CIMEA verification and comparability statement

The CIMEA comparability statement is a technical assessment that places a qualification obtained abroad within the Italian qualifications system, assisting universities, professional orders, administrations and employers in reading the course.

What the CIMEA statement is

CIMEA, the Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence, is the Italian reference point of the ENIC-NARIC network, established under the Lisbon Convention to foster academic and professional mobility. The statement it issues is a qualified, non-binding technical opinion: it does not constitute legal recognition of the qualification, but assists its correct interpretation by the institutions called upon to assess it.

What it is for

The statement does not replace the administrative acts of recognition, but provides a formal assessment accepted by numerous institutions. Depending on the case, it is required:

• by the universities, for the admission of students with a foreign qualification
• by the regional school offices, for access to schools or State examinations
• by ministries and professional orders, in the recognition of regulated qualifications
• by public and private bodies, for competitions, notices and rankings
• by employers, as confirmation of a candidate’s course of training

The types of statement

CIMEA issues different instruments, each with its own function, and the choice depends on the use to be made of it.

The comparability statement places the foreign qualification within the Italian system, by reference to the levels of the European Qualifications Framework and the National Framework. It sets out the institution that issued the qualification, the education system of the country of origin, the duration of the course, the corresponding level and the access the qualification gives to further study or to the profession.

The verification statement certifies the authenticity and traceability of the qualification, by a direct check with the issuing institution or through official databases. It is required where a formal confirmation of the existence and issue of the qualification is needed.

Where both functions are needed, the combined statement may be requested, bringing comparability and verification together in a single document, with a saving of time.

Relationship with the Declaration of Value

Many universities and various institutions accept the CIMEA statement as a qualified assessment of the foreign qualification. The statement does not, however, replace the Declaration of Value where this is required, in particular in professional recognition. For the professions supervised by the Ministry of Justice, for example, CIMEA is not admitted in place of the Declaration of Value or of legalisation of the qualification with a sworn translation. Where the statement cannot be obtained, the Declaration of Value remains the route for officially documenting the foreign qualification.

How to apply

The application is submitted exclusively online, on CIMEA’s DiploMe portal, the platform developed by CIMEA with blockchain technology. It must be the holder of the qualification who creates a personal account and submits the application with their own credentials, because CIMEA, for data-protection reasons, does not accept applications submitted by third parties. Once issued, the statement is made available in the user’s digital wallet, in a downloadable and shareable PDF format. The cost is 300 euros, with an ordinary timeframe of sixty working days and an urgent procedure of thirty days available for the comparability statement alone.