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Back The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) presented at UNESCO General Conference high level event

Photo: © Brett Walsh

The Council of Europe-led European Qualifications Passport for Refugees was presented as an example of good practice during a UNESCO General Conference high level event in Paris on 15 November.

The event aimed at introducing the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for Refugees and Vulnerable Migrants and saw the participation in the panel discussions of Sjur Bergan, Head of the Council of Europe Education Department and Anwar Horani, an EQPR holder.

Other panellists included: Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO, Dr. Brian Mushimba, Minister of Higher Education of Zambia, Ambassador Per Egil Selvaag, Permanent Delegate of Norway to UNESCO, Paolo Artini, UNHCR Representative in France and in Monaco, Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, Stig Arne Skjerven, Director of Foreign Education Department, Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) and Miriam Chiaba, Director of the Zambia Qualifications Authority.

“We believe that the EQPR can make a difference between a vicious and virtuous circle” emphasised Sjur Bergan, Head of the Council of Europe Education Department. “We don’t want this to be a special project down the road. We want the Qualifications Passport for Refugees [EQPR] to be a normal state of affairs. This is a part of what recognition centers should be doing” Mr Bergan added.

Anwar Horani, first refugee to receive the EQPR, shared her experience during a panel discussion with experts in education qualifications assessment. “Everyone of us has something effective and beautiful to provide to other people and it is the most valuable currency in this life” Ms Horani emphasised.

The UNESCO Qualifications Passport for Refugees is a new global tool designed to facilitate the recognition of refugees’ qualifications even in the absence of full documentation and draws from the experience of the Council of Europe-led European Qualifications Passport for Refugees.

The Council of Europe, NOKUT and the UNHCR are contributing to the discussions on the development of the new global tool led by UNESCO.