QUESTIONS

1. What is Education Quality Assurance (EQA)?
2. What is the benefit of the EQA Designation?
3. How do I find out which BC institutions have EQA Designation?
4. Who is responsible for the EQA Designation?
5. What is the role of BCCIE with regard to the EQA Designation?
6. Is EQA an accreditation process?
7. What are the requirements institutions have to meet to be eligible for EQA?
8. Which institutions will have permission to use the EQA Designation brand?
9. Is it possible for an institution to have its EQA Designation revoked?
10. What is the process for dealing with concerns/complaints about EQA-designated institutions?
11. What if an EQA-designated institution closes?
12. Who can I contact to discuss the EQA process with or any questions I may have?

ANSWERS

1. What is Education Quality Assurance (EQA)?

   Education Quality Assurance is British Columbia’s brand or “seal” of quality post-secondary education for both public and private institutions.

2. What is the benefit of the EQA Designation?
   • Provides one standard provincial trademark for educational quality assurance that is recognizable worldwide
   • Allows international students to easily see which BC institutions have met government recognized quality assurance standards and offer consumer protection
   • Eliminates the need for learners to understand the different provincial quality assurance processes that govern each type of BC post-secondary institution
   • Helps parents, counsellors, agents and officials support students to choose a quality post-secondary institution for their overseas studies
3. How do I find out which BC institutions have EQA Designation?
   • Search the interactive "Find a BC School Map" located in the upper right-hand corner of each page of the website
   • Check the Registry of EQA Institutions located in the "For Students" section of this website
   • Look for the EQA Seal on the institution's website and brochures
   • Contact the EQA Office and ask our staff if your institution has BC's EQA Designation. Find out how to reach us by email, telephone or fax in the "Contact Us" section of this site
4. Who is responsible for the EQA Designation?

   The Ministry of Advanced Education is responsible for setting regulatory requirements for post-secondary education in BC and determining the quality assurance standards that must be met by institutions in order to be eligible for EQA.

5. What is the role of BCCIE with regard to the EQA Designation?

   BCCIE, as an independent society, administers the EQA Designation on government’s behalf by:
   

   • Receiving applications for EQA Designation;
   • Confirming EQA eligibility, based on the eligibility criteria set by government;
   • Granting permission to use the EQA brand, and ensuring conditions of brand use are upheld;
   • Providing international marketing and promotion of EQA-designated institutions; and,
   • Monitoring use of the EQA brand.

6. Is EQA an accreditation process?

   No, EQA and BCCIE do not replace existing quality assurance processes or create new regulatory structures or processes. EQA Designation is based on an institution having met established quality assurance standards that exist under government recognized frameworks, and on being in good standing with both the Ministry and the applicable quality assurance body.

7. What are the requirements institutions have to meet to be eligible for EQA?

   Institutions must meet government recognized quality assurance standards as outlined in the table below. In addition, private institutions must have government approved tuition protection mechanisms in place to ensure students are protected in the event an institution closes before the student completes his or her program of study. Finally, all institutions must be in good standing with both the applicable quality assurance body and the Ministry.

   Public Institutions	Private Degree Granting	Private Career Training	Private Theological	Private Language Schools	Private Academic (non-degree)
   Meets standards through legislative and government accountability mechanisms	Meets required quality assessment process and has Minister’s Consent under the Degree Authorization Act (DAA)	Voluntarily meets accreditation standards of Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (PCTIA)	Voluntarily meets quality assurance process through the Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB)	Voluntarily meets accreditation standards of Languages Canada or PCTIA	Voluntarily meets quality assurance standards of DQAB or PCTIA
   Good Standing with the applicable Quality Assurance Body and Ministry of Advanced Education (AVED)

   DAA=Degree Authorization Act
   DQAB= Degree Quality Assessment Board (governed by Degree Quality Assurance Act)
   PCTIA = Private Career Training Institutions Agency of BC (governed by Private Career Training Institutions Act, Regulation and Bylaws)
   Languages Canada = Languages Canada accreditation process

   For further information on provincial quality assurance requirements and processes, please visit:

   Legislation governing public colleges and universities: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/institutions/welcome.htm

   Degree Quality Assessment Board (DQAB)for private degree granting institutions: www.aved.gov.bc.ca/degree-authorization/board/welcome.htm

   Languages Canada for public and private language training institutions: www.languagescanada.ca

   The Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA) for private career colleges and training schools: www.pctia.bc.ca

8. Which institutions will have permission to use the EQA Designation brand?

   Only British Columbia institutions with EQA Designation will be permitted to use the brand. Brand use is limited to British Columbia institutions and their British Columbia-based operations; i.e., institutions with multiple campuses cannot use the brand for campuses based outside of British Columbia.

9. Is it possible for an institution to have its EQA Designation revoked?

   Yes. Institutions which no longer meet the standards of the applicable quality assurance body or are not in good standing with that body or the Ministry will be contacted by EQA staff and their EQA Designation will be immediately revoked.

10. What is the process for dealing with concerns/complaints about EQA-designated institutions?

    If any concerns are found through BCCIE’s monitoring, EQA staff will immediately contact the applicable quality assurance body and the Ministry with details. The quality assurance body will be responsible for dealing with issues relating to false or misleading advertising or concerns relating to an institution being in contravention of that body’s quality assurance requirements.

    In instances of an individual or student contacting EQA staff to make a complaint about an EQA- designated institution, EQA staff will refer the individual to the applicable quality assurance body for appropriate action.

    EQA staff will wait for the quality assurance body to complete an investigation on the complaint and once the investigation is complete, determine whether an institution needs to be de-designated.

11. What if an EQA-designated institution closes?

    If an EQA-designated institution closes, EQA staff will ensure that the institution is immediately removed from the EQA Registry and ensure the institution’s use of the EQA brand is ceased. Students will be contacted by the appropriate quality assurance body with regard to options relating to student consumer protection or completion of their training program at another institution.

12. Who can I contact to discuss the EQA process with or any questions I may have?

    If you have any questions or concerns, please contact EQA staff at BCCIE between
    8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday to Friday at:

    Phone: 1.604.637.6756
    Fax: 1.604.637.6765
    Email: bceqa@bccie.bc.ca

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