European initiatives in the field of recognition of refugees qualifications

Transcription

1 European initiatives in the field of recognition of refugees qualifications Marius Jensen Adviser NOKUT Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education

2 NOKUT Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education Independent agency, established by the Universities and Colleges Act in Assessment of Refugees Qualifications: Challenges and Possible Solutions

3 Recognition what are we actually talking about? Recognition of a qualification = recognition of the human behind the qualification Inclusion empowerment participation Assessment tools for refugees

4 Legal obligations: Lisbon Recognition Convention Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

5 Lisbon Recognition Convention (1997) Only legally binding text in the EHEA Article VII: Legal obligation to develop procedures to assess qualifications of refugees For access to HE/employment Even where qualifications cannot be proven through documentary evidence Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

6 Norwegian experience Special recognition procedure for refugees Background paper Standardized recognition procedure for refugees HEIs + NOKUT NOKUT s UVDprocedure is established Legally binding decision UVDmethodology is crucial in Students at Risk scheme NOKUT / UK NARIC proposal European Qualifications Passport for Refugees NOKUT s Qualifications Passport for Refugees Pilot project Qualifications Passport for Refugees is being tested in Greece NOKUT s Qualifications Passport for Refugees to be established Assessment of Refugees Qualifications: Challenges and Possible Solutions

7 Challenges Number of refugees Language competency Unfinished or undocumented qualifications Demand for mobility and portability Slide 7

8 Towards a multilateral solution: European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Aim: Provide refugees with An assessment of qualifications that cannot be fully documented An assessment accepted across borders

9 Task: Map educational level, work experience and language proficiency Provide information relevant for employment, internships, qualification courses, HE admission Method: Assessment of available documentation Structured interview by qualified credential evaluators

10 Outcomes: European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

11 Results so far: 92 refugees interviewed 73 European Qualifications Passports for Refugees issued Refugees interviewed in Greece have been relocated to Norway, Germany, Sweden and Ireland more are in process of relocation

12 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees March 2017: Interview with the credential evaluators November 21, 2017 Slide 12

13 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees March 2017: Anwar received the passport November 21, 2017 Slide 13

14 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees May 2017: Anwar relocated to Norway November 21, 2017 Slide 14

15 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees July 2017: Anwar submits application to NOKUT and gets advice on the road ahead November 21, 2017 Slide 15

16 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees August 2017: Anwar visits Oslo University College of Applied Sciences and gets information on the bridging courses starts the courses in November 2017 November 21, 2017 Slide 16

17 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

18 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Stage 2 discussed at the meeting with Council of Europe (project period) Interviews in Greece and Italy Credential evaluators from Norway (NOKUT), Greece (DOATAP), Italy (CIMEA), the Netherlands (NUFFIC), Germany (ZAB / KMK), France (CIEP) and UK (UK NARIC) will conduct the interviews NOKUT is a content coordinator in the project Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

19 European Qualifications Passport for Refugees Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

20 The way ahead Erasmus+ project Toolkit II EQPR II project :closer cooperation with HEIs Subsidiary text to Lisbon Recognition Convention Methodology can be applied to other similar processes, e.g. identification of the potential students, qualified personnel in a special field of study etc Recognition of Refugees Qualifications

21 More information about the projects Refugees and Recognition (Erasmus+): NOKUT/Internasjonalt-arbeid/Refugees-and-Recognition--An- Erasmus-Project/ European Qualifications Passport fro Refugees (Council of Europe): Slide 21

22 Thank you for your attention! Marius Jensen Adviser, Department of Foreign Education NOKUT Recognition of Refugees Qualifications