RecoASIA | Credential Evaluation Centres and Recognition Procedures in Asian Countries

About the project

RecoASIA – Regional Cooperation in the field of recognition among Asian Countries

The RecoASIA project aims at favouring and increasing the quality of vertical and horizontal mobility within the Asian and European higher education systems by increasing the recognition of qualifications within the Asian and European Region.

The project partners intend to cooperate to improve their competences and skills as credential evaluators defining common practices and creating common tools among the participating European and Asian countries, National Bodies and Higher Education Institutions. Based on the experiences within the Bologna Process, the experience of the participating Higher Education Institutions and practices adopted by the ENIC-NARIC networks this project will contribute to strengthen and increase the collaboration between the European and the Asian regions. In addition, the participation of associated partners from other Asian countries will contribute to enhanced exchanges and mobility within the Asian region. Ultimately, the actions foreseen by the RecoASIA project will foster each participant’s experience with regard to recognition thus facilitating international student and professional mobility.

In addition to facilitating mutual trust and understanding, the RecoASIA project allows the sharing of relevant information on the educational systems of both regions. Activities such as the analysis of the practices applied in each country, the analysis of the mobility flows among both regions, and training on recognition practices grant better understanding of the needs of each participating country.

A specific focus will be put on controversial recognition cases and sectors such as transnational education (TNE) and international institutions, distant learning qualifications, non-traditional education and methodologies for the assessment of refugee qualifications.

The project will run for 36 months, starting from November 2019.

The project is co-funded by the EU within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme.

More about the Recognition of Qualifications and EU support

The RecoASIA project is funded by Erasmus+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe also by providing opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train, and gain experience abroad. At the same time, Erasmus+ provides opportunities for a wide range of organisations, including universities, education and training providers, research organisations, and private businesses working in favour of people of all ages and helping them develop and share knowledge and experience in different countries.

The RecoASIA project builds on the experience gained by the Partners in previous EU-funded projects, including projects specifically addressing the recognition of qualifications and credential evaluation issues in the field of higher education and development of university international cooperation through joint study programmes. These projects are:

RecoNow – Knowledge of recognition procedures in ENPI South countries
RecoLatin – Credential Evaluation Centres and Recognition Procedures in Latin American Countries

The main references to the Recognition of qualifications at international level relevant for this project are:

The Lisbon Convention – The Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region is an international convention of the Council of Europe (CoE) and UNESCO which is intended to facilitate the reciprocal recognition of higher education qualifications between the signatory countries. Commonly called “the Lisbon Recognition Convention” following its signature in the Portuguese capital in 1997, it has been ratified by all 54 countries, including 47 member states of the Council of Europe, as well as by other non-member states Australia, Belarus, Canada, the Holy See, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and New Zealand. The United States has signed but not ratified the Convention.
The Bologna Process and the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) – The Bologna Process is a mechanism promoting intergovernmental cooperation between 48 European countries in the field of higher education, to facilitate student and staff mobility, to make higher education more inclusive and accessible, and to make higher education in Europe more attractive and competitive. Since 1999, the Bologna Follow-Up Group – BFUG – is the executive structure supporting the Bologna Process in-between the Ministerial Conferences. Between 1 of July 2018 and 30 June 2020, Italy was in charge of the Presidency of the Secretariat of the Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG) and organised the 2020 EHEA Ministerial Conference, which was held virtually on 19^th November 2020. CIMEA has supported the Presidency of the BFUG during this period.
The Tokyo Convention – The Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, better known as the Tokyo Convention, supports the mutual recognition of qualifications in the Asia Pacific countries. Entered into force in February 2018, it establishes comprehensive and structured guidelines that streamline and harmonise recognition of higher education qualifications in Asia-Pacific region, including those of disadvantaged persons, without discrimination. In the current version, it is open to all UNESCO member states and the Holy See, compared to its previous version (1983 Bangkok Convention), which was only open to the 46 UNESCO Asia-Pacific member states.

Main project activities

Analysis of mobility flows between the European and Asian Regions and drafting of National Recognition Reports (NRR) to illustrate the recognition procedures available in each partner country as a useful tool for credential evaluators and students
Online and face-to-face training for government officials from National Information Centres (NIC) from Cambodia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam to provide them with knowledge on European higher education systems, recognition practices and National Recognition Centres
Online and face-to-face training for the staff of Asian Universities to foster their capacity in academic recognition procedures and increase the cooperation among universities;
Elaboration of guidelines for the evaluation of non-traditional, cross-border or trans-national education and distance learning institutions and their qualifications in order to foster up-to-date recognition practices that can also be applied to latest and cutting-edge education methods;
Elaboration and practice-sharing of procedures for the recognition of refugees’ qualifications;
Support the sustainability of the results in the medium-long term by promoting the signature of a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by NICs of Partner countries and NARIC centres;
Communication activities and dissemination of results both in Asia and in Europe.