Recognition of Qualifications 2007-2009

If you have questions concerning the recognition of your qualifications, please contact the national information centre in the country concerned. You will find a complete list of national information centres on the ENIC-NARIC website.

The purpose of recognition is to make it possible for learners to use their qualifications from one education system in another education system (or country) without losing the real value of those qualifications.

Lisbon Recognition convention

The main international legal text that aims to further the fair recognition of qualifications is the Council of Europe/UNESCO Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region. Like any legal text, the Convention must be put into practice. The recognition of qualifications falls within the competence of each country. In most cases, this means that higher education institutions are responsible for the recognition of qualifications for the purpose of further study whereas professional bodies or employers are responsible for recognition for the purposes of the labour market.

Tools that facilitate the recognition of qualifications are the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement (DS).

ENIC-NARIC network

To help develop good practice and a common understanding of recognition, the Council of Europe, UNESCO/CEPES and the European Commission coordinate the ENIC and NARIC Networks. The Networks develop good practice and policy, whereas individual member centres may provide information on the recognition of qualifications as well as the qualifications frameworks and education systems of the countries for which they are responsible. You may find a list of all centres as well as a description of the Networks and much other useful information on the ENIC-NARIC website. You may also access the 2007 information disk on the Bologna Process, which contains valuable information on recognition, too.

National action plans for recognition

An ENIC/NARIC working party has analysed the national action plans and produced a very detailed report with recommendations for the various actors involved on how to further improve recognition procedures and practice:

Report to the BFUG on the Analysis of the 2007 National Action Plans for Recognition, prepared by Andrejs Rauhvargers and Agnese Rusakov.
Report to the BFUG on the analysis of the 2007 National Actions Plans for Recognition

In 2007, all countries of the Bologna Process submitted national action plans to improve the recognition of qualifications.

Search all

Stocktaking report

Also the Stocktaking report points at the existence of different recognition cultures as obstacle to an integrated approach.

Bologna Process Stocktaking Report 2009