Accreditation fees
Become a SOFEDUC Institutional Member
Who are our members
SOFEDUC members are divided into three categories:
a. Accredited Institutional Members: a corporation or organization authorized to issue Continuing Education Units (CEUs);
b. Affiliate Members: a corporation or organization interested in continuing education;
c. Individual Members: a natural person interested in continuing education.
Only duly accredited Institutional Members may issue Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Eligibility
Any individual or legal entity, organization duly registered and/or incorporated in Canada, with a history and solid expertise in continuing education, and not subject to any legal proceedings, is eligible for the SOFEDUC accreditation process.
Accredited Members commit to always complying with the Standards and guidelines issued by SOFEDUC.
Accreditation Process
Accreditation is a multi-step process that allows SOFEDUC to review the file of each organization applying for Institutional Member status.
The final decision is made by SOFEDUC’s Accreditation Committee of the Board of Directors, after reviewing the application file, the audit report (accreditation visit), and the recommendations of the auditor (expert reviewer).
The accreditation process of SOFEDUC at a glance
Step 1: Information
- Familiarize yourself with SOFEDUC’s quality standards by consulting the Standards Guide available in our Information Center.
- Contact SOFEDUC if needed at [email protected]
for more details or to schedule a meeting with our auditor in residence.
Step 2 : Application
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Complete the electronic accreditation application form.
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Prepare the application file by gathering all documents required by SOFEDUC.
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Submit the file according to the provided instructions.
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Step 3 : Billing and Quote
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File opening fee: After submitting its application, the candidate Member will receive an invoice by email, which must be paid in order for the preliminary review of the file to be conducted.
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Following the preliminary review of the file:
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The candidate Member whose request to proceed with the audit is accepted, receives an invitation for the accreditation visit.
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Step 4 : Audit (Accreditation Visit)
- The candidate Member’s file is assigned for review to a SOFEDUC auditor (expert reviewer). The auditor:
- Reviews the candidate Member’s file;
- Determines the audit procedures and contacts the candidate Member to schedule the meeting(s);
- Carries out the audit and submits the report to SOFEDUC.
- The candidate Member’s file is assigned for review to a SOFEDUC auditor (expert reviewer). The auditor:
Step 5 : Decision
- The Accreditation Committee and Executive Management review the file and the auditor’s report to determine whether the candidate organization meets the requirements and Standards to qualify for Institutional Member status.
Submission and Preliminary Evaluation of the File
The candidate:
- Completes the online form and attaches all documents required according to their type of organization (legal status; description of three training activities; evaluation methods; sample certificates; etc.);
- Submits the accreditation application electronically as specified in the form;
- Pays the file opening fee, which will be sent by email prior to the preliminary review of the file.
SOFEDUC:
- Conducts the preliminary evaluation of the file in order to prepare a quote that takes into account the time required to carry out the audit, based on the organization’s structure, the complexity of the file, and the specific characteristics of each candidate.
The candidate Member accepts the quote that will be sent by paying it.
Audit (Accreditation Visit)
The audit, formerly called the accreditation visit, is conducted by an auditor (expert reviewer) appointed by SOFEDUC. The auditor is selected to ensure that they are neither in a conflict of interest nor in competition with the candidate organization. The mandate of the auditor (expert reviewer) is to:
- Review the candidate organization’s file in order to ensure compliance;
- Validate mastery of the Quality Standards;
- Ensure that the candidate Member’s PPD (policies, procedures, and directives) make it possible to comply with SOFEDUC’s Standards and guidelines;
- Assess the candidate’s practices;
- Determine whether the organization has the necessary resources to meet all SOFEDUC requirements.
Audit Report and Recommendation
The audit report (accreditation visit) is submitted by the auditor (expert reviewer) to Executive Management and the Accreditation Committee, along with their recommendations.
A decision is then made following the review of the file, the report, and the recommendations by the Committee.
Executive Management communicates the decision to the candidate organization’s representatives in a detailed report.
- Depending on the decision, this may include the membership contract with certain conditions, recommendations, corrective measures to be implemented, as well as timelines.
- A continuous improvement plan may also be required, with details on the strategies the candidate Member must implement and the timeline for meeting all SOFEDUC Standards and guidelines.
Accreditation — Institutional Member
Accreditation becomes effective only after the candidate Member organization has:
- Signed the audit report;
- Paid all fees (file opening, audit, annual Membership);
- Implemented the required corrective measures;
- And SOFEDUC’s Board of Directors has ratified the accreditation by resolution.
Authorization to issue CEUs
The new Institutional Member is authorized to use the Institutional Member logo, the SOFEDUC reference, and to issue CEUs for all its training and continued education activities that comply with SOFEDUC’s Standards and guidelines as soon as accreditation is granted.
Accreditation fees
Any applicant for accreditation as an Institutional Member must pay the following fees:
File opening fee: $195.00 + taxes
File review and audit fee (accreditation visit): starting at $650.00 + taxes
Applicants for Affiliate Member or Individual Member status with SOFEDUC pay only the file opening fee of $195.00 + taxes. They are not subject to the accreditation visit, which validates training processes and practices. As such, they are not authorized to issue CEUs.
No file review will begin until full payment of the invoiced amounts has been received.
Maintaining accreditation
To maintain its accreditation, the Institutional Member must comply with the ten (10) Quality Standards, whose definitions, interpretations, and requirements are outlined in the SOFEDUC Quality Standards Guide for Continuing Education (2013 Edition, under revision).
The Institutional Member must also:
- Undergo periodic evaluation (if necessary) through an annual questionnaire;
- Produce a report detailing the training activities and the issuance of CEUs for the year in question;
- Pay its Membership (annual dues);
- Undergo a reaccreditation visit every five years, which may, if necessary, be complemented by control visits;
- Participate in the dissemination and sharing of knowledge, research findings, and Quebec, Canadian, and international experiences during SOFEDUC’s Annual Study Day;
- Contribute to the publication of SOFEDUC’s Newsletter.
The Institutional Member must also sign and comply with the following Membership Contract:
Our organization, wishing to become an Institutional Member of the Société de formation et d’éducation continue — SOFEDUC, recognizes the four core values promoted by SOFEDUC and commits, through the signature of its representative:
- To comply with the statutes and regulations of SOFEDUC, including the criteria described in the Quality Standards Guide for Continuing Education intended for accreditation candidates and SOFEDUC Institutional Members (2013);
- To operate in compliance with applicable federal and provincial laws, including, among others, those concerning Consumer Protection and the Protection of Personal Information in the Private Sector (Law 68);
- To inform SOFEDUC of any lawsuit or legal proceedings it may be subject to;
- To comply with the conditions governing the use and display of the UEC logo and seal on its documents, website, etc., as required by SOFEDUC.
Attestation
A training certificate must include all the information specified under Standard 10 (see the Quality Standards Guide for Continuing Education).
The “SOFEDUC CEU” graphic symbol and the following text must also appear on the certificate:
(Name of the organization) is an Institutional Member of the Société de formation et d’éducation continue (SOFEDUC), which defines the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) as follows: one continuing education unit represents ten hours of participation in a structured training activity, organized and delivered by an accredited organization, led by qualified trainers, and sanctioned by an evaluation.
Only Institutional Members in good standing with SOFEDUC are authorized to use the graphic symbol.
Any individual or organization that reproduces, uses, or displays the “SOFEDUC CEU” graphic symbol without having obtained prior accreditation from SOFEDUC is in violation of intellectual property rights and may be subject to civil and/or criminal proceedings under the Copyright Act and any other applicable legislation.