University Education Recognition

jh816 says on Feb 26, 2007, 11:00:

Director at EAFIT The Director of Intl Business at EAFIT said it was pretty well required. Of course, it may be one of those things that is technically required but not stressed much. Either way, I wouldn´t see it as too much of a problem getting my stuff accredited (large U.S. public university) but was more interested in personal experience anyone had in the process.

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untreated says on Feb 26, 2007, 13:40:

I did it in 1979 In order to legalize foreign diplomas, you have to get your degrees notarized in the city where you studied, then notarized in the corresponding Colombian consulate, and then legalized in the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores in Bogota. THEN you can have the actual course catalog translated into Spanish and sent to ICFES for homologation to the Colombian equivalent.

This process would be necessary if you were to work in the public sector, I don't think many of the private universities would require this process,but then the best ones surely would.

If you're planning in living the rest of your life in Colombia, as I did back then, I would certainly recommend that you go through the formal process, it isn't that bad of a byzantine bureaucratic nightmare.

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miamimike says on Feb 26, 2007, 13:52:

A Friend of Mine Who is an RN here in Miami Attempted this a few years ago. She is a Native born Rolo who received her first degree from U de Los Andes. She then immigrtaed to Miami, studied at the U of Miami and received her bachelor's Degree(BSN) in Nursing. She is perfectly bilingual in English/Spanish. U of Miami is a very well known and respected University world wide, esp in S.America as many south american students study here(U of M). She wanted to move back to Bogota to help care for her aging parents and had planned on working also in ICU where she has lots of experience. She thought it would be a piece of Cake.! Wrong! It was a red tape nightmare, finally she gave up on the Idea and commutes home every months. And,,, this is for person who holds colombian citizenship who is a sharp lady who could have benefitted her country!!!

No hay Peor Ciego que el que no quiere Ver o Sordo que el que no quiera Oir--Sarah Palin, Wasilla Alaska

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David Pristupa says on Feb 26, 2007, 18:52:

Obsession with Bachelor Degrees There seems to be a fad to get every into university and to boot
those without University degrees are considered as not completing
their education. In North America there are Technical Institutes
and other private government accredited institutes that issue Professional Diplomas. As of late any other form of education appears
to be considered worthless. University originally was more theoretical and research directed where as institutes of applied arts and sciences more practical. The course load in these schools
could be very intense. As of late alot of people are stuck because
they don't have a degree regardless of experience and credentials.
In many places around the world there is a shortage of skilled people. University can't and doesn't prepare a person for everything. Alot of Applied arts and Science schools are in need of students and the job market is need of these skills. Employers have to import skilled workers because their people are studying at University. The real weird thing is often an employer will require a degree even if it isn't related to the subject yet a person with experience and diplomas can't be hired. I see a point to needing a degree if you are working for an embassy or will need the training if promoted I hope the day will come when employers will hire according to relevant skills and education. This need to have a degree has put a dent in the labour force and made people get degrees instead of the training they really needed. Apparently some employers don't recognize on-line degrees. There is a neurotical obsession with degrees. It has to be the right type this that....yet the whole point of education is learn a skill to make money...this whole university thing seems a little neurotic to me.

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untreated says on Feb 27, 2007, 12:07:

Arguably the best teaching jobs in Colombia are as professor in the public universities, Universidad de Antioquia, del Valle, la Universidad Nacional, del Magdalena, etc. To be a professor in these universities, your degrees must be legalized, which is done as I described above. It's no big deal. The homologation by ICFES on the other hand is not easy, fast or cheap. I'm sure many private educational organizations would not require homologation, but your visa would definitely require legalization of your university degrees if you are talking about teaching jobs.

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