CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES: FROM APPLICATION TO RECOGNITION DECISION Sjur Bergan Council of Europe Baku, April 2005
PURPOSE Help applicants Help implementation of Council of Europe/UNESCO Convention Follow an application from “arrival to decision” Outline good practice Transparency Predictability
SIX STEPS Receipt Verification: application complete? Verification: documents authentic? Verification: institution/program recognized? Assessment of the qualification Verdict
INITIAL STEPS Right to fair assessment Acknowledge receipt Information: to whom by whom? Fees – what is reasonable? Translation – of what, by whom?
AUTHENTICITY Is the document genuine (i.e. not forged?) Has it been rightfully issued to the applicant? What to do about forgeries? What is a reasonable level of verification? Refugees
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Status of institution and program Recognition for a purpose Level, profile, quality, workload Substantial difference Formal rights Learning outcomes
VERDICT Three basic types Alternatives to full recognition Decision Advice Statement Alternatives to full recognition Partial recognition No recognition Right to appeal