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JOINT DEGREES AND THE LISBON RECOGNITION CONVENTION (LRC)

Dr. Carita Blomqvist, Head of UnitRecognition and International Comparability of QualificationsFinnish National Board of EducationPresident of the Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee

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Lisbon Recognition Convention 1997● The only legal text in the European Higher Education Area (EHEA)● Subsidiary texts● Applies also outside of the EHEA, since some signatories are non-European● Concerns access qualifications, periods of study and final qualifications issued in one of

thesignatory states● Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee● ENIC/NARIC Networks● ENIC/NARIC Centres● www.enic-naric.net

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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

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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● Recognition and Qualifications Frameworks 2013? (currently being prepared)

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Recommendation on the recognition of joint degrees

Joint degree understood as:

- higher education qualification issued jointly by two or more higher education institutions (HEI) or HEIs and other awarding bodies, on the basis of a study programme developed and/or provided jointly by the HEIs, possibly also in co-operation with other institutions

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Recommendation on the recognition of joint degrees

Joint degree may be issued as:- a joint diploma in addition to two or more national diplomas- a joint diploma issued by the institutions offering the study programme in

question without being accompanied by any national diploma- one or more national diplomas issued officially as the only attestation of the

joint qualification in question

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Recommendation on the recognition of joint degrees

General principles:- Holders should have adequate access to a fair assessment of their qualifications. - Joint degrees should be recognised unless the competent authority can

demonstrate that there is a substantial difference - Competent recognition authorities should recognise these degrees with the

greatest flexibility possible.

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Recommendation on the recognition of joint degrees

Quality assurance and institutional recognition:- Recognition may be conditional on all parts of the study program being subject to

transparent quality assessment or being considered to belonging to the education system of one or more parties to the LRC

- Recognition may be made contingent on all institutions or programs of the consortium being subject to transparent quality assurance or being considered as belonging to the education system of one or more parties to the LRC

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Recognition of joint degrees: concluding remarks Provider/consortium to pay attention to:- Information given: focused, relevant, reliable- Elements of the qualification- Attention to recognition issues already when planning the programme- Format of the degree certificate format, Diploma Supplement

Recognition authorities to pay attention to: - Necessity to make us of the principles of the LRC and the recommendation- Necessity to have open mind: substantial difference should be seen as an exception rather than a rule