Credential evaluation – criteria and procedure

Workshop: Boosting quality: International Credential Evaluation and Higher Education Quality Assessment in SSH (PHOENIX)

Bishkek, 13-14 April 2006

Gunnar VahtHead of the Estonian ENIC/NARIC

The purpose of assessment of foreign qualification

• Higher education institution– in admission to HEI

– in continue of studies on next stage

– in transfer of credits

– employment of teacher candidates

• Employer– what is the level of qualification

• higher- or vocational qualification?

• what is a speciality?

• is the degree at master´s level?

Assessment criteria - access qualifications

• I Assessment of institution– acceptance of the institution and curricula by competent authority of home

country– in case of international qualification - is it awarded by the official international

organisation (for example - IBO)– in case of “overseas” qualification - is it officially established and approved by

the competent authorities

• II Assessment of qualification– type of curricula (general, specialised or vocationally oriented)– (nominal duration)– subjects, content and amount– results of studies, examinations, marks; central level examination(s)?– status of qualification and rights in home country (is the qualification

eligible to higher education)

Assessment criteria - higher education qualifications

• I Assessment of institution– type of institution - HEI or vocational school, university of professional HEI,

private or public, etc– quality assurance/accreditation– status and recognition of institution in home country

• II Assessment of qualification– access requirements (previous education)– field of study - specialisation– content (subjects), practice, research, graduation requirements– nominal duration, capacity of study program - number of credits– access to further studies– professional status/rights in labor market

– Learning outcomes

Outcome of assessment

• Recommendation for recognition

• comparison, the corresponding qualification

• access to the same rights as to the holders of national corresponding qualification

Assessment procedure

• Information to applicants– acknowledgment of the receipt of their application

– standardised information on the procedure and criteria for the assessment of qualification (required documents, translations, principles and criteria of assessment, fee, time, status of the evaluation statement)

– advice applicants about the possibilities and procedures for submitting application

– information on educational systems and legal acts, on principles of recognition

Translations

• Acceptance of as much languages as possible without translations

• Many countries or institutions issues the documents (diplomas, transcripts, Diploma Supplement) in two languages

• As a rule, titles of foreign qualifications should be provided in the original language, without translation– For example the degrees “Bakalaureus”, “Master” and

“Doctorandus” from different higher education systems are corresponding qualifications. The result of translations may give a wrong value and recognition decision to the qualification

Translations

• PROBLEMS– direct translations of terminology– terminology is not correct– additions in the translations– omissions in the translations– general quality of translations is insufficent

Assessment of transnational qualifications

• Program articulation (joint degrees)

• Branch campuses in other territory

• Franchising

• Off-shore institutions (no “parent” institution, but belong to the educational system of another country)

• distance learning

• virtual arrangements

Transnational activities and assessment of qualifications

• Quality assurance• Many “international” or “foreign” programs at

national HEI and promotion of foreign degree - BA, MSc, MBA etc

• Joint study programs and joint degrees• “European” or “International” universities

(College of Europe, Central European University, European University)

• Non-recognised “studies” at diploma mills

Fraudulent documents

• Diploma mills (no study program, no license, no study, earn degree on 48 hours!)

• Incompetent institutions (legal institution but offer education at the level with no license (higher education program at training or consultation centre)

• Licensed but not accredited (quality assured)

• Unofficial degrees (recognised HEI, but degree awarded against the national legislation framework)

• Forgeries

• Altered credentials or credentials filled incorrectly