Improve policies and practices within your organization

The QAF recognizes:
  • the need to promote fair, credible, and concerted methods for assessing international academic credentials;
  • the need to promote consistency and the portability of assessments done by organizations involved in assessment; and
  • the benefits that accrue to Canada from collaborative efforts to examine issues associated with the assessment of international academic credentials.
By formally adopting the QAF, organizations will benefit from:
  • improving best practices and methodologies;
  • promoting fairness, transparency, and timeliness of assessments;
  • facilitating mutual recognition of organizations' assessment; and
  • demonstrating that assessment procedures are based on common practices used by other organizations.

Get information on how to comply with the Pan-Canadian Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) within your organization.

An overview of the Code of Good Practice

A Pan-Canadian Code of Good Practice in the Assessment of International Academic Credentials is included in the QAF. It contains 41 principles and recommendations endorsed by all organizations that adopt the QAF.

The code covers:
  • fundamental principles (e.g., non-discrimination, fair treatment);
  • the use of precedents in the assessment process;
  • documentation requirements and verification procedures;
  • the status of institutions and programs;
  • assessment criteria to be considered in the assessment process;
  • the appeals process; and
  • the need to provide applicants with clear information on:
    • processing times;
    • fees;
    • document requirements; and
    • translation requirements.

Get more detailed information by consulting the Pan-Canadian Quality Assurance Framework for the Assessment of International Academic Credentials (QAF).