1. NATIONAL ACTION PLANS FOR RECOGNITION
Informal Ministerial conference
Strasbourg, December , 2006

2. BACKGROUND Commitment in Bergen Communiqué
Proposal by Convention Committee Bureau, ENIC Bureau and NAB
Adopted by Bologna Follow Up Group
Deadline December 15, 2006
Plans must be followed up once elaborated

3. PLANS CONCERN Ministries, as the bodies responsible
Ministries could call upon ENICs to help with elaboration and implementation
Higher education institutions

4. FOUR MAIN AREAS Legislation Recognition practice
Provision of information
Structures
NB Also consult the explanatory report

5. LEGISLATION The legal framework of the bison Recognition Convention
Review of national legislation
Bilateral or regional recognition agreements

6. RECOGNITION PRACTICE Criteria and procedures Joint degrees
Overview of institutional practice
Transparency tools for recognition
Borderless/transnational recognition

7. INFORMATION PROVISION
Provision of information on recognition
Information package for applicants

8. The Legal Framework of the Lisbon Recognition Convention

9. Lisbon Recognition Convention principles
Concerns HE qualifications and access qualifications
Right to fair assessment
Mutual trust between countries
Recognition if there are no substantial differences
the burden of proof is on the competent authority

10. STRUCTURES National information centers
Cooperation recognition/quality assurance bodies

11. The Legal Framework of the Lisbon Recognition Convention
Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures (2001),
Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education (2001)
Recommendation on the Recognition of Joint Degrees (2004)
Recommendation on the Recognition of International Access Qualifications (1999)

12. “Criteria and Procedures” is a step forward from Lisbon Convention
Recommendations
clarify the issue of substantial differences
apply Convention principles to "de facto" recognition for the labour market;
extend the recognition to Transnational qualifications;
emphasis on the output (learning outcomes, competencies) rather than input (curricula, course programmes, duration)
suggest measures for partial or alternative recognition where full recognition is not possible

13. Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education
Responsibility of awarding institution
Request for transparency
Quality of staff and requirements for admission and graduation should be sufficient and at least comparable to those of the mother institution
Recognition under the Convention if these requirements are

14. Recommendation on the Recognition of Joint Degrees
Gives a definition of joint degrees
Sets requirements for quality
Each part of joint programmes must be quality assessed or at least be part of a national HE system
Each member of the consortium should be a trustworthy institution
Brings joint degrees under the Lisbon Recognition Convention

15. CONCLUSION
The action plan is important in promoting recognition and hence mobility
Therefore it is a key part of the implementation of “Bologna”
Good follow up of the plan will be important once it has been adopted.
Your ENIC could be a key in the follow up