Patrick Leahy – Michigan State University Maxine Reimer – University of Saskatchewan Kelly Sharp – Columbia College Kaja Schiotz – University of Oslo Global Perspectives Description of each educational institution and the way international credentials are processed at the undergraduate and graduate levels. What are our credential policies? Basic approaches to secondary and tertiary credentials from China, India, and European (Bologna) Countries? How are exceptions made to policies? Examples? Michigan State University MSU Founded 1855 - first land-grant institution in the US, model for subsequent land-grant colleges. Global Institution – 50,543 total students including 7,568 international students as of 2015, among top study abroad universities in the US. Major Countries - China (5,000+), India, Taiwan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia Includes undergraduate and graduate students MSU Undergraduate – Official transcripts mailed in a sealed, official envelope to our admissions office from school or examination board. We do accept electronic transcripts from schools globally via Parchment/Docufied. Graduate – Official transcripts mailed in official envelope from college/university to the department of intended study. Forwarded to our office if department wishes to admit. Office of Admissions – Organization, roles and my role. Credential Policies for Admission Undergraduate – Completion of (at least) twelve years of primary/secondary schooling. Graduate – Completion of equivalent of a four year US bachelor’s degree. China (and CDGDC) India Europe/Bologna Process Exceptions Process - confer with applicant or student, director of international admissions, processing staff, and/or graduate departments. Then make a decision that is recorded in student’s file. Undergraduate Admission – secondary school transcripts vs. national examination scores from Africa (esp. West Africa). Bachelor’s Degree Waivers for Graduate Admission – College of Music cases. Columbia College Columbia, MO Columbia College Founded 1851 - first women’s college west of the Mississippi River to be chartered by state legislature. Student population - As of Fall 2016, 407 current international students; four asylees/refugees; 169 self-reported as permanent resident. Major Countries – Philippines (military population), China (non-degree seeking), and Nepal Columbia College Undergraduate – Official transcripts mailed in a sealed, official envelope to our Registrar’s office from school or examination board. Graduate – Official transcripts mailed from college/university to our Registrar’s office. Offices of the Registrar’s organization/roles at Columbia College and my role specifically. Credential Policies for Admission Undergraduate – Completion of the equivalent of a high school diploma. Graduate – Completion of equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree. China (and CDGDC) India Europe/Bologna Process Exceptions Process - Reviewed in Office of the Registrar first Undergraduate Admission – secondary school transcripts vs. national examination scores from Africa (esp. West Africa). Bachelor’s Degree Waiver for Graduate Admission – College of Music cases. University of Saskatchewan www.usask.ca Only In….. www.usask.ca University of Saskatchewan . Founded in 1907, the University of Saskatchewan is a research- intensive, medical-doctoral university. More than 20,000 students; • Over 2,100 international students • Over 2,200 self declared Aboriginal students • Over 2,900 Graduate students with 41% of them international. • Major countries: China, India, Nigeria, Iran and Bangladesh • Own language school for both UG and Grad students. www.usask.ca University of Saskatchewan . Undergraduate: • Unofficial documents are accepted for conditional admission • Direct transcripts are required unless the issuing body only provides a hard copy • Use of online verification . Graduate – same process, web calculators available: • Departments are trained to use a web calculator to offer admission • Official documents are only requested and verified for admitted students only www.usask.ca University of Saskatchewan My Role . UG Domestic/International (5-6 staff) . GS International (2 staff share 1 FTE) www.usask.ca Credential Policies for Admission . UG – Grade 12 standing or equivalency . Graduate – Four year Bachelor’s minimum or 3 year from Bologna only • China (Old vs New Degree Certs) • India/Pakistan (Old vs New Degrees) • Nigeria (ND/HND, Verification) • Calculators www.usask.ca Calculator Example www.usask.ca Exceptions . Case by case . UG – UG admissions office and College . GS – Consult the Grad central office and the department . Separate IB policy . Some exceptions to admit with three year degrees from non-Bologna countries for graduate programs . DAEs for UG www.usask.ca UiO- In short • The oldest university in Norway. Founded in 1811 • Classical profile of research-intensive university • Close cooperation with 2 university hospitals Photo: Ole A. Sæther • One of the larger Scandinavian universities • World rank 2016: • 67th (Shanghai), • 135th (THE) • 113th (QS) Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 21 Key figures 28000 students 3000 PhD candidates 3500 academic staff 6300 total staff 2 museums 7 billion budget (NOK, = $852 mill) Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 22 Faculties Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 23 Strong International Orientation • 28.000 students -15% international • 31 % intl. PhD candidates • 25 % of the academic staff are from abroad • Since 1995, growing • Traditionally wide collaborative focus on international ‘BRICS’: Initiatives with collaboration with the Brazil, Russia, India, China, Nordic countries, Europe, South Africa + Japan USA, the global South Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 24 Global Cooperation • Approx. 50 master’s programmes taught in English • More than 800 English-taught courses (modules) • 3646 international students (2015) • 892 outgoing and 1286 incoming exchange students (2015) • 600 exchange agreements with universities all over the world Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 25 Embedded Internationalisation Particular focus on • International components in all study programmes • Exchange in all programmes – mobility windows and clear recommendations to students • Courses taught in English on all levels • Integrated exchange - not island programmes Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 26 My job: Credential evaluation at the Faculty of Humanities, mainly regarding: • Recognition and transfer of credits from students who have spent one or two semesters on our study abroad programmes or from students who have taken parts of a degree abroad. • Credential evaluation of diplomas and transcripts for immigrants and refugees who want to have their previous university studies evaluated in order to continue their studies at the University of Oslo. • Credential evaluation of master applicants to the Faculty of Humanities with an undergraduate degree from abroad. Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 27 ADMISSION Undergraduate admission: • Coordinated by a national office on behalf of all universities and colleges in Norway on the basis of national minimum entrance requirements and a point scale. • Includes both applicants with a Norwegian secondary school and those with foreign credentials. • Consequently, the different universities and colleges are not involved in undergraduate admission. Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 28 Graduate admission • The responsibility of the separate higher education institutions (HEI) which are autonomous • At the University of Oslo we have a central office that handles all the formalities both for - applicants with a Norwegian bachelor degree and… - applicants with foreign credentials • They check formalities regarding - accreditation of institutions - degree requirements - documents and authenticity - translations - financing etc. Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 29 • Applications which pass this “clearing house” are forwarded to the different Faculties and Departments for further evaluation. • The credential evaluators of each Faculty assist their departments in – evaluating the foreign bachelor degrees – credit systems – grading scales – checking that their major has the right profile and the required number of credits – checking whether they fulfill the minimum grade requirement – evaluating how they are ranked in comparison with other applicants to the same program • The central office is responsible for sending answers to applicants regarding graduate admission. Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 30 Challenges In Norway admission to a master programme requires a bachelor degree with a major in the same subject. • Does the foreign bachelor degree correspond to the our degree regarding the: – number of total credits (180 ECTS)? – number of upper level credits? – number of credits in the major (40-50 US semester credits)? • Does the foreign bachelor degree contain transfer credits or other elements not accepted by us? Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 31 Examples: • A UK degree which contains two years of non- university further education from Norway + one year from the UK. • A UK degree with less than 180 ECTS because one or more exams have not been passed. • A UK degree which contains transfer credits of one or two years from non-accredited institutions abroad. Do such degrees fullfill our bachelor degree requirements? Kaja Schiøtz (UiO), TAICEP 2016 32 Example from the US: • Minimum entrance requirements to Norwegian universities include High School Diploma plus one year of university studies (Freshman year).