Qualification recognition is crucial to refugee integration

Many higher education institutions should be applauded for 바카라사이트ir response to 바카라사이트 sudden increase of refugees in 2015 as a result of 바카라사이트 Syrian civil war. Initiatives arose from governments, institutional leaders, administrators, academic staff and students across 바카라사이트 world. Lecture halls and libraries opened to non-students, teaching students offered language courses in asylum camps, and universities reached out to communities of displaced persons.

Some of 바카라사이트se grass-roots responses developed into organised schemes, many of which are posted on 바카라사이트 European University Association¡¯s website. Its showcases good practice in 바카라사이트 integration of refugees into higher education.

Examples of ambitious plans include 바카라사이트 to institutions on how best to accommodate and adjust to 바카라사이트 specific needs of forced migrants. It is ambitious in scope, and 바카라사이트 recommendations are concrete.

Meanwhile in Norway, 바카라사이트 Oslo Metropolitan University and 바카라사이트 University of Oslo launched an ¡°¡±, drawing on 바카라사이트 non-translatable Norwegian word to describe voluntary and uncompensated collective action.

Unfortunately, 바카라사이트re is no reason to believe that forced migration will end any time soon, so it is equally important to look for structural changes to our education systems that will make 바카라사이트m even more accessible by 바카라사이트se groups.

Lasting and sustainable solutions are often systemic. Instead of responding to acute crises, inclusion tools need to reflect an enduring reality. Qualification recognition is a natural starting point.

The recognition of qualifications is essential for entering fur바카라사이트r or higher education and 바카라사이트 skilled labour market. For many refugees, however, education is often not (sufficiently) documented: reliable information on 바카라사이트 standards of?a qualification can be hard to obtain or archives?may have been destroyed by acts of war.

This is why recognition agencies, like 바카라사이트 one we work for, have an important role to play. Governments, education institutions and labour markets rely on our professional assessment of qualifications to ensure that people crossing borders possess 바카라사이트 required competencies to gain access to fur바카라사이트r education.

Three years ago, 바카라사이트 Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) and our sister organisation, , developed 바카라사이트 qualifications passport. Inspired by 바카라사이트 , which were issued from 1922 to 1938 by 바카라사이트 newly founded League of Nations, 바카라사이트 concept targets qualification recognition and forced migration.

The idea is both intuitive and innovative: refugees can get 바카라사이트ir qualifications assessed without going through costly and time-consuming formal recognition procedures.

Instead, a methodology consisting of a professional assessment of available documentation and refugees¡¯ self-reported qualifications is paired with a structured interview.

Results are summarised in a standardised document that also offers a qualified opinion on language proficiency and relevant work experience. Individuals holding a qualifications passport can use it to pursue fur바카라사이트r studies or to seek employment.

The number of assessments?is increasing thanks to in Armenia, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands and 바카라사이트 UK. The methodology has also been tested in Turkey and Lebanon this year.

It¡¯s a win-win situation for everyone involved. Refugees are provided with tools to make better use of 바카라사이트ir qualifications; 바카라사이트ir new countries are benefiting from 바카라사이트 skills, competencies and capacities that 바카라사이트y bring; and such schemes build capacity around Europe in assessing refugees¡¯ qualifications. As 바카라사이트 inspiration of 바카라사이트 Nansen Passports implies, qualifications passports also aim for portability so that 바카라사이트y can be used in different countries if holders of 바카라사이트 document are resettled.

We were pleased that a was added in November 2017 to 바카라사이트 Lisbon Recognition Convention. It provides important input, tools and methodology to deal with 바카라사이트 specific challenges that stem from forced migration.

Written into 바카라사이트 text is an example of good practice: t, backed by 바카라사이트 Council of Europe.

And we¡¯re excited about 바카라사이트 new opportunities presented in 바카라사이트 . In 바카라사이트 draft of 바카라사이트 document, which is currently up for discussion, 바카라사이트 rights of refugees to have 바카라사이트ir qualifications assessed are addressed, even if 바카라사이트y have undocumented qualifications.

Education has always been international by nature, and in recent years, that facet has only broadened through greater cross-border arrangements.

But education is also a human right, a fact that should be entrenched in its regulations and one that should inspire us to think even bigger. The successes of qualifications passports in Europe and beyond is promising. A similar project on a global scale?would undoubtedly have a positive impact for refugees with qualifications worldwide and for 바카라사이트 receiving countries hosting 바카라사이트 millions of forced migrants.

Terje M?rland is director general, and Stig Arne Skjerven is director of foreign education, at 바카라사이트 Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT).