Classification: Public Welcome to the Alberta Government’s International Education Guides The International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) developed the International Education Guides for educational institutions, employers and professional licensing bodies to help facilitate and streamline their decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials. These guides compare educational systems from around the world to educational standards in Canada. The assessment recommendations contained in the guides are based on extensive research and well-documented standards and criteria. This research project, a first in Canada, is based on a broad range of international resources and considerable expertise within the IQAS program. Organizations can use these guides to make accurate and efficient decisions regarding the recognition of international credentials. The International Education Guides serve as a resource comparing Alberta standards with those of other countries and will assist all those who need to make informed decisions, including: employers who need to know whether an applicant with international credentials meets the educational requirements for a job, and how to obtain information comparing the applicant’s credentials to educational standards in Alberta and Canada educational institutions that need to make a decision about whether a prospective student meets the education requirements for admission, and that need to find accurate and reliable information about the educational system of another country professional licensing bodies that need to know whether an applicant meets the educational standards for licensing bodies The guides include: a country overview a historical education overview descriptions of school education; higher education; professional, technical and vocational education; and teacher education grading scales documentation for educational credentials a bibliography The guides also include placement recommendations for comparison and application in Alberta, Canada. Prepared by International Qualifications Assessment Service Government of Alberta https://www.alberta.ca/iqas-overview.aspx ©2007, 2020 the Crown in right of the Province of Alberta, Government of Alberta International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) Revised July 2020 ISBN: 978-1-4601-4631-6 Classification: Public CONTENTS Country Overview ............................................................................................................................ 6 LAND .................................................................................................................. 6 PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE ....................................................................................... 7 HISTORY ............................................................................................................. 7 ADMINISTRATION ................................................................................................. 8 Historical Education Overview ....................................................................................................... 10 PRE - 1949 ....................................................................................................... 10 1949 - 1965 ..................................................................................................... 11 1966 - 1976 ..................................................................................................... 11 1977 - PRESENT ............................................................................................... 12 School Education ........................................................................................................................... 14 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 14 ADMINISTRATION ..................................................................................................... 15 GRADING SCALE ..................................................................................................... 16 PRESCHOOL EDUCATION .................................................................................... 16 NINE-YEAR COMPULSORY EDUCATION ................................................................ 17 GENERAL SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ......................................................... 25 ADMISSIONS ........................................................................................................... 25 CURRICULUM CHANGES BEFORE 2004 ..................................................................... 25 CURRENT CURRICULUM ........................................................................................... 36 PROVINCIAL EXIT EXAMINATIONS ............................................................................. 52 Higher Education ........................................................................................................................... 59 OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................ 59 ADMINISTRATION ..................................................................................................... 59 ACADEMIC YEAR ..................................................................................................... 60 PROGRAM STRUCTURE ............................................................................................ 63 INSTITUTIONS .................................................................................................... 64 REGULAR AND ADULT HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS .......................................... 66 RESEARCH INSTITUTES ............................................................................................ 67 MILITARY ACADEMIES .............................................................................................. 68 MINBAN INSTITUTIONS ............................................................................................. 68 INDEPENDENT COLLEGES ........................................................................................ 69 NAMES OF INSTITUTIONS ......................................................................................... 70 RANKING OF INSTITUTIONS ....................................................................................... 71 ADMISSIONS ...................................................................................................... 73 PROGRAMS AND CREDENTIALS ........................................................................... 76 QUALIFICATIONS AND DEGREES ............................................................................... 76 ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL DEGREES ................................................................ 78 ZHUANKE PROGRAMS .............................................................................................. 80 BENKE PROGRAMS .................................................................................................. 81 BACHELOR’S DEGREES ............................................................................................ 82 SECOND BENKE MAJOR AND DOUBLE BACHELOR’S DEGREES .................................... 84 SECOND BACHELOR’S DEGREES .............................................................................. 85 ZHUANKE TO BENKE UPGRADING PROGRAMS ........................................................... 86 SECOND SPECIALTY ZHUANKE PROGRAMS ............................................................... 86 SELF-STUDY EXAMINATIONS .................................................................................... 86 MASTER’S PROGRAMS ............................................................................................. 88 Classification: Public PROFESSIONAL MASTER’S DEGREES ........................................................................ 92 MASTER’S LEVEL CLASSES ...................................................................................... 96 COMPARABLE EDUCATIONAL COMPETENCE .............................................................. 96 DOCTORAL PROGRAMS ........................................................................................... 98 CHINESE-FOREIGN JOINT PROGRAMS ...................................................................... 98 INTERCOLLEGIATE EXCHANGE AGREEMENTS .......................................................... 102 Technical-Vocational Education .................................................................................................. 103 OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 103 VOCATIONAL SECONDARY EDUCATION .............................................................. 104 SPECIALIZED SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS .......................................................... 104 VOCATIONAL SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS .......................................................... 106 SKILLED WORKERS SCHOOLS ................................................................................ 107 NATIONAL VOCATIONAL SECONDARY CURRICULUM ................................................. 107 HIGHER VOCATIONAL EDUCATION ..................................................................... 112 Teacher Education ...................................................................................................................... 114 OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................... 114 TEACHER CERTIFICATION ................................................................................