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The WES Voice

Issue #8

Summer 2025

Contents

Greetings from the WES Team

WES News

Knowledge and Research

By the Numbers

Upcoming Conferences and Events

Quick Quiz

Greetings from the Chief Transformation Officer

WES News

WES Gateway Program Expansion

The WES Gateway Program has been expanded to support individuals educated in Palestine and Sudan. This expansion creates opportunities for greater numbers of forcibly displaced individuals to access evaluations that support the recognition of their academic qualifications. The expansion is the result of careful consideration. We reviewed many factors, including WES’ credential assessment expertise and commitment to enabling equitable access to education and good work for all displaced individuals and immigrants, as well as insights from the field of immigrant inclusion.

Read more about the WES Gateway ProgramOpens in a new window.

Celebrating 25 Years of Impact in Canada

WES first opened its doors in Canada in 2000, initially to support the recognition of international credentials within Ontario’s educational system and broader job market. Now we are celebrating a key milestone—25 years of providing credential evaluations and driving systems change across Canada. To commemorate the occasion, WES announced two scholarship initiatives to expand career pathways for immigrant youth and improve higher education access for refugee students.

Read more about the initiativeOpens in a new window.
The WES team shared a meaningful time at NAFSA 2025, reflecting on the challenges international students face in today’s policy climate. 
Members of the WES Business Development and Client Success team were delighted to meet and connect with colleagues during the conference in the expo hall. From left, Aliyyah Nazeem, Brian Kostantin, Indira Marte, Shawn Patton, Aya Harb, and Kevin Kamal.
The conference gave WES team members an opportunity to connect and reflect together in person. From left, Managing Director Canada and Deputy Executive Director Shamira Madhany and Chief People Officer Abbie Cowan.
WES CEO and Executive Director Esther T. Benjamin (third from right) and Exception Specialist Oumar Sanga (third from left) with fellow panelists and colleagues who participated in an insightful discussion on the role of African higher education in the international education landscape.
WES CEO and Executive Director Esther T. Benjamin moderated the “Catalysts for Change” panel, highlighting bold women leaders shaping global education through equity, vision, and resilience.
Business Development Manager Aliyyah Nazeem met with attendees at the WES booth in the expo hall.
Global Policy & Strategy Analyst Sarah Klein and Program Manager Anukriti Randev shared insights on policy and international student mobility in their poster presentation.
Associate Director, Higher Education Research, Bryce Loo, participated in a panel and shared research insights.
(All photos courtesy of WES staff) 

Insights from NAFSA 2025

This past spring, several members of the WES team shared their expertise in international education at the NAFSA 2025 Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego, California. By participating in several panel discussions and poster fair presentations, along with hosting a booth in the expo hall, our team had the opportunity to connect with wider members of the international education community. View some highlights in the gallery on the left and 

explore our conference resource library.Opens in a new window.

Knowledge and Research

International Student Mobility Data Sources

Client Success Resources: AccessWES

Social Impact: Research and Reports

WES conducts original research on trends in student and immigrant mobility, economic inclusion, and factors that affect the ability of immigrants and refugees to successfully integrate into the workforce. We also regularly publish reports, white papers, fact sheets, and policy recommendations.

Explore the libraryOpens in a new window.
Knowledge and Research

International Student Mobility Data Sources

Associate Director, Higher Education Research, Bryce Loo, explores the growing importance of accurate, reliable data on international student mobility. As global student numbers reach record highs and are expected to rise further, this WENR article focuses on the foundational questions and considerations needed to evaluate and interpret international student data sources effectively.

Read moreOpens in a new window.
Knowledge and Research

Client Success Resources: AccessWES

In case you missed the news in our last issue of the WES Voice, we have made enhancements to AccessWES, our digital report delivery platform for institutional clients. To help you make the most of the system, we have created a new YouTube playlist with tips and tutorials.

See the playlistOpens in a new window.

By the Numbers: Applicant Profile 

In 2024, we completed nearly 500,000 credential evaluations for individuals pursuing education, employment, licensing, and immigration in the U.S. and Canada. See the evaluation purpose breakdown below and explore more insights in our 2024 annual report.

Canada

0

Applicants

80%

Immigration

80%

Immigration

0%

Education

0%

Employment

0%

Licensing

0%

Other

United States

0

Applicants

77%

Education

79%

Education

0%

Employment

0%

Immigration

0%

Licensing

0%

Other

0

North America

0

North America

111,292

Canada

48,724

United States

0

Africa

0

Africa

17,271

Nigeria

3,724

Cameroon

0

Middle East

0

Middle East

12,741

United Arab Emirates

0

Asia

0

Asia

94,180

India

20,745

China

12,301

Hong Kong

9,000

Philippines

8,232

Pakistan

0

Total

160,016

North America

20,995

Africa

12,741

Middle East

144,458

Asia

Explore More in Our 2024 Annual ReportOpens in a new window.

Upcoming Conferences and Events

Are you heading to any of these conferences this fall? Follow us on LinkedIn to find out where we’ll be and how to connect with our team!

Aliyyah Nazeem and Karolin Givergis from the Business Development and Client Success team participated as exhibitors at the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) Ontario Regional Meeting. 
Our Business Development and Client Success team connected with graduate admissions professionals earlier this year at the NAGAP Annual Conference–Graduate Enrollment Management Summit.
WES team members Aliyyah Nazeem and Franklyn De La Rosa, along with Brian Chand from Simon Fraser University, presented at British Columbia International Education Week (BCIEW) on best practices for authenticating international academic documents.
Team members Karolin Givergis and Shawn Patton represented WES at the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) Annual Conference, where they engaged in meaningful conversations about the latest research and insights shaping the future of graduate admissions.
(All photos courtesy of WES staff) 

Quick Quiz: An Authentic Approach

In a rapidly changing world, where AI is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily lives, authenticity and accuracy remain our top priority. Take our quick quiz and find out how authenticity plays a role in our process—and how we maintain a personal and human touch preparing each evaluation.
Start Quiz

WES evaluations are based on official, verified documents submitted directly from the issuing institution only. We never use photocopies or unverified documents for evaluation.

1/3

TRUE
FALSE

CORRECT

Official, verified documents are crucial to our evaluation process.* All documents must be submitted to WES directly from the issuing institution via an established and approved channel.

*With the exception of WES Gateway reports. Learn more.
Next

INCORRECT

WES does not accept photocopies or original academic documents provided by applicants.* All documents we receive undergo a rigorous authentication process in order to ensure accuracy and integrity.

*With the exception of WES Gateway reports. Learn more.
Next

Once a WES evaluation is produced, the report goes through a thorough quality assurance process conducted by a team of specialists.

2/3

TRUE
FALSE

CORRECT

After all documents have been verified and accepted for evaluation, our team of analysts produces the report. Once the report is produced, it is routed to a quality analyst who reviews and proofs the report before it is finalized.

Next

INCORRECT

After an evaluation report has been produced, the report is sent to our quality management team, where one of our specialists carefully reviews and produces the report before it is finalized.

Next

While WES follows strict document requirements, we sometimes need to contact the issuing institution to verify a document’s authenticity because of issues like formatting or font discrepancies, unfamiliar signatures, or unusual grading scales. We begin drafting the evaluation while awaiting verification and update or finalize the report once we receive a response.

3/3

TRUE
FALSE

CORRECT

All documents must undergo a rigorous authentication process. Once all required documents are verified and accepted, we move to the next stage of the evaluation process—generating a credential evaluation report.

Next

INCORRECT

Only when ALL documents have been verified and accepted is the evaluation order placed in the queue for our evaluation specialists to produce the report. Evaluations are placed on hold when there is an outstanding request such as verification, or any action that an applicant must take before we can proceed with the evaluation.

Next

How did you do? We hope this 

quiz 

served 

as a 

useful 

refresher 

or start 

in 

understanding 

WES 

credential 

evaluations. 

If you 

ever 

have 

a 

question 

about 

a WES 

report 

or our 

process, 

send a message to our Client Success team via the ‘Connect with Us’ button.Opens in a new window.

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