Building TAICEP.
Reflections from a European
perspective.
Jenneke Lokhoff
TAICEP Inaugural Symposium
Boston, 21 October 2013
3 Questions
Reflect from “European perspective” on:
1. The landscape of international credential evaluation
2. The need to build an international professional organization (TAICEP)
and the importance of our work
3. Issues and considerations to consider for determining the structure and
activities of TAICEP.
1. The European Recognition Landscape.
A European Recognition Area
Characteristics “European” region
1.



International legislation
LRC Convention 1997
55 signatory countries
Model for other regional conventions (Asia/Africa)
1. Political framework
 Bologna process / European Higher Education Area
1. Operational structure
 ENIC / NARIC Networks as national information centres
Overview ENIC/NARIC networks
Lisbon Recognition Convention
Principles for fair recognition
Study
2
WG y
WG α
Practical implementation?
Project w
Journal
article x
Subsidiary texts
Recommendations z
project ¥
WG3
Recommendations z
A?
Results
project y
B ?
D?
Working
GroupY
Recognition instruments
E?
C ?
Streamlining recognition practices:
A European Area of Recognition manual (1)




Practical implementation of LRC based on existing good practice
 www.eurorecognition.eu/emanual/
ENIC-NARIC networks (+ Council of Europe, UNESCO and European
Commission)
Interest from other Convention regions (Asia Pacific, Africa)
Use of manual recommended by the 47 Bologna countries in the
Bucharest Communiqué 2012.
Streamlining recognition practices:
A European Area of Recognition manual (2)
“Fair academic and professional recognition, including recognition of non
formal and informal learning, is at the core of the EHEA….We welcome the
European Area of Recognition (EAR) Manual and recommend its use as
a set of guidelines for recognition of foreign qualifications and a
compendium of good practices, as well as encourage higher education
institutions and quality assurance agencies to assess institutional
recognition procedures in internal and external quality assurance”
The EAR offspring
EAR
Recognition manual
2009 – 2012
EAR 2
 Training
 Web based
EARN
EAR HEI
 Self evaluation
 Peer review
 Recognition
manual for HEI’s
2012 - 2014
EARN
Evaluation and Assessment of the Role of NARIC’s
Goal
 a self-evaluation tool for ENIC-NARICs to objectively compare their
practice to the common guidelines and practices agree upon and to make
improvements accordingly.
 a peer review mechanism, including an external assessment by other
NARICs based on the self-evaluation tool.
Finalized January 2014
EAR HEI



Recognition manual for institutions
Based on:
 EAR and principles LRC;
 Two EHEA wide consultations.
Developed by ENIC/NARICs, representatives institutions (HRK, Tuning,
EUA) and students (ESU).
Finalized in January 2014
2. Considerations for determining the structure and
activities of TAICEP
Consideration 1:
How to account for recognition context?
International credential evaluator practices:
 Regional differences;
 Centre specific.
Challenge for:
 Professional Development Activities (training/methodology)?
 Developing standards?
 What kind of standards?
 One or plural?
 Who decides?
 Governance structure:
 Representation?
 (Why not include -representations- of organizations as well?)
Consideration 2:
Build further on existing efforts (while offering
something new)

Worldwide already lots of research, initiatives, projects to improve
credential evaluation and recognition practices.
3. The need to build a professional organization
Global platform for professionals
Need:
 Ever increasing student mobility, still recognition problems
 International credential evaluation is per definition international
 Currently no global organization to facilitate (interregional) dialogue
Global platform to facilitate information sharing, dialogue and support
Thank you for your attention!
Questions? Please contact:
Ms Lucie de Bruin: lbruin@nuffic.nl
Ms Jenneke Lokhoff: jlokhoff@nuffic.nl
Ms Jessica Stannard: stannard@nuffic.nl