SAQA launches pilot digital Certificate of Evaluation to benefit foreign qualifications holders
Today, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) launched a digital Certificate of Evaluation as a pilot to benefit holders of qualifications obtained in other countries. SAQA is the first Qualifications Authority in the world to launch such a digital certificate in a one-year pilot project.
The digital Certificate reduces the lead time it takes to reach the qualification holder because it can be shared in real-time and can be verified in real-time as evidence to support applications for further studies, visas, employment, registration and/or professional licensing in South Africa.
The digital Certificate is offered to holders of valid qualifications that were obtained in other countries upon evaluation of those foreign qualifications. As part of its mandate, SAQA evaluates foreign qualifications which means that it first verifies the status and authenticity of foreign qualifications and then compares them to national qualifications by locating them within the South African National Qualifications Framework (NQF).
The digital Certificate comes together with a digital Seal, which can be embedded in email signatures, social media profiles and websites so that holders can showcase their qualifications. In this pilot phase SAQA has used the services of PrivySeal to provide the digital Certificate and the digital Seal in a secure manner.
“We are proud of this pilot project and the electronic SAQA Certificate of Evaluation,” said the SAQA CEO, Mr Joe Samuels. “Going digital in this way puts SAQA at the forefront of the 4th Industrial Revolution which embraces digitisation and its benefits,” he continued.
“This development builds on the efforts SAQA has made to ensure quicker and more efficient evaluation of foreign qualifications through the establishment of the African Qualifications Verification Network in 2016, as well as the Southern African Development Community Qualifications Verification Network in 2017, and SAQA’s on-going work with members of the Groningen Declaration Network,” he concluded.
Enquiries:
Joe Samuels, SAQA CEO
Tel: 012 431 5001
Cell: 082 833 1271
E-mail: jsamuels@saqa.co.za
