SEMINAR FOR BOLOGNA AND HIGHER EDUCATION REFORM EXPERTSRecognition in Higher Education: How to make it work!

Recognition in Higher Education in LebanonChafic Mokbel, HER Expert Lebanon

> Mobility for a better interaction and an harmonic diffusion of knowledge and skills● Need to Understand and Recognize Diplomas and Degrees

- Appropriate usage of Qualifications- Qualifications’ beholder rights

Why Recognition?

> Recognition is a crucial topic in countries with strong migration of qualifications● Two directions to be considered● E.g. Lebanon

- Expatriate rate 10% in 2005- 40% of Lebanese emigrants hold a higher education degree

Why Recognition?

> Recognition of Qualifications to:● Enroll in a Higher Education Institution or Programme

- Smooth and Safe Integration- Multilateral agreements (History …)- Official recognition of the highest degree delivered?- Recognition within the same country in the case of diversity of systems

● Seek to Practice a Regulated Profession- National exams, e.g. colloquium to exercise medicine in Lebanon- National official positions, e.g. recognition of PhD to integrate the public

Lebanese University- Prepare students to pass international exams, e.g. preparation to USMLE

(outgoing direction)● Integrate an Active Sector or Profession

- Diverse: engineering, business, …- Information and knowledge are crucial elements- Some institutions organize their own exams to evaluate knowledge and skills- Backup on private evaluation and certifications, e.g. IT/Telecom- Lebanon has a good understanding of international systems due to high

immigration rate

Why Recognition?

>Conventions● International Convention on the Recognition of

Studies, Diplomas and Degrees in Higher Education in the Arab and European States bordering on the Mediterranean, Nice 1976

● Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the Arab States, Paris 1978

● UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Studies, Diplomas and Degrees concerning Higher Education in the States belonging to the Europe Region

● Lisbon Recognition Convention

Legal Instruments

>Lebanese Higher Education System● One of the oldest in the region● ~ 200 000 students in higher education● 1 Public University (Lebanese University) with

43% of the students● ~40 private HEIs● Academic Freedom and Diversity of Systems● For recognition a decree setup a committee

for the equivalence and recognition of diplomas (since 1957)- A transparent process that considers the good practices- More than 8000 recognition per year

Lebanon – A case Study

Recognition in Lebanon – Some Indicators (on a trimester 2009)

Total Official Recognition

90263%29

2%

44331%

644%

Lebanese Degrees For Lebanese

Lebanese Degrees For Non Lebanese

Foreign Degrees For Lebanese

Foreign Degrees For Non Lebanese

Recognition at BSc level

70488%

213%

486% 28

3%

Recognition at MSc level

17959%7

2%

9030%

289%

Recognition at PhD level

196%

10%

30592%

82%

Recognition in Lebanon – Per Region

Total Recognition per region

29667%

5312%

8419%

102%

Western Countries

Arab

Eastern Europe

Others

BSc level

2348%

2144%

24%

24%

MSc level

4247%

1416%

3033%

44%

PhD level

23176%

186%

5217% 4

1%

Recognition in Lebanon (Leb. Degrees) – Per Domain

Total recognition Lebanese per domain

14716%

18621%

566%

81%

698%

43648%

Sciences

Social Sciences

Health Sciences

Medicine

Engineering

Business

At BSc level

12017%

13119%

00%

37853%

264%

497%

At MSc level

2715%

4425%

4324%

5832%

00%

74%

At PhD level

00%

1158%0

0%

842%

00%0

0%

Recognition in Lebanon (Non Leb. Degrees) – Per Domain

Total recognition Non Lebanese per domain

13831%

7216%

6515%

7116%

7417%

235%

Sciences

Social Sciences

Health Sciences

Medicine

Engineering

Business

At BSc level

48% 7

15%

24%

817%

817%

1939%

At MSc level

1011%

910%

3134%

67%

11% 33

37%

At PhD level

12442%

5618%

134%

6822%

3511%

93%

Recognition in Lebanon (Non Leb. Degrees) – Per Domain Per Country

Sciences (31%)

80.29

4.38

2.92

2.19

10.22

0 20 40 60 80 100

France

UK

USA

Russia

Others

Social Sciences and Arts (16%)

72.22

6.94

5.56

4.17

2.78

8.33

0 20 40 60 80 100

France

Italy

UK

USA

Australia

Others

Health Sciences and Medicine (31%)

19.8519.12

14.719.568.82

5.15

2.942.94

16.91

0 20 40 60 80 100

Syria

Ukrain

Russia

France

Belarus

Italy

USA

Tunisia

Others

Engineering (17%)

36.49

18.92

9.46

8.116.76

5.41

4.05

10.81

0 20 40 60 80 100

France

USA

Ukrain

Russia

Syria

Australia

Belarus

Others

>Information is at the basis of the recognition process● Transparent● Precise● Easy of access

>ENIC-NARIC network is a key player in the information process● Mediterranean Recognition Information

Centers (MERIC)

Information

>Recognition depends largely on the information available regarding the institution/system delivering the Diploma

>European Tools help in this direction● ECTS and DS but also bridging with other credit

systems● NQF for a better reading of qualifications within

a system and EQF for a better reading of qualifications across systems

● Mobility, multilateral conventions and joint degrees are very important in both information and trust building processes

Actual Recognition

> Recognition is gaining in amplitude and importance with globalization● Conjugating existing tools?

> Diversity and Multidisciplinarity in the qualifications is also increasing● Strengthening the network of information? Trust

building process?

>Competences developed within a Programme respond to qualifications needed in a socio-economic system. Those needs differ among systems.● How to cope with differences?

>Profession-based training/exams are reality● How to integrate them in the process?

The road ahead

Thank you