CIMEA ARDI correspondence statement

The ARDI statement: a free comparative opinion on foreign qualifications.

Among the instruments made available by CIMEA to support the recognition of foreign qualifications in Italy, the ARDI statement is a particularly useful, quick and free informational resource. It is not a tailored attestation, nor an individual document referring to a specific case, but a comparative opinion generated automatically by the ARDI system (Automatic Recognition Database – Italia), developed by CIMEA in line with what is provided at European level on the automatic recognition of qualifications.

What ARDI is and what it is for

ARDI is a public and free database, accessible online, that gathers and describes the main types of academic and upper-secondary-school qualifications issued in the countries that are party to the Lisbon Convention. For each qualification in the database, a technical opinion of correspondence with Italian qualifications is offered, drawn up by CIMEA experts on the basis of the international classifications of qualifications and the comparability between education systems.

The system makes it possible to check:

• whether a foreign qualification is official and issued by a recognised institution
• which level of Italian education it corresponds to, for example a secondary diploma, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s or a doctorate
• whether the qualification is academic, vocational or research in nature
• whether there are any substantial differences from the Italian system, as provided for by the Lisbon Convention

On the basis of this information, it is possible to download a correspondence statement, generated automatically by the portal in PDF format, setting out the date of extraction and the comparative opinion provided by ARDI.

What the ARDI statement contains

The ARDI statement has no legal value and produces no legal effects of recognition. It does, however, represent an indicative technical assessment, useful for presenting one’s qualification to Italian bodies, such as universities, employers and public bodies, or for enclosing an initial descriptive opinion during a consultation. The document sets out:

• the original name of the foreign qualification
• the country and education system of reference
• the classification of the qualification by level and nature
• the proposed correspondence with the equivalent Italian qualification
• any specific assessment notes, formulated in relation to the standards of the foreign system
• the date of issue, indicated as a reference, since qualifications and records may be updated over time

It should be stressed that the analysis contained in the ARDI statement is based on general categories of qualifications, and not on individual cases: it does not take into account, for example, specific marks, individual curricula or minor institutions not included in the national system.

When the ARDI statement is useful

The ARDI statement may be used as a basic informational tool to:

• obtain an initial opinion on the general comparability of one’s qualification with Italian ones
• provide descriptive support to bodies requiring an informal check of the qualification
• prepare the documentation for subsequent formal recognition procedures, such as university equipollenza, professional recognition or the application for the Declaration of Value
• enclose a system opinion with tailored consultations or preliminary cases

It in no way replaces the Declaration of Value or the CIMEA comparability statement, but it may be a useful first reference for orientation, in particular in standardised cases or for qualifications from well-known and well-structured education systems.

How to obtain the ARDI statement

The statement is obtainable directly online on CIMEA’s official website, in the ARDI section. The system allows the foreign qualification to be searched by country and name. If the qualification is in the database, a descriptive record of the qualification is displayed, the correspondence statement is generated automatically in PDF, and the document can be downloaded immediately and free of charge.

Professional assistance with the use of ARDI

riconoscimentititoli.com can assist you in the correct interpretation of the contents of the ARDI statement, in checking whether your qualification is present in the database, in comparing the ARDI statement with other methods of assessment, to understand which instrument is the most suitable among comparability, the Declaration of Value and the ARDI statement, and in preparing a complete dossier in which the ARDI statement is used as preliminary support for your recognition procedure.