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.