The Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials (CICIC) collects, organizes, and distributes information, and acts as a national clearing house and referral service to support the recognition and portability of Canadian and international educational and occupational qualifications.
CICIC was established after Canada ratified the UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe Region, in 1990, to assist Canada in carrying out its obligations under the terms of this convention. The convention promotes international mobility by advocating wider recognition of higher education and professional qualifications.
CICIC is a unit of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC), an intergovernmental body founded in 1967 by ministers of education to provide leadership in education at the pan-Canadian and international levels, and to contribute to the fulfilment of the constitutional responsibility for education conferred on provinces and territories.
WHAT WE DO
COLLECTING INFORMATION
CICIC collects data about procedures for recognizing academic and occupational credentials in different Canadian jurisdictions. This information is stored in a regularly updated database covering more than 800 professional organizations. In partnership with the provinces and territories, we also provide current information about postsecondary education systems in Canada for a variety of users, including Canadian missions and evaluation agencies abroad.
CICIC submits detailed information about Canadian postsecondary education for the World Higher Education Database (WHED) CD-ROM, a powerful research tool that facilitates comparison of credentials from every part of the world.
ADVICE AND REFERRALS
We advise individuals, in Canada's official languages (English and French), on what they need to do to have their credentials assessed and recognized in Canada, and we refer them to appropriate institutions and organizations for specific assistance. CICIC does not itself grant equivalencies or assess credentials, nor does it intervene on behalf of applicants or participate in appeals.
Only the college or university to which a person applies, or, for professional qualifications, the appropriate licensing body, may recognize overseas programs or degrees. In some provinces, credential evaluation services have been established to provide expert opinion regarding the value of foreign credentials mainly for general employment purposes. Although these evaluations are not binding, they do provide useful comparison with credentials obtained in a Canadian province.
BROKERING/NETWORKING
NETWORKING
CICIC is the main Canadian forum for a growing national and international network of people and organizations concerned with professional credentials and academic qualifications. As an active participant in national and international meetings, CICIC contributes to policy dialogue, reports on progress in mobility issues, and fosters understanding of policies about credentials portability.
At the national level, CICIC brings together people and organizations with common concerns, encouraging collaboration, information-sharing, efficient use of resources, and awareness of international policies. We facilitate access for Canadians to information on foreign assessment procedures and on new developments in education systems abroad, and we support consistent and fair assessment practices.
At the international level, CICIC maintains links with relevant international organizations. Its membership in the network of European National Information Centres (ENICs) gives Canadians access to European data, and we work continually to gain reliable contacts in other regions of the world. CICIC provides a Canadian focus for international activities in credentials evaluation and recognition. This focus is especially important because education systems and recognition practices in Canada are complex and decentralized.
INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL AGREEMENTS
CICIC helps Canada meet requirements arising from international agreements and plays a growing pan-Canadian role in providing current and accurate information to support interprovincial agreements.
CICIC fosters nation-wide consultation to assist Canadian authorities in their consideration of the implications of new international agreements such as the Joint Council of Europe and UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications related to Higher Education in the European Region, known as the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC). In addition, we offer advice and prepare briefing notes for members of Canadian delegations on issues related to academic and professional mobility.
ADVOCACY
Globalization trends make the portability of occupational and educational credentials increasingly important. Although CICIC does not make policy, through its networks it advocates measures that lead to more uniform assessment practices, more efficient resource sharing, better understanding of terminology, and greater awareness of the need to reduce barriers to students and workers moving into or across Canada.
GETTING CICIC KNOWN
REPORTS
CICIC participates in research projects on issues related to portability of educational and occupational credentials. Available documents and reports include a guide to terminology usage in the field of credentials recognition, a paper on guiding principles in assessment methodology, a survey of current Canadian practice in foreign credential assessment, a report on quality assurance practices for postsecondary institutions in Canada, and a description of postsecondary education systems in Canada.
COMMUNICATION
We issue brochures, news bulletins, and fact sheets; make presentations about educational and occupational mobility to various groups; and hold regular and special meetings across Canada to share information about credentials assessment and recognition. CICIC maintains various Listservs to disseminate information rapidly, its Web site contains detailed information about its activities, and its publications are available on-line.
HOW TO CONTACT CICIC
For information about CICIC and credentials issues, contact our offices: