RCEC to continue independently

The independent expertise centre for securing and advancing the quality of examinations, RCEC, opened on January 1, 2018. Ten years after the beginning of the partnership between Cito and the University of Twente, this step is a logical consequence of the growing role of RCEC as an expert and auditor, and the increasing demand for independence from the field. Cito and the University of Twente will step down as owners and directors and from now on they will focus exclusively on carrying out research. RCEC is and will remain a scientific, internationally operating institution. This gives a new face to the cooperative effort involving the three parties.

Cito on the one hand and the Department of Research Methodology, Measurement and Data analysis of the University of Twente on the other hand, started a collaboration in 2008 that focused on the quality of examination and certification, under the name Research Centre for Examination and Certification. In these areas, this initiative was initially at the service of PhD research and formal education (HBO/WO). However, due to its extensive specialist knowledge and experience, RCEC increasingly took on the role of independent expert and auditor over the course of time. This development has led to a reorientation of its activities.

Who will do what?

RCEC offers three services for the entire test cycle of construction, administration, scoring and evaluation: certification, consultancy and training. RCEC focuses on the examination process, the examination product and the examination professional. The RCEC quality mark makes it clear that an exam meets the highest quality standard in all areas. With the new RCEC, the entire field of education has an independent centre of expertise in audits, advice and training.

Cito/UT-BMS continue to cooperate and explicitly focus on joint research on the basis of the long-term policy plans of Cito and the BMS faculty of the University of Twente. They also continue their teaching for the Research Master Methodology and Statistics for the Behavioural, Biomedical and Social Sciences (MSBBSS) and the Master in Testing Expertise at Fontys University of Applied Sciences.

Unique in the Netherlands

In this new set-up, RCEC is the only player in the Netherlands that has taken up this expert role across the entire field and is not limited to a specific type of education. The institution continues to work from a scientific basis and links ten years of experience to a network of the best experts in the field. Further information about the history and activities of RCEC are available via a newsletter.