What’s
the difference between a certificate from another school or "Academy"
and our certificate?
Our
Chinese Language Program
Our
program is accredited and evaluated by an actual University
in China. We are accredited through the University of International
Relations-Center for International Education. They issue our program
certificates. This is an established university with a history of 60
years, an institution accredited and sponsored through the Ministry
of Education. The university has been used by the Chinese government
to train diplomats and civil servants for over 50 years. They
have relationships with international accrediting bodies and are recognized
as a legitimate state-run University in China. Your completion
certificate will be issued by the University of International Relations.
Other
schools and academies.
They
may or may not have accreditation, although most will try to pass off
their program as accredited. There's a difference between them
having a license to operate a school in China, and having a legitimate
affiliation with a University that backs their completion certificates.
One can get a license to operate a school in China when operating a
kindergarten and then claim to be “accredited directly by China Ministry
of Education.” This is technically true because the Ministry of
education is the one issuing a license. However, a license to
run a school in China does not establish academic authority nor put
them on par with university accreditation from an established university
in China.
Even
companies that operate their own academies/schools sometimes will send
students to legitimate universities (a “middleman” service). This
does not mean that their own academy or school is necessarily accredited.
If you are in doubt, specifically ask them.
For
illustration purposes:
Suppose
we want to start a private school in Massachusetts. We can do
so and call it an adult education center or a consulting center or maybe
even a school. Suppose we acquire all the necessary documents
and certifications from the state Bureau of Education and any other
bureaus. We can claim to be licensed or accredited or whatever
the specific term may be. But if Harvard or other prestigious
university has a joint program with us and signs off on our certificates
and diplomas, which would be more academically legitimate in the eyes
of most people? (and most US educational institutions?).
Of course, the situation in which an established university recognizes
our academic achievement would be regarded better.
Likewise,
if we are a matching service or middleman that sends students to universities:
We
may have an affiliation with the University as we are part of their
recruitment process or because we are authorized to accept applications
for them. This does not mean necessarily that if we decide to
start our own "academy" or “school” that we would then have the proper
accreditation or the university's accreditation for the school we operate.
Let
the buyer beware.
