CQAIE

THE CENTER serves as an advocate and international facilitator for the professions predominatly through the globalizing processes of quality assurance at the time of professional education, and competency assurance at the time of professional practice. In this capacity, THE CENTER provides a focus of analysis and a forum for debate as it concentrates the professions' attention on the forces reconfiguring the global community. Through such accelerators as the multinational trade agreements and new technologies, the paradigm for the professions is clearly shifting from why should we globalize to how should we globalize:

In sum, what are the new rules of the global marketplace?

To aid the professions, THE CENTER convenes an which deals directly and practically with issues and information related to the trade agreements, the globalization of higher education and the globalization of the professions through accreditation and certification (quality and competency assurance), including testing. Although the participants at the most typically come from the countries of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), these regional representatives are being more frequently joined by members of the European Union, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, MERCOSUR, and Free Trade Agreement of the Americas . Further, THE CENTER conducts periodic research related to the extent to which the professions are globalizing and, on occasion, supports research in related areas such as international literacy and the globalization of the professions. Annually, THE CENTER produces a major publication in its series on the . This is in addition to THE CENTER's periodic newsletters which inform supporters of various current activities and issues.