Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education 2019

UNESCO, Paris, 25 November 2019

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PREAMBLE 

The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, meeting in Paris from 12 to 27 November 2019 at its 40th session, 

Inspired by a common will to strengthen educational, geographical, humanitarian, cultural, scientific and socioeconomic ties between States Parties, and to enhance dialogue between regions and the sharing of their recognition instruments and practices, 

Recalling the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which stipulates that “the purpose of the Organization is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture”, 

Mindful of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations of 1945, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and its Protocol of 1967, the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 1954, the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education of 1960 and in particular its Article 4a, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966, and the UNESCO Convention on Technical and Vocational Education of 1989, 

Mindful of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Recognition of Studies and Qualifications in Higher Education of 1993; the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education Teaching Personnel of 1997; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of 2007; and the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers of 2017, 

Building on the UNESCO regional conventions on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education, 

Reaffirming the States Parties’ responsibility to promote inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels and lifelong learning opportunities for all, 

Conscious of increasing international cooperation in higher education, of the mobility of students, workers, professionals, researchers and academics, of changes in scientific research, and of the different modes, methods, developments and innovations in teaching and learning, 

Considering higher education, provided by both public and private institutions, as a public good and a public responsibility, and being aware of the need to uphold and protect the principles of academic freedom and of the autonomy of higher-education institutions, 

Convinced that the international recognition of qualifications concerning higher education will facilitate interdependent learning and knowledge development via the mobility of learners and learning, academics, scientific research and researchers, and workers and professionals and will enhance international cooperation in higher education, 

Respecting the cultural diversity among the States Parties, including, inter alia, differences in educational traditions and in the values of higher education, 

Desiring to respond to the need for a global convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education to complement the UNESCO regional conventions on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education, and to enhance the cohesion between them, 

Convinced of the need to find common, practical and transparent solutions to improve recognition practices globally, 

Convinced that this Convention will promote international mobility, as well as communication and cooperation regarding fair and transparent procedures for recognition, and quality assurance and academic integrity in higher education at a global level, 

Adopts this Convention on this twenty-fifth day of November 2019.

SECTION I. DEFINITION OF TERMS 

Article I 

For the purposes of this Convention, the following definitions shall apply: 

Access (to higher education): the right provided to any individual holding a qualification to apply and be considered for admission to a level of higher education 

Admission (to higher-education institutions and programmes): the act of, or system for, allowing qualified applicants to pursue higher education at a given institution and/or in a given programme 

Applicant: 
(a) an individual submitting to the competent recognition authority a qualification, partial studies, or prior learning for assessment and/or recognition; or 
(b) an entity acting with consent on behalf of an individual 

Assessment: the evaluation of an applicant's qualifications, partial studies, or prior learning by a competent recognition authority engaged in the evaluation of qualifications 

Competent authority: an individual or entity that has the authority, capacity, or legal power to perform a designated function 

Competent recognition authority: an entity which, in accordance with the laws, regulations, policies, or practices of a State Party, assesses qualifications and/or makes decisions on the recognition of qualifications 

Constituent units: official entities of a State Party to this Convention at the level of subnational jurisdictions, such as provinces, states, counties, or cantons, in accordance with Article XX b), Federal or Non-Unitary Constitutional Systems, of this Convention 

Cross-border education: all modes of educational delivery which involve the movement of people, knowledge, programmes, providers and curriculum across States Parties’ borders, including, but not limited to, quality-assured international joint degree programmes, cross-border higher education, transnational education, offshore education and borderless education 

In full: http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=49557&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

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