Tracking Refugee Applications for Study and Employment in the UK (TRASE UK)

The Tracking Refugee Applications for Study and Employment in the UK project (TRASE UK) will involve surveys of refugee applicants, as well as UK ENIC members and other organisations such as professional bodies and employers, to seek to understand:

• how useful the information provided in the Statements of Comparability have been for refugees,
• whether further guidance could be provided to support refugee applicants, and
• what use has been made recently of the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) in the UK. 

The project supports the functioning of Article 7 of the Lisbon Recognition Convention on the recognition of qualifications held by refugees, displaced persons, and persons in refugee-like situations. 

Through the surveys, and a roundtable with UK organisations and UK ENIC members, the project team will develop a report outlining aspects of the UK ENIC Statements which are most beneficial for refugees (to inform the rest of the ENIC network) and areas where information and guidance could be improved (for example, potentially in relation to incomplete qualifications or applications with missing documents).  The report will be shared with the ENIC network to promote best practices in credential evaluation for refugee applicants.

Promoting Implementation Procedures in Practice for the Recognition of Education Received by Refugees

The overall objective of the project is to improve the legal framework regarding the recognition of education received by refugees and increase awareness of this topic in Georgia. The project seeks to develop more flexible and effective approaches to the recognition of education received by refugees. Furthermore, the project will prepare stakeholders and raise their awareness in order to enable refugees to receive education, find a job, socialise, and realise their potential in a foreign environment. The mentioned issue will significantly improve the Georgian educational system and bring it into compatibility with international obligations.

Within the framework of project implementation, the NCEQE will conduct research on the best international practices on the issues of recognising the education of refugees, evaluate the readiness of higher educational institutions (HEIs) in Georgia in terms of conducting the procedures, create a guide and conduct training for HEIs and stakeholders, and print brochures for potential applicants. 

Among the themes that are to be addressed at this stage of the project are the following:

• what criteria should be used to select the countries for the best practice research,
• what issues should the research team focus on when developing the methodology and questionnaires, 
• in what sense would it be appropriate to involve a legal specialist, and at what stage,
• how to conduct research methodology, questionnaires in universities, how to prepare training module and provide training for HEIs,
• advantages of joining the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees -EQPR for Georgia.
   

Renforcer les capacités des évaluateurs de diplômes (ECRE)

Enhancing the Capabilities of the Credential Evaluators (ECRE)

The project seeks to support the following measures:

• The Center of Educational Services will be supported to promote cooperation and mobility in the field of education,
• The National Center will have the right and needed skills and expertise to ensure the recognition of higher education qualifications in fair, transparent and non- discriminatory matter,
• The increase in the skills and expertise of the credential evaluators at the centre,
• The increase in the skills and expertise of the credential evaluators at the centre, related to the recognition of diplomas for refugees,
• A new updated website will offer the needed and right information to all individuals and organisations,
• A new updated website will be enriched with translated documents related to the academic recognition of qualifications.

This project will have an important impact to all the target groups, that is, all the individuals and organisations involved in the recognition of qualifications earned abroad.

Equipping education stakeholders with competences to detect and combat education fraud/DETECT

In 2021 a team of experts from the National Information Centre on Academic Recognition and Mobility of Armenia (ArmENIC) and a Council of Europe expert, with the financial support of the Council of Europe, conducted the study on “Developments and Detection of Education Fraud: Risks and Responses in the COVID-19 Age”. The study was initiated to reveal the need caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to reconsider the traditional tools and policies used for transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption measures in education. 

The results of the study revealed that education fraud and corruption practices not only hinder access to all levels of education, but also affect the quality of education, the credibility of research results and challenge the recognition of qualifications. Based on the outcomes of the study, the existing policies and procedures need to be reviewed and adapted considering the way digital technologies have impacted the proliferation of education fraud. 

Thus, the project “Equipping education stakeholders with competences to detect and combat education fraud/DETECT” aims to equip stakeholders in education with the competences necessary to prevent, detect, and combat education fraud through developing and conducting a training module based on the outcomes and recommendations of the study. The training will provide a comprehensive understanding of the problem of education fraud and techniques needed to prevent, detect, and combat it. It will also contribute to raising awareness, prevention, early detection, legal and ethical considerations. Overall, the training will be an asset for the stakeholders in education to protect their resources, reputation, and credibility. By providing participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to detect and prevent fraud, the training will reduce the impact of fraud and promote a culture of integrity and accountability.

UaReNext – Next steps in the Ukrainian recognition network

On March 2, 2020, the Ukrainian recognition network UaReNet was founded under the ENIC Ukraine initiative. The network aims to improve and develop the procedure for foreign educational qualifications recognition in Ukraine. Currently, 94 higher education institutions have joined the UaReNet network. The network needs further development and filling with content, new forms of interaction and information support.

The next steps are suggested for network development: 

• Creation and filling a separate page of the UaReNet network on www.enic.in.ua website, 
• Conducting seminars (online format) dedicated to foreign qualifications recognition,  
• HEIs information support (digests publishing), 
• Extension of country profiles on www.enic.in.ua, 
• Updating and creating informational materials about the education system of Ukraine, 
• Internal trainings for ENIC Ukraine employees.

Implementation of the Lisbon Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina – ILIRIC

The project is aimed at the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and will last until November 2023. The project aims to analyse all regulations regarding recognition of foreign higher education qualifications in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to facilitate the process of implementation of LRC, and to present to the competent authorities a proposal for model regulations, trainings, and workshops. 

To achieve a greater degree of harmonisation of legislation with the Lisbon Convention, CIP wants to encourage competent educational authorities and other stakeholders to harmonise regulations of foreign higher education qualifications with the provisions of the Lisbon Convention and its accompanying documents.

It is planned to create a model rulebook on the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications and to promote it and send it to the competent educational authorities for adoption. Also, the project aims to ensure the translation of accompanying documents of the LRC into the languages that are in official use in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to enable the stakeholders to understand the procedure for the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications and their application.

The purpose of the set goals is to standardise the procedures for the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications in BiH so that the recognition is fair and easier for everyone who wants to exercise the right to recognition in BiH.