Welcome to the FEI Competency-based Evaluation System (CES) section on InsideFEI. On this page you will find all the information you need related to the background, the objectives and the actual requirements and processes around the FEI CES, as well as comprehensive FAQs.

Please note that we have extended the deadlines for Officials in terms of officiating requirements as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the lack of opportunities and Events. This was approved at the FEI Board Meeting in June 2020. The new timeframes are clearly outlined below in sections “The process” and “Getting started”.

The background… 

In 2016, the FEI created a Working Group on FEI Officials following feedback from the “Officials” sessions (Career Pathway, Education and Appointment & Remuneration) at the FEI Sports Forum earlier that year. Chaired by FEI 2nd Vice President Mark Samuel (CAN) and including representatives from various stakeholder communities as well as supported by the FEI Education Department, the new Working Group was tasked with developing proposals for the improvement and harmonisation of the management, education, and career progression of FEI Officials across all disciplines.

Fifteen Recommendations were brought forward in response to their remit to improve the quality of Officials, their education, opportunities and experiences, as well as the systems in place to manage Officials which in turn will ensure the smooth running of FEI events, and ultimately horse welfare.

Recommendation 3 of the Working Group specifically refers to the introduction of a Competency-based Evaluation System with the goal of replacing the age limit, which has been developed by the FEI Education & Officials Department and is now implemented.

Note: The FEI Education Framework will continue to be developed alongside the FEI Competency-based Evaluation System in order to regulate and administer the status of FEI Officials. The on-the-job performance and the monitoring system will be implemented in the transfer up process which will be an essential part of the FEI Education Framework.

 

The aim…
 
The aim of the FEI Competency-based Evaluation System is to ensure that FEI Officials fulfil all the requirements of their job description and are up-to-date with the current FEI Rules and Regulations, regardless of their age. 

The intention of this evaluation system is to include all the different competencies required and assess them in the most objective manner; by discipline, by level, by function and by role, and on a regular basis.       

The different competencies to be assessed at each level are:

• Knowledge of FEI Rules and Regulations
• Soft skills in order to interact effectively and harmoniously
• English language proficiency
• Physical fitness level required for the job

The objective is to test according to the level, with standardised and FEI approved assessments, carefully crafted by experts. The assessments will either be done online via the FEI Campus website and/or an In-Person Maintenance course with assessment.

The three main advantages of this new system are:

• Provide an opportunity for inactive as well as retired (above the age limit) Officials, to re-enter the system if they can comply/complete with the requirements.
• Provide the same universal, fair and transparent evaluation process to ensure a standardised level of competency.
• Provide a more effective process, which is less time consuming and less expensive for all Officials to comply with the requirements of the FEI education system.​

 

The process…

The FEI Competency-based Evaluation System works on a 3-year cycle. This new cycle effectively replaces the current refresher system and abolishes the age limit.

The FEI Competency-based Evaluation System is introduced progressively in phases over the coming years.

In 2020, the knowledge of FEI Rules and Regulations is evaluated, either through an Online Assessment, or through an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment.

There is only one assessment per discipline in 2020 except for Jumping which has three. In 2021, there will be one (1) assessment per discipline and function.  

Additionally, Officials will have to certify that they are taking the assessment personally, and that they are “Fit-to-officiate” according to the requirements of the role as an Official.

Top-level Officials have their soft skills evaluated and are invited to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment.

 

Getting Started…

To start the process in 2020, the FEI has divided all Officials in two separate groups (Group A & Group B) depending on their actual refresher status:

• Group A - Officials currently up-to-date with their refresher cycle are invited to take the CES Online Assessment on FEI Campus from 16 December 2019 to 15 December 2020.
  • If passed, they stay in “Group A” and will have until 15 December 2021 to take their next CES Online Assessment.
  • If not passed, they will have to do an In-Person Maintenance Course before 15 December 2021.
    Note that to officiate at events taking place after 31 March of each year, Officials must have passed the CES Online Assessment.
  • If the CES Online Assessment is not taken, the function will be closed.
• Group B - Officials who have not done a refresher course since 31 December 2016, have to take part in an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment before 15 December 2021 and can continue to officiate in their current status until that date.
  • ​Officials who already attended and passed the In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment before 15 December 2020 will become “Group A” in 2021, and will be required to pass a CES Online Assessment before 15 December 2021.
  • If the In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment is not attended by 15 December 2021, the function will be closed.

 

More About    ... the online assessment:

The online assessment can be taken from 16 December 2019 until 15 December 2020, and will be accessible on the FEI Campus website. 

To login with FEI Campus and access the FEI CES, Officials will need to use their FEI ID and password. An automatic email will be sent to all Officials that do not have a password and they will have 14 days upon reception to answer the email and activate their online account. 

The online assessment will feature a series of 50 questions related to Rules and Regulations of a given discipline as well as veterinary and legal topics. A passing grade of 80% is required to succeed and each participant will be entitled to 2 attempts. Each attempt will have a time limit of one hour (1:00) and cannot be interrupted or paused once started. Results will be given at the end of the evaluation.

Before taking the online assessment, each participant will have the opportunity to train with a mock exam and get used to the testing environment. The mock exam will consist of a series of 10 random questions taken from the same pool of questions as the final assessment. There is no time limit for the mock exam and it can be taken as many times as wished to prepare for the online assessment. 

There are two scenarios/outcomes: 

• If the Official successfully (80% or more) completes the first or second attempt, they are immediately notified and entitled to officiate for another year.
• If the Official fails the two attempts they will then be invited to attend an in-person maintenance course (see description below) with assessment. Please note that in this case, the Official will not be able to officiate until they have attended and successfully completed the in-person maintenance course with assessment.

 

More About     … the in-person maintenance course with assessment:

In-Person Maintenance Courses with assessments will take place throughout 2020 and 2021 for Officials who have been requested to attend them, either due to their refresher status (Group B) or because they have failed the Online Assessment twice (from Group A).

The assessment which is part of the In-Person Maintenance Course has the same format as the Online Assessment, featuring a series of 50 questions related to Rules and Regulations of a given discipline, as well as veterinary and legal.

The Official only has one (1) attempt with a time limit of one hour (1:00) which cannot be interrupted or paused once started.

A minimum rate of 80% of correct answers is required to pass. At the end of the Online Assessment, the result must be shared with the Course Director.

Officials who have reached the minimum required passing rate are entitled to officiate for another year.

Officials who did not reach the minimum required passing rate will have to take an Oral Assessment with the Course Director during the In-Person Maintenance Course:

• If an Official passes the Oral Assessment, he/she will be able to officiate for another year.
• If an Official does not pass the Oral Assessment, he/she will be transferred down to the next lower level.

 

​More About     … re-entering the FEI Official's System:

Any Official who has retired or has not been officiating before 1 January 2019 is able to re-enter the system. Following requirements are applicable according to the discipline concerned:
An Official who has not been officiating at FEI Level for less than three years:

• May re-enter the FEI Officials’ system on a level lower than previously listed.
• Is required to pass an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment. This does not apply to the lowest levels as they will be considered National Officials and will have to fulfil the national requirements and then pass a transfer-up course.
• After passing the In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment the Official can officiate at his/her re-entry level without further requirements.

An Official who has not been officiating at FEI Level between three and six years:

• May re-enter the FEI Officials’ system on a level lower than previously listed.
• Is required to pass a transfer-up course to confirm this lower level.
• Must also fulfil all other transfer-up requirements according to the relevant Education System of each discipline.

An Official who has not been officiating at FEI Level for more than six years:

• May only be able to re-enter at the lowest levels
• Is required to pass a transfer-up course for the relevant level
• Must also fulfil all other transfer-up requirements according to the relevant Education System of each discipline.