providing clarity. releasing potential International Qualifications in Global Migration Cloud Bai-Yun UK NARIC Annual Conference 2008

Content 1. What’s out there? 2. Who does what? 3. How are we doing? 4. How do we contribute?

1.1. International migration situation  In 2005 migrants worldwide were 191 million which constitutes 3% of the global population  Majority of international migrants (75%) are concentrated in relatively few countries in Europe (33%), Asia (28%), North America (23%)* *Trends in Total Migrant Stock 2005 http//esa.un.org/migration  Total tertiary enrolment was 132 million worldwide, of which 2.5 million were mobile (those who studied outside their home country)  67% of these mobile students are concentrated in 6 countries: the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Japan** ** Global Education Digest 2006 **

Total International Migration (TIM) to/from the UK In 2006, an estimated 400,000 people emigrated from the UK for a year or more, the highest estimate of emigration since 1991 and up from 359,000 in In the same period an estimated 591,000 migrants arrived to live in the UK for at least a year. Again, this was higher than all other years since 1991 but only slightly higher than the 2004 estimate of 586,000. Net migration, the difference between immigration and emigration, was 191,000 in This is the equivalent to adding more than 500 people a day to the UK population UK Situation: Source: Work-related reasons continued to be the most cited for migrating to and from the UK in 2006, accounting for 40% of total immigration. ‘Formal study' reached a record high of 25% of total immigration to the UK. International Passenger Survey (IPS) estimates indicate that 80% of those coming to study were citizens from outside the EU

1.4. The Significance of recognition of qualifications in Migration Australia Canada China France UK Morocco Senegal Malaysia Philippines Feedback on Global Forum on Migration and Recognition of Qualifications: In 2008, UNESCO brought together representatives from UNESCO, OECD, Commonwealth Secretariat, IOM (International Organisation for Migration), WHO (World Health Organisation), the FIP (International Pharmaceutical Foundation) and nine selected countries.

Recognition of qualifications in global migration represents ethical as well as efficiency issues. It defines whether and to what extent the human capital imported can be used Recognition extends further to language proficiency, communication skills, workplace competencies and experience all of which impact on how an individual progresses or integrates in a new system Significant global variations on ‘professions’ makes recognition of qualifications essential to labour market integration * UNESCO Forum on Migration and Recognition of Qualifications 1.5 Recognition of Qualifications Is it a barrier or an efficiency measure?*

2.1. International Recognition Processes EU National Recognition Information Centres (NARICs) / European Network of Information centres (ENICs): countries that are party to Lisbon Recognition Convention) Red Iberoamericana de Acreditación de la Calidad de la Educatión Superior (RIACES): Latin America and Caribbean region Asia Pacific Academic Recognition Network (APARNET) 28 centres in 18 countries in the Latin America and Caribbean region, providing accreditation and recognition information services Mediterranean Regional Network of National Recognition Centres (MERICs)

3.1. National Action Plans (NAP) in the context of Bologna process* In their London Communiqué, Ministers asked the Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG) ‘to arrange for the ENIC/NARIC networks to analyse the national action plans… and to ensure the full implementation of the principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention’. Issues considered include: –Legislative framework –Capacity and resources –Process and procedures ◦ Criteria for recognition of international qualifications and skills ◦ Standards and quality

3.2. Lisbon Convention Ratification: To date 42 out of 46 ‘Bologna’ countries had ratified the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Andorra, Germany, Turkey and the Netherlands are the latest. Belgium and Italy have signed the Convention but with no ratification. Greece and Spain have not signed up to the Convention. This means that the principles of the Convention will naturally not be binding to the competent authorities.

3.3. Capacity and resources In most cases the ENIC-NARICs have a clearly defined function to support the recognition of qualifications, with required competencies and resources; However, organisational capacities range from developed agencies, such as the UK, closely followed by Germany down to 1 person responsible for recognition issues in Albania; As an example, ‘UK NARIC operates a structured and continued staff development policy, including induction training and continued professional development’.

–Increasing common concern: accreditation and quality standards 3.4 Recognition process and procedures Criteria for recognition of international qualifications and skills: –Although nearly all countries claim that national practices are in compliance with the Recommendations on Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications, significant variations exist in recognition criteria and outcomes. –A number of countries still use the term Nostrification to describe recognition of qualifications; –The most detailed approach to comparison of qualifications ‘is perhaps the UK case…’ This methodological process is described as the ‘NARIC band framework’. A similar approach is ‘used by Ireland where the foreign qualification is related to the Irish qualifications framework.’ –increasing common concern: accreditation and quality standards Canada: Trans-Dniester State in Tiraspol Denmark: Takoradi Polytechnic, Ghana Turkey: Camden University (UK), Camden University (Delaware, US) Norway: Umeda Business School, Japan Israel: Institute of Economy and Civic Relations, Russia Romania: Federation Europeenne des Ecoles FEDE (FEDE), Geneva, Lyon South Africa: International Manament centres Association (UK) Vanuatu: Revans University

4. NARIC Bands for Recognition of Qualifications  Categorisation of qualifications from 186 systems: General / academic Vocational Trade / skills Professional  Providers Data- bank  System information