Glossary
Oral defence: arguing your choices before a panel
A defence is the oral presentation of a piece of work before a questioning panel. It assesses what writing shows poorly: how solid the reasoning is, command of the subject, and the ability to hold a position.
An oral that tests reasoning
A defence means presenting a finished piece of work, then answering a panel's questions. It usually runs thirty to sixty minutes including the presentation. What is assessed is the reasoning: why this method rather than another, what you would do differently, what your result allows someone to decide. Preparation is part of the programme, with at least one supervised rehearsal.
- Presentation then questions, usually within thirty to sixty minutes
- What is assessed: the reasoning and how solid the choices are
- At least one supervised rehearsal is built into the programme
How you prepare for it
The Artificial Intelligence programme closes with the defence of the final project: dataset, model, deployment, measured effect. On the Entrepreneurship programme, the defence covers a business plan argued before practitioners, who probe the market assumptions and the cash position.
- presentation and questions included
- 30–60 min
- supervised rehearsal at minimum
- 1
- credits validated by the programme it closes
- 120
- competency blocks drawn on in the oral
- 5
Written into the programme calendar.
Programmes that close with an oral
2 catalogue programmes put “Oral defence” to work: 180 credits and 1800 taught hours in total. The official rule holds throughout — one credit stands for 25 hours of work, 10 of them taught. Every line below is recomputed from the programme page: level, duration, credits, taught volume and fees in Guinean francs appear exactly as filed in the official catalogue.
| Programme | Level | Duration | Volume | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial Intelligence programme — Bac+5 level | Master's degree | 2 years | 120 credits · 1200 taught hours | 7 800 000 GNF per year |
| Entrepreneurship | Bachelor's degree | 18 months | 60 credits · 600 taught hours | 4 400 000 GNF per year |
Before you apply
How long does a defence last?
Thirty to sixty minutes depending on the programme, presentation and questions included. The exact length comes with the summons.
Can the defence be held remotely?
Yes, by video with the panel assembled, under the same conditions of length and questioning as in person.
How do you prepare?
The programme includes at least one supervised rehearsal, with detailed feedback on substance, structure of the presentation and handling of questions.
Explore next
- Capstone projectThe capstone project in IHETC programmes: a single subject spanning the programme, staged deliverables, supervision and final defence.
- PortfolioProfessional portfolio: expected content, how to structure one piece, its place in IHETC programmes and its use in interviews.
- Peer reviewPeer review in IHETC programmes: shared grid, review round, what the reviewer gains, and how it connects to instructor marking.
- CertificateIHETC certificate: what it attests, the details it carries, how a third party verifies it and which courses award it.
- Professional qualificationIHETC professional qualifications: 72 published, 360 competency blocks, 49750 taught hours and 4975 credits.
- Qualification levelIHETC qualification levels: four steps, from skilled position to executive role, with the real distribution of the 72 catalogue qualifications.