financial statements conducted by an Approved
Auditor under Chapter 27.
Finding — See Audit Finding.
G
Girl Student — A female student enrolled
at an Affiliated School in any class from Kindergarten through
Class 12, entitled to the universal fee exemption and support
provisions of Chapter 16.
Grace Period — The thirty-day period
following a fee due date during which no late-payment penalty is
imposed.
I
Institution Management Portal — The online
platform operated at wise.weqsc.org/portal through which Schools
submit data, generate credentials, monitor compliance, and interact
with WEQSC systems.
ISCED — The International Standard
Classification of Education, the UNESCO taxonomy for classifying
education programmes and levels, in its current (2011) form and any
successor revision adopted by WEQSC.
ISCED Level 2 — Lower secondary education,
corresponding within the WEQSC framework to Classes 9 and 10.
ISCED Level 3 — Upper secondary education,
corresponding within the WEQSC framework to Classes 11 and 12.
K
Kindergarten (KG) — The earliest years of
schooling within the WEQSC framework, preceding Class 1. Attendance
at KG through Class 9 is free of WEQSC examination fees.
L
Laboratory Requirement — The mandatory
provision of fully equipped Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
laboratories by Schools offering ISCED Level 3, as specified in
Chapter 9.
Late Payment Penalty — The surcharge
imposed on overdue fees, calculated at ten per cent per month
following expiry of the Grace Period.
Local Education Authority — The government
body in the School's jurisdiction responsible for the regulation of
schools and the recognition of educational qualifications.