User survey of assessments of foreign qualifications

Commissioned by CIRIUS (now incorporated into the Danish Agency for Universities and Internationalisation), the survey was carried out by external consultants from NIRAS Konsulenterne A/S. They submitted their final report on 5 September 2008.

The survey report is available in Danish: Rapport om CIRIUS-brugerundersøgelse.

Summary

The survey targeted three types of users:

• Qualification holders who have received an assessmen

• Employers who have experience using the assessments

• Guidance professionals who have experience using the assessments.

The user survey consisted of:

• a quantitative part: a questionnaire survey among all those having received an assessment in 2007 except the few not living in either Denmark or Sweden. The response rate was 56.6 percent.

• a qualitative part: interviews with a dozen persons from each of the three target groups.

The main findings and conclusions reported are:

• Overall, there was a high degree of satisfaction among the qualification holders. For example, 81 percent were largely satisfied with the assessment of their foreign qualifications. 79 percent were satisfied with the case processing time. Generally, the applicants feel that the agency has provided relevant information and good service.

• The guidance professionals and employers who were interviewed express a similar degree of satisfaction, even if the knowledge of the agency's services varies among them.

• The assessments seem to have a positive effect on the qualification holder's chances of finding relevant employment or continuing studies. Although other factors may be involved, it is clear that the situation of qualification holders has significantly improved in the period after receiving the assessment, and at the same time, the qualification holders themselves find that the assessment has played a positive role.

• A large majority of the qualification holders are also satisfied with the actual assessment comparing their foreign qualification to a Danish level of education. Those who are not quite satisfied mainly disagree with the comparison of levels or are disappointed that the assessment is not more detailed.

• The major part of the qualification holders do not find it difficult to understand the assessment and the comparison made. However, a significant number do express a wish for more information, e.g. more detailed description of the applicant's qualifications and competencies, additional explanation of the Danish education system or guidance, helping them take the next step towards employment or further study.

• Many users are concerned that more holders of foreign qualifications should be able to profit from the agency's services. In other words, knowledge of the agency's assessments should be further disseminated and promoted.

Recommendations

In their report, the consultants put forward four recommendations based on “wishes and needs identified among a large number of respondents” and on “trends emerging from the quantitative as well as the qualitative survey”:

• The agency should look into advantages, disadvantages and possibilities of providing more details in the assessment letter and attachments.

• As an integral part of its procedures, the agency should send every applicant an acknowledgement of receipt of the application, including information about the approximate time needed to process the application.

• The agency should consider the possibilities of introducing a fast track for those assessments that are needed urgently for recruitment purposes.

• The agency should examine whether it is possible to raise its profile among holders of foreign qualifications as well as among companies and guidance professionals.