recognition of qualifications from joint programmes recommendation from the perspective of the...

Recognition of qualifications from

joint programmes

Recommendation from the Recommendation from the perspective of the perspective of the

ENIC-NARICsENIC-NARICs

Joint Programmes: Too many cooks in the kitchen?

Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes

Overview

Introduction Key elements of good practice of Joint

(degree) programme for facilitating the recognition Joint Degrees • obstacles

• good, not so good and unacceptable

legal instruments

Introduction


Prague Communiqué

In order to further strengthen the important European dimensions of HE and graduate employability Ministers called upon the HE sector to increase the development of modules, courses and curricula at all levels with “European” content, orientation or organisation. This concerns particularly modules, courses and degree curricula offered in partnership by institutions from different countries and leading to a recognized jointjoint degreedegree.


Berlin CommuniquéPromotion of the European dimension in higher education Initiatives have been taken by HEIs in various European

countries to pool their academic resources and cultural traditions in order to promote the development of integrated study programmes and joint degrees at first, second and third level.

Moreover, they stress the necessity of ensuring a substantial period of study abroad in joint degree programmes as well as proper provision for linguistic diversity and language learning, so that students may achieve their full potential for European identity, citizenship and employability.

Ministers agree to engage at the national level to remove legal obstacles to the establishment and recognition of such degrees and to actively support the development and adequate quality assurance of integrated curricula leading to joint degrees.


Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué

By 2020 at least 20% of those graduating in the EHEA should have had a study or training period abroad

Joint degrees and programmes as well as mobility windows shall become more common practice


transnationale Universiteit Limburg

international Agreement between Flanders and The Netherlands • signed in Maastricht on January 18, 2001

• ratified by the Flemish decree July 13, 2001

entitled to award Bachelor and Master• in listed fields of study

• automatically recognised in Flanders and the Netherlands

http://www.tul.edu


Obstacles

= in HE structures• not all programmes Ba-Ma

• study load

• binary & unitary system

= accreditation systems

180 - 120


Obstacles

financing

language barriers

learning paths flexibility

formal stipulations re name qualification


Obstacles

legal possibility to offer joint programmes and joint qualifications in national legislations • one of involved institutions is not recognised

• one of awarding institutions is not authorised to award that particular degree

degree & “national” DS do not provide info about the joint programme

joint programme is not quality assured and/or accredited


Warsaw - March 2010

good, not so good and unacceptable

all HEIs involved needs to be recognised in national framework

joint programme needs to be recognized in all relevant HEs

DS should • cover the totality of joint programme• include one single contact person (e.g. admission officer) • guidelines for institutions regarding award of such degrees and DS

joint degree has to be awarded in accordance with all the national legal frameworks of the awarding institutions

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Warsaw – March 2010 joint degree should be signed by all the competent

authorities of the awarding institutions • signature King of Spain

only 1 signature• legal delegation + authorized person keeps all relevant docs• awarding is quicker (which is very good for non-EU graduates)

if joint degree programme was in a limited number of HEIs, but joint degree is awarded in the name of a larger “consortium”• all members are recognized HEIs• at least the (programmes of) HEIs in which the student

has studied have been quality assessed


Legal instruments

Lisbon Recognition Convention 1997

Recommendation of CoE & UNESCO on the recognition of joint degrees 2004


Lisbon RecognitionConvention

Council of Europe & UNESCO Convention on Recognition of Qualifications

concerning HE in the European Region (165)• adopted 11 April 1997• entered into force 1 February 1999

16/04/2010: in 50 countries entered into force• 3 signed

streamlining European legal frameworks• replacing 6 recognition conventions

condition for EHEA 2010 Bologna Process

Lisbon Recognition Conventionhttp://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?

NT=165&CM=&DF=&CL=ENG

www.enic-naric.net


Lisbon RecognitionConvention

• full recognition unless substantialsubstantial differences

• burden of proof falls on the host country

• not everyevery difference should be considered as a “substantial” one

• existence substantial difference entails no entails no obligationobligation to not recognize qualification

• substantial difference should be “substantial”• in relation to the functionfunction of the qualification and

purposepurpose for which recognition is sought


Recommendation recognition of joint (degree) programmes not

covered by LRC• LRC Committee: Rec on recognition of joint degrees 2004

recognition of a joint degree in a third country definitions

• joint degree in addition to one or more national Qs

• one joint degree without being accompanied by any national qualification

• one or more national qualifications issued officially as only attestation of the joint (degree) programme in question


Recommendation

principles• recognition unless there is substantial difference

between the joint degree and comparable qualification within own national HE system

• competent recognition authorities of Parties whose higher education institutions confer joint degrees should recognize these degrees with the greatest flexibility possible

review legislation


Recommendation

Quality Assurance recognition of joint degrees is conditional

• all parts of the study programme leading to the degree and/or (all?) the institutions providing the programme

• subject to transparent quality assessment or being considered as belonging to the education system of one or more Parties


Recommendation

Information HEIs providing joint degrees should be

encouraged to inform competent recognition authorities re programmes

holders of joint degrees should be provided with a Diploma Supplement• clearly describing all parts of the degree• clearly indicate the institutions and/or study

programmes at which the different parts of the degree have been earned

make use of ECTS


Conclusion Assessment & mobility becomes “easier” when HEIs give

• clear and transparent information

• on their joint programmes & qualifications awarded

updating “Recommendations on the Recognition of Joint Degrees” adopted in 2004 • in order to have clear and adapted guidelines

essential to share difficulties on assessment of joint programmes with HEIs• in order to increase their awareness on the recognition

issue


Conclusion

And last but not least• as the development of joint (degree) programmes has

increased around the worldaround the world, the implementation of a legal framework has become essential in order to have clear rules or guidelines on the setting of joint programmes

Other points• student involvement ?

• official listing of all the European Joint (degree) programmes


Q & A

Erwin MalfroyHigher Education Policy Design

Flanders (Belgium)

[email protected]

recognition of qualifications from joint programmes recommendation from the perspective of the...

Documents

joint qualifications

joint degree programmes

joint programmes leuvenlouvain

recognition of qualifications

recognized joint degree

enicnarics joint programmes

introduction slide

programmes bama study