NOKUT role, modality and policies; the Norwegian approach · Verification, if necessary Recognition...

NOKUT – role, modality and policies;

the Norwegian approach

Rolf Lofstad

Deputy Director of Foreign Education

Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT)

Norwegian ENIC-NARIC

[email protected]

Presentation overview

• Norwegian HE and NOKUT

o NOKUTs role in Norwegian education

• The FCE system in Norway

o Features and legal framework (act and LRC)

o ENIC-NARIC Network

• Refugees, displaced persons and persons in a refugee-like situation

o The «new» refugee-situation in Europe

o The Norwegian response – «UVD»

o EQPR, a UK-NARIC and NOKUT initiative

• Trends and tools in recognition in Europe

25.01.2017 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo | 2


126702133

5265158

Population

Japan Norway

364485

304282

Area in km2

Japan Norway

Source: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/no.html

Developments in Norwegian HE - 1

• Pre 1960’ies: A large number of vocationally

oriented schools

• 1960’ies: 15 rural colleges established

o In addition to the 5 universities and a large system of

regional colleges

o One law for each institution

• 1994: rural colleges and regional colleges merged

to 26 University Colleges

• 1995: One law for all public HEIs

• 2003: One law for all public HEIs and NOKUT

• 2005: One law for all public and private HEIs

o NB: Private institutions: Only not for profit allowed


25.01.2017 | 5 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo

Norwegian HE - 2017

• Institutional accreditation:

• 8 universities

o right to establish programs at all levels

• 8 specialized university colleges

• 22 university colleges

o right to establish study programs at all levels within their

majors (areas where they are offering Ph.D.)

• Program accreditation:

• 17 university colleges with accredited study

programs

o must apply to NOKUT for accreditation of study programs

at all levels


The Norwegian Education system

| 7

Master

Bachelor

Ph.D.

Tertiary

Vocational

Education

Tertiary

Upper

Secondary

Primary

and lower

Secondary

Lower Secondary

Primary

Academic Vocational

25.01.2017 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo

Basic characteristics

• The public nature of Norwegian higher education

The largest part of the student population attending public

institutions without tuition fees and

Higher education institutions enjoying a high share of

public funding

• Common law and funding system for all HEIs

• Higher education accessible to all income-groups

• Loan and grant from State Loan Fund


Governance

• Public Higher Education in Norway

– State responsibility and state owned

– HE institutions are supposed to cooperate with

regional working and business life

1. By law (Act relating to universities and university

colleges )

2. Trough the State budget and the budget

allocation letter

3. Governance meeting and dialogue


NOKUT in brief

• NOKUT was established by the Ministry of Education

through the Universities and Colleges Act on January 1st

2003

• Organisation:

NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in

Education) is an independent expert body under the Ministry

of Education and Research. The board of NOKUT is the

agency's supreme governing body.



Independent

agency, established

by the Ministry of

Education through

the Universities and

Colleges Act in

2003

NOKUT: two broad areas of responsibility

1. To ensure, develop and inform on the quality

of norwegian higher education and tertiary

vocational schools

2. Recognise and inform on foreign education

and competencies 1. Higher education

2. Tertiary vocational education

3. Vocational education and training (secondary level)



Quality Assurance

• Controlling authority for

educational activity at all

Norwegian HEIs and VETs

Over 4000 educational

programs at 190

institutions

Foreign education

Over 8000 applications for

general recognition/year from

all continents

Qualifications Framework

• NOKUT is the National Contact

Point

Norwegian ENIC-NARIC

NOKUT – Norwegian Agency for Quality

Assurance in Education

• 120 employees + 300 independent experts

25.01.2017 | 15

Academic Recognition: NOKUT and HEIs

NOKUT grants general

recognition

Purpose: help the applicants

on the labour-market

NOKUT has the authority to

recognise the level, number of

credits and general degree

Formal, legally binding decision

Higher education

institutions give subject

specific recognition

Purpose: further study /

transfer credits

Authority to make decisions

regarding recognition as

equivalent to their own degrees

and programmes

Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo

FCE in Norway – legal frameworks

• National (“hard law”)

o Act relating to Universities and University Colleges of

1 April 2005. (LOV-2005-04-01-15)

o Regulation regarding Quality Assurance and Quality

Development in higher education and VE (FOR-2010-

02-01-96)

• International (“soft law”)

o The Lisbon Recognition Convention


The Lisbon Recognition Convention

• The Convention on the Recognition of

Qualifications concerning Higher Education in

the European Region (LRC)

• Signed in 1997

• Entered into force in 1999

• A living convention

o subsidiary texts developed and updated o Full list: http://www.enic-naric.net/the-lisbon-recognition-convention-97.aspx

• “Tao of Recognition” in Europe


The LRC – some main features

• Each party shall provide clear information on its

education system

• Information on the assessment of HEI’s and programs

o (National level – QA)

• Description on qualifications awarded

o (National level)

• Institutions shall provide relevant information on its

qualifications

o (Institutional level)

• Facilitate recognition for Refugees


The LRC – some basic principles

• Easy access to assessment of qualifications

• Assessment without any form of discrimination

• Procedures and criteria shall be transparent,

coherent and reliable

• Decisions shall be made within a reasonable time

• Reasons for refusal shall be stated

• Mechanisms for appeal shall be in place

• Recognition shall be granted unless substantial

differences can be demonstrated


General recognition from NOKUT

• NOKUT’s general recognition is meant for the Norwegian labor market for non-regulated professions.

• General recognition is not a subject-specific recognition.

• System-based evaluation of higher education credentials:

Level

Scope

Degree

• Example: «The degree is recognized as 3 years of higher education / 180 (Norwegian) credits,

and equivalent to an accredited Norwegian Bachelor’s degree»

«The degree is recognized as 1 year of higher education / 60 (Norwegian) credits on Master level»


•There are approximately 170 professions in Norway that are regulated by law.

Medical doctor, dentist, pharmacist, legal adviser, nurse, physiotherapist, school teacher, chartered accountant, registered bookkeeper, real estate agent…

The list of all regulated professions can be found at NOKUT’s website:

http://www.nokut.no/en/Foreign-education/Other-recognition-systems/Authorisation/List-of-regulated-professions/

• Application are to be sent to the competent body in question.

• Applications from EU citizens will be processed in accordance

with EU directives.

• Applications from other countries will be assessed more

thoroughly.

Recognition of higher education – regulated professions Professional recognition (authorisation) of regulated professions is compulsory.

27.02.2017 | 23 25.01.2017 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo | 23















ENIC NARIC

25.01.2017

ENIC-NARIC network

Two networks for the same

objective – fair recognition

Slide 24


ENIC-NARIC Network

Two networks for the same objective fair recognition!

NARIC network

o 1984 : National Academic Recognition Information Centres in the

European Union created by the European Commission

ENIC network

o 1997 : European Network of National Information Centres on

academic recognition and mobility created by the Council of

Europe and UNESCO to implement the Lisbon Recognition

Convention and to develop policy and practice for the recognition

of qualifications

• Networks supported by

Three Secretariats: European Commission, Council of Europe and UNESCO

ENIC Bureau and NARIC Advisory Board: to reinforce the role of the Networks

ENIC-NARIC centers

• 55 countries


ENIC-NARIC centers: different modalities

• 55 countries 55 legislations

• 55 legislations 55 ways of doing things

• Common denominator: LRC + ENIC-NARIC network


Inform Advise Recognize

ENIC-NARIC centers: different modalities

• Status


Separate entity

National Agency

Ministry of HE

Why ENIC-NARIC Network is a successful experience

Based on Lisbon Recognition Convention (1997)

Is it a question of mutual TRUST?

Not only, or not necessarily as the first element.

It is a question of mutual INTEREST!

ENIC-NARIC centers NEED information on different HE systems worldwide, on the status of HE institutions, on different elements of qualifications…



Article VII – Lisbon Recognition

Convention Each Party shall take all feasible and reasonable steps within the

framework of its education system and in conformity with its

constitutional, legal, and regulatory provisions to develop

procedures designed to assess fairly and expeditiously whether

refugees, displaced persons and persons in a

refugee-like situation

fulfill the relevant requirements for access to higher education, to

further higher education programmes or to employment activities,

even in cases in which the qualifications obtained in

one of the Parties cannot be proven through

documentary evidence.

25.01.2017 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo | 31 Source: http://data.unhcr.org/syrianrefugees/asylum.php

«Higher education shall be equally

accessible to all on the basis of merit» UN Declaration of Human Rights, 1948:art.26

• 32% of youth in the university age enrolled in

higher education globally

• >1% of refugee population in the univeristy age

enrolled in higher education

UNHCR, 2016


Left out: the common barriers

• Funding

• Language proficiency

• Lack of necessary documentation /

possibility to evaluate educational

background

• Lack of information or ineadequate,

inaccesible and inaccurate advice


Norwegian experience

Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo

2005

2011-2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

Special recognition

procedure for refugees -

responsibility of Norwegian

higher education institutions

– Background paper

Pilot project on the

recognition of foreign higher

education qualifications for

persons with incomplete

documentation,

commissioned by the

Norwegian Ministry of

Education

Recognition procedure

for persons without

verifiable documentation

UVD-procedure

UVD-methodology as

a crucial element in

Norway’s Students

at Risk scheme

NOKUT / UK NARIC working

towards an international

coordinated action on recognition

of refugees’ qualifications

European Qualifications

Passport for Refugees

NOKUT’s

Qualifications Passport

for Refugees – Pilot

project

25.01.2017 | 34


Recognition model

Stage 1

• Application for general recognition and referral to recognition procedure for persons without verifiable documentation

Stage 2 • Mapping of applicant’s background and assessment of result

Stage 3

• NOKUT’s assessment/level placement of qualifications and setting up of a committee of experts

Stage 4 • Assessment by expert committee appointed by NOKUT

Stage 5

• Final assessment / NOKUT’s decision on general recognition and filing in archives

- Assessment of documentation

- Verification, if necessary

Recognition procedures for persons without

verifiable documentation – alternative way to

recognition of qualification


Mapping of applicant’s background

NOKUT’s assessment/level

placement of qualifications

Assessment by expert committee

appointed by NOKUT

NOKUT’s Qualifications Passport for Refugees

Recognititon procedure for persons without verifiable

documentation (UVD-procedure) Application for general recognition

Legally binding

decision on recognition as on par

with Norwegian

higher education

Ordinary / paper based process for NOKUT's general

recognition

Mapping of applicant’s background

NOKUT’s assessment/level

placement of qualifications

Structured interview with

NOKUT’s case officers

NOKUT’s Qualifications Passport for

Refugees


Recognition procedure for persons without

verifiable documentation (UVD-procedure)

Benefits:

• Standardized procedures equal treatment of candidates;

• Accessibility – applicants have just one liason body to deal

with;

• Final decision/document is established in the society and

contains relevant information, necessary for those applying for

jobs and further studies;

• NOKUT with its central role builds up expertise Less time-

consuming and more efficient recognition processes

Society can more rapidly benefit from applicants’ qualifications,

work skills and expertise

Current challenges

Current refugee crisis concerns all European states,

and:

• Different legislations

• Different assessment practices

• Different financial capacity situation

• Different number of refugees

Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo 25.01.2017 | 38

European Qualifications Passport for

Refugees



Refugees

Who is it for?

European Qualifications Passport for Refugees

is issued to refugees who claim to have

completed or partially completed studies at the

level of upper secondary school and above,

including if they have insufficient or missing

documentation.



Refugees

What is it?

• A document containing advisory statement concerning

refugee’s qualification(s).

• A document which summarizes and presents available

information on the applicant’s educational level, work

experience and language proficiency.

• A document which provides credible information that can be

relevant in connection with applications for employment,

internships, qualification courses and admission to studies.



Refugees

What it is not?

The European Recognition Passport for

Refugees is not:

• a substitute for identification or educational

documentation;

• a substitute for regular recognition

statements/authorization issued by the national

recognition authorities;

• an automatic system that guarantees

admission to studies or employment



NOKUT’s Qualifications Passport for

Refugees: benefits • Real option for qualified assessment of qualifications

• Advice about the road ahead – positive for further

integration

• Centralized scheme is an advantage

• Standardized document - standardized and quality

assured assistance for the integration sector,

employers and higher education institutions

• The scheme can be implemented relatively quickly

• The scheme is efficient

• The scheme can be adapted to other relevant

processes and for admission purposes

Let us stop for a minute … what are we

actually talking about?

• Recognition is more than a technical exercise

• Recognition is more than a preparation for further

studies or employment

• Early recognition of refugees` qualifications is a key

to build inclusive societies

• Recognition of a qualification = recognition of the

human behind the qualification

• Inclusion – empowerment – participation

• Reduce the risk of (social, political, economical)

alienation


The way ahead

• Coordinating an Erasmus+ project on development

of toolkit for recognition of refugees’ qualifications;

• Testing Qualifications Passport for Refugees in

Greece – pilot project initiated by Council of Europe

in cooperation with Greek Ministry of Education and

UNHCR;

• NOKUT’s Qualifications Assessment for Refugees

to be established on the permanent basis at

NOKUT from January 2017;

• Methodology can be applied to other similar

processes, e.g. identification of the potential

students, qualified personnel in a special field of

study etc.



Trends and tools – Regional cooperation

• UNESCO Regional Conventions

o Lisbon Recognition Convention (UNESCO + CoE)

o MERRIC

o Revised convention on the Recognition of Studies,

Certificates, Diplomas, Degrees and Other Academic

Qualifications in Higher Education in African States

o Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of

Qualifications in Higher Education, Tokyo, 2011

o UNESCO Global Convention


Trends and tools - Bologna process / EU

• EHEA-QF / EQF

o EHEA-QF: three levels/cycles

• Bachelors, masters and Doctoral degree

o EQF: Lifelong learning

• All qualifications but not exclusively academic ones

o Bologna: Harmonisation of education structures

o Automatic recognition

• “Automatic recognition of a degree leads to the

automatic right of an applicant holding a qualification

of a certain level to be considered for entry to a

programme of further study in the next level in any

other EHEA-country (access).”


Trends and tools – Inter-regional cooperation

• The revised Reykjavik Declaration (2016) will

ensure:

o Mutual recognition

o Working towards adopting a system for automatic

recognition

o Cooperation and information Exchange

o Review implementation and involve relevant stakeholders


Source: https://www.norden.org/en/nordic-council-of-ministers/council-of-ministers/nordic-council-of-ministers-for-education-and-

research-mr-u/declarations-and-explanations/nordic-declaration-on-the-recognition-of-qualifications-concerning-higher-education-the-

reykjavik-declaration-revised-2016


• The Nordic-Baltic admission manual

o A transparency and recognition tool for admissions

officers in the Nordic and Baltic countries

o A guidance on recognition of all higher education

qualifications

o Aim to provide a basis for more automatic and smooth

recognition of qualifications from the Nordic-Baltic region

o admissions officers will be able to find relevant information

as a basis for their decisions on admission to programs

within their own higher education institution.



Source: http://norric.org/nordbalt/overview


Trends and tools – electronic provision of

student data

• Groningen Declaration • the purpose, feasibility and cost-efficiency of worldwide exchange of digital student data

• the ways to make our systems more compatible, inter alia by looking into semantic

interoperability

• the ways to make data more easily comparable

• sharing or forwarding of data through designated systems

• promoting acceptance, for purposes of recognition, of digital student data in lieu of paper

documents

• adherence to national or federal privacy rights, both at the sending and at the receiving ends,

when data are transferred

• phasing out of paper based documents and of paper based authentications (legalisations)

where practicable

• establishment of a Global Standing Secretariat on Digital Student Data Depositories

Worldwide, to develop a follow-up structure, consisting of a “consultative group” of

representatives of all signatories, plus a smaller “follow-up group”, in order to organize future

events.


Source: http://www.groningendeclaration.org

Trends and tools – electronic provision of

student data

• EMREX

o Electronic transfer of student records

o The student initiates the transfer of records

o Reduce paperwork

o Prevent fraud

o funding from the ERASMUS+ program, Key Action 3:

European policy experimentation

25.01.2017 Seminar, Toyo University, Tokyo | 53 http://emrex.eu/?page_id=18

Trends and tools – CoE ETINED

• Ethics, transparency and integrity in education

o World wide concern over corruption in education

• Also document fraud and degree mills / accreditation mills

o Concern touches all member states

o All levels of education

• ETINED is a Pan-European Platform

o This challenge is addressed through dialogue

o And drawing upon materials and norms developed by the

Council of Europe

• One concrete action for national states:

o Protect the titles “University, University Colleges etc”


Source: https://www.coe.int/en/web/ethics-transparency-integrity-in-education/home

Thank you for your attention!

Rolf Lofstad Deputy Director of Foreign Education

[email protected]

NOKUT (Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in

Education), Norwegian ENIC-NARIC


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