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Information on recognizing qualifications, including educational systems, quality assurance, and international legal instruments. Key sources and strategies for making recognition decisions.
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Information on recognition Seminar on the recognition of qualifications Baku, 22 April 2005 Gunnar Vaht Estonian ENIC/NARIC
What information is needed? • educational system as a whole • Status and type of institution • system of quality assurance/accreditation • study program • access requirements; graduation requirements • grading system, credit system • purpose of studies - access to labor market and further studies • International legal instruments and agreements • National legislation and requirements
The applicant should present • Application • All certificates/diplomas since secondary education • Transcripts (DS, academic transcripts, records) • Certified translations • ________________ • Is it enough to make a recognition decision? - NO
Information sources • Individual contacts and Networks (ENIC) • Published sources • Unpublished sources
Networks • International Networks • ENIC and NARIC • www.enic-naric.net • ENQA (European Network for Quality Assurance • www.enqa.net • EAIE (European Network of International Education) professional section ACE (Admission officers and credential Evaluators) • www.eaie.nl www.aic.lv/ace • NAFSA: Association of International Educators • www.nafsa.org
Networks • AACRAO (American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers) • www.aacrao.org • AAU (Association of African Universities) • www.aau.org • Association of Arab Universities • www.aaru.edu.jp • Education Asia Network • www.eduasia.net • AUAP (Association of Universities of Asia and Pacific) • http://sut2.sut.ac.th/AUAP
Contacts • National Ministries of Education • Quality assessment agencies • Embassies • Educational institutions • Conferences/seminars • Training courses/workshops/information days • Education institutions • (individual contacts with experts)
Published sources • Databases (International and national) • Handbooks/reference books (international and national) • Periodicals • Recognition conventions • University catalogues • Websites of educational institution • Foreign Language Dictionaries
Published sources (national) • Higher Education System • Handbooks of higher education institutions (e.g. “Spravochnik” in RF, or “Accredited Institutions of Postsecondary Education” in USA) • Comparison of foreign qualifications • Fact sheets • Country education profiles (e.g. by AEI - International Education Network/Australia; ECE - Educational Credential Evaluators/USA; publications of UNESCO-CEPES
Unpublished sources • Internet search engine (eg “GOOGLE”) • Files of previous cases • Electronic mailing lists (e.g. ENIC list)
Persistent problems • Too much of information • Information is not structured • Not well targeted information • Not in widely used languages • Different tasks of national ENIC offices • Complications to get authoritative and up-dated information from other regions
Information provision by ENIC • Information provision on education systems and on recognition is one of the core activities of the national centres in ENIC and NARIC Networks • Acknowledging the need for relevant, accurant and up-to-date information, the national ENIC/NARIC office shall facilitate • a) access to accurate information on the national education systems • b) access to information on foreign education systems • c) giving information on recognition matters and assessment of qualifications
Information strategy and development • ENIC/NARIC Working Party on Information Strategy (2003-2004) • Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Information (adopted in 2004 by the Networks)
Code of Good Practice • Aim • to offer guidance to national ENIC/NARIC and to the Networks in fulfilling this important task. Also aims to indicate to higher education policy makers and other interested parties what might be expected of ENICs/NARICs • The role of national information centre • principal provider of authoritative information on recognition • higher education system and qualifications of the home country • recognition of foreign qualifications in the home country • foreign education systems
Code of Good Practice • Standards of information provision • Provision of information that is of high quality, i.e. both accurate, adequate and relevant to the user • be meaningful to the users and respond to their needs • recognise that different users have different needs • be accessible in terms of content, language and style • terminology • be up to date
Code of Good Practice • Target groups • individual holders of qualification • public authorities (e.g. Ministries of Education) • quality assurance agencies • higher education institution • mobility agencies • professional organisations • other ENICs/NARICs • CREDENTIAL EVALUATORS AND RECOGNITION BODIES (in most cases)
Type of Information • 1. General information on the educational system and recognition matters • provided by the national information centre through general provision - handbooks, fact sheets, training courses, website, FAQ • 2. Specific information • individual request including the information or assessment of the individual qualification
Information on (I) • General • educational structure • adult education and training • definitions and terminology • Information on general (school) educational system • Information on vocational education and training
Information on (II) • Higher education system • administration and legal framework • legal acts on higher education • access qualifications • access requirements (general and specific) • admission procedure/admission of foreign students • list of recognised HEIs/programs • Description on levels/stages. Degree structure • qualifications framework (list of qualifications, learning outcomes) • evaluation and marking system • credit system (if applicable) • quality assurance • samples of credentials
Information on (III) • Information on evaluation and recognition • nationla regulation of recognition of foreign qualifications • description of national ENIC/NARIC activities • appeal procedure • list of competent authorities • implementation of international instruments • Other information • list of (higher) education related institutions