Transcript Document

UNESCO/OECD Guidelines on
transborder higher education
Brussels October 26 2005
Counsellor Jan S. Levy
Types of cross-border education activities
Type
Main forms
Examples
Size
Students/
trainees
Student mobility
Probably the largest share
of cross border education
Professors/
trainers
Academic /trainer
mobility
-Full study abroad for a foreign degree or
qualification
- Part of academic partnership for home degree or
joint degree
-Exchange programmes
- For professional development
- As part of an academic partnership
- Employment in foreign university
- To teach in a branch institution abroad
- Joint course or a programme with a foreign
institution
- E-learning programmes
- Selling/franchising a course to a foreign
institution
Academic partnerships
represent the largest share
of these activities. Elearning and franchising
are small but rapidly
growing
- Opening of a foreign campus
- Buying (part of) a foreign educational institution
- Creation of an educational provider abroad
A trend increasing very
quickly form a low starting
point
1. People
An old tradition in the education
sector, which should grow given
the emphasis on mobility of
professionals and
internationalisation of education
more generally
2.
Programmes
Educational Academic partnerships
programmes E-learning
3. Institutions/
providers
Foreign campuses
Foreign investments
There is a need for an
educational response

What should we achieve?
– Learners need to be protected from the risks of
misinformation, low-quality provision and
qualifications of limited validity
– Qualifications should be readable and transparent in
order to increase their international validity and
portability
– Qualifications should be recognised internationally with
as few difficulties as possible
– National quality assurance and accreditation agencies
need to intensify their international cooperation in order
to increase their mutual understanding
The educational response (2)

Who should take responsibility of the
response?
– Organisations with high degree of legitimacy in the
–
–
–
–
world of education
Global organisations, encompassing governments and
stakeholders
UNESCO and OECD joining forces
Soft laws
Legal instruments
The educational response (3)

How could it be implemented?
– Developing guidelines on quality provision in higher education
Governments
 Higher education institutions
 Quality assurance and accreditation agencies
 Student bodies
 Information centres of recognition
 Professional bodies
– Development of reliable information tools for
learners/students/institutions
 Global Database on nationally approved providers/provision

Status




Working group open to all OECD/UNESCO members and
stakeholders
One set of guidelines agreed upon in March - but two
different decisions:
OECD in April agreed to aiming at a Council decision by
the end of this year.
UNESCO procedures did not permit adoption by this
year’s General Conference. Guidelines are being issued as
a secretariat document and as such distributed to the 190
member countries of UNESCO
Status

Even if the guidelines will have different status in
the two organisations, they have been issued with
the stamp of two major international organisations,
and could be looked upon as a global reference for
cross-border higher education.
 Example: Nigeria informed GC that they already
have presented the guidelines for parliament as the
rules that should be followed in their country.
Guidelines for Governments




They should establish or encourage the establishment of a
comprehensive, fair and transparent system of registration
or licensing for CBHE providers wishing to operate in
their territory
Comprehensive capacity for reliable QA and accreditation
of CBHE
Provide accurate and easily accessible information on
criteria and standards for registration etc.
Develop or encourage bilateral or multilateral recognition
agreements
Guidelines for HE
institutions/providers

Underlining that staff contributions are
indispensable for institutions’ commitment to
quality
 Ensure that the programmes they deliver across
borders and in their home country are of
comparable quality
 Institutions should take into account the UNESCO
recommendation concerning the Status of HE
Teaching Personnel.
Guidelines for HE
institutions/providers (contd.)




Take full responsibility for information and guidance when
using agents to promote their programmes
Respect QA systems in receiving countries, including
when delivering distance education
Use Codes of good practice when relevant
Ensure financial transparency
Guidelines for student bodies


Student bodies bear the responsibility of helping students
and potential students to carefully scrutinise information
available
The emergence of autonomous student bodies should be
encouraged and supported, so that student bodies
– Can be involved as active partners at international, national and
institutional levels in the development, monitoring and maintenance of
quality provision
– Increase students awareness of potential risks such as misleading guidance
and information
– Establish list of relevant questions to be asked by students enrolling in
CBHE.
Guidelines for QA and
accreditation bodies




Ensure that their work include CP provision in its various
modes
Sustain and strengthen the existing regional and
international networks or establish regional networks
Strengthen collaboration between the bodies of the sending
and the receiving country
Provide accurate and easily accessible information on the
assessment standards, procedures and effects of their
mechanisms.
Guidelines for academic
recognition bodies

Underline the importance of the regional
conventions
 Establish and maintain regional and
international networks
 Strengthen co-operation with QA bodies
 Use codes of good practice for assessment
of qualifications
Guidelines for professional
bodies



Develop information channels accessible both to national
and foreign holders of qualifications.
Establish and maintain contacts between professional
bodies of both sending and receiving countries and other
stakeholders to improve qualification assessment
methodologies.
Establish, develop and implement criteria and procedures
for comparing programmes and qualifications