Trinity’s English language exams to be recognised by public authorities in Spain when recruiting

Version en español

Leading Spanish law firm Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves Pereira has confirmed that the Spanish Supreme Court’s recent judgement – that qualifications mapped to the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) should be accepted by public authorities – applies to qualifications from Trinity College London. 

Trinity’s English language qualifications are fully mapped to the CEFR in accordance with criteria developed by ALTE for the Council of Europe and the CEFR levels are also stated on Trinity’s certificates. Public authorities should no longer accept only certificates issued by the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (the Official School of Languages in Spain) in employment selection processes.

Trinity College London chief executive Sarah Kemp said: ‘Trinity has been assessing English in Spain for over 40 years and we’re delighted that our English language qualifications are officially recognised in this way.”

Notes to editors

1. Trinity College London is a leading international exam board offering qualifications in music, drama, arts activities and the English language at all levels. Trinity has been offering exams since 1877.
2. Trinity exams are regulated by Ofqual (Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation) and recognised by many universities, employers and education authorities around the world.
3. CRUE (Conference of Rectors of Spanish Universities) and ACLES (Association of Language Centres in Higher Education) accept Trinity’s Integrated Skills in English (ISE) qualification for university admission purposes.
4. Trinity is a full member of the Association of Language Testers in Europe (ALTE).

See also

• This news release in Spanish

Among other things, the above Memorandum states:

‘The Supreme Court judgment of 22 February has established a limit on the discretion which the legislation indirectly grants to administrative bodies. In the absence of a clear imperative rule regarding the recognition of the certificates in question, the Supreme Court imposes an interpretation of our legislation on the basis of the criteria for interpretation of the Civil Code, with reference to equity and to the purpose and spirit of the rules...’

‘Therefore, in relation to the certificates issued by Trinity College London, which is a member of ALTE, insofar as they are accompanied by the relevant declaration of the institution itself which confirms that the level of such certificate is equivalent to one of the levels of knowledge (the relevant level) established by the CEFR, such certificates must be recognised by Spanish authorities in public employment selection processes, in accordance with the provision of the Supreme Court judgement of 22 February.’

Reference
The Supreme Court judgment referred to above is number 439/2015.