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International Education Research:

It’s Easier Than You Think

Peggy Bell Hendrickson

AACRAO International Education Services

hendricksonp@aacrao.org

Overview

• Resources

• Researching Systems

• Comparative Education

• Researching Institutions

• Diploma Mills

• Verifying Credentials

• NAFSA Online Guides to Educational

Systems around the World

• WES White Papers

• IQAS International Education Guides

• NORRIC Publications

• NUFFIC Country Modules (Evaluation of

Foreign Degrees and Qualifications)

Free Resources: Publications

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Free Resources: Internet

• Ministries of Education (or other) websites

• Eurypedia

• World Education News and Reviews

• Shelby’s Blog on International Admission

• EducationUSA

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Free Resources: List-Servs

• AACRAO International Activities List-Serv

• The Connection Message Board

• NAFSA A.C.E. Network

• inter-l Yahoo Group

• Local/state mailing list?

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Free Resources: Newsletters

• AACRAO Transcript

• World Education News and Reviews

• The Connection News

• NAFSA IEM Spotlight Newsletter

• EAIE Blog

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Free Resources: Sessions

• Glossary of Foreign Transcript Evaluations

• Bogus Institutions and Accrediting Bodies

• Educational Systems of the World: I and II

• Introduction to Foreign Transcript

Evaluations

• Foreign Transcript Evaluations for Beginners

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Free Resources: Unofficial

• Wikipedia

• National University websites

• Google Translate

• Wayback Machine / The Internet Archive

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Paid Resources: Databases

• AACRAO EDGE

• AEI NOOSR database

• UK NARIC database

• The Connection Advantage

• World Higher Education Database (WHED)

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Resources: Organizations

• AACRAO members, conference sessions,

Summer and Winter Institutes, workshops

• NAFSA members, conferences, and

workshops

• EAIE

• TAICEP

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Resources: Publications

• AACRAO International Guide: A Resource for

International Education Professionals

• AACRAO International Graduate Admissions

Guide

• Foreign Educational Credentials Required

• AACRAO Country Guides and other books

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Resources: Print Publications

• IERF New Country Index, Volumes I and II

• IERF free publications

• ECE publications

• Counterfeit Diplomas and Transcripts

• Accreditation Mills

• Guide to Bogus Institutions and Documents

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Resources: Webinars

• AACRAO webinars

• NAFSA webinars

• WES webinars

• ECE webinars

• EducationUSA Connects

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Comparative Education

• US: 6+6, leads to high school diploma; China,

Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia

• UK: 6+5+2, leads to O levels and A levels (or

12 yr); UK, Australia, Canada, India, Kenya

• France: 6+7, leads to Bac; France, Cameroon,

Morocco, Quebec

• Russia: 4+5+2, leads to Cert of Sec Complete

(General) Ed; Russia, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan

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Comparative Education

Major Types of Credit Systems

• Credit-Based Credentials

• Hours-Based Credentials

• Marks-Based Credentials

• Subject-Based Credentials

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Comparative Education

Grading Scales• British-Based: First Class, Second Class Upper and

Lower, Third Class, Pass Class

• Russian-Based: Отлично, Хорош, Удовлетворительно,

Зачет

• French-Based: Tres Bien, Bien, Assez Bien, Passable

• Latin American-Based: Sobresaliente, Muy Bueno,

Bueno, Aprobado

• Numerical Scales: Varied from 0-5, 1-7, 1-20, 1-60, %

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Comparative Education

General Rules for Credits• One year of credit = one year of credit

• One year FT study = 30-32 semester credit hours

• 4 year bachelor = 120-128 (maybe up to 140) hours

• Contact Hours:

• 15 class hours → 1 semester hour

• 45 class hours → 3 semester hours

• 45 lab hours → 1 semester hour

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Researching Systems

• World Data on Education

• WES Country Profiles

• IAU Higher Education Systems

• Central & Eastern European Ed Directory

• The Connection Resources

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Researching Systems

• ENIC/NARIC

• ACE e-Bookcase

• Handbook on Diplomas, Degrees, and

Other Certificates

• Eurypedia from Eurydice

• NARIC Guide to Higher Ed Systems in EU

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Researching Institutions

• Researching Educational Systems and

Institutions

• Higher Education Authorities

• NAFSA list of Ministries of Education

• The Connection

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Researching Institutions

• AACRAO Mailing List

• The Connection

• NAFSA ACE Network

• inter-l Yahoo Group

• Local/state mailing list

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Researching Institutions

• Council for Higher Education Accreditation

• EducationUSA

• Subscription Databases

• IAU List of Universities

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Researching Institutions

Unofficial Sources:

• Braintrack

• Wisconsin Directory of International

Institutions by Country

• Embassy websites

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Diploma Mills

• Bogus Institutions and Accrediting Bodies

• CHEA Degree Mills

• Maine Department of Education

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

• U.S. Department of Education

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Diploma Mills

• Credential Watch

• Degree.Net

• Diploma Mill News

• Get Educated

• Quack Watch

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Verifications

• Government-Sponsored/Run

• Examinations Council websites

• University websites

• Direct Communication

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China-CDGDC

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China

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China

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Mexico

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Ecuador

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Moldova

WAEC Scratch Card

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WAEC Nigeria

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WAEC

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NECO

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WAEC Liberia

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Bangladesh

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India

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India

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University of Delhi

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University of York

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University of the Punjab

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University of Melbourne

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Haiti

Send copy of Haitian Diplome d'Etudes Secondaires to:

Ministère de l’Éducation National, de la Jeunesse, et

des Sports (MENJS)• Bureau National des Examens d’Etat (BUNEXE)

• Attn: Renan Michel, Directeur du Bunexe

• #5, Rue Dr. Audain

• Port-au-Prince, HAITI

• Djosolo02@yahoo.fr

• dirbunexe@gmail.com

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Cameroon GCE

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Iraq

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Verification Form

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KNEC