MUMBAI, February 23: The unfamiliarity of the Canadian authorities with the Indian education system is a major obstacle faced by professionals trying to immigrate to Canada and the US. Aptech Ltd, in alliance with the Open Learning Agency (OLA) of Vancouver, Canada, has recently launched the International Credential Evaluation Services (ICES) in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai in an attempt to counter the trend.The ICES will assist Indian students and professionals to have their academic qualifications and work experience evaluated against comparable credentials in North America. ICES will perform the function of translating the Indian educational qualifications and credentials for the benefit of the US and Canadian universities.
``We started the pilot project last year in Mumbai and Delhi. The response has been encouraging. We are now launching a full-fledged service,'' Aptech's executive director Pramod Khera said. ``However, we will not be processing the applications now. We will only be forwarding them toOLA,'' he added.
``But once volumes increase, we will take up processing also,'' Khera said. ``ICES is a logical extension of the Aptech-OLA alliance,'' OLA vice- president Dick Scales said. Aptech and OLA jointly offer an M Tech programme in India. They also plan to introduce a BBA programme in June this year.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
