First Intergovernmental Meeting on the Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications

Margit Schatzman,  member of the Board of Directors of The Association for International Credential Evaluation Professionals (TAICEP) and Past President of the association will be representing TAICEP as an observer at the First Intergovernmental Meeting on the Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, which will take place from December 5 to 7 at UNESCO-Headquarters, in Paris.  As a stakeholder, TAICEP has been involved in the process of developing the draft document.

Schatzman said “The mobility of students is more important to our global community than ever before.  TAICEP members from countries around the world support efforts to develop a framework that will ensure that students receive appropriate recognition for their academic accomplishments.  We look forward to working with other stakeholders and experts in helping to reduce obstacles faced by students, educators and researchers outside of their countries of study.”

In addition to her TAICEP duties, Schatzman is President of Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. a private non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that educational qualifications are fairly and accurately recognized across borders.

Globally academic mobility is sharply on the increase with the overall population of mobile students doubling since 2002. Today more than 4 million students study outside their home country and it is estimated that by 2020 around 8 million students will be studying abroad. This significant growth in mobile tertiary students calls for a global regulatory framework for the recognition of higher education qualifications. This framework will reduce the obstacles faced by students, teachers and researchers outside their countries of origin.

In March 2016, following a General Conference decision (38/Resolution 12), UNESCO established a Drafting Committee in consultation with its Member States to elaborate a Preliminary Draft for a Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications. Taking into account Member States’ feedback after an initial round of consultations in May-June 2017, the Drafting Committee finalized the Preliminary Draft in June 2017. In November 2017, the General Conference approved the continuation of the elaboration process, including further consultations with Member States and relevant stakeholders, and intergovernmental meetings of experts, inviting all UNESCO Member States.

The second consultation round launched in March 2018 resulted in comments and observations from 68 Member States and 9 stakeholder organizations. Based on this feedback, the Secretariat presents a proposal for a Draft Global Convention to be examined by the intergovernmental meetings of experts.

Technical and legal expert appointed by UNESCO’s Member States and Associate Members, as well as observers from Non-Member States and other stakeholders, will convene in this first intergovernmental meeting to organize its work and to review the Draft Convention.  A second intergovernmental meeting will take place in March 2019 with the view to endorse the Draft that will be submitted to the 40th General Conference for adoption.