1. When is a Degree a Degree? Foreign Credential Evaluation Arjun Vinodrai, Manager of Evaluation Services World Education Services CLEAR 2006 Annual Conference, Alexandria, Virginia Early Bird Session, September 16, 2006, 7:15am to 8:15am

2. World Education Services www.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

3. World Education Services www.wes.org 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 1,000s 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

4. World Education Services www.wes.org IntentScopeLevel International Credential American / Canadian Equivalency Credential Evaluation Framework

5. World Education Services www.wes.org LevelScopeIntent Admission Requirement Program Length Type/Length of Program Theoretical vs. Practical Theoretical vs. Practical Type of Institution Programs offered Programs offered Recognition of institution Recognition of institution Presence of quality assurance mechanisms (institutional and program) Presence of quality assurance mechanisms (institutional and program) Standing in relation other institutions Standing in relation other institutions Academic programs it gives access to Transfer credit potential Professional Access General Use WESs Evaluation Criteria

6. World Education Services www.wes.org Recognition 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 ?

7. World Education Services www.wes.org Resources In print… International Handbook of Universities Commonwealth Universities Yearbook http://www.wes.org/ca/resources.asp

8. World Education Services www.wes.org Diploma Mills Helpful Resources… Oregon Student Assistance Commission http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.ht ml Bears Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning (in print) Madrid, Spain, March 2006

9. World Education Services www.wes.org Transnationalism

10. World Education Services www.wes.org Transnationalism Curtins Partners http://himo.humanities.curtin.edu. au/partners.cfm http://www.informatics.edu.pk/isla mabad.htm Designated Units http://students.curtin.edu.au/form s/ApplicationForAdvancedStandi ng.pdf

11. World Education Services www.wes.org Indian Institutions Helpful Resource… UGC Recognized Universities http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/university.html

12. World Education Services www.wes.org Affiliation Helpful Resources… 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/Ap provedInstitute.htm (For identifying private sector approved management and technical education institutions) Source: http://www.maharishiinstituteofmanagement.com/introduction.htm

13. World Education Services www.wes.org Helpful Resources… Closed Universities in Chattisgarh http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/r aipur.pdf UGC Fake Universities Alerts http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/fak ealerts.html Public Alert on Sub- Standard Private Universities in Pakistan http://www.hec.gov.pk/htmls/h ei/public_alert1.htm Closed Institutions

14. World Education Services www.wes.org Quality Assurance Full list for colleges and universities is available at: www.naac-india.com

15. World Education Services www.wes.org 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 Accreditation Council

16. World Education Services www.wes.org Curricular Aspects15 Teaching-Learning and Evaluation25 Research, Consultancy & Extension15 Infrastructure & Learning Resources15 Student Support and Progression10 Organization and Management10 Healthy Practices10 NAAC Accreditation Criteria for Universities

17. World Education Services www.wes.org NAAC in the News…

18. World Education Services www.wes.org Quality 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

19. World Education Services www.wes.org For More Information Contact… Arjun Vinodrai Manager of Evaluation Services World Education Services Canada 45 Charles Street East, Suite 700 Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1S2 Tel: (416) 972-0070 ext 31 Fax: (416) 972-9004 E-Mail: avinodra@wes.org avinodra@wes.org Web: www.wes.org/ca

20. World Education Services www.wes.org The Bologna Process

21. World Education Services www.wes.org www.juresultdirectory.org