Higher education has changed dramatically over the past decades with increasing enrolment, student mobility, diversity of provision, research dynamics and technology. The recognition of higher education qualifications in fair, transparent and nondiscriminatory matter remains paramount for ensuring that all students can access higher education and the labour market.
The Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European region, also known as the Lisbon Recognition Convention, was adopted in 1997 and has 54 States Parties. Every three years, States Parties monitor how well they are implementing its provisions.
This second monitoring report on the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention focuses on articles related to the right to appeal, information provision and transnational education, as well as automatic recognition and digital solutions which are not directly part of the convention. It is based on survey data from 2020 and provides a set of recommendations for national recognition authorities and education policymakers on how to improve these areas.
TABLE OF CONTENTSLIST OF FIGURESINTRODUCTIONMAIN SECTIONPart 1 – Right to appeal
QUESTION 1 – In case recognition is withheld, or if no decision is taken, is there a possibility for an applicant to appeal?
Part 2 – Information provision
2.1 Information on the education system
QUESTION 2 – Is the information on the national educational system available online?
2.2 Information on higher education institutions
QUESTION 3 – Is the list of institutions that belong to the national higher education system published and available online?
QUESTION 4 – Is the information on the programmes provided by the recognized higher education institutions which belong to the national higher education system published and available online?
2.3 Information provision by national information centres
QUESTION 5 – Does the National Information Centre have a website?
Part 3 – Transnational education
3.1 TNE qualifications recognition
QUESTION 6 – Do you make the recognition of qualifications issued by foreign educational institutions operating in your territory contingent upon specific requirements?
3.2 Information on TNE Institutions
QUESTION 7 – Is the list of foreign TNE institutions operating in your country published and available?
QUESTION 8 – Is a list of your official TNE institutions operating abroad published and available?
ADDITIONAL SECTIONPart 4 - Automatic recognition
QUESTION 9 – Have any measures been implemented to establish automatic recognition?
Part 5 - Digital solutions
QUESTION 10 – Does the National Information Centre have online electronic system(s)/solution(s)?
QUESTION 11 – Does your national legislation allow for the presentation of virtual digital documentation during recognition procedures?
ANNEX 1 – Questionnaire
ANNEX 2 – List of countries which replied to the questionnaire
ANNEX 3 – Comparative analysis of data from the two Lisbon Recognition Convention monitoring exercises
