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Summary. There is demand for educational institutions to prepare students for work in a global economy, but there are multiple bottlenecks that stifle global mobility. One solution to the issue of transferability and accreditation is the adoption of international education standards. This framework helps to verify equivalencies in learning, assessment, and transferability. A system based on international quality standards would provide a seamless process for employment or continuing education.
Demand for global mobility
There is a growing demand for educational institutions to prepare learners for work in a global economy. Despite this demand, there are multiple bottlenecks in the current systems that stifle global mobility. When students graduate, they are often at risk if their credentials are only considered valid within certain jurisdictions or countries. Graduates who want to increase their global mobility are required to have their credentials assessed. In many cases graduates are faced with the choice of staying in their current location, taking additional courses, or changing their career. This is not a new problem. It has been with us for decades and change has been incremental or non-existent.
Barriers to international accreditation
Early in my career I worked for an organization that provided services for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. This was my first encounter with the bizarre world of credentials and accreditation. Among the strangest examples was a science tutor in Canada who was a medical doctor in her former country. The British run university she attended and the medical centre where she practiced was certified in the UK. Despite meeting these criteria, her education and experience was not recognized by the Canadian medical system. If she wanted to practice in Canada, the recommendation was for her to become a nurse and recertify as an MD.
National and provincial challenges
This is an example of a bottleneck in the international accreditation system, but what about at the national level? In Canada, interprovincial accreditation for students can be equally bewildering. I encountered several cases where grade twelve English in one province may not be recognized in another. Transfer and accreditation at the provincial or state level can also become a labyrinth for students and graduates. For example, two programs in the same discipline may have significant differences in course content, quality, and standards. I recall meeting a nursing student who wanted to transfer midway through her program because her husband’s job was relocated. Despite her college having a far better reputation in the field of nursing, her credits were not recognized by another college within the same province.
Identifying system failures
We need accreditation and rigorous standards for programs and graduates, but the line between professional integrity and protectionism can easily get blurred. There are risks associated with systems based on localized gatekeeping. The underlying problem with accreditation and transferability is system complexity. Multiple standards at the international, national, provincial/state, and regional level create an environment full of risks and failure points. The separate and distinct features of educational institutions compound this complexity. Each educational institution is embedded with the intricacies of culture, processes, policies, procedures, and past practices. These factors have a deep influence on organizational functions and structures.
Quality standards for global mobility
One solution to the issue of transferability and accreditation is the adoption of international educational quality standards. This approach ensures students receive a quality education no matter where they study. By setting minimum standards for content, curriculum, teaching methods, and assessments; students can receive an education that is based on equivalent levels of quality, consistency, and rigour. International education standards also provide an extensive framework to help verify equivalencies in learning, assessment, and transferability.
International quality standards benefit students and graduates who relocate to different schools, jurisdictions, states, provinces, or countries. With comprehensive international standards, K-12, college, and university students can easily transfer to different educational institutions. Transferability of academic credentials also ensures learners do not have to repeat courses or content to graduate.
International accreditation
Introducing a global model for credentials and assessments would provide students with the opportunity to achieve academic excellence on an international level. This system would enable institutions to be more transparent and offer programs that meet global standards. Furthermore, it would reduce the barriers to employment or continuing education that graduates face when they attempt to enter the global economy. A standardized model based on international accreditation could transform how we prepare learners for work in our increasingly connected world.