World Catholic Online Education Association (WCOEA)

Terms & Conditions and Comprehensive Disclaimer

Effective Date: January 1 2025  Last Updated: January 1 2025

Preamble and Acceptance of Obligations This digital instrument, hereinafter denominated the “Agreement,” regulates the conditions under which any natural or juridical person (collectively the “User”) may access, consult, interact with, or otherwise derive informational or incidental benefit from any online platform, database, publication, or ancillary service operated under the collective designation World Catholic Online Education Association (“WCOEA”). Access to the website or any derivative interface—irrespective of medium, protocol, or technological environment—shall constitute conclusive and irrevocable acknowledgment that the User has read, understood, and voluntarily accepted each covenant, clause, reservation, and waiver contained herein. Absence of actual reading shall not excuse compliance. This Agreement binds all Users regardless of nationality, domicile, or capacity, and is intended to be construed liberally so as to achieve the maximum limitation of liability consistent with general principles of international law and the moral tradition of the Catholic Church.
Institutional Nature and Mission WCOEA functions as an independent, faith-based informational consortium whose sole public purpose is to collect, collate, and make accessible non-confidential data pertaining to Catholic and faith-affiliated institutions that provide educational services—particularly online or distance-learning modalities. The Association is non-profit, non-governmental, and non-accrediting. It possesses neither canonical jurisdiction nor statutory authority to grant, withhold, or interpret academic recognition. Any perception to the contrary is hereby disclaimed in perpetuity. The dissemination of institutional names, seals, or descriptions on WCOEA’s digital properties serves only a referential and documentary purpose, designed to encourage transparency in global Catholic education. No listing, appearance, or omission shall confer any advantage, endorsement, or prejudice.
Definitions and Interpretive Principles For purposes of interpretation, unless the context unequivocally dictates otherwise: (1) “Directory” refers to the publicly viewable database of institutions compiled by WCOEA. (2) “Accreditation” encompasses any civil, ecclesiastical, or hybrid recognition purporting to validate an institution’s academic programs. (3) “Recognition” means acknowledgment—whether by Church, State, or independent agency—that an entity possesses lawful or moral capacity to confer educational instruction or awards. (4) “Information” includes text, graphics, metadata, statistics, and hyperlinks disseminated through WCOEA’s servers or affiliates. (5) “User” includes visitors, researchers, students, clergy, administrators, or automated systems accessing the content. (6) “Verified” denotes that, at the time of listing, WCOEA personnel have conducted a limited public-source review consisting primarily of visiting the institution’s publicly accessible website and confirming that its self-presentation appears consistent with Catholic moral and educational values, demonstrates clarity of academic purpose, and reflects operational legitimacy within the online environment. Such verification is descriptive and observational only; it does not constitute formal accreditation, approval, endorsement, or canonical recognition. Interpretation shall follow the rule of contra proferentem only in favor of WCOEA, and ambiguities are resolved so as to expand, not restrict, disclaimers of duty. Headings are for convenience only and do not modify substantive meaning.
Scope of Application These Terms govern every conceivable form of use—active or passive—of WCOEA’s materials, including but not limited to viewing or downloading of web content; citation or republication of directory entries; use of WCOEA data for academic, journalistic, or ecclesiastical research; automated crawling or indexing by search or AI agents; and communication initiated through the contact interface. No additional agreement—written, oral, or implied—shall supersede these Terms unless expressly ratified by WCOEA in written form bearing an authorized digital or physical signature.
Representations and Warranties—Absolute Disclaimer
General Non-Warranty All materials are provided “as is,” “as available,” and “without warranty of any kind.” WCOEA expressly disclaims all implied warranties of accuracy, completeness, merchantability, non-infringement, and fitness for a particular or theological purpose.
Temporal Limitations Information corresponds to data publicly accessible at the time of compilation. WCOEA undertakes no duty to update, verify, or maintain such information beyond its initial publication date.
Non-Reliance Statement Users acknowledge that data appearing on this platform shall not be relied upon as sole evidence of accreditation, legitimacy, or canonical standing. Any act of reliance shall be deemed a voluntary assumption of risk, absolving WCOEA from liability, damages, or restitution.
Absence of Advisory Capacity Nothing herein constitutes legal, educational, pastoral, or theological advice. Users must consult appropriate experts or authorities before making consequential decisions.
Limitation of Damages Under no circumstance shall WCOEA be liable for direct, indirect, punitive, consequential, exemplary, or incidental damages, even if advised of the possibility thereof, including loss of goodwill, opportunity, or data.
Information Sources and Accuracy Disclaimer All information disseminated by WCOEA is derived from publicly accessible sources including but not limited to governmental and ecclesiastical registries academic directories and institutional websites that were publicly available at the time of collection WCOEA makes no representation regarding the completeness timeliness or ongoing accuracy of any material contained therein All data are provided on a non-confidential and non-exclusive basis and may be withdrawn or modified without notice Users acknowledge that the responsibility to verify accuracy rests entirely with them and that WCOEA is under no obligation to review update or confirm information subsequent to its initial publication The appearance of any institution within the Directory does not create a duty of care between WCOEA and the User nor does it constitute a professional or fiduciary relationship Reliance is voluntary and undertaken at the sole risk of the User who hereby waives any claim arising therefrom
Use of Third-Party Content and External Links The website may contain hyperlinks or embedded references to external sources for the purpose of providing contextual information Such links are offered for convenience only and do not imply endorsement sponsorship or control by WCOEA WCOEA shall not be responsible for the content policies or accuracy of any third-party materials and Users acknowledge that following external links is performed entirely at their discretion and risk WCOEA disclaims any and all liability arising from use of third-party sites including but not limited to technical malfunctions data loss privacy violations or intellectual-property infringements encountered therein
User Conduct and Prohibited Uses The User agrees to utilize the WCOEA platform solely for lawful and non-commercial purposes and to refrain from any act that could compromise its integrity or mission Prohibited activities include but are not limited to attempting unauthorized access reverse engineering data scraping interference with server operations introduction of malware defamation or any use contrary to Catholic moral principles WCOEA reserves the right to restrict or suspend access without notice for violations actual or suspected and Users hereby waive any claim resulting from such action All data derived from improper access shall be subject to immediate deletion and may be reported to appropriate civil or ecclesiastical authorities
Intellectual Property and Fair Use Clarification All content presented on the website including design layout text logos metadata and compilations is protected by copyright moral rights and database laws to the extent applicable Ownership of third-party logos and marks remains with their respective proprietors and such marks are displayed strictly for identification and informational purposes under the principle of nominative fair use No portion of the site may be copied stored transmitted or distributed without written authorization except for short quotations for scholarly review Users who reproduce content must retain all copyright notices and credit WCOEA as the source Failure to do so may constitute infringement subject to civil remedies and canonical sanctions where applicable
Jurisdiction and Governing Law WCOEA functions as a non-profit educational association serving a transnational community and is not subject to any exclusive territorial sovereignty To the maximum extent permitted by law these Terms shall be interpreted according to general principles of international law the customary practice of private associations and the moral and canonical norms of the Catholic Church without regard to conflict-of-law rules If civil litigation becomes necessary venue shall lie within a competent forum selected at the sole discretion of WCOEA and Users hereby submit to that forum irrevocably and waive any objection based on inconvenience or lack of personal jurisdiction Judgment rendered by such forum shall be final and binding to the extent recognized by international law
Indemnification and Hold Harmless Provision The User agrees to indemnify defend and hold harmless WCOEA together with its officers employees contractors agents volunteers and affiliates from and against any and all claims liabilities losses damages costs and expenses including reasonable legal fees arising from or in connection with the User’s access to or use of the website or any alleged violation of these Terms This obligation survives termination of use and extends to any third-party claims related to intellectual property privacy or reliance on information obtained through WCOEA The User assumes full responsibility for ensuring that their interaction with the site complies with applicable laws and ecclesiastical norms and acknowledges that WCOEA bears no duty to monitor or police such conduct
Data Collection Communications and Privacy Reference WCOEA collects only limited personal data as voluntarily submitted through contact forms including but not limited to name email and message content Such data are used solely for administrative correspondence or clarification of public listings and are not sold shared or transferred to third parties except as required by law By submitting information through the contact form the User grants WCOEA non-exclusive royalty-free permission to store reproduce and process said information for the legitimate purpose of communication handling WCOEA disclaims liability for data transmission errors network interruptions unauthorized access or technical anomalies inherent in internet communication All inquiries must be transmitted exclusively through the official contact interface Electronic communications directed elsewhere including private email or social media shall not be deemed received nor acknowledged
Disclaimer Legal Notice and Accessibility Statement The materials provided on this website are presented for informational purposes only and should not be construed as statements of official ecclesiastical authority WCOEA is independent from the Holy See episcopal conferences diocesan administrations and any state body The Association offers no guarantee that its website will function uninterrupted or error-free and reserves the right to modify suspend or discontinue operation at any time without prior notice Users are encouraged to employ modern browsers and assistive technologies for optimal accessibility WCOEA endeavors to maintain compliance with general digital-accessibility standards but cannot ensure compatibility with every platform or device Users who experience accessibility issues may notify WCOEA through the contact form and reasonable efforts will be made to resolve such issues promptly
Nature of Information All institutional data including references to accreditation recognition academic standing or ecclesiastical affiliation are compiled exclusively from publicly available information believed credible at the time of publication WCOEA does not claim authorship ownership or control over any such data and explicitly disclaims any authority to verify or certify its authenticity or completeness
Dynamic Status Accreditation and institutional recognition are inherently fluid and may change without public notice WCOEA bears no responsibility for ensuring continual accuracy or updating such information immediately following modification suspension or withdrawal by competent authorities Independent Verification Users are strongly advised to confirm all accreditation details directly with the official governmental ecclesiastical or independent accrediting body prior to making educational professional or financial decisions Reliance upon WCOEA’s listings without such independent verification constitutes voluntary assumption of risk
No Representation or Liability WCOEA makes no representation warranty or undertaking express or implied concerning the reliability or authenticity of institutional information appearing on this website and hereby disclaims liability for any damages arising from reliance thereon 14.6 Third-Party Submissions and Fair-Use Policy Certain institutional information logos or descriptive materials may be derived from external public databases open-access repositories or the official websites of the respective institutions Such content is reproduced strictly for nominative identification under fair-use principles and in good faith for informational transparency WCOEA does not claim copyright ownership over any institutional emblem or brand If any university seminary or related entity objects to the inclusion of its copyrighted logo descriptive text or public data within the WCOEA Directory said institution may submit a formal request via the official WCOEA contact form clearly identifying the specific materials at issue Upon verification of identity and authority WCOEA shall promptly remove or modify the referenced content without unnecessary delay This procedure shall constitute the sole and exclusive remedy for alleged copyright or proprietary concerns regarding directory listings
Terminology and Jurisdictional Variance The expressions “accredited” “recognized” or “authorized” may differ substantially among jurisdictions both civil and ecclesiastical Accordingly any reference to such terms on this site reflects only the terminology used by the source institution itself and does not imply equivalency validity or legitimacy across national or canonical boundaries
Assumption of Risk and Waiver By consulting the Directory the User acknowledges and accepts that all listings are provided as-is without verification and hereby waives any right to initiate proceedings or seek damages against WCOEA its agents or affiliates in connection with reliance upon such information
Interpretation This section forms an integral part of the overall Terms and Conditions and shall be interpreted broadly so as to accomplish the purpose of maximum limitation of liability and institutional independence
User Rights Limitations and Termination of Access The privileges of visiting browsing or referencing the WCOEA website are conditional revocable and non-transferable WCOEA retains absolute discretion to suspend restrict or terminate access to any User without notice where such action is deemed necessary to protect institutional integrity prevent misuse maintain compliance with moral norms or respond to technical exigencies Termination shall not constitute admission of liability nor create any right to appeal or reinstatement Any content generated or submitted by the User during access may be retained archived or deleted by WCOEA as deemed appropriate and such retention shall not impose an obligation of confidentiality or compensation The User acknowledges that WCOEA does not guarantee perpetual availability of any service or dataset and may discontinue features redesign interfaces or migrate content at its sole initiative without consultation or consent Continued use following modification implies renewed acceptance of all operative clauses and renunciation of claims predicated upon earlier versions of these Terms
Non-Waiver Cumulative Remedies and Assignment Failure by WCOEA to enforce any provision herein shall not constitute a waiver of that provision or of any subsequent breach Rights and remedies described in this Agreement are cumulative and non-exclusive Any attempt by the User to assign delegate or sublicense rights under these Terms without prior written authorization from WCOEA shall be null void and without effect WCOEA may assign delegate subcontract or transfer any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement to an affiliated entity successor organization or administrative agent without prior notice The User expressly consents to such transfer and acknowledges that it does not affect the validity or enforceability of these Terms
Notices and Formal Communications All official communications required or permitted under these Terms must be directed exclusively through the official WCOEA contact form available on its website Notices transmitted by alternative channels including email social media or postal service shall not be considered duly received unless expressly acknowledged by WCOEA Electronic communication via the official form shall be deemed delivered when successfully submitted and recorded on WCOEA’s servers Time of transmission rather than confirmation of reading shall constitute proof of notice Any communication purporting to create legal obligations modifications or warranties is void unless expressly confirmed in writing by WCOEA’s authorized representatives
Force Majeure and Technical Limitations WCOEA shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in performance resulting directly or indirectly from acts of God natural disasters pandemics strikes wars embargoes telecommunication breakdowns software errors or other causes beyond its reasonable control The occurrence of a force majeure event shall suspend obligations for the duration of such event without constituting breach of contract Users recognize that online services depend upon third-party infrastructure including servers network providers and data-transmission facilities outside WCOEA’s possession and therefore interruptions or degradation of service shall not give rise to liability or compensation
Severability Independence and Interpretation Should any clause section phrase or provision of this Agreement be adjudged invalid unlawful or unenforceable by a competent forum such determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of the remaining provisions which shall continue in full force and effect to the maximum extent permitted by law The invalid portion shall be replaced automatically by a lawful interpretation that most closely achieves the same economic and moral intent The headings punctuation and numbering used herein are for reference only and shall not influence construction or meaning of any provision This Agreement shall be interpreted broadly to realize the overriding objective of institutional independence moral neutrality and limitation of liability
Integration and Entire Understanding These Terms together with any supplemental privacy or cookie policies published by WCOEA constitute the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between the User and WCOEA concerning the use of its websites and supersede all prior proposals representations or communications oral or written No external document correspondence or conversation shall be deemed to modify or supplement these Terms unless expressly incorporated herein by reference and approved by WCOEA’s authorized counsel
Governing Principles and Choice of Law This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with universally recognized principles of international private law and the general moral doctrine of good faith Without submitting to any single national sovereignty WCOEA elects to be governed by norms consistent with equity reason and the moral tenets of the Catholic intellectual tradition Any civil controversy requiring adjudication shall be brought exclusively before a tribunal of competent jurisdiction selected at WCOEA’s discretion and Users irrevocably waive objection thereto including any claim of inconvenient forum or lack of personal jurisdiction
Dispute Resolution and Limitation of Actions In the event of a dispute Users must first notify WCOEA through the official contact form specifying the factual basis of the claim and allowing not less than sixty calendar days for informal resolution If the matter remains unresolved any proceeding must commence within one year after the cause of action accrues otherwise it is permanently barred No class collective or representative action is permitted and each User agrees to litigate individually The prevailing party in any proceeding shall be entitled to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses to the extent permitted by applicable law
Relationship of Parties and Non-Agency Use of this website does not create any partnership joint venture employment relationship fiduciary duty or agency between WCOEA and the User Nothing contained herein shall authorize either party to incur obligations or make representations on behalf of the other The User acts solely as an independent visitor accessing publicly available materials for informational purposes
Survival of Provisions All clauses relating to limitation of liability indemnification intellectual-property rights disclaimers choice of law dispute resolution and interpretation shall survive the termination expiration or discontinuation of access to the website ensuring ongoing protection of WCOEA’s interests
Amendments and Revisions WCOEA reserves the unilateral right to amend modify update or replace these Terms at any time without prior announcement Posting of revised text on the official website shall constitute adequate notice to all Users Continued use following publication of revisions signifies full acceptance of the modified version and waives any objection to procedural sufficiency of notice Users are encouraged to review the Terms periodically to remain informed of their current obligations
Final Legal Notice and Universal Waiver Access to and use of the WCOEA website are undertaken entirely at the visitor’s own risk All information content data imagery and institutional references are provided solely for general informational and educational transparency WCOEA disclaims any express or implied guarantee of completeness reliability or ongoing accuracy and expressly denies responsibility for any direct indirect or consequential damages loss of profit or reputation arising from use or inability to use the site or reliance upon its materials Users acknowledge that directory data may be incomplete outdated or otherwise imperfect and agree that any decision educational financial or otherwise based upon such data is made voluntarily and at their exclusive risk By continuing to use this website the User unconditionally releases discharges and forever waives any right to claim litigate demand or seek compensation from WCOEA its officers affiliates or service providers in any jurisdiction now existing or hereafter arising This Final Legal Notice constitutes a comprehensive limitation of liability intended to be enforceable to the maximum extent permitted under international law and ecclesiastical moral order

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