Costs

As a public administrative body, the CIEP has been entrusted by the State with the task of operating the Qualité français langue étrangère certification. As such, it is responsible for the following:

• implementing the certification (recruitment of auditors, organisation of the audit schedule, internal and external communications with all players involved in the operation, etc.);
• the administrative management and administration of the Interministerial Committee and the Advisory Council;
• preparing for meetings of the Interministerial Committee and the Advisory Council.

The CIEP is also responsible for producing and publishing the Guide des centres de français langue étrangère labellisés (Guide to Certified French as a Foreign Language Centres).

Furthermore, the CIEP was involved in the preliminary stages of developing the certification, during which it coordinated an expert committee responsible for developing tools and determining procedures and processes in conjunction with the professional groups concerned.

All of these tasks incur costs, including the following:

• wages and remuneration;
• costs associated with performing audits (training, logistics, etc.);
• communication (design, production and distribution of the directory, website creation and management, etc.);
• operating expenses.

Certification fees include the following:

• a handling fee of €550 and payable at the start of the process. This fixed fee will not need to be paid again when the time comes to renew the certification;
• a fixed annual fee for registering in the certification process, the value of which is proportional to the turnover generated by the centre.

NB: This fee is paid in the first year by all audited centres, regardless of the certification committee's decision. Only centres that successfully obtain the certification pay it in the following three years. With some exceptions, the certification is granted for 4 years (48 months).

Certified centres may, should they so wish, feature on the present website and in the Guide des centres labellisés (Guide to Certified Centres) and benefit from the CIEP's efforts to promote both the certification itself and certified centres. 15,000 copies of this brochure published by the CIEP are circulated in France and abroad among the network of embassies, consulates and French cultural establishments. It is also sent out to local education authorities, town and city halls, regional councils, tourist offices and all of the centres featured in it.