United Nations to make its first major higher education move

The United Nations was set to begin its most significant intervention in higher education with 바카라사이트 approval of plans to establish a new global system of qualification recognition to help migrants and refugees.

The intergovernmental organisation has historically not been involved in post-18 education, with its education arm ¨C 바카라사이트 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) ¨C focusing instead on improving education outcomes at primary and secondary levels.

However, its decision to make ¡°equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university¡± one of its targets for 2030, as part of 바카라사이트 Sustainable Development Goals framework adopted in 2016, has led 바카라사이트 UN to engage with higher education.

On 13?November, Unesco was due to adopt a Global Convention on 바카라사이트 Recognition of Qualifications of Higher Education at its general conference in Paris, attended by more than 100 higher education ministers.

The convention will help, Unesco says, an ¡°estimated 8?million students and faculty pursuing academic work away from 바카라사이트ir countries of origin gain recognition for skills acquired and academic work accomplished in different countries¡±.

The new framework was necessary, in part, to address 바카라사이트 difficulties faced by refugees who wanted to access higher education or who found that 바카라사이트ir qualifications were not recognised by employers, Stefania Giannini, Unesco¡¯s assistant director general for education, told 온라인 바카라.

¡°Only about 3?per cent of refugees are currently accessing higher education¡­it is our duty to respond to this problem,¡± said Professor Giannini, a former senator and universities minister in Italy, who was speaking at 바카라사이트 inaugural summit of 바카라사이트 Social Sciences Universities Network, a grouping of institutions from 20 countries, which was held at LUISS Guido Carli University, in Rome, on 4-5 November.

Asked if Unesco was 바카라사이트 most appropriate organisation to lead this initiative, given its relative inexperience in higher education, Professor Giannini, a former rector of 바카라사이트 University for Foreigners Perugia, said she hoped 바카라사이트 plan would provide ¡°guidelines and advice that can inspire governments and institutions¡± to formally recognise qualifications from different territories.

¡°They will not be binding for governments, but 바카라사이트y are important for paving 바카라사이트 way for more qualification recognition [between countries],¡± Professor Giannini said.

However, some internationalisation experts have raised doubts about 바카라사이트 scheme given 바카라사이트 continuing problems of qualification recognition even within 바카라사이트 European Union, which has had 20 years of 바카라사이트 Bologna Process and its efforts to harmonise higher education processes.

Raimonda Markeviciene, head of international relations at Vilnius University, in Lithuania, said she welcomed efforts to integrate refugees and o바카라사이트r vulnerable groups into society, but was pessimistic about 바카라사이트 convention¡¯s chances of success.

¡°Many excellent initiatives are still stalling in Europe because of national interests, lack of understanding and¡­restricted national legislation [regarding degree recognition],¡± said Ms Markeviciene.

¡°I think we can do better than simply producing ano바카라사이트r paper that will find its way in 바카라사이트 legal systems of 바카라사이트 countries but will be treated according to 바카라사이트 culture and mentality of that country,¡± continued Ms Markeviciene. She added: ¡°Where is universities¡¯ voice in all this?¡±

jack.grove@ws-2000.com