Recognition of qualifications in Europe

Bryan MaguireEuropean Students’ Convention 31

Amsterdam, 11 March 2016

Overview

• Where are we at with recognition?

• What are the blocks? Some cases

• Future directions

Yerevan ministerial meeting May 2015

• Implementation report

• Structural reforms working group report

• Ministerial communiqué

• http://bologna-yerevan2015.ehea.info

Figure 2.30: Principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention in national legislation, 2013/14

Figure 2.31: Institution which makes final decisions on recognising foreign qualifications for academic purposes, 2013/14

Other

HEI + ENIC/NARIC

Central Government

Figure 2.32: Do higher education institutions typically make recognition decisions centrally? 2013/14

Figure 2.33: System-Level recognition of three cycle degrees, 2013/14

Figure 4.12: Recognition of prior learning for progression in higher education studies, 2013/14

Figure 4.13: Scorecard indicator n°11: Recognition of prior learning, 2013/14*

Structural reforms working group

• Report to Yerevan ministerial meeting

• Addressed recommendations to– Public authorities

– Higher education institutions

– Others

• Two major topics– Recognition of qualifications

– (Recognition of prior learning)

Fair recognition of qualifications• At their 2015 meeting, Ministers should commit to

reviewing their national legislation with a view to fully complying with the Lisbon Recognition Convention, taking due account of the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention by the Convention Committee, and report to the Bologna Secretariat by the end of 2016. The Convention Committee could, in cooperation with ENIC and NARIC Networks be asked to prepare an analysis of the reports by the end of 2017.

• Higher education institutions should make adequate use of the European Area of Recognition (EAR) manual in their own work on recognition. They should review their own institutional procedures with a view to affording applicants adequate opportunities to appeal against recognition decisions made by the institution and include the principle of fair recognition in their codes of ethical behavior.

International groups• The ENIC and NARIC Networks and the Lisbon

Recognition Convention Committee should develop proposals for coherent policy and practice for the recognition of prior learning throughout the EHEA, taking due account of the Council Recommendation of 20 December 201252. The Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee should consider whether a subsidiary text to the Lisbon Recognition Convention might be developed and, as appropriate, submit a draft text for adoption by the Committee by 2019.

• When developing its work program for the 2015 – 18 period, the BFUG should assess what the most appropriate instrument for furthering the recognition of prior learning within the EHEA would be

Ministerial commitments 1• to ensure that competence requirements for public employment

allow for fair access to holders of first cycle degrees, and encourage employers to make appropriate use of all higher education qualifications, including those of the first cycle

• to ensure, in collaboration with institutions, reliable and meaningful information on graduates’ career patterns and progression in the labour market, which should be provided to institutional leaders, potential students, their parents and society at large

• to review national legislations with a view to fully complying with the Lisbon Recognition Convention, reporting to the Bologna Secretariat by the end of 2016, and asking the Convention Committee, in cooperation with the ENIC and NARIC Networks, to prepare an analysis of the reports by the end of 2017, taking due account of the monitoring of the Convention carried out by the Convention Committee

Ministerial commitments 2

• to review national qualifications frameworks, with a view to ensuring that learning paths within the framework provide adequately for the recognition of prior learning

• to establish a group of volunteering countries and organizations with a view to facilitating professional recognition

Case 1

• Bachelors degree graduate from country A wishes to progress to masters programme in country B

Case 2

• Student wishes to enter bachelors programme in country B having partially completed degree in country A

Case 3

• Graduate from country A seeks employment in country B

Bottom-up solutions

• Curricular alignment (e.g. Tuning Project)

• Development of admissions staff (EAR manual)

The European Recognition Manual for Higher Education Institutions

• Practical guidelines for credential evaluators and admissions officers to provide fair and flexible recognition of foreign degrees and studies abroad

• http://eurorecognition.eu

Tuning subjects

http://tuningacademy.org/

Top-down solutions

• Automatic recognition for HE qualifications, including professional (regional, coalition of the willing)

• “Lisbon recognition convention” like agreement under EU for VET qualifications

• Revision of EQF recommendation