Biometrics for Australian student visas and Cambridge exams

Australia, 29th November: Identity of applicants for Australian student visas as well as those taking advanced English tests will be verified using biometrics.

The new step is aimed to enhance security and to cut the incidence of exam fraud. Aware, an international exams group for the University of Cambridge, is going to offer biometric solution to Cambridge exams. Apart from biometric solution, Cambridge Assessment will also be providing user interface development services.

It is based on COTS BioSP(Biometric Services Platform) of Aware. The Identica system will help in capturing facial images of various candidates arriving at the venue of the test that are in compliance with ISO.

Such images are used by organizations wanting to verify whether the candidate showing a certificate is actually the one who took the test or not. University of Cambridge ESOCL exams is going to be the first exam provider using Identica system for English Advanced test.

It may be noted that the Australian immigration department DIAC(Department of Immigration and Citizenship) recognizes CAE(Cambridge English Advanced) test for the purposes of Australian student visa applications. Cambridge ESOL test centers throughout the world have been authorized to render this service.

And around 130 nations globally will be using this service by the end of this year. Cambridge English Advanced test is undertaken by a large number of aspirants for Australian student visas every year.

Briefing about the new service, Director at Cambridge Assessment, Sarah Corcoran, said that the main aim of launching Identica system was to increase the exams’ security since these are recognized by Australian immigration department for the purposes of Australian student visas and hence, require high levels of integrity.

It is a scalable and a flexible solution since it offers advanced biometric capabilities satisfying current requirements and the requirements anticipated for the future, she maintained.

The best thing about the Identica system is that it can be upgraded quite easily for supporting several additional biometric modalities like fingerprints. Aware is going to take part in the Biometric Institute Technology Showcase and Exhibition in Canberra on 30th November, 2011 as a Platinum Sponsor. It will demonstrate several biometric software products including BioSP at the exhibition.