Decide whether the international academic credential is comparable to a similar academic credential in Canada and document the assessment outcome (i.e., decisions or opinions) in accordance with your assessing organization’s mandate.
- Decide whether the academic credential will receive:
- full recognition or comparability, where no substantial differences have been identified, or where substantial differences identified are not relevant to the purpose of the assessment;
- alternative recognition or comparability, where the purpose is different from the one initially identified in the application process;
- partial recognition or comparability, where some substantial differences have been identified;
- conditional recognition or comparability, where some substantial differences have been identified but full recognition may be possible if requirements are met within a specific timeframe;
- no recognition or comparability, where substantial differences have been identified that are relevant to the purpose of the assessment.
- Review and document the assessment outcome in your organization’s information system. This process, which ensures accurate, fair, and consistent outcomes and prepares your organization for an appeal in the case of an outcome not favourable to the applicant, may include:
- a summary of the rationale for your decision;
- information and analysis supporting the decision, such as:
- international legal instruments, guidelines, and best practices in academic credential assessment and recognition;
- your organization’s policies, procedures, and precedents;
- substantial differences identified, or a lack thereof, leading to the outcome;
- other relevant information from internal and external sources;
- any change to the initial decision through internal quality assurance procedures, and reasons for the change;
- any deviation from precedents based on new information or updated methodology;
- an update to current policies and procedures as a result of the decision.
- Share any new findings with the pan-Canadian community of academic credential assessors using CICIC’s tool box.