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”.
Index - (Click on the topic) | |||||||
The background | The aim | The process | Getting started | More about | All you need to know at a glance | FAQs | |
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
An Official who has not been officiating at FEI Level between three and six years:
An Official who has not been officiating at FEI Level for more than six years:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW AT A GLANCE ... | ||
Key Dates | Quick Recap | |
16 December 2019 31 March 2020 15 December 2020 The CES assessment period 2020 ends for all Officials from Group A. Officials who did not take the CES Online Assessment before 15 December 2020 will have their function closed and may re-enter the system. 31 March 2021 All Officials from Group A must have passed their Online Assessment 2021 in order to be able to officiate after that date. 15 December 2021 The CES assessment period 2020-2021 ends for all Officials from Group B. Officials who did not take the CES Online Assessment before 15 December 2020 will have their function closed and may re-enter the system. |
All Officials will be subject to the FEI CES Three main advantages:
FEI CES based on a 3-year cycle:
Progressive introduction in 3 phases.
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FEI CES General Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
Is the CES online assessment an open-book assessment? |
Yes, it is. |
Who is required to take the CES assessment (s)? |
All FEI Officials are required to complete the assessment (s). |
What is the aim of the CES assessment? |
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. |
Does the CES replace the refresher system? |
Yes, from December 2019 onwards, seminars are replaced by a CES In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment, or a CES Online Assessment on FEI Campus. |
Will there still be an age limit? |
No, age limits will no longer exist, for we believe competency is a better value than age to ensure high level officiating. |
I am a Level 3 Official who missed the deadline of 15 December to take my CES assessment. What happens with me? |
Your function as a Level 3 Official will be closed on 16 December and as a consequence, you will not be able to officiate anymore. In order for you to re-enter the FEI Official’s system, you are required to take part in an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment that you need to pass successfully. After successful completion, your function will be re-activated at one lower level, meaning Level 2. |
How and when will the soft skills evaluation be introduced? |
It will be introduced at a later stage. To date, only top-level Officials have their soft skills evaluated and are invited to take an English Language Proficiency Assessment. |
How do I know if I need to do the CES Online Assessment or the In-Person Maintenance Course assessment? |
It all depends on when you had your last refresher.
All Officials will be notified via email about which group they belong to. |
What happens if I pass my CES Online Assessment? |
If you pass your CES Online Assessment, you will be immediately validated and therefore, enabled to continue officiating for another year. |
What happens if I do not pass the CES Online Assessment twice? |
You will be invited to join an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment to be re-evaluated. In that manner, we can identify the reasons of that failure and help you proceed forward. |
What happens if I pass my In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment? |
You will be immediately validated and therefore, enabled to continue officiating for another year. |
What happens if I do not pass my In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment? |
If you do not reach the minimum required passing rate, you will have to take an Oral Assessment with the Course Director during the In-Person Maintenance Course.
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Will I get a certificate to confirm I have successfully completed the CES assessment? |
Yes, you will receive a certificate via email. |
How long will my certificate be valid for? |
Your certificate will be valid for 1 year or until 31 March of the following year. |
What will I need to do when my certificate expires? |
Every year, you will have to take the CES Online Assessment in order to validate your knowledge, and at least every third year you will have to attend an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment. |
I will officiate before 31 March 2020, do I need to have successfully passed my CES assessment beforehand? |
No, all Officials can officiate until 31 March 2020 without the confirmed CES assessment. |
I will officiate after 31 March 2020, do I need to have successfully passed my CES assessment beforehand? |
- If you are from Group A (CES Online Assessment), YES. - If you are from Group B (In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment), NO, your deadline is 15 December 2021. |
Online and In-Person Assessment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) |
How many attempts do I have for my online CES Online Assessment? |
You have two (2) attempts, but you can train with the mock exam as much as you want before taking the real assessment. |
How many attempts do I have for my CES In-Person Maintenance Course assessment? |
You have only one (1) attempt but you will have more time to prepare and the possibility to train a few times with the mock exam. |
How long do I have to complete my CES Online Assessment or In-Person Maintenance Course assessment? |
You have maximum one (1) hour and the assessment cannot be interrupted once started. |
What is the level of the CES Online Assessment? |
The 2020 assessments are based on general questions on Rules and Regulations of a given discipline, as well as veterinary and legal questions for all levels. In 2021, there will be one (1) assessment per discipline and function. |
How many questions will I have to answer? |
You will have to answer 50 questions altogether. |
What kind of questions will I encounter? |
Rules and regulations questions related to your discipline, as well as legal and veterinary related questions. |
Can I have my rule book with me during the assessment? |
You can have your rule book with you during the assessment. It could be handy, but we strongly advise you to be well prepared, for you will have time to answer questions but probably not to so much time to research each question. |
How do I prepare for my CES assessment? |
You can prepare in many different ways: you can use the mock exam provided in the online assessment as many times as you want without restrictions. You can review and study your rule book. You can train with other Officials. |
What level of English is required to take the CES assessment? |
In order to take the assessment, your English level should at least allow you to read and understand the FEI Rules and Regulations in English and have a simple conversation about it. |
Who wrote the questions of the CES assessments? |
All questions have been prepared by a panel of experts and top-level Officials. |
Can I interrupt the CES assessment and continue later? |
No, once started the assessment cannot be interrupted and you will have one hour to complete it. |
Who is required to take the CES Online Assessment? |
All Officials who are up-to-date with their actual refresher cycle. If you are not, you will be asked to go to an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment. |
When will I get my results? |
You will be notified of your results immediately after the assessment is completed. |
Will I get a feedback on wrong answers? |
Yes, once you have submitted your questions, you will be able to review your assessment on FEI Campus and see your correct and wrong answers. |
What is the minimum passing rate to pass? |
A minimum rate of 80% of correct answers is required to pass. |
What happens if I pass my CES Online Assessment? |
You will be immediately validated and therefore, enabled to continue officiating for another year. |
What happens if I do not pass the CES Online Assessment twice? |
You will be invited to join an In-Person Maintenance Course with assessment to be re-evaluated. In that manner, we can identify the reasons of that failure and help you proceed forward. |
When will the next CES assessments take place? |
Next year: Depending on your refresher cycle it will be an Online or an In-Person Maintenance Course assessment that will be assigned to you. You will receive an email at the end of 2020 to inform you about the next CES. |
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