1. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Recommendation from the perspective of the ENIC-NARICs Joint Programmes: Too many cooks in the kitchen?

2. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Overview Introduction Key elements of good practice of Joint (degree) programme for facilitating the recognition Joint Degrees obstacles good, not so good and unacceptable legal instruments

3. Introduction

4. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Prague Communiqué joint degree In order to further strengthen the important European dimensions of HE and graduate employability Ministers called upon the HE sector to increase the development of modules, courses and curricula at all levels with European content, orientation or organisation. This concerns particularly modules, courses and degree curricula offered in partnership by institutions from different countries and leading to a recognized joint degree.

5. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Berlin Communiqué Promotion of the European dimension in higher education Initiatives have been taken by HEIs in various European countries to pool their academic resources and cultural traditions in order to promote the development of integrated study programmes and joint degrees at first, second and third level. Moreover, they stress the necessity of ensuring a substantial period of study abroad in joint degree programmes as well as proper provision for linguistic diversity and language learning, so that students may achieve their full potential for European identity, citizenship and employability. Ministers agree to engage at the national level to remove legal obstacles to the establishment and recognition of such degrees and to actively support the development and adequate quality assurance of integrated curricula leading to joint degrees.

6. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Leuven/Louvain-la-Neuve Communiqué By 2020 at least 20% of those graduating in the EHEA should have had a study or training period abroad Joint degrees and programmes as well as mobility windows shall become more common practice

7. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes transnationale Universiteit Limburg international Agreement between Flanders and The Netherlands signed in Maastricht on January 18, 2001 ratified by the Flemish decree July 13, 2001 entitled to award Bachelor and Master in listed fields of study automatically recognised in Flanders and the Netherlands http://www.tul.edu

8. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Obstacles = in HE structures not all programmes Ba-Ma study load binary & unitary system = accreditation systems 180 - 120

9. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Obstacles financing language barriers learning paths flexibility formal stipulations re name qualification

10. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Obstacles legal possibility to offer joint programmes and joint qualifications in national legislations one of involved institutions is not recognised one of awarding institutions is not authorised to award that particular degree degree & national DS do not provide info about the joint programme joint programme is not quality assured and/or accredited

11. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Warsaw - March 2010 good, not so good and unacceptable all HEIs involved needs to be recognised in national framework joint programme needs to be recognized in all relevant HEs DS should cover the totality of joint programme include one single contact person (e.g. admission officer) guidelines for institutions regarding award of such degrees and DS joint degree has to be awarded in accordance with all the national legal frameworks of the awarding institutions

12. European Master in Human Rights and democratisation 29

13. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Warsaw – March 2010 joint degree should be signed by all the competent authorities of the awarding institutions signature King of Spain only 1 signature legal delegation + authorized person keeps all relevant docs awarding is quicker (which is very good for non-EU graduates) if joint degree programme was in a limited number of HEIs, but joint degree is awarded in the name of a larger consortium all members are recognized HEIs at least the (programmes of) HEIs in which the student has studied have been quality assessed

14. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Legal instruments Lisbon Recognition Convention 1997 Recommendation of CoE & UNESCO on the recognition of joint degrees 2004

15. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Lisbon Recognition Convention Council of Europe & UNESCO Convention on Recognition of Qualifications concerning HE in the European Region (165) adopted 11 April 1997 entered into force 1 February 1999 16/04/2010: in 50 countries entered into force 3 signed streamlining European legal frameworks replacing 6 recognition conventions condition for EHEA 2010 Bologna Process

16. Lisbon Recognition Convention http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=165&CM=&DF=&CL=E NG

17. www.enic- naric.net

18. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Lisbon Recognition Convention substantial full recognition unless substantial differences burden of proof falls on the host country every not every difference should be considered as a substantial one entails no obligation existence substantial difference entails no obligation to not recognize qualification substantial difference should be substantial function purpose in relation to the function of the qualification and purpose for which recognition is sought

19. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Recommendation recognition of joint (degree) programmes not covered by LRC LRC Committee: Rec on recognition of joint degrees 2004 recognition of a joint degree in a third country definitions joint degree in addition to one or more national Qs one joint degree without being accompanied by any national qualification one or more national qualifications issued officially as only attestation of the joint (degree) programme in question

20. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Recommendation principles recognition unless there is substantial difference between the joint degree and comparable qualification within own national HE system competent recognition authorities of Parties whose higher education institutions confer joint degrees should recognize these degrees with the greatest flexibility possible review legislation

21. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Recommendation Quality Assurance recognition of joint degrees is conditional all parts of the study programme leading to the degree and/or (all?) the institutions providing the programme subject to transparent quality assessment or being considered as belonging to the education system of one or more Parties

22. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Recommendation Information HEIs providing joint degrees should be encouraged to inform competent recognition authorities re programmes holders of joint degrees should be provided with a Diploma Supplement clearly describing all parts of the degree clearly indicate the institutions and/or study programmes at which the different parts of the degree have been earned make use of ECTS

23. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Conclusion Assessment & mobility becomes easier when HEIs give clear and transparent information on their joint programmes & qualifications awarded updating Recommendations on the Recognition of Joint Degrees adopted in 2004 in order to have clear and adapted guidelines essential to share difficulties on assessment of joint programmes with HEIs in order to increase their awareness on the recognition issue

24. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Conclusion And last but not least around the world as the development of joint (degree) programmes has increased around the world, the implementation of a legal framework has become essential in order to have clear rules or guidelines on the setting of joint programmes Other points student involvement ? official listing of all the European Joint (degree) programmes

25. Recognition of qualifications from joint programmes Q & A Erwin Malfroy Higher Education Policy Design Flanders (Belgium) erwin.malfroy@ond.vlaanderen.be