when is a degree a degree? foreign credential evaluation arjun vinodrai, manager of evaluation...

When is a Degree a Degree?When is a Degree a Degree? Foreign Credential EvaluationForeign Credential Evaluation

Arjun Vinodrai, Manager of Evaluation ServicesArjun Vinodrai, Manager of Evaluation Services

World Education ServicesWorld Education Services

CLEAR 2006 Annual Conference, Alexandria, VirginiaCLEAR 2006 Annual Conference, Alexandria, Virginia

Early Bird Session, September 16, 2006, 7:15am to 8:15amEarly Bird Session, September 16, 2006, 7:15am to 8:15am

World Education Serviceswww.wes.org

Outline• About WES• Credential Evaluation

– What it is– How its done

• Foreign Degree Granting Institutions– Recognition– Diploma Mills– Transnationalism– Affiliation– Changing Status– Quality Assurance

• Questions


• World Education Services is the largest, and one of the oldest credential evaluation services in North America

• It is an independent not for profit organization

• Established in New York in 1974, has been working in Canada since 2000

• A founding member of NACES• Currently used by 1,000’s of academic

institutions, regulatory bodies, attorneys, employers, and recruitment firms

• Provided over 54,000 evaluations in 2005• Extensive resources available free of charge

through our website

About

WES

About

WES


IntentIntentScopeScopeLevelLevel

International International CredentialCredential

American / Canadian American / Canadian EquivalencyEquivalency

Credential Evaluation FrameworkCredential Evaluation Framework


LevelLevel ScopeScope IntentIntentAdmission Admission RequirementRequirement

Program LengthProgram Length

Type/Length of Type/Length of ProgramProgram• Theoretical vs. PracticalTheoretical vs. Practical

Type of Type of InstitutionInstitution• Programs offered Programs offered • Recognition of institutionRecognition of institution• Presence of quality Presence of quality assurance mechanismsassurance mechanisms (institutional and program)(institutional and program)

• Standing in relation other Standing in relation other institutionsinstitutions

Academic Academic programs it programs it gives access togives access to

Transfer credit Transfer credit potentialpotential

Professional Professional AccessAccess

General UseGeneral Use

WES’s Evaluation CriteriaWES’s Evaluation Criteria


RecognitionRecognition

• Does the institution exist?• What is the status of the institution?• What kind of institution is it ?• Who recognizes the institution ?• Is there another institution with which

the institution is affiliated ?• Awarding authority• Institution affiliation• How does the institution compare to

other institutions in the country ?


Reso

urc

es

Reso

urc

es

In print…In print…International Handbook of Universities

Commonwealth Universities Yearbook

http://www.wes.org/ca/resources.asp


Dip

lom

a M

ills

Dip

lom

a M

ills

Helpful Resources…

Oregon Student Assistance Commission

http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.html

Bear’s Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning (in print)

Ma

dri

d,

Sp

ain

, M

arc

h 2

00

6


Tra

nsn

ati

onalis

mTra

nsn

ati

onalis

m


Tra

nsn

ati

onalis

mTra

nsn

ati

onalis

m Curtin’s Partners

http://himo.humanities.curtin.edu.au/partners.cfm

http://www.informatics.edu.pk/islamabad.htm

Designated Units

http://students.curtin.edu.au/forms/ApplicationForAdvancedStanding.pdf


India

n Inst

ituti

ons

India

n Inst

ituti

ons

Helpful Resource…

UGC Recognized Universities

http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/university.html


Affi

liati

on

Affi

liati

on


All India College Directory

http://www.education.nic.in/collegedir/collegedir.asp

(For identifying Universities with which Colleges are Affiliated)

All India Council for Technical Education

http://www.aicte.ernet.in/ApprovedInstitute.htm

(For identifying private sector approved management and technical education institutions)

Source: http://www.maharishiinstituteofmanagement.com/introduction.htm



Closed Universities in Chattisgarh

http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/raipur.pdf

UGC Fake Universities Alertshttp://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/fakealerts.html

Public Alert on Sub-Standard Private Universities in Pakistanhttp://www.hec.gov.pk/htmls/hei/public_alert1.htmC

lose

d Inst

ituti

ons

Clo

sed Inst

ituti

ons


Qualit

y A

ssura

nce

Qualit

y A

ssura

nce

Full list for colleges and universities is available at: www.naac-india.com


• Established as an autonomous body of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 1994

• Accreditation is completed through self assessment and peer review, accreditation lasts for five years

• In order to be re-accredited, institution must make ranking available on the internet

• Accreditation is mandatory in: Assam, Haryana, Karnataka and Maharashtra

• Accreditation is mandatory for eligibility to UGC funding, accreditation level affects funding

National Assessment and National Assessment and Accreditation CouncilAccreditation Council


Curricular Aspects 15

Teaching-Learning and Evaluation 25

Research, Consultancy & Extension 15

Infrastructure & Learning Resources 15

Student Support and Progression 10

Organization and Management 10

Healthy Practices 10

NAAC Accreditation Criteria for NAAC Accreditation Criteria for UniversitiesUniversities


NA

AC

in t

he N

ew

s…N

AA

C in t

he N

ew

s…


Quality Assurance ResourcesQuality Assurance Resources

• National Assesment and Accreditation Council Accredited Institutions in India

• http://www.naac-india.com/Statewise.asp

• Higher Education Commission Groupings of Private Universities in Pakistan

• http://www.wes.org/ewenr/05jan/feature.htm

• International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education

• http://www.inqaahe.org/members_view.cfm?typ=1&mID=3&sID=5


For More Information For More Information Contact…Contact…

Arjun VinodraiArjun VinodraiManager of Evaluation ServicesManager of Evaluation Services

World Education Services CanadaWorld Education Services Canada45 Charles Street East, Suite 70045 Charles Street East, Suite 700

Toronto, OntarioToronto, Ontario

M4Y 1S2M4Y 1S2

Tel: (416) 972-0070 ext 31Tel: (416) 972-0070 ext 31

Fax: (416) 972-9004Fax: (416) 972-9004

E-Mail: [email protected]: [email protected]

Web: www.wes.org/caWeb: www.wes.org/ca


The B

olo

gna P

roce

ssThe B

olo

gna P

roce

ss


www.juresultdirectory.orgwww.juresultdirectory.org

when is a degree a degree? foreign credential evaluation arjun vinodrai, manager of evaluation...

Documents

technical education

universities http

transnationalism slide

wes slide

accreditation council

news slide

india http

chattisgarh http