Assessment of Refugees’ Qualifications: Current Challenges and Possible Solutions Rolf Lofstad Deputy Director of Foreign Education NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education), Norwegian ENIC-NARIC

NOKUT – Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education NOKUT is an independent body, established in 2003. It works with higher education institutions and vocational higher education providers, as well as individuals seeking to obtain recognition of their foreign qualifications, to ensure and promote quality in higher and tertiary vocational education (supervision and control over the institutions’ internal quality systems, accreditation of new institutions and programs, and revision of their post-accreditation activities) Independent agency, established by the Ministry of Education through the Universities and Colleges Act in 2003 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Article VII – Lisbon Recognition Convention Each Party shall take all feasible and reasonable steps within the framework of its education system and in conformity with its constitutional, legal, and regulatory provisions to develop procedures designed to assess fairly and expeditiously whether refugees, displaced persons and persons in a refugee-like situation fulfill the relevant requirements for access to higher education, to further higher education programmes or to employment activities, even in cases in which the qualifications obtained in one of the Parties cannot be proven through documentary evidence. 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Norwegian experience 2005 2011-2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 NOKUT / UK NARIC proposal European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Special recognition procedure for refugees Background paper NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees Pilot project Qualifications Passport for Refugees tested in Greece NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees established Standardized recognition procedure for refugees HEIs + NOKUT NOKUT’s UVD-procedure is established Legally binding decision UVD-methodology is crucial in Students at Risk scheme 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Recognition procedures for persons without verifiable documentation – alternative ways to recognition of qualification Application for general recognition Ordinary / paper based process for NOKUT's general recognition Legally binding decision on recognition as on par with Norwegian higher education - Assessment of documentation - Verification, if necessary Mapping of applicant’s background NOKUT’s assessment/level placement of qualifications Assessment by expert committee appointed by NOKUT Recognititon procedure for persons without verifiable documentation (UVD-procedure) Mapping of applicant’s background NOKUT’s assessment/level placement of qualifications Structured interview with NOKUT’s case officers NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

UVD: Recognition model Stage 1 Application for general recognition and referral to recognition procedure for persons without verifiable documentation Stage 2 Mapping of applicant’s background and assessment of result Stage 3 NOKUT’s assessment/level placement of qualifications and setting up of a committee of experts Stage 4 Assessment by expert committee appointed by NOKUT Stage 5 Final assessment / NOKUT’s decision on general recognition and filing in archives 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Suzan Came to Norway as an asylum-seeker in 2010 Contacted NOKUT for recognition of her engineering qualification (Bachelor degree) in June 2013 Referred to the recognition procedure for refugees in July 2013 Contacted NOKUT by telephone, she heard from someone that NOKUT was about to start the new recognition scheme. 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Interview in the expert committee 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

August 29, 2013 : Education recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian Bachelor degree 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Current challenges Volumes Language competency Unfinished qualifications 26.04.2017

GD Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017 26.04.2017 GD Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017 Source: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/asylum.php

Let us stop for a minute … what are we actually talking about? Recognition is more than a technical exercise Recognition is more than a preparation for further studies or employment Early recognition of refugees` qualifications is a key to build inclusive societies Recognition of a qualification = recognition of the human behind the qualification Inclusion – empowerment – participation Reduce the risk of (social, political, economical) alienation 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

What kind of solution we need? Early deployment / Fast Effective Accessible Professional Fair / provide equal treatment Provide relevant information Provide feasible system for transition and easy mobility between regions, educational levels and even countries 26.04.2017

Current challenges Current refugee crisis concerns all European states, but: Different legislations Different assessment practices Different financial capacity Different number of refugees Different willingness to help 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

The path to a multi-national tool to assess refugees’ qualifications September 2015 Norwegian ENIC-NARIC (NOKUT) and UK NARIC proposed the idea of a European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Inspiration: The Nansen Passport February – June 2016 Methodology successfully tested in a pilot project in Norway March – December 2017 Pilot project in Greece by the Council of Europe and Greek authorities in cooperation with UNHCR Assessments, including interviews Recognition experts from Greece, Italy, Norway and UK Important with experts from many countries – also a way of capacity building on methodology bigger than in this concrete project www.eurieeducationsummit.com 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

NOKUT’s qualification assessment for refugees Trial project (February-March 2016) First passport issued 24. February 2016 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees: goal To map, summarize and present available information on the applicant’s educational level, work experience and language proficiency, in order to provide information that can be relevant to applications for employment or internship, qualification courses and admission to studies. Permanent tool in our toolbox (for domestic use). Prepare for EQPR pilot 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Who is it for? European Qualifications Passport for Refugees is issued to refugees who claim to have completed or partially completed studies at the level of upper secondary school and above, including if they have insufficient or missing documentation. 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees What is it? A document containing advisory statement concerning refugee’s qualification(s). A document which summarizes and presents available information on the applicant’s educational level, work experience and language proficiency. A document which provides credible information that can be relevant in connection with applications for employment, internships, qualification courses and admission to studies. 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees What it is not? The European Recognition Passport for Refugees is not: a substitute for identification or educational documentation; a substitute for regular recognition statements/authorization issued by the national recognition authorities; an automatic system that guarantees admission to studies or employment 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees: methodology Assessment of available documentation; Use of the considerable experience gained through previous evaluations; Structured interview with the applicant carried out by experienced case officers; Standardized presentation of available information 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Qualifications Passport for Refugees: benefits Advice about the road ahead – positive for further integration Standardized document - standardized and quality assured assistance for the integration sector, employers and higher education institutions The scheme can be implemented relatively quickly The scheme is efficient The scheme can be adapted to other relevant processes and for admission purposes Portability – the data will be stored electronically 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

The way ahead Coordinating an Erasmus+ project on development of toolkit for recognition of refugees’ qualifications; Qualifications Passport for Refugees tested in Greece – pilot project initiated by Council of Europe in cooperation with Greek Ministry of Education and UNHCR: evaluation and follow-up; Further testing of the EQPR in Italy, 2017; Portability – the data will be stored electronically. Developing the data repository and release of data to end users “GD-style”! Documents will probably still be issued 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017

Thank you for your attention! Rolf Lofstad Deputy Director of Foreign Education NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education), Norwegian ENIC-NARIC 26.04.2017 Groningen Declaration Network, Annual Meeting, Melbourne, Australia 2017