LISBON RECOGNITION CONVENTION (LRC) POST 2010 Dr. Carita Blomqvist, Head of Unit Recognition and International Comparability of Qualifications Finnish National Board of Education

Outline ● Lisbon Recognition Convention ● Main principles ● Subsidiary texts ● Substantial differences ● Implementation of the LRC ● European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the LRC: issues for future developments ● Important role of higher education institutions (HEIs) LRC POST 2010

Lisbon Recognition Convention 1997 ● The only legal text in the EHEA ● Subsidiary texts ● Applies also outside of the EHEA, since some signatories are non-European ● Concerns access qualifications, periods of study and final qualifications ● Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee ● ENIC/NARIC Networks ● ENIC/NARIC Centres ● LRC POST 2010

Main principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention ● Applicants entitled to fair assessment of their qualifications within reasonable time limit ● Transparent, coherent and reliable procedures and criteria used in the assessment ● Recognize unless substantial differences (partial recognition) ● Possibility to appeal ● Burden of proof upon the host country/body making recognition decisions LRC POST 2010

Subsidiary texts ● Recommendation on International Access Qualifications 1999 ● Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications (2001, update in 2010?) ● Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education (2001, update 2007) ● Recognition of Joint Degrees 2004 ● Do we need more texts/good practice guides? LRC POST 2010

Substantial Differences ● Recognize unless substantial differences (partial recognition) ● Basic assumption: the existence of a substantial difference is an exception rather than a rule ● Is the difference substantial in relation to function and purpose of the qualification and recognition? ● A difference in formal terms only is not sufficient ● More emphasis on learning outcomes: what a person knows and is able to do (no detailed comparison of curricula!) LRC POST 2010

Implementation of the principles of the LRC ● The legal texts are mainly in place, but implementation remains a challenge ● Recommendations made to HEIs based on the analysis of National Action Plans for Recognition: -Make the recognition of qualifications part of the internal quality assurance of the institution -Draw up institutional guidelines and recommendations for recognition ensuring the implementation of the LRC -Ensure implementation of the LRC at the level of faculties and departments -Cooperate with other HEIs and the national ENIC/NARIC with a view to ensure coherent recognition across the country LRC POST 2010

Bologna Follow-up Working Group on Recognition : To follow-up on the recommendations of analysis of the national action plans on recognition and e.g.: - make recommendations on the respective roles and responsibilities of public authorities -clarify differences in recognition criteria and procedures among countries of the EHEA and make recommendations with a view to ensuring more equal treatment of applications for recognition throughout the EHEA -explore the possible ways to include an assessment of the quality of the internal recognition procedures of higher education institutions in the internal quality procedures as well as external quality assessment of higher education institutions LRC POST 2010

European Higher Education Area and the LRC ● The status of the LRC does not change with the EHEA but some developments within the EHEA are important for the implementation: -Relationship quality assurance/recognition on international, national and institutional level -Increasing amount of qualifications not linked to a national system (information concerning status of the institution is important for recognition) -Global dimension of the EHEA LRC POST 2010

European Higher Education Area and the LRC Role of qualifications framework (QF) in recognition: -QFs improve transparency and create common language -International co-operation around QF -Increasing development of a learning outcomes approach -Descriptors should give explicit and precise information on the learning outcomes -How to measure, but also attitude change! -Attitudes to recognition important THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION LRC POST 2010