Identify the competent authority

Find out which authority is responsible for overseeing the educational institution and its program delivery, in accordance with the country's legal framework and quality-assurance procedures.

For internal procedures:

• Identify the organization responsible for:
• registering the educational institution and its academic programs according to domestic laws;
• reviewing the performance of educational institutions and their academic programs to ensure that acceptable standards and quality are met;
• ensuring consumer protection.
• Confirm that at the time of attendance by the applicant, in accordance with the domestic laws of the issuing country, the educational institution and its programs:
• legally operated within the issuing country's education system;
• had the authority to issue the credential.

To locate this information, consult the Web site and/or contact the competent authorities. This is usually:

• the government ministry/department responsible for education;
• a quality-assurance/accrediting agency;
• the licensing and professional authorities for regulated occupations;
• a national information centre.

Use CICIC's Directory of Offshore Schools and International Education Resources as a starting point to locate the names of competent authorities for specific countries.