| October 2018 - Beverly Hills, CA ACADEMIC CREDENTIALS EVALUATION INSTITUTE, INC. (ACEI) Is incorporated in the state of California (1994), and is dedicated to the advancement of international academic exchange and understanding through the dissemination of information on international academic credentials. Visit our Website | PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMS The Welcome Project© The Welcome Project© is a joint endeavor between ACEI and iTEP International offering individuals classified as refugees assistance with the evaluation of their academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence and determine their English language proficiency through an approved language assessment test. The Welcome Project combines both the international credential evaluation and English language proficiency testing to assist individuals at the onset of their resettlement in the U.S. These individuals will be able to receive recognition of their educational achievements and language competency. Such recognition will enable them to integrate into their new adopted community much faster as they set out to pursue employment opportunities and further their education. For more information on how you can participate in The Welcome Project, please contact ACEI’s President & CEO Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert at jasmin@acei-global.org. Scottish Qualifications Authority ACEI is proud to announce its partnership with the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) through the publication of the ACEI’s Advisory Services ‘Program/Curriculum Review’ Report, which provides detailed analysis of four of SQA’s Advanced Qualifications. The report, based on ACEI’s key principles in international credential/program evaluation, gives higher education institutions in the United States a better understanding of the value of SQA qualifications, the caliber of those who have achieved them, and how they compare with programs of study offered in universities and colleges across the United States. For more information on the SQA, please contact ACEI’s President & CEO Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert at jasmin@acei-global.org. | CONFERENCES ACEI participated in the TAICEP conference where President & CEO, Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert presented a session with Melanie Gottlieb, Deputy Director of AACRAO on “Understanding Different Evaluation Philosophies”. ACEI also participated as an exhibitor at the NAFSA Region XII Conference in Reno, NV, where Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert presented a session with Zepur Solakian, President, CGACC on “An Evaluator’s Guide on Institutional Recognition and Accreditation.” Interested in a copy of the presentation? Please email acei@acei-global.org. We are also pleased to have Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert representing ACEI on a number of AACRAO committees and working groups such as the Working Group developing a Policy Paper on Inclusive Admissions Policies for Displaced/Vulnerable Students and serving as Chair of the International Education Standards Committee that oversees country education profiles, and approves the credential advice for AACRAO’s Electronic Database on Global Education (EDGE). Interested in partnership opportunities with ACEI? Please email Yolinisse Moreno, Director of Communications at ymoreno@acei-global.org or 310-558-0363. | Photo credit: DailyMail.co.uk | | CHINA What Will Chinese Students Do Without the SAT? As US institutions reconsider standardized tests such the SAT as a condition for admission, Chinese students who are traditionally accustomed to rote preparation are facing a dilemma. To read more, click here. China Launches First Research-Oriented University Westlake University is China’s first private research-oriented university, which is backed by the country’s big businesses and recognized by the government, was officially inaugurated on October 20th in Hangzhou, East China’s Zhegian Province. To read more, click here Downgrading Degrees of Mediocre Students Universities’ longstanding leniency in granting bachelor’s degrees to under performing students is coming to an end. To read more, click here | Photo: Colombia Informa | | COLOMBIA Protests in Support of Public Education Students in Colombia are protesting in defense of protecting public education. To read more, click here | GHANA Kaaf University: Quick Profile Interested in learning about Kaaf University, its admission requirements, and program offerings? Click here | IRAN Nationwide Teachers Strike A nationwide strike by teachers who took part in sit-ins at elementary and high schools in more than a dozen cities took place on October 14-15. The central demand of the strike was “educational justice”. To read more, click here. | IRAQ 3 Favorite Countries for Graduate Studies Iraqi students are pursuing their graduate studies at public universities in Iran, India, and Turkey, where access is not difficult and fees are affordable, and most importantly their degrees are recognized by the Iraqi Ministry of Education. To read more, click here. | IRELAND Internationalization of Higher Education Ireland is looking at ways it can increase its international student population. To read more, click here. | PHOTO CREDIT: Nigerian Tribune | | NIGERIA College of Education Shut Indefinitely The Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo State, has been shut indefinitely following the strike of College of Education Academic Staff Union (COESU) strike. To read more, click here. | Photo: University of Cape Town | | SOUTH AFRICA South African Universities Rank High for Business and Law Studies According to the latest subject rankings published by The Times Higher Education World University, South African universities rank high for those looking to study business and law. To read more, click here. | SYRIA Turkey Launches Vocational Training in Syria Turkish University, Gazientep University, has opened a vocational training school in the northwestern Syrian city of Jarabulus. To read more, click here. | THE WORLD Essay Mills, Plagiarism and Cheating in Academe In a recent article in Forbes, the author writes about the rise of essay mills and how countries such as New Zealand and Australia have imposed a ban, and the UK is also looking into doing the same. To read more, click here | UNITED KINGDOM Birmingham Accepts the Gaokao The University of Birmingham will accept Chinese students with the gaokao in lieu of the GCE Advanced Levels or the International Baccalaureate. To read more, click here. | Scottish Vocational Qualifications Introducing the Advanced Certificate and Advanced Diploma programs for students outside Scotland. To read more, click here. | Photo source: University of Virginia, Facebook | U.S.A. Tuition-Free Education at University of Virginia The University of Virginia’s new president, Jim Ryan, announced during his inaugural ceremony that some in-state students will be able to attend the school tuition-free. To read more, click here. | Upcoming Events in November 2018 | November 4-7 The Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) will be an exhibitor at the TACRAO Conference in Fort Worth, TX. (ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the AICE). For more information, click here. November 11-14 “Strategic Enrollment Management Conference”, hosted by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in Washington, D.C. For more information, click here. November 18-19 ACEI’s President & CEO, Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert will be attending the annual meeting of AACRAO’s International Education Standards Council (IESC) in Austin, TX. | Digital Delivery of Evaluation Reports: SecurePathway©: ACEI is a proud signatory of the Groningen Declaration Network which “seeks common ground in best serving the academic and professional mobility needs of citizens worldwide by bringing together key stakeholders in the Digital Student Data Ecosystem.” For the past two years, ACEI has committed itself to this shared mission through the introduction of SecurePathway©, an ACEI proprietary digital platform for the secure delivery of official evaluation reports and supporting educational credentials. For information on ACEI’s SecurePathway©. Signing up with ACEI’s SecurePathway©, is free and does not cost the institutions any fees. To receive ACEI expert reports and certified academic credentials via SecurePathway©, complete this form. *SecurePathway Registration Form* | ACEI’s Advisory Services provide institutions and organizations looking at expanding their international student recruitment with customized solutions to help overcome enrollment challenges, uncover opportunities, and devise an innovative and holistic approach to international enrollment. For more information on ACEI’s Advisory Services and how we can assist you, please contact Yolinisse Moreno, Director of Programs & Communications at ymoreno@acei-global.org. | ACEI offers a comprehensive range of professional services that include: international credential evaluations; translations; consulting; and training. For more information on ACEI, please visit www.acei-global.org or contact: Tel: 1-310-275-3530; Email: acei@acei-global.org. ACEI was founded and incorporated in 1994 in the State of California and is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE). | | |