Transcript Diplomu savstarpējā atzīšana

Improving the
recognition system
Prof. Andrejs Rauhvargers
President, Lisbon Convention Committee
studies
employment
?
Improving the
recognition system
Prof. Andrejs Rauhvargers
President, Lisbon Convention Committee
Want to complicate something? Start with DEFINITIONS!
So, in how many senses do we talk about
”recognition”?
• Recognition of a higher education institution
• Recognition of a higher education programme
• Recognition of an individual qualification - nationally
• Recognition of an individual qualification abroad
Is a formal it to statement
“we recognize this
qualification” enough?
Mom, I am coming home!
Oh, yes, they RECOGNIZED my
diploma,
they only couldn’t fit me in to
any job or programme...
A definition of recognition
for Bologna process
Recognition =
evaluation a foreign qualification
with a view to find it’s right path
in the host country’s
a) education or
b) employment system
Outcome of recognition is
purpose - depending
Recognition of a qualification depends
• on the qualification itself (properties of
issuing education system),
• on the purpose, for which it is sought,
• on the properties of the host system
Legal
framework
Quality
Assurance
National
implementation
Information,
DS
Qualifications
frameworks
Tuning
Recognition –
Recognition
children’
s play?
New
degrees
LLL
Nonnational
qualif.
Old
degrees
Credits
Learning
Outcomes
Labour
market
Joint
degrees
Transnat.
education
Legal framework of
the Lisbon Convention
• Lisbon Recognition Convention (1997)
• Recommendation on the recognition of international
access qualifications (1999)
• Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures (2001),
• Code of good practice in the provision of transnational
education (2001)
• Recommendation on the recognition of joint degrees
(2004)
Basic principles
• right to fair recognition,
• Recognition of comparable level qualifications
if no substantial differences are evident,
• The burden of proof – on the competent
authority
• Mutual trust among Parties and information
provision
Mobile graduate’s prayer
... and forgive us
our differences
as we forgive
those who
differ from us ...
Substantial differences may be in
• learning outcomes and competencies,
• access to further activities,
may even be legally stipulated – but they
should follow from learning outcomes
• key elements of the programme,
are important only with a view of learning
outcomes to be achieved
• quality of the programme/institution
What happens if the differences ARE
substantial?
The recommendation is:
look for possibilities for alternative or partial
recognition
At professional recognition under EU general
systems’ directives:
If the differences are substantial, the applicant
can chose between
– aptitude test or
– adaptation period
National implementation
• Ratification of the Convention,
• Introduction of Diploma Supplement and ECTS
Is that enough?
• Establishing and maintaining an ENIC centre
Less developed issues
• change of national legislation,
• actual implementation of the principles of the
Convention
Institutional implementation
• 60% HEIs say their staff is not very
aware or completely unaware of LC principles
• only 58% of HEIs had an institution-wide
procedure recognition of foreign degrees
• no institution-wide recognition policy,
decisions taken on a case-by-case basis
• little cooperation between institutions and
ENICs/ NARICs - more than 50% of the
surveyed HEIs say they don’t cooperate or
even don’t know what ENIC/NARIC was
Reform of degree system – what
impact on recognition?
reform leading
of degree
system increases
• Thus,
„programmes
to [bachelor]
degree
transparency,
alsohave
increases
may, and indeedbut
should
different
orientationsand various profiles in order to
diversity,
accommodate a diversity of individual,
academic and labour market needs”
which means – easier to give formal
recognition,
• master degrees: already Trends II report
but
moreatefforts
needed
to locate
in host
indicated
least seven
different
purposes
of
Master
degrees in Europe + introduction of
system.
two-tier structures across HE systems
increases diversity even further.
Lifelong learning
Award of
qualification
National
recognition
International
recognition
Studies/
training
Which stage is the bottleneck?
Some conclusions from the general part (II)
There is a need to
• actually embed the principles of the Convention
into both national legislation and institutional
policies,
• substantially raise institutional awareness at all
levels regarding recognition issues and the
international legal framework,
• Create/ improve institutional recognition
practices,
• create a positive attitude towards foreign
qualifications and willingness to find the way
how they can be used it in the host countries.
Some conclusions from the general part
• For the needs of Bologna process it is not
enough to formally grant recognition – success
of the EHEA requires proper positioning
foreign qualification in the host country’s
education or employment system
• The international legal framework for the
recognition in the European Higher Education
Area is well established and emerging needs
are being properly addressed.
• There is a notable progress in the ratification of
the LC after the Berlin ministerial meeting.
Legal
framework
Quality
Assurance
National
implementation
Learning
Outcomes
Qualifications
frameworks
Tuning
Information,
DS
LLL
New
degrees
Nonnational
qualif.
Old
degrees
Credits
Labour
market
Joint
degrees
Transnat.
education