EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE
Standards for learning, assessment, certification and digital credentials.
The Climate Academy exists to provide education that is accessible, trustworthy and academically rigorous.
These Standards describe the expectations that apply to learners participating in Academy courses, assessments and certification. They explain how academic standards are maintained and how educational achievements are recognised fairly and consistently.
These Standards are educational policies. They support, but do not replace, the legal Terms of Use.
The Academy is committed to ensuring that every certificate and digital credential issued represents genuine learning and achievement. Every learner should be confident that the achievements of others have been earned honestly and assessed fairly.
Learning is founded on trust. These expectations help preserve the value of every learner’s achievements.
Academic integrity is central to every Academy award. Learners should ensure that all submitted work accurately represents their own understanding and achievement.
Where concerns arise, the Academy may investigate before awarding or confirming certification.
The Academy recognises that Artificial Intelligence is an important educational tool. Responsible use can enhance learning by supporting research, explanation, language improvement, accessibility and exploration of ideas. However, AI must never replace the learner’s own understanding.
Where AI has materially contributed to submitted work, learners are encouraged to acknowledge its use where appropriate. The objective is not to prohibit AI but to ensure that educational achievement continues to reflect genuine learning.
AI may normally be used to explain concepts, suggest alternative wording, improve grammar and clarity, support research, assist accessibility and generate practice questions.
AI should not be used to submit AI-generated work as personal learning, fabricate evidence, complete assessments without meaningful learner understanding, or misrepresent personal achievement.
Some Academy awards require learners to demonstrate practical application of knowledge through evidence submission. Evidence should relate directly to the published requirements, be authentic, be the learner’s own work unless collaboration is explicitly permitted, and accurately represent the activities described.
Assessors may request clarification where evidence is incomplete or unclear. Learners are responsible for ensuring they have permission to share submitted or linked material and for avoiding unnecessary disclosure of confidential or personal information.
Assessment methods may include quizzes, written assignments, peer assessment, tutor assessment, evidence review, reflective activities and practical application. Assessment methods are selected to match the educational objectives of each course.
Peer assessment forms part of several Academy courses. Learners participating as reviewers should act honestly, assess fairly, follow published marking guidance, provide constructive feedback and respect differing viewpoints.
Peer assessment is intended to support learning for both reviewer and learner.
Assessment decisions are made using published marking criteria. Where appropriate, learners may request clarification or review if they believe an administrative or procedural error has occurred.
The Academy distinguishes between disagreement with academic judgement and genuine procedural error.
Certificates and digital credentials are awarded only after successful completion of the published requirements. Certification confirms that, at the time of award, the learner satisfied the Academy’s academic requirements.
Digital credentials may be issued using recognised open credential standards where applicable. Certification does not guarantee professional competence, employment, academic credit or external recognition.
The Academy maintains systems to enable the authenticity and current status of certificates and digital credentials to be verified. Verification confirms the Academy’s award record and may show whether an award is current or has subsequently been withdrawn.
Educational programmes naturally evolve. Where learners have already begun a certification pathway, the Academy will normally assess them against the version of the requirements that applied when those requirements were formally recorded for that learner. This principle protects fairness while allowing courses to improve over time.
Examples of academic misconduct include:
The Academy considers each case individually and proportionately.
Where academic concerns arise, the Academy may:
Responses will normally reflect the seriousness of the issue and the available evidence.
A certificate or digital credential may be corrected, suspended or revoked where fraud, misrepresentation, serious academic misconduct or a significant administrative error is established after issue. Revocation or correction will be recorded in the Academy’s verification system where applicable.
Where practicable and appropriate, the learner will be informed of the concern and given an opportunity to provide relevant information before a final decision.
Learners who believe an administrative or procedural error has occurred may request a review. An appeal should identify the decision concerned, explain the alleged error and provide relevant supporting information.
The purpose of an appeal is to review the fairness and correctness of the process rather than simply to reconsider academic judgement because the learner disagrees with the outcome.
The Academy encourages constructive discussion and respectful disagreement. Learners should contribute positively to the learning community and avoid behaviour that intimidates, discriminates against or deliberately disrupts the learning of others.
Educational standards evolve. The Academy will periodically review these Standards in light of educational research, technological developments, learner feedback, international best practice and changes in assessment methods. Updated versions will be published by the Academy.
The purpose of these Standards is not simply to regulate assessment. Their purpose is to preserve trust.
Every learner who earns an Academy certificate or digital credential should be able to demonstrate that it represents genuine learning, honest achievement and fair assessment. By maintaining these Standards, we protect the value of every learner’s accomplishment and uphold the educational reputation of The Climate Academy.