Presentation to the Professional Body Forum 14 March 2017 Policy and Criteria for Evaluating Foreign Qualifications within the South African NQF Presentation to the Professional Body Forum 14 March 2017

Pre NQF Act context International practice applied to own context Lisbon Convention as model Criteria & Guidelines for the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications (2005)

Questions Decision to review: 2012 NQF Act Developments Global Current Is the service credible, competent, authoritative? What is SAQA’s authority regarding foreign qualifications? What is “consistent with the ACT”? Ongoing relevance: policy framework? NQF Act Developments Global Current practices Questions

Review of the evaluation function Evaluation = Verification + Comparison National legislation takes precedence Aligned terminology Policy & Criteria Changed understanding of recognition landscape SAQA as authority Revised methodology New SAQA Certificate of Evaluation Criteria and Guidelines for the Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications, 2005 Consistent with the NQF Act

Stakeholder involvement: FQERG FQ Committee Employers Professional bodies Learning institutions SAQA staff NQF partners

P&C: structure Policy Forward Glossary of Terms Acronyms & Names Members: FQERG Acronyms & Names Policy Glossary of Terms Forward

Some definitions Glossary of Terms Evaluation of foreign qualifications Comparison; Verification of a foreign qualification Foreign qualification Foreign qualification Recognition Value Chain Recognition agreement Recognition decision; Recognition of a foreign qualification Appeal; Revocation Glossary of Terms

Transitional arrangements Policy content Purpose Context Principles Criteria Transitional arrangements Policy 1 2 3 4 5

Context (Articles 3 – 11) NQF Act, 67 of 2008 SAQA mandate NQF system & objectives NQF as recognition instrument Global recognition instruments Recognition value chain SAQA Certificate of Evaluation

National recognition of foreign qualifications Purpose

Evaluation of foreign qualifications: different approaches, same goal Recognition

Recognition by SAQA Access into system SA comparability Status & legitimacy SA comparability Location within NQF Access into system

Recognition by value chain partners Meeting set requirements Fitness for purpose Admission: institutions, professions, jobs

Principles (Articles 12 – 33) The SCoE Substantial difference Professional status, licensing, admission Zero tolerance to fraud Information Right to appeal Recognition relationships & bigger context National legislation NQF policies SAQA policies, structures, principles

Sub-frameworks: Policies & Criteria Criteria (Articles 27-33) Application Verification Institution Qualification Award Documents C O N T E X T Comparison Agreements Framework No framework Sub-frameworks: Policies & Criteria T R U S T

Questions & comments