December 19th, 2018
Dear Colleagues,
As 2018 comes to an end, it is important to reflect on the positive gains and learn from the setbacks. Yes, international student enrollments are down compared to two years ago. And we know there are multiple factors that have contributed to slowed enrollment, including the rising cost of U.S. higher education, student visa delays and denials, and an environment increasingly marked by rhetoric and policies that make life more difficult for international students, immigrants, as well as changing conditions and opportunities in home countries and increasing competition from other countries for students.
I, for one, choose to look at setbacks not as a negative but as ultimately a good thing which reminds me of this Zen proverb: “The obstacle is the path.” Often we’re discouraged because of some tough challenge or obstacle in our way. But a shift in mindset can change everything
The ACEI team follows this credo as well and has worked full steam ahead this year. We went ahead and joint forces with our colleagues at iTEP International and launched The Welcome Project; a service uniquely designed to help vulnerable/displaced individuals classified as refugees. Our credential evaluation service has remained robust and providing assistance to schools, colleges and universities, licensing boards and employers throughout the U.S. We have also collaborated and formed new partnerships with institutions and examinations bodies in the U.S. and internationally by offering our expertise and guidance through our credential evaluation and professional advisory services. We continued to attend numerous national and international conferences, spoke as presenters, contributed to publications and newsletters. Through our joint efforts, we have been able to forge ahead and look forward to the future.
For that, at this holiday season, we can give thanks. Thanks to our clients for the confidence they have placed in us and to their applicants for selecting ACEI for their credential evaluation needs. And thanks to our wonderful and dedicated group of senior evaluators, administrators, and support staff who are always willing and eager to put in the necessary extra time and effort to achieve the results our clients and applicants deserve and expect.
On behalf of my partners Alan A. Saidi, Senior Vice-President & COO, Nora Khacheturian, Executive Director of Evaluation & Translation Dept., and all of us here at ACEI, I want you to know that we truly appreciate you. May Peace, Happiness and Prosperity be yours during this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year.
And, remember, the obstacle isn’t something standing in our way. It’s the way itself.
Jasmin Saidi-Kuehnert is the President and CEO of the Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI).
The Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute, Inc. (ACEI), was founded in 1994 and is based in Los Angeles, CA, USA. ACEI provides a number of services that include evaluations of international academic credentials for U.S. educational equivalence, translation, verification, and professional training programs. ACEI is a Charter and Endorsed Member of the Association of International Credential Evaluators. For more information, visit www.acei-global.org.