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1. What kind of centers can apply
to become Associate Centers of the Instituto Cervantes?
2. Can a center in the process
of setting up apply to be an Associate Center?
3. Does it mean the same
to have Associate or Accredited Center status as to be an Examination
Center for the diplomas in Spanish (DELE)?
4. What does it mean to be an
Associate Center of the Instituto Cervantes? 5.
Do the centers in the Spanish in Spain Database belong to the
Network of Associate Centers of the Instituto Cervantes?
6. Who assesses quality? How is this done?
7. Does a report granted
by an Assessment Body automatically imply Accredited Center recognition?
8. Can a center that has begun
the procedure use the Associate or Accredited Center logo?
9. Can a center that has
obtained the quality report and is awaiting signature of the agreement
use the Associate or Accredited Center of the Instituto Cervantes
denomination and logo?
10. What expenses does the
Associate or Accredited Center assume?
11. If an agreement is signed,
for example, in the month of June, is it necessary to pay the
full annual fee?
12. When should the fee
be paid to the Instituto Cervantes?
13. How long are agreements
valid? Can they be renewed?
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1. What
kind of centers can apply to become Associate Centers of the Instituto
Cervantes?
This is open to public or private
teaching centers of Spanish as foreign language:
- that have a minimum of two years´ experience teaching
Spanish as a foreign language
- that are located in cities which do not have an Instituto Cervantes
center
2.
Can a center in the process of setting up apply to be an Associate
Center?
No. To join the Network of
Associate Centers applicants must have spent at least the previous
two years teaching Spanish as a foreign language.
3. Does it mean the same to have
Associate or Accredited Center status as to be an Examination
Center for the diplomas in Spanish (DELE)?
No. The procedure for becoming an examination center
is different, since the condition of Accredited Center or of Associate
Center does not imply Examination Center (DELE) status.
4. What does
it mean to be an Associate Center of the Instituto Cervantes?
It means that the Instituto
Cervantes has approved the quality level of the teaching and services
offered. This status confers the right to use the Instituto Cervantes´
specially designed logo for Associate or Accredited Centers of
the Instituto Cervantes.
5. Do the centers
in the “Spanish in Spain” Database belong to the Network
of Associate Centers of the Instituto Cervantes?
Not necessarily. "Spanish
in Spain” is a directory of all the Spanish courses and
teaching centers in Spain, containing data entered by the centers
themselves. The Instituto Cervantes does not appraise them, but
Accredited Centers are indicated.
6. Who assesses
quality? How is this done?
Assessment of the quality of an applicant
center is the responsibility of the Instituto Cervantes or its
recognized Assessment Bodies. If a center reaches the established
level of quality, calculated according to several indicators,
a favorable quality report is granted.
7. Does a report granted by an Assessment
Body automatically imply Accredited Center recognition?
The quality report does not bind the Instituto Cervantes
to an agreement. Each center´s dossier is studied before any
agreement with the center under inspection is signed.
8. Can a center that has begun the
procedure use the Associate or Accredited Center logo?
Until an agreement is signed between a center and
the Instituto Cervantes it may not use the logo. As a guarantee
of proper use and respect for graphic identity standards, it is
the Instituto Cervantes which sends the logo to each Associate or
Accredited Center.
9. Can a center
that has obtained the quality report and is awaiting signature
of the agreement use the Associate or Accredited Center of the
Instituto Cervantes denomination and logo?
No, it may not use it until the agreement with the
Instituto Cervantes has been signed. Agreements are valid for three
years. A new favorable quality report is required for renewal.
10. What expenses does the Associate
or Accredited Center assume?
a) Annual
Fee of Association or Accreditation of the Instituto Cervantes:
For Accredited Centers in Spain, this is 1,200
€ for the year 2010. The annual fee for each country is established
annually by the Council of Administration.
b)
Amounts to be paid to Assessment Body or the Instituto Cervantes
for quality approval:
Each Assessment Body fixes this amount, and
so these may differ, but the following principles should apply:
- the price should be the same for each country
- it should not be more than the fee established annually by the
Instituto Cervantes for each country.
Centers must also meet the travel, maintenance and lodging expenses
of the staff who carry out the inspection visit. The body will
adjust its prices as far as possible to special offers to save
costs (visiting days, transport cheap rates, hotel offers, etc.).
c). Other expenses:
Where the Instituto Cervantes assigns training
programs, centers must finance all related expenses, covering
the speakers´ travel, lodging, maintenance and fees, where
applicable.
11. If
an agreement is signed, for example, in the month of June, is
it necessary to pay the full annual fee?
No, in that case the proportional quota corresponding
to 6 months applies.
12. When should the fee be paid
to the Instituto Cervantes?
Payment is due thirty days from
the signature of the agreement. In successive years, payment will
be made in the first two months of the year.
13.
How long are agreements valid? Can they be renewed?
Three years. To renew agreements a new quality
report must be sought eight months before the valid one expires.
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