EPIC recently met with the Directorate-General for Family and Educational Community Support to address the challenges of student qualification recognition and learn about the measures the Department of Education is implementing to speed up this process.
Currently, recognition can take between 8 and 9 months, a timeframe that complicates academic planning for many schools and families. For this reason, we have been informed that a contingency plan is being developed, including the implementation of a new digital system and the allocation of additional resources, with the goal of reducing the timeframe to 6 months in the first year and eventually to 3 months.
Other Issues Discussed
During the meeting, EPIC also raised concerns about the International Baccalaureate (IB). In Catalonia, students must complete the specific part of the university entrance exam, whereas in other autonomous communities, such as Madrid, they receive a direct validation of up to 14 points. The association will continue working to achieve greater clarity and fairness in this process.
Another significant issue is the average secondary school (ESO) grade in foreign schools. In some institutions, especially those following the British curriculum, grades are not provided until July or August, which can create problems for students seeking admission to schools with a different educational system.
The Department of Education has shown awareness of these concerns and confirmed that they are working on new solutions to improve the recognition process.
EPIC will closely monitor the progress of these measures and keep members informed of any developments.