EDGE 3.0EDGE User Group
October 21, 2021
Our Hosts
Jasmine Saidi-Kuehnert
IESC, Chair
Founder, President and CEO of ACEI
Julia Funaki
AACRAO Associate Director
International
The International Standards Council (IESC)
Role of the IESC
•Composed of representatives from public and private institutions of higher
education and credential evaluation agencies
•Collect research, review or prepare and approve new recommendations
for credentials, grading scales, and content profiles in AACRAO EDGE
•Placement recommendations published in AACRAO EDGE represent a
majority consensus among the members of IESC
AgendaLatest Content Updates
• Ethiopia - Secondary School Leaving Examination
• The Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana & Liberia -
WASSCE Secondary Education Grading Scale
• Sierra Leone - National Higher Diploma (HND)
• Scotland - Teaching Qualifications
• Scotland - Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma
• Hong Kong - Bachelor of Engineering/ Bachelor’s Degree
Highlights & Upcoming Events
• Offshore Caribbean Medical School Report Recap
• Oct 27th: 2021 Baden-Württemberg Seminar
• Nov 3rd/Dec 9: Countries in Crisis
Q&A
Latest Content Updates
• EGSEC may alternatively appear as EGSECE
• ESLCE awarded through the year of 2000
• EHEEE/EUEEC is now Secondary School Leaving Examination (SSLE), as of 2021 by the NEAEA
Ethiopia: Secondary School Leaving Examination
• The Gambia (1998), Nigeria (1999), Sierra Leone (2000), Ghana (2006), & Libera (2013)
• Alpha-numeric West African Examinations Council (WAEC) grading scale created for WASSCE in place of local Senior Certificate Exams
• Pre-2006, Ghana used a letter grade scale for its pre-WASSCE Senior Certificate Exam
West African Countries: WAEC Secondary Education Grading Scale
• 3-year technical qualification after WASSCE• Advanced standing for Ordinary National
Diploma holders (ONDs are 2 years)• At Njala University, polytechnics, technical
colleges, etc.• Common areas: agriculture & forestry,
health sciences, and businesses• Equivalent to 3 years of university study in
US
Sierra Leone: Higher National Diploma (HND)
• 4-year Bachelor of Education OR• 1-year Professional Graduate Diploma
in Education (PGDE) after 4-year bachelor honours
• = 1 year of addtl undergraduate study• Prepares primary & secondary school
teachers• Previously the Postgraduate Certificate
in Education (PGCE)
Scotland: Teaching Qualifications
• Postgrad Cert: 1 semester of study / 60 SCQF credits
• Postgrad Dip: 1 year of study / 120 SCQF credits
• Following 4-year bachelor honours • SCQF Level 11• = 1 semester / year of graduate study in the
US
Scotland: Postgraduate Certificate & Diploma
• Now 4 years following HKDSE (introduced in 2012)
• HKDSE: 6+3+3 (first awarded in 2012)
• Previously 3 years after HKALE (last awarded in 2016/17)
• HKALE: 6+5+2 (last awarded in 2012/13)
Hong Kong: Bachelor’s Degree & Bachelor of Engineering
• Color copy of sample document (including reverse side) should be provided• Redact: Name, DOB, and all ID #s• Other information to provide (site sources with links)
Submitting Credential Suggestions to IESC for Inclusion within EDGE
• Issued by recognized institutions? • Minimum entrance criteria to the program?• Duration and description of full time program?• Provides access to further education or terminal?
Email us at [email protected]
Highlights & Upcoming Events
Offshore Medical School Report (Oct 13)
• Rosalie Hancock and Loida González Utley• Areas Explored
• Efficacy and reputation• Accreditation vs recognition• Existing country educational systems;
do they align?• Barriers: loose or lack of government oversight,
limited accreditation resources• How do we evaluate academic records from these institutions? • U.S. State Medical Board, Educational Commission for Foreign medical Graduates
(ECFMG), and the World Health Organization
2021 Baden-Württemberg Seminar (Oct 27)
• Virtual (this year), Oct 27th• Hosted and funded by The Baden-
Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and Arts
• AACRAO & NAFSA members; application window now closed
• German education system, German-American academic comparability, and student exchange between Germany & the U.S.
Countries in Crisis Series: Continued Conversation (Nov 3, Dec 9)
• Free webinars to address COVID-19 as well as other urgent crises in countries such as Afghanistan, Lebanon, Haiti, etc. and their impact on these countries’ education system
• Education in Crisis: Lebanon on Wednesday, November 3rd
• Education in Crisis: Afghanistan on Thursday, December 9th (upcoming)
• Overview of Lebanon Education System, Document Review (best practices), update on current state of education
• Presenters: Vanessa Hajjar , Dr. Hala M. Abou Arraj, & Annetta Stroud
Dr. Hala M. Abou Arraj
Associate Registrar, American University of Beirut
Vanessa Hajjar
EdUSA Advisor, Lebanon
Annetta Stroud, Ed. M
Associate Director,
Content and Curriculum
Q&A
Stay Informed @AACRAO
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NEWSLETTER
Connecting with Colleagues
International Activities Group
• We have moved to a Google Group in order to improve deliverability and searchability for users
• All customer service questions should go to [email protected]
Contact the IESC
• The ‘Contact Us’ button can be used when there needs to be an addition/edit within AACRAO EDGE
• ‘Contact Us’ can also be used to reach out to EDGE staff for any customer service issues
International Exams Status Report
• Assembled by the International News Content Curator Jonathan Cao-Nguyen
• Resulting from Emergent News articles posted within EDGE; found in International section of Resources on main AACRAO website
• Contact information on the Welcome tab where you can submit information on other exams directly to Jonathan ([email protected])
• Includes sources for your independent verification.
Gloria R. Nathanson Research Fund for International Education
Awards of up to $1000 will be made to support travel expenses, research materials, or other direct costs related to research
Types of Projects to be funded:
• Full Country Profile
• Substantive Country updates
• White Papers on subjects of interest
https://www.aacrao.org/resources/AACRAO-International/nathanson-grant-for-research-in-international-education