The Lisbon Recognition Convention at 15: making fair recognition a reality

Book excerpt: The Lisbon Recognition Convention, developed by the Council of Europe and UNESCO, is the main international legal text on the international recognition of qualifications and has been ratified by more than 50 countries. Few Council of Europe conventions have achieved a greater number of ratifications, and the political importance of the Lisbon Recognition Convention is very considerable. The recognition of qualifications is a necessary, if not sufficient, condition for both student and labour mobility. To mark the 15th anniversary of the convention, this book examines some of the challenges to the international recognition of qualifications. The convention is an essential legal text, but it needs to be put into better practice. How can learners use their degrees and qualifications in a new country, without losing the real value of those qualifications? The authors, who come from a variety of backgrounds, review the policies and practice of recognition, link recognition to the broader higher education policy debate and consider the role of recognition in enabling individuals to move freely across borders.