Verification of Previous Qualifications

Purpose

The purpose of this procedure is to enable WU admissions officers to evaluate applicants' previous qualifications as prerequisites for admission to WU programs.

Principles of the verification process

1. Reliable: It is consistent in interpreting evidence.
2. Flexible: It works equally well for all situations for which it was designed.
3. Equitable: It does not favor one kind of applicant over another.
4. Fair to applicants and to WU: It prevents students being admitted to programs where they have a poor chance of success.
5. Authentic: It authenticates identities and documents.
6. Accountable: It results in documentation that includes justification for its decisions.

Evaluation outcomes

1. The outcome of the evaluation of a foreign qualification may take the form of:
1. A recognition decision for use by the admissions officer
2. A statement to the applicant or to whom it may concern providing a comparison of the foreign qualification with similar qualifications in the country in which recognition is sought, without being a formal recognition decision
3. Advice to another institution, which will then make the recognition decision
4. Any other advice given to the applicant.
2. Examples of suitable evaluation outcomes can include:
1. Acceptance of the qualification or transcript, stating that the institution should be recognized, and giving the basis for recognition
2. Non-acceptance of the qualification or transcript, stating that there is no basis for recognition. Unacceptable accreditation should also be listed, and the reason for non-acceptance.
3. Recommendation for admission to a higher or lower degree.
4. Recommendation for reduced credit.
5. Recommendation for Alternative Assessment of Competence.
6. Recommendation for conditional admission, such as pre-admission status (Master programs only).
7. Recommendation of remedial measures that might help them get recognition at a later stage.
3. File an English translation of any transcripts or testamurs that are not in English.
4. Applicants should be informed in writing of the outcome their assessments.

Procedure for simple cases

1. The admissions officer requests an official transcript directly from the issuing institution in a foreign country. The mode of delivery should ideally be by an approved electronic means. An official transcript must bear the appropriate signatures and seal of the institution that issued it.
2. The admissions officer checks that:
1. the foreign institution actually exists
2. the transcript is authentic
3. the transcript can be considered to be official
4. the foreign institution is recognized or accredited in its home country
5. the institution offers the program that is indicated on the document
6. the candidate’s educational chronology supports the credential in question.
3. Where possible, documents must be verified as authentic by one of the following:
1. authorized officials at the institutions that issued them
2. embassies or consulates
3. public notaries (or their local legal equivalents)
4. a local WU staff member.
4. To speed the verification of documents, the request and documents should be sent by email. Replies by fax or email are acceptable, provided that the name, email address, or fax number of the sender can be athenticated (e.g. by a local WU staff member, traced back to the institution's website or in a published authoritative reference).
5. In countries where institutions issue transcripts in languages other than English, a specific request should be made to that institution to issue a translated transcript in English. Prospective students should further be required to have their official transcripts issued in English by the institutions that they attended. Not only is it more economical for the students to obtain their documents in English from their institutions, the translation is also likely to be more accurate. Where this is not possible, students must provide certified translations of their qualifications.

Procedure for complex cases

1. In cases where documents do not come directly from the institution or cannot be verified as authentic copies of the documents submitted by the student:
1. The admissions officer should send the relevant documents for verification to the institution that issued them.
2. Verification requests should be sent to the official address of the institution.
3. Before sending a document for verification, it is important to check the address to ensure that it is the same as the one that appears in published sources and not rely solely on the address that is printed on the document itself.
4. Letters asking for verification should be addressed to the title of the officer who issued and signed the document (e.g., Controller of examinations, Director of studies, or Registrar) and not to a particular individual.
2. In some cases, the admissions officer should ask the local WU coordinator for assistance. This may be helpful in cases where institutions have distinct procedures, for example:
• Their normal procedure is to validate or notarize a photocopy of a testamur or transcript.
• Documents are not available within a reasonable timeframe. Some reputable institutions cannot efficiently authenticate their own transcripts.
• Direct contact from a distance is not possible; they only respond to in-person queries.
• Fraudulent documentation is easy to acquire, even from official sources.
• Documents are available only by paying an unrealistic fee or a bribe.
3. Check whether there is sufficient information on the educational practices of the country of origin to make a judgment.
4. Check whether the issuing institution is listed in the International Handbook of Universities (IHU). If the degree or transcript is authenticated and the issuing institution is listed in IHU, then recommend that it be recognized as accredited.
5. If the issuing institution is not listed on either IHU or EDGE, then check its bona fides through local referees and the local country coordinator.
1. Many countries have no governmental provision for accrediting private theological schools. If a degree or transcript is authenticated and the issuing institution is recognized by a suitable agency (e.g., an ICETE accreditor), then recommend that it is recognized.
2. Some governments have accreditors other than the department of higher education. These multiple accreditation systems might work in equivalent but different ways. When transcripts and qualifications are earned with other government accreditors, recommend that they be recognized.
6. Adding any lessons learned to the country profile for future reference and to keep all practices consistent.

Evaluation criteria

1. Consider the status of the graduate institution that awarded the qualification. Is it part of a graduate education system from a country that is part of the Lisbon Recognition Convention and/or belonging to the European Region?
1. If the country has established a quality assurance system, including a system of formal assessment of their graduate education institutions, consider the results of the process when evaluating their qualifications.
2. Identifying the qualification in the system of the country in which recognition is sought that is most comparable to the foreign qualification, considering also the purpose for which recognition is sought.
3. What is the qualification’s relative position and function compared to other qualifications in the same system?
4. Can you refer to the National Qualifications Framework, European Qualifications Frameworks, or other similar Qualification Frameworks?
5. Other: If it was issued by an institution established through transnational arrangements, you should analyze these arrangements on the basis of the principles stipulated in the UNESCO/Council of Europe Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education and in the Recommendation on the Recognition of Joint Degrees.
2. Has the qualification has already been accepted or certified by another recognition authority?
3. Consider the purpose(s) for which recognition is sought, and write in the recognition statement the purpose(s) for which the statement is valid. In this case, it is for admission to WU studies, but might also include transfer credit. Examples of other assessment purposes are:
1. general access to graduate education
2. restricted access to graduate education (i.e., access restricted to certain parts of the graduate education system)
3. general access to further studies at a given level
4. restricted access to further studies
5. access to professional training
6. general access to the labor market (i.e., as a qualification for a wide range of positions at a given level)
7. access to a specialized area of the labor market.
4. Consider any particular national and international legal texts relevant to the case. They might determine the procedure you must follow or pre-determine the outcome.
5. Consider past practice in similar recognition cases, in order to ensure consistency in recognition practice. Past practice should be a guide, and any substantial change of practice should be justified.
6. For two qualifications to be equivalent, they do not need to be the same.
1. When comparing qualifications, consider only the comparability of outcomes. Do not look only at program elements as a necessary condition for recognition in their own right.
2. If the qualification can be recognised, give recognition unless there is evidence that the applicant’s qualification is substantially different from an accredited U.S.A. qualification.
3. Qualifications of equal level may show differences in terms of content, profile, workload, quality and learning outcomes. Be flexible in assessing foreign qualifications; only substantial differences in view of the purpose for which recognition is sought (e.g., academic or de facto professional recognition) should lead to partial recognition or non-recognition of the foreign qualifications.
7. If the differences are substantial, determine whether you can give alternative, partial and/or conditional recognition, for example:
1. recognition of the foreign qualification as comparable to a qualification of the host country, but not to that indicated by the applicant
2. partial recognition of the foreign qualification
3. full or partial recognition of the foreign qualification subject to the applicant successfully taking additional examinations, further study, aptitude tests, or other compensatory measures
4. full or partial recognition of the foreign qualification at the end of a probationary period, possibly subject to specified conditions.
8. In some cases, you might need to respond in terms of specific units /and a specific number of semester hours.
9. Do not deny transfer credit requests solely on the basise of the source of accreditation of the credit-granting institution.
10. You should only reject recognition outright when you cannot grant even an alternative form of recognition. In some cases, the absence of recognition may be fair recognition on the evidence of the case.
11. While you should assess qualifications in qualitative terms, you may have to also use quantitative criteria, but only if they are relevant to quality and may supplement qualitative criteria.
12. If formal rights attach to a certain foreign qualification in the home country (e.g. access to further study), evaluate it with a view to giving the holder comparable formal rights in the host country.
13. The recognition of qualifications issued several years ago and/or under previous graduate education structures may present different challenges. Consider the following:
1. To what extent is the qualification outdated? This will depend on the field concerned as well as the applicant’s activities since getting it.
2. If the qualification was issued under previous structures, refer to the status of the qualification in the issuing country.
3. If a national qualifications framework exists in the issuing country, it should be established whether previous qualifications are included in it.
4. In general, older qualifications should be recognized along the same lines as similar qualifications issued in the country in which recognition is sought, and taking into account the purpose for which recognition is sought.
5. Focus on the learning outcomes, as well as the quality of the program.
14. Its duration is merely one indication of the level of achievement reached at the end of the program. Acknowledge that Recognition of Prior Learning, credit transfer, different forms of access to graduate education, joint degrees and life-long learning will all shorten the duration of some academic qualifications without diminishing the learning outcomes. A decision not to grant recognition should not be motivated by duration alone.
15. The assessment of a foreign qualification should focus on the qualification for which recognition is sought. Previous levels of education should be considered only where these levels have a serious bearing on the outcome of the assessment, and should, as far as possible, be limited to qualifications of a level immediately preceding the qualification for which recognition is sought.
16. In cases where refugees, persons in a refugee-like situation, or others who for good reason cannot document the qualifications they claim, you should create and use a “background paper” giving an overview of the qualifications or periods of study claimed with all available documents and supporting evidence.
17. Apply your know-how and best professional skills, and take note of all relevant published information. Where adequate information on the learning outcomes is available, this takes precedence in the assessment over consideration of the education program that has led to the qualification.

EDGE database on the AACRAO website

The EDGE database on the AACRAO website is no longer open to the public. If you have access to it, check the institution on the EDGE database. If the degree or transcript is authenticated and the issuing institution is listed in EDGE, then recommend that it be recognized as accredited.