IRCEP
PRINCIPLES OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDSIRCEP serves as the international quality assurance agency to foster excellence in the education andtraining of professional counsellors worldwide through a Registry of approved counsellor educationand training programmes. These programmes have demonstrated adherence to the rigorous
international recognition review process and have met the IRCEP Principles of Quality Assurance andProfessional Standards.

IRCEP’s Principles are essential to the education and training of counsellors while culturally sensitive,
rigorous, and flexible enough to be used by a variety of educational systems worldwide. They aredesigned to ensure value to stakeholders. The stakeholders include students, educators, academic
programmes, employers, and community members.

Although the IRCEP Principles of Quality Assurance and Professional Standards delineate recognition
requirements, they do not dictate the manner in which programmes may choose to meet the set ofprofessional principles. Thus, programme innovation is encouraged in meeting both the intent andspirit of the IRCEP Principles. Providing evidence of meeting or exceeding the IRCEP Principles is theresponsibility of the programme.

Note: Guidelines are offered at the end of each section on what programmes can provide todemonstrate meeting or exceeding the IRCEP Principles of Quality Assurance and ProfessionalStandards.

PRINCIPLE 1: LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.
The Institution and/or Counsellor education and training programme must provide required
documentation that supports how the institution and/or organization meets the numbered mandates
below. Note: The following (#’s 1,2,3) are eligibility requirements for programmes when seeking
IRCEP recognition and approval:
The institution and/or organization:
1. must have legal approval to operate the Counsellor education and training programme in therespective country, state, city, or region.
2. must offer a Counsellor education and training programme and/or has curriculum with a focus
on counselling education or training in the respective country, state, city, or region.
3. must possess programmatic accreditation, recognition and/or approval by the regional
regulatory agency that has authority and oversight of Counsellor education and training
programmes in the respective country, state, city, or region.
4. shall describe any and all special permission or licenses that are required for operating thecounsellor education and training programme;
5. shall provide information on requirements that must be met in the programme’s respective
country, region and local area before an educational programme can be offered to students.
6. must clearly identify the counsellor education and training programme as part of theinstitution’s degree offerings and has primary responsibility for the preparation of students inthe programme, the respective areas of responsibility and the relationship between them must
be clearly documented.
7. provides programme with financial and administrative support to ensure continuity, quality,and effectiveness for all programme delivery types.
In addition, the Institution and Counsellor education and training programme intentionally creates andeffectively maintains an inclusive and equitable learning community that respects individualdifferences.
Guidelines for meeting Principle 1:
1. Provide documents and/or links that offer detailed information on the special
permission or licenses that are required for operating a counsellor education andtraining programme in the respective country, region, and local area.
2. Provide documents that demonstrate institution’s legitimacy to operate (e.g.,License, permits etc.).
3. Provide letter with signature from Institution’s or Programme’s Authorized
representative on institution’s letterhead demonstrating the offering of aCounsellor education and training programme and/or offering of a curriculum2with a focus on counselling education or training (refer to Principle # 4
Foundational Counselling Curriculum for specific details on curriculum).
4. Provide Letter with signature from regulatory agency that has authority andoversight of Counsellor education and training programmes on letterhead orcertificate that includes name and signature of regulatory agency.
5. Provide documents and/or links that offer detailed information on requirementsthat must be met in the programme’s respective country, region and local area
before an educational program can be offered to students.

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PRINCIPLE 2: ACADEMIC QUALITY
The following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.
Counsellor education and training programmes must be committed to attaining the highest quality intheir preparation of students and must demonstrate the process, tools, and thresholds used to measurequality. Academic quality is determined by evaluation of programme mission and objectives andassessment of students’ knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.
The purpose of student evaluation is for counsellor education and training programme faculty tocontinuously monitor student demonstration of key knowledge, skills, and dispositions to preparethem for practice as a counsellor.
PROGRAMME MISSION AND OBJECTIVES
A. PROGRAMME MISSION
The Counsellor education and training programme has a mission statement that:
1. defines and outlines the fundamental purpose of the programme;
2. reflects input from persons involved in the conduct of the programme: counsellor
education programme faculty, current and former students, and community partners;
3. reflects counselling practice in a diverse, multicultural, and global society;4. is on the programme website in a location accessible to the public; and5. is included in programme documents accessible to students.
B. PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
The programme objectives:
1. reflect current knowledge and projected needs concerning counselling practice in adiverse, multicultural, and global society;2. reflect input from persons involved in the conduct of the programme: counsellor
education and training programme faculty, current and former students, and communitypartners;
3. are written in measurable terms so they can be evaluated.
4. are on the programme website in a location accessible to the public; and5. are included in programme documents accessible to students.

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INDIVIDUAL STUDENT ASSESSMENT
C. The Counsellor education and training programmes continuously and systematically assess
how students individually demonstrate progress toward and mastery of the knowledge, skills,
and professional dispositions throughout the programme to prepare them for practice as acounsellor.
The assessment process includes:
1. identify and define knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions to beassessed.
2. a systematic process in place for communicating feedback to students on theirindividual assessments of knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.
3. a written policy for student retention, remediation, and dismissal from theprogram consistent with institutional policies and procedures.
Guidelines for meeting Principle 2:
1. Describe the programme mission and objectives.
2. Provide links to an official website and documents (e.g., programme catalogue,student handbook, syllabi) demonstrating that students, faculty, and the public
have access to programme mission and objectives.
3. Describe the assessment process of how the counsellor education programmefaculty systematically assesses each student’s progress of both knowledge andskills, and professional disposition.
4. Provide samples of the multiple assessment tools used by the counsellor education
programme faculty to determine each student’s acquisition of both knowledge andskills, and professional disposition.
5. Provide programme and institutional written policy that describes the review oranalysis process of individual student data for the purpose of retention,remediation, and dismissal.
6. Describe and provide samples of the counsellor education programme systematic
process for communicating feedback to students on their individual assessmentsof knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions.

5PRINCIPLE 3: STUDENT RECRUITMENT, ENROLLMENT, AND RETENTION
The following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.
The counsellor education programme engages in efforts to recruit, enroll, and retain students thatenhance and support the programme.
Process of recruitment, enrollment, and retention of students involves:a. Programme description of1. programme delivery types, including geographic locations;2. admission criteria.
3. minimum degree requirements; and4. type of degree and/or certificates student will obtain upon successful completion ofprogramme.
b. Provision of a new student orientationc. Supports student engagement in professional activities and service that contribute toprofessional and personal growth.
d. Opportunities for students to evaluate their experience within the counsellor
education and training programme.

Guidelines for meeting Principle 3:
1. Provide links to an official website of institution and/or programme demonstrating thatstudents and the public have access to detailed programme description.
2. Provide documentation that demonstrates how students are selected for and admitted in
the programme.
3. Provide copies of Student Orientation (e.g., agenda, PowerPoint (PDF format) materialpresented.
4. Provide links, agendas, announcements, and/or information made available tostudents on professional development and service opportunities.
5. Provide documents that students use to evaluate their expereince within thecounsellor education and trianing programme.

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PRINCIPLE 4: FOUNDATIONAL COUNSELLING CURRICULUM
The following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.

IRCEP empowers programmes to develop counsellor training curricula appropriate to their country,regions, and/or culture, while simultaneously recognizing the broad tenets of education and training
common to the practice of counselling regardless of culture, country, region, work practice setting, oreducational system.

The Counsellor education and training programme offers curriculum for obtaining essential knowledge
and skills necessary to function effectively as a professional counsellor across service delivery
modalities. Curriculum knowledge domains and outcome expectations are frequently interrelated andnot mutually exclusive. Ethical behavior, diversity, equity, inclusion, and critical thinking are integral
to counsellor preparation and should be infused throughout the curriculum. Counsellor preparation
programmes address content and strategies across the eight (8) foundational curriculum areas.
The eight (8) foundational curriculum areas represent the knowledge required of all entry levelcounsellor education graduates.
Counsellor education programmes must document where and in what manner each of the numberedareas listed below is covered in the curriculum.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Professional Counselling Orientation and Ethical PracticeSocial and Cultural Identities and Diversity
Lifespan Human Development
Theories and TechniquesCounselling Skills and PracticeSupervised Field PracticeProfessional Identity
Research and Assessment

Guidelines for meeting Principle 4:a. Describe where and in what manner are the eight (8) foundational areas covered inthe curriculum.
b. Provide documents (e.g., Syllabi, course and/or programme catalogue) and/or
links to documents that describe the curricular requirements and/or show howstudents progress through the programme.

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PRINCIPLE 5: EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND RETENTION
The following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.
The counsellor education programme engages in efforts to recruit, employ, and retain counsellor
educators, instructors, and trainers that enhance and support the programme.
The counsellor education programme:
1. Employs counsellor educators, instructors, and trainers (full-time and/or affiliates) whosupport the mission, objectives, and curriculum of the counsellor education programme;
2. Orients counsellor educators, instructors, and trainers (full-time and affiliates) toprogramme, accreditation/recognition requirements relevant to the courses they teach,programme delivery types, and programme and institutional policies and procedures.
3. Ensures that counselling and training programme educators have relevant preparation
and/or experience in relation to the: (a) course content they teach and (b) delivery types.
4. Provides resources of appropriate quality and sufficiency to ensure continuity, quality, andeffectiveness and meet the demands of the programme and programme delivery types.
5. Supports educators, instructors, and trainers to participate in professional activities and services
that contribute to personal and professional growth.

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Guidelines for meeting Principle 5:
1. Provide information on the number of individuals teaching in the programme (fulltime and affiliate/adjuncts).
2. Provide instructors resumes along with information regarding their qualifications andrelevant professional counselling credentials to teach in the programme, and clearly
define if they are full-time core educators, part-time, or affiliate/adjuncts.
3. Describe resources provided to educators to ensure continuity, quality, andeffectiveness for learning, teaching and research of all programme delivery types(e.g., classrooms with digital, audio/visual equipment, recording facilities).
4. Describe training counseling skills training environments offered and provide copies
of community or agency facility partnerships and agreements.
5. Provide links, agendas, announcements and/or information made available to educators, on
professional and service opportunities.

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PRINCIPLE 6: PROGRAMME LEADERSHIPThe following principles apply to Counsellor education and training programmes for which IRCEP
recognition is being sought unless otherwise specified.
The counsellor education and training programme has clearly defined leadership that is coordinatedby one or more individual(s) that can include core counsellor education faculty/educator.
Written job description(s) for individual(s) providing this leadership include:
1. having responsibility for the coordination of the counsellor education programme,
2. responding to inquiries regarding the overall counsellor education programme,
3. providing input and making recommendations regarding the development of budget
and expenditures, and4. providing or delegating year-round leadership to the operation of the programme(s),Guidelines for meeting Principle 6:
1. provide the name, title, and contact information of the individual(s) who holds
leadership responsibilities.
2. provide job description of the individual(s) who holds leadership responsibilities.
3. provide links to documents that support the individual(s) authority to provide year-roundleadership (e.g., official position description, letter of appointment)

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