Michel Bedard

• Credential Evaluator for almost 30 years for the second oldest evaluation service worldwide.
• Specialized in French-speaking African countries’ educational systems, private higher education recognition mechanisms, methodology, and authentication.
• Tireless researcher and information finder.
• Knowledge-sharing enthusiast: presenter, trainer, and mentor.
• Charter Member of TAICEP
• Passionate user of archive.org
• Operator and instructor of the old (once new) VSC-4C Video Spectral Comparator.
• Believer in the importance of networking in the field of credential assessment.

• 1986 M.Sc. in Economics of Natural Resources Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
• 1983 B.SC. in Economics, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada

• 1995 – present International Education Analyst / Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, Montréal, QC, Canada.
  • Producing evaluation reports, completing the Ministry’s diploma and institution database, conducting research and contacting foreign educational authorities. Assessing authenticity of educational documents. Updating the written methodology and ensuring uniform application thereof, animating case reviews and other committees, presenting all aspects of the work to internal and external partners, training junior and senior analysts, testifying in court at trials. Answering queries from international credentials partners inside and outside of Québec (schools, colleges and universities, professional boards and other credential services), presenting at international conferences, publishing articles. Institutional memory and currently
    transferring expertise for retirement.
• 1989-1995 Immigration Officer / Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, Montréal, QC, Canada,
  • Appling the regulations when interviewing prospective immigrants to accept or refuse their application. Advise those accepted on the continuation of their procedure and to prepare their arrival in the Province of Quebec. Providing advice to those refused on ways to better prepare for a new immigration application. Posted in Nicosia, Cyprus from 1989 to 1991, and in Paris, France, from 1991 to 1995.
• 1985 – 1989 Economist / Ministère des Ressources naturelles et Ministère des Affaires internationales
  • International trade analyst.

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES:

• Presentation on credential assessment to the Université du Québec network registrars’ offices, Lévis, QC, Canada, 2019
• « Evaluation Resources: Before the Internet, There Were…Books! », TAICEP Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, USA, 2018
• « An Update on Bologna in Africa », TAICEP Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, 2018 Co-writer of « Demystifying Institution and Program Recognition in French-Speaking Africa», TAICEP Annual Conference, Rome, Italia 2017
• Day Workshop on French Speaking Africa (methodology, recognition, authentication), Université de Moncton et Collège communautaire du Nouveau Brunswick, Moncton, NB, Canada, 2013
• Presentation on authentication at the National Workshop of Credentials Evaluators of the Canadian Information Center for International Credentials, Moncton, NB, Canada, 2011
• Day workshop on credential authentication for the Université du Québec network of registrars’ offices, Québec, QC, Canada, 2010
• Presentation on credential assessment to Human Resources Dept. of Ville de Montréal, QC, Canada, 2010
• Presentation on credential authentication for Cégep international and Service régional d'admission du Montréal métropolitain, Montréal, QC, Canada, 2009
• Presentation on credential assessment at the Intercultural Meetings Week of Ville de Laval, QC, Canada, 2009
• Presentation on methodology at the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada, 2009
• Co-writer of « ATYPICAL CREDENTIALS Detecting Fraudulent Educational Documents », NAFSA Annual Conference, Washington, DC, USA, 2008
• « Atypical Credentials », AACRAO Annual Meeting, Boston, 2007 Presentation on methodology at the National Workshop of Credentials Evaluators of the Canadian Information Center for International Credentials, Edmonton, Alta, Canada, 2007
• Presentation on credential assessment to the Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) de Maisonneuve’s Educational Advisors, Montreal, QC, Canada, 2007
• Presentation on credential assessment at conference of the Ministère de l’Éducation, des Loisirs et des Sports on recognition of prior learning, Québec, QC, Canada, 2007
• Attendee at NAFSA Annual Conference, Montréal QC, Canada, 2006
• Presentation on credential assessment at the Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada, 2005
• Presentation on credential assessment at the Conference of the CEGEPS’S association professionnelle des aides pédagogiques individuels, Longueuil, QC, Canada, 2005
• Presentation on methodology, Annual Meeting of the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada, Toronto, Ont, Canada, 2005
• « Afghanistan and Iraq: Document Control », AACRAO Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, NV, USA, 2004
• Presentation on credential assessment at the Registrar Office of the École des Hautes Études Commerciales, Montréal, QC, Canada, 2003
• « Document Authentication », Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition Annual Conference, Halifax, NS, Canada, 2001
• « Forgeries and Erroneous Documents », Council of Ontario Universities Conference London, Ont, Canada, 2000
• « Les rouages de la détection des faux documents », National Conference « Shaping the Future: Qualifications recognition in the 21st Century » Toronto, Ont, Canada, 1999
• Conference « True or False: Authentic Forgeries and Erroneous International Documents », AACRAO Annual Meeting, Charlotte, NC, USA, 1999
• Presentation on Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, AACRAO Annual Meeting, Charlotte, NC, USA, 1999
• Attendee at ACCRAO Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, USA, 1998
• Attendee at the Association of Registrars of the Universities and Colleges of Canada (ARUCC) Biannual Conference. Sherbrooke, QC, Canada, 1998
• Attendee at ECE’s Seminar on Eastern Europe & the Former USSR, Elyria, OH, USA 1997
• 100+ workshops on methodology, document authentication, and educational systems of French Speaking African countries for the staff of the Ministry, from 1996 to present.

PUBLICATIONS:

• Demystifying Institution and Program Recognition in French Speaking Africa: Introduction, Bénin, République démocratique du Congo, TAICEP Talk Newsletter, January 2018
• Private Higher Education in French-Speaking Africa: Accreditation by the CAMES, TAICEP Talk Newsletter, June 2016,
• Guides de comparaison des études avec le système éducatif du Québec, Ministère de l’Immigration et des Communautés culturelles, Montréal, QC, Canada :
  • Maroc (2004),
  • Rwanda (2005)
• A Guide to Educational Systems Around the World, Shelley M. Feagles, NAFSA, Washington DC, 1999, Country Outlines of: Algeria, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Morocco.

PRESENTATIONS:

• Atypical_Credentials_AACRAO_2007 (1)
• Moncton 2013 authenticité des documents (1)
• Moncton 2013 recherches (1)
• Moncton 2013 Systèmes éducatifs (1)
• Moncton 2013 reconnaissance (1)

PHOTOS: