Assessing foreign qualifications: examples and practice

1. Assessing foreign qualifications: examples and practice Seminar on the recognition of qualifications Baku, 22 April 2005 Gunnar Vaht Head of the Estonian ENIC/NARIC

2. Differences in higher education systems • Differences • access requirements • general secondary education; vocational qualifications, preparatory year; state examinations; Bachelor Doctor • degree structures • one-tier; two-tier; multi-tier structures • type of institutions • university-type; non-university type; mixed; binary • nominal duration • credit systems/marking systems • names of degrees and other qualifications • same or similar name of degree may have different content and outcome • graduation requirements • FAIR ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION - based on assessment of learning outcomes

3. Diversity of names of qualifications • Baccalaureat, Bachiller, Bakalaureus, Bachelor, Bacharel • Master, Maisteri, Maestro, Meester, Magister, Maitrise, Magistere, Mestre, Magisterexamen • Licencie, Licenciado, Licence, Lizentiat, Lisensiaatti • Kandidaat, Kandidaatti, Candidatus, Candidat, Kandidat nauk • Diplomado, Diplomirani, Diplom, Diploma di Specialista, Diploma Universitarion, Diploma de… • Laurea, Ptychio, Egyetemi oklevel, Gradue, Akademski, Doctorandus

4. Terminology • academic (degree, education) • degree • university-type, non-university type • qualification • undergraduate-graduate-postgraduate • professional degree, professional doctorate • college, institute

5. Recognition problems • Domination of assessment and recognition practices based on the name of degree • Bachelor, Baccalaureat, Bachiller etc are not corresponding degrees • Master, Maisteri, Maitrise, Magister are not equivalent qualifications • Misunderstanding or incorrect interpretation of levels • Bachelor-Master indicates the levels and does not mean the named degrees • undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate may have different meanings and vary in the systems

6. Recognition • Academic recognition • the recognition of a qualification for the purpose of further studies. Main task is to assess whether the applicant is capable of continuing studies in the chosen direction and at the chosen level. • Professional recognition • the recognition of a qualification for the purpose of employment in a certain profession. Main task is to found out whether the knowledge and professional skills of the applicant are sufficient to pursue a particular profession. • de jure - regulated professions; de facto - non-regulated

7. Legal instruments • Conventions • Declarations • Directives • Bilateral or multilateral agreements • International recommendations • National legal acts • Internal regulations

8. The purpose of assessment of foreign qualification • Higher education institution • in admission to HEI • in continue of studies on next stage • in transfer of credits • employment of teacher candidates • Employer • what is the level of qualification • higher- or vocational qualification? • what is a speciality? • is the degree at master´s level?

9. Assessment criteria - access qualifications • I Assessment of institution • acceptance of the institution and curricula by competent authority of home country • in case of international qualification - is it awarded by the official international organisation (for example - IBO) • in case of “overseas” qualification - is it officially established and approved by the competent authorities • II Assessment of qualification • type of curricula (general, specialised or vocationally oriented) • (nominal duration) • subjects, content and amount • results of studies, examinations, marks; central level examination(s)? • status of qualification and rights in home country (is the qualification eligible to higher education)

10. Assessment criteria - higher education qualifications • I Assessment of institution • type of institution - HEI or vocational school, university of professional HEI, private or public, etc • quality assurance/accreditation • status and recognition of institution in home country • II Assessment of qualification • access requirements (previous education) • field of study - specialisation • content (subjects), practice, research, graduation requirements • nominal duration, capacity of study program - number of credits • access to further studies • professional status/rights in labor market • Learning outcomes

11. Outcome of assessment • Recommendation for recognition • comparison, the corresponding qualification • access to the same rights as to the holders of national corresponding qualification

12. Assessment procedure • Information to applicants • acknowledgment of the receipt of their application • standardised information on the procedure and criteria for the assessment of qualification (required documents, translations, principles and criteria of assessment, fee, time, status of the evaluation statement) • advice applicants about the possibilities and procedures for submitting application • information on educational systems and legal acts, on principles of recognition

13. Translations • Acceptance of as much languages as possible without translations • Many countries or institutions issues the documents (diplomas, transcripts, Diploma Supplement) in two languages • As a rule, titles of foreign qualifications should be provided in the original language, without translation • For example the degrees “Bakalaureus”, “Master” and “Doctorandus” from different higher education systems are corresponding qualifications. The result of translations may give a wrong value and recognition decision to the qualification

14. Translations • PROBLEMS • direct translations of terminology • terminology is not correct • additions in the translations • omissions in the translations • general quality of translations is insufficent

15. Assessment of transnational qualifications • Program articulation (joint degrees) • Branch campuses in other territory • Franchising • Off-shore institutions (no “parent” institution, but belong to the educational system of another country) • distance learning • virtual arrangements

16. Transnational activities and assessment of qualifications • Quality assurance • Many “international” or “foreign” programs at national HEI and promotion of foreign degree - BA, MSc, MBA etc • Joint study programs and joint degrees • “European” or “International” universities (College of Europe, Central European University, European University) • Non-recognised “studies” at diploma mills

17. Fraudulent documents • Diploma mills (no study program, no license, no study, earn degree on 48 hours!) • Incompetent institutions (legal institution but offer education at the level with no license (higher education program at training or consultation centre) • Licensed but not accredited (quality assured) • Unofficial degrees (recognised HEI, but degree awarded against the national legislation framework) • Forgeries • Altered credentials or credentials filled incorrectly