Building TAICEP.

Reflections from a European

perspective.

Jenneke LokhoffTAICEP Inaugural SymposiumBoston, 21 October 2013

3 Questions

Reflect from “European perspective” on:

1. The landscape of international credential evaluation

2. The need to build an international professional organization (TAICEP) and the importance of our work

3. Issues and considerations to consider for determining the structure and activities of TAICEP.

1. The European Recognition Landscape.

A European Recognition Area

Characteristics “European” region

1. International legislation LRC Convention 1997 55 signatory countries Model for other regional conventions (Asia/Africa)

1. Political framework Bologna process / European Higher Education Area

2. Operational structure ENIC / NARIC Networks as national information centres

Overview ENIC/NARIC networks

Lisbon Recognition Convention Principles for fair recognition

A ?

Recognition instrumentsRecommendations z

Journal article x

Results

project y

Study 2

Project w

WG y

Working GroupY

Recommendations z

C ? B ? D ?

E ?

WG3

Practical implementation?

Subsidiary texts

WG α

project ¥

Streamlining recognition practices:A European Area of Recognition manual (1)

Practical implementation of LRC based on existing good practice www.eurorecognition.eu/emanual/

ENIC-NARIC networks (+ Council of Europe, UNESCO and European Commission)

Interest from other Convention regions (Asia Pacific, Africa) Use of manual recommended by the 47 Bologna countries in the

Bucharest Communiqué 2012.

Streamlining recognition practices:A European Area of Recognition manual (2)

“Fair academic and professional recognition, including recognition of non formal and informal learning, is at the core of the EHEA….We welcome the European Area of Recognition (EAR) Manual and recommend its use as

a set of guidelines for recognition of foreign qualifications and a compendium of good practices, as well as encourage higher education institutions and quality assurance agencies to assess institutional recognition procedures in internal and external quality assurance”

The EAR offspring

EAR

Recognition manual2009 – 2012

EAR 2 Training Web based

EARN Self

evaluation Peer

review

EAR HEI Recognition manual for HEI’s

2012 - 2014

EARNEvaluation and Assessment of the Role of NARIC’s

Goal a self-evaluation tool for ENIC-NARICs to objectively compare their

practice to the common guidelines and practices agree upon and to make improvements accordingly.

a peer review mechanism, including an external assessment by other NARICs based on the self-evaluation tool.

Finalized January 2014

EAR HEI

Recognition manual for institutions Based on:

EAR and principles LRC; Two EHEA wide consultations.

Developed by ENIC/NARICs, representatives institutions (HRK, Tuning, EUA) and students (ESU).

Finalized in January 2014

2. Considerations for determining the structure and activities of TAICEP

Consideration 1:How to account for recognition context?

International credential evaluator practices: Regional differences; Centre specific.

Challenge for: Professional Development Activities (training/methodology)? Developing standards?

What kind of standards? One or plural? Who decides?

Governance structure: Representation? (Why not include -representations- of organizations as well?)

Consideration 2:Build further on existing efforts (while offering something new)

Worldwide already lots of research, initiatives, projects to improve credential evaluation and recognition practices.

3. The need to build a professional organization

Global platform for professionals

Need: Ever increasing student mobility, still recognition problems International credential evaluation is per definition international Currently no global organization to facilitate (interregional) dialogue

Global platform to facilitate information sharing, dialogue and support

Thank you for your attention!

Questions? Please contact:

Ms Lucie de Bruin: lbruin@nuffic.nl

Ms Jenneke Lokhoff: jlokhoff@nuffic.nl

Ms Jessica Stannard: stannard@nuffic.nl