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2013/SOM3/HRDWG/FOR/009

Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education

Submitted by: Australia

Roundtable Conference on Building Human Resource Development Partnerships for

Innovative Growth and Sustainable Development

Medan, Indonesia22-25 June 2013

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Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher EducationJason CouttsGeneral ManagerScholarships and North Asia BranchInternational Education and Science Division

Cross-border educationEducation is a crucial economic activity.Cross border education is growing rapidly.Cooperation on measures to enhance cross-border exchange will bring significant benefits to all economies.Working towards this is consistent with APEC’s broader goals.

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Annex D of the 2012 Leaders’ DeclarationEnhance the mobility of students.Enhance the mobility of researchers.Enhance the mobility of education providers.Enhance the existing network of bilateral agreements.

APEC HEDS Workshop in Vietnam

ContextAsia-Pacific perhaps has the most variety in terms of education systems and quality assurance of all UNESCO regions.ASEAN Economic Community 2015 seeks free flow of skilled labour.Significant focus on development, implementation and referencing of NQFs within the region.ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework

Development of an outcomes-based regional qualifications framework for ASEAN members by 2015Supported by guidelines for quality assurance.

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BackgroundRevision/update proposed at 8th Session of the 1983 Regional Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in Asia and the Pacific in 2005.Report tabled at 10th Session in 2009.Working group finalised revised Convention in October 2011.International Conference of States held in November 2011 in Tokyo, Japan.Aims to meet needs of the region now and into the future.

GoalsThe revised Convention aims to:

Provide guidelines to facilitate regional cooperation in qualifications recognition.Facilitate student and academic mobility.Encourage development of conditions which enable more mobility and streamlined mobility for educational and cultural exchange.Support development of systems for qualifications recognition.Ensure qualifications recognition is undertaken in transparent, coherent, reliable, timely and non-discriminatory ways.

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PrinciplesThe revised Convention requires that parties:

Facilitate student and academic mobility (within existing legal, constitutional and regulatory frameworks).Establish competent recognition authorities (CRAs) that undertake qualifications recognition.Establish a national information centre (NIC) to provide information on higher education and qualifications recognition.Designate a body (CRA, NIC or other) to assess foreign higher education qualifications for comparability purposes.Assess foreign qualifications in a timely manner using criteria and processes that are transparent, coherent, reliable, fair and non-discriminatory.

MechanismsThe Convention is coordinated and managed by the Regional Committee, which includes state parties and the Secretariat.UNESCO Bangkok fulfils the Secretariat role.The current Regional Committee is Australia, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Korea and the Philippines.The Regional Committee must meet at least every 2 years, though it has been more frequent during the revision process.

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ProgressProgress reports from state parties and non-state parties were tabled at the 12th session in May 2013.9 parties have signed up to the Convention.It is possible that 5 states will complete the process by early 2014, allowing the Convention to enter into force.Regional Committee is focusing on supporting parties to ratify and capacity building through seminars and tools.

Toolkit for the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications was endorsed at the 12th sessionGuidelines for establishment of national information centres will now be developedOptions for strengthening the network of national information centres are being considered

Recognition principlesToolkit for the Recognition of Foreign Qualifications includes:

Principles related to assessing qualificationsTimely, transparent, coherent, reliable and based on learning outcomesRoles and responsibilities of competent recognition authoritiesRequirements for assessmentInformation that should be provided to applicantsInformation on qualifications for which recognition is sought

Procedures and criteria for the recognition of qualificationsSubstantial differences, partial studies, special cases, verification of authenticity, access to higher education

Recognition and assessment tools

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Future directions and challengesProposed annual meetings:

Regional CommitteeCapacity-building seminarNIC network

Feasibility study on Global Convention.Managing the risk of duplication following increased interest in recognition work in other multilateral forums.Information sharing and availability of high-quality, reliable information needed for recognition work.Working collaboratively and strengthening the network of national information centres.

Three trends in cross-border education

The increasing demand for cross-border education.The growing pluralisation of advanced higher education.The emergence of mass open online courseware (MOOCs).

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DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TERTIARY EDUCATION

Level 514 Mort StreetCanberra City, ACT 2601, AustraliaTelephone +61 2 6213 6000