INTERNATIONAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS FOR RECOGNITION - USEFUL TOOL OR PAPER TIGERS? Gunnar Vaht Estonian ENIC/NARIC
Why the implementation? l NATIONAL LEVEL Internationalisation of higher education system; participation in the intl. process implementation of “good practice” harmonisation of principles for assessment and recognition to guarantee the fair recognition and mobility (foreign and national) competition of education mutual trust l INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL competition of institution (at national and international level)
Effectivness of instruments l Existing situation and procedure de facto or de jure before the adoption l Negotiations and forums during the elaboration of international legal texts l Wide cooperation between the institutions l Nominated and clearly determined contact point l Initiative of (higher education) institutions
Stages of implementation I l First step (explanatory stage) how important is it? how the state can benefit? how the institution can benefit? how each individual can benefit?
Stages of implementation II l Second step (negotiation and training/study stage) what we can do? Who can do what? How much we have to change? How we proceed (legal act, institutional autonomy, taking notice)
Stages of implementation III l Third step (enacting stage) new national act(s) adjustment of existing acts institutional / internal regulations general informal documents
Participants / network l Higher education institutions l National contact point (ENIC/NARIC) l Ministry of Education (Government)
The role of contact point (ENIC/NARIC) l production of information l dissemination of information l provision of advice (Ministry of Education) regarding policy, legislation and instruments for recognition l advise and elaborate the recognition instruments for HEIs
The role of Ministry of Education l Should focus on implementing activities l responsible for legislation framework l inspection
l Wide implementation l mutual trust l internationalisation l harmonisation