ICFES is an
acronym
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
for ''Instituto Colombiano para el Fomento de la Educación Superior'' ("Colombian Institute for the Promotion of Higher Education"). It is a Colombian organization that manages and evaluates the education and Institutes (Schools and Facilities) in
Colombia
Colombia (, ; ), officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country in South America with insular regions in North America—near Nicaragua's Caribbean coast—as well as in the Pacific Ocean. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Car ...
. It has the legal power to shut down schools that do not meet educational standards and it manages and provides the national evaluation test for entering
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
institutions (Colleges and Universities). The institute's mission is the improving of quality of education in Colombia.
The ICFES Examination
The ICFES exam is a standardized test similar to the American
SAT
The SAT ( ) is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Since its debut in 1926, its name and scoring have changed several times; originally called the Scholastic Aptitude Test, it was later called the Schol ...
. The test is administered prior to graduation in Colombian high schools. (Grade 11th). The test is thoroughly developed and published by the ICFES.
Although ICFES provides several tests for different academic purposes, the ICFES test is nationally recognized as the most important test since it qualifies students according to their actual academic skills and therefore it can affect the possibilities that a student might have to be accepted in College.
The test was originally created in 1966 when the Colombian Association of Universities and the University Fund signed the Agreement number 65. This agreement was reached after a research made by the Colombian Government and members of Colombian Universities.
The test is an intensive one. The test is totally managed by ICFES and different contracts with companies that transport valuables as a way to make the test safely delivered to the students and preventing fraudulent results or illegal copying.
Other Functions
ICFES also works as a mediating system between schools and colleges. It has a close relationship with most institutions by keeping and maintaining important databases regarding scores, teachers and alumni. It also participates as a consultant institution for the developing of technologies in Colombia.
External links
Official ICFES Web Page
Educational organisations based in Colombia
{{edu-org-stub