Minutes of this meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the Meeting

• Preparatory Note

• Introduction to the Peer Support approach and composition of the TPG B on LRC

• Current trends in recognition: the view from the Bologna Process Implementation Report, 2020

• Monitoring the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention

• Outcomes of the survey on interests and priorities of the TPG B

 

Second Meeting of the TPG B on LRC, online, 18 January 2022

The meeting was aimed at sharing experiences to optimise the use of digital technology and the Diploma Supplement for the recognition agenda. It offered an opportunity to gain knowledge about initiatives and practices carried out at international level as well as to share practices implemented at national level in smaller working groups.

Minutes of this meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the Meeting

• Preparatory Note

• Objectives of the meeting

• Overview of the TPG B Work Plan: main objectives, outcomes, and monitoring mechanism

• EBSI Diploma Use case: the decentralized way

• Digitising credential evaluation in line with the LRC. Findings from the DigiNet and DigiRec projects

 

Third Meeting of the TPG B on LRC, France, 9-10 June 2022

The TPG B meeting combined a mix of panel discussions to convey relevant/up-to-date information and peer-support activity to give the possibility to share national experiences, practices and perspectives to fulfil the LRC implementation. The TPG B meeting was preceded by a public seminar on alternative pathways (see below) that is conceived to supplement the activity of the group.

Minutes of this meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the Meeting

• Project objectives and main actions to support TPG B institutional activity

• Input from the TPG A

•  Practices and digital tools to support recognition of Ukrainian qualifications

• Tools and instruments from a country perspective

• Cooperation with higher education institutions

Fourth Meeting of the TPG B on LRC, online, 24 January 2023

The meeting was focused on the specific thematic indication for TPG B "establishing the distribution of work and responsibilities among the competent institutions that have the right knowledge and capacity to carry out recognition procedures". Furthermore, the meeting offered an opportunity to share information on the state of art of the activities linked to the TPG B on LRC and to present documents developed in the framework of the Erasmus+ umbrella project "TPG-LRC Constructing Recognition in the EHEA" (TPG-LRC CoRE).

Minutes of the meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the meeting 

• Objectives of the meeting 

• The work done by TPG B: main results and room for improvements

• Micro-credentials: practical guidance to develop, assess, quality assure and issue them

• Digital technology and recognition: tools and standards at our disposal

• Quality as a trust enhancing tool enabling recognition

 

Fifth Meeting of the TPG B on LRC

Tirana, 27 April 2023

The meeting focused on the specific thematic indications for TPG B "establishing the legal framework to allow the implementation of the LRC". The open discussion on the Monitoring the implementation of the Lisbon recognition Convention: monitoring report, Paris/Strasbourg 2022 has been the starting point, followed by a matchmaking activity on the 6 specific thematic indication for TPG B with the aim of setting up the staff mobility. The second part of the meeting has been devoted to a peer-support activity on the specific thematic indication for TPG B "distribution of work and responsibilities among the competent authorities that carry out recognition procedures".

Minutes of meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the meeting
• Monitoring the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention 
• Matchmaking activity on the staff mobility
• Input from the TPG A
• Input from the TPG C 

Sixth Meeting of the TPG B on LRC, online, 1 February 2024

The meeting was aimed at sharing experiences on key topics related to the recognition agenda and information that are relevant to the work of the TPG B. It offered an opportunity to gain knowledge on relevant input to complement the activity of the TPG B. as well as to discuss the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education and the Joint European degree, along with relevant updates from the three Peer Groups. Furthermore, the meeting focused on sharing knowledge and experiences related to the implementation of Bologna tools, publications and staff mobility activities within the framework of the Erasmus+ project.

Minutes of the meeting  

Presentations and documents of this meeting

• Agenda of the meeting     
• TPG B report: state of play and next steps  
• Towards a Joint European degree   
• Towards the implementation of the Global Recognition Convention   
• Updates from the TPG A on Qualification Framework   
• TPG A – QUATRA  working group on short cycle, main results 
• Reflecting on ESG implementation: findings from the project Quality Assurance Fit for the Future    
• Disseminating information at national level: Bologna Hub project 
• European RPL Network 
• 2nd edition of the European Area of Recognition (EAR) manual  
• Latest developments within the TPG-LRC CoRE project: Peer Learning Activities and publications
• Overview of the work of the WG: digitalisation of recognition tools   

Seventh Meeting of the TPG B on LRC, Italy, 23 April 2024

The TPG B meeting showcases experiences, practices, and initiatives for implementing the Specific Thematic indications from local to global perspectives. It also explores connections among the five regional conventions on recognition, informing discussions at European and inter-regional levels. Additionally, the meeting reviews monitoring results to assess TPG B's impact on supporting Key Commitment 2 nationally. This session is dedicated to participants for offering feedback and discussing priorities for advancing the Lisbon Recognition Convention at the national level, through smaller groups discussions.

Minutes of the meeting

Presentations and documents of this meeting

·         Agenda of the meeting  

1.    Establishing the legal framework to allow the implementation of the LRC

• Framework law on recognition  
• Bologna Process Implementation Report
• Experiences from other regions: the case of the Zambia Qualification Authority as National implementation structure  

2.    Recognition of alternative pathways

• The Irish approach to micro-credentials 
• Quality and recognisable micro-credentials  

3.    Achieving automatic recognition

• Automatic recognition at national level and the experience of informal networks 
• Achieving Automatic recognition in the EHEA: the I-AR project 

4.    Establishing the distribution of work and responsibilities among the competent institutions that have the right knowledge and capacity to carry out recognition procedures

• Supporting credential evaluators in higher education institutions: the experience of Italian Professional Association of Credential Evaluators, APICE 
• European Quality Assurance and Recognition System in Higher Education   
• Actors of higher education cooperating in Eastern Africa   

5.    Qualifications held by refugees

• The French experience of recognition of refugees’ undocumented qualifications 
• A policy perspective on the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees - EQPR   
• Peer counseling approach to improve capacities in recognition of refugees’ undocumented qualifications: the EQUAL project 
• A policy perspective on the UNESCO Qualifications Passport for refugees and vulnerable migrants -UQP

About the TPG-LRC Core Project

The TPG-LRC Constructing Recognition in the EHEA (TPG-LRC CoRE) is the umbrella project to support the work of the Thematic Peer Group B on the Lisbon Recognition Convention. The project is co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme and aims at fostering the implementation of the Bologna Process focusing on its key commitment 2 on national legislation and procedures compliant with the Lisbon Recognition Convention.

All project activities, which will be carried out through a peer approach, will be focused on the priorities enshrined in the Rome Communiqué and built on the work done within the previous TPG-LRC project.

 

 

Seminars

Public seminar on alternative pathways

France, 9 June 2022

The public seminar offered an overview of national and international initiatives on recognition of alternative pathways with particular reference to Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), recognition of non-traditional learning and micro-credentials, in line with the specific thematic indications prioritised by the TPG B members in the survey distributed in June 2021.  

Agenda of the seminar

Presentations and documents of this seminar 

• 20 years of validation des acquis de l'expérience (VAE)

• Recognition of Prior Learning in Practice project (RPLip)

• e-VALUATE and (STACQ) projects

• Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna key commitments (MICROBOL)

• Micro-credentials in the EU strategy for higher education institutions

 

Public seminar on automatic recognition

Tirana, 28 April 2023

The public seminar on automatic recognition explored the topic in a multi-faceted way, starting with an overview on the issue from the 2022 Monitoring Report on the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, the 2018 Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition and the 2023 Report on its implementation. The second part of the seminar took a practical approach, presenting different models of automatic recognition and the tools available to support its implementation.

 

• Agenda of the meeting

Setting the context on automatic recognition

• 2022 Monitoring Report on the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention 
• 2018 Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition and 2023 Report on its implementation

Different approaches to automatic recognition:

1. Legally and not legally binding agreements

• Agreement on automatic recognition of qualifications between Italy and Austria
• The AdReN project 

 
2. National databases with comparability statements available for download

• Ireland 
• Sweden 
• Poland

Transversal solution to support automatic recognition:

1. Information provision as one of the pre-conditions for automatic recognition

• CIMEA 
• EUA 

 2. Digital solutions for the verification of authenticity and Quality Assurance

• EQAR 
• Ukraine 

 

Public seminar on digital solutions for the recognition agenda

Rome, 24 April 2024

The public seminar offered a holistic approach to the use of digitalization as a support to quality and efficiency of the recognition process, in line with the Bologna needs and principles. 

Thanks to the presence of leading experts in the field, the seminar presented experiences developed at national and international level to provide an overview of the different digital models and tools supporting the recognition agenda. 

Agenda of the meeting

Presentations and documents of this seminar 

• Digital solutions in higher education, the national case study – Italy 
• A policy perspective – panel discussion on the European and global level - Council of Europe  
• A policy perspective – panel discussion on the European and global level - UNESCO

Secure and trusted data provision and platforms for credentials sharing

• DEQAR latest developments: micro-credentials and alternative providers   
• EUROPASS latest developments and the relevance of credentials for higher education institutions  

Artificial Intelligence in higher education

• Text-mining technology to improve skills matching between academia and labour market   

Digital solutions supporting quality in recognition

• Monitoring quality assurance in recognition: the perspective of the AR25 project  
• Integrating digital solutions in the recognition process at the institutional level: an Italian case study  

Research and publications

Within the framework of the TPG LRC CoRE project, four working groups have been established to contribute to the seminars design and content and produce documents and publications on the topics linked to three of the “6 specific thematic indications” for the TPG B (alternative pathways, digital technology for the recognition agenda and the Diploma Supplement, automatic recognition) and on the topic of the European degrees. The following working groups have been established: 

 

1. Alternative pathways: WG1 on micro-credentials

“Deliverable - Micro-credentials for Higher Education Institutions. Approaches developed in the EHEA using peer support”

The publication aims to develop guidelines on the design, issuing and recognition of micro-credentials. The document is developed in cooperation with the TPG A on Qualifications Framework and ECTS, the TPG C on Quality assurance and the Working Group on Learning and Teaching. 

• First WG1 meeting: 21 September 2022

• Second WG1 meeting: 24 October 2022

• Third WG1 meeting: 20 November 2022

• Fourth WG1 meeting: 11 January 2023

 

2. Digital technology for the recognition agenda and the Diploma Supplement: WG2 on digitalisation

Deliverable – Document focused on digital technology for the recognition agenda and the Diploma Supplement

The document will be the joint result from the insights gathered during three Peer Learning activities on digitalisation (organised during the framework of the project) and desk research. 

• First WG2 meeting: 23 September 2022

• Second WG2 meeting: 28 October 2022

• Third WG2 meeting: 19 December 2022

• Fourth WG2 meeting: 24 February 2023

 

3. Automatic recognition: WG3 on quality of recognition

“Deliverable - Ensuring and enhancing the quality of recognition processes. Key consideration and recommendations"

The document will be the joint result from the results collected through a survey circulated among HEIs established in the TPG B member countries and desk research. 

• First WG3 meeting: 28 September 2022

• Second WG3 meeting: 6 December 2022

• Third WG3 meeting: 25 January 2023

 

4. WG4 on European Degree

Deliverable – Document on the European degree from the recognition perspective

The publication presents the ongoing process of putting the initiative of the European degree in place, highlighting the key elements to support its eventual recognition, once established. 

 

Peer Support and Peer Learning Activities

After the 2018 Paris Ministerial Conference, the 2020 Rome Ministerial Communiqué reconfirmed the “determination to see the Key Commitments fully implemented. We ask the BFUG to continue to employ the peer support method to achieve this. Consequently, the peer support is the approach underpinning the activity of the TPG B. The working methods will combine a mix of panel meetings to share information and smaller group activities to facilitate the exchange of practices through peer support activities.

 

Peer Support Activity 1: Digitalisation for the recognition agenda (10 June 2022)

National experiences from:

• Germany

• Moldova

 

Peer Support Activity 2: Recognition of alternative pathways (10 June 2022)

National experiences from:

• France

• Ireland 

  

Peer Support Activity 3: Distribution of work and responsibilities among the competent authorities that carry out recognition procedures (27 April 2023)

National experiences from

• Italy
• Sweden and Norway 

Peer Learning Activities on digital solutions for the recognition agenda 

In the framework of the Erasmus+ co-funded project TPG-LRC Constructing Recognition in the EHEA - TPG-LRC CoRE, a series of three Peer Learning Activities (PLAs) on digital solutions for the recognition agenda will be organised. The PLAs serve a twofold objective: first, to gather useful input for a publication on digitalisaton to be developed within the project, intended as a blueprint of TPG B members' experiences towards the use of digital solutions to support the recognition process in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention. Second, to offer TPG B members an opportunity for exchange and dialogue on experiences developed at national level, in the spirit of underpinning peer support that characterises the group's work. 

The three PLAs will be organised addressing the three phases of the credential evaluation process: input (submission of data from applicants), throughput (process data received by applicants), and output (delivery of the outcome of the assessment). 

First Peer Learning Activities on digital solutions for the recognition agenda – input phase

Online, 19 September 2023

The PLA address the input phase, intended as data submitted by applicants. The session is aimed at providing participants with practical experiences and the theoretical basis to identify the most suitable digital solutions to support the recognition process at national level in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC). 

-        Agenda of the PLA 

-        Overview on how to frame digitalization and digital solutions at the service of the recognition process in line with the LRC – part 1

-        Overview on how to frame digitalization and digital solutions at the service of the recognition process in line with the LRC – part 2 

National experiences from:

-        Ukraine 

-        Italy 

Second Peer Learning Activities on digital solutions for the recognition agenda –throughput phase

Online, 19 October 2023

The PLA address the throughput phase, intended as the systems which support the internal processes and (digital) tools used for processing of data coming from applicants. The session is aimed at providing participants with practical experiences and the theoretical basis to identify the most suitable digital solutions to support the recognition process at national level in line with the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC). 

-        Agenda of the PLA 

-        Establishing an interoperable system and database by the NAWA's Department for Academic Recognition (Poland)

-        Using DEQAR as trusted source of information on alternative providers and micro credentials 

Third Peer Learning Activities on digital solutions for the recognition agenda –output phase

Online, 7 December 2023

The PLA address the output phase. This refers to the result of the credential evaluation process; i.e. issuing and managing digital recognition statements. In this session we explored how digitalisation can enhance learner centricity, security and interoperability of the output of recognition processes. The PLA also presented examples of good practice and provided opportunities for dialogue and exchange on the challenges and solutions related to the digitalisation of the final stage of the recognition workflow. 

-        Agenda of the PLA 

-        Output phase Presentation of HK-dir 

-        Output phase Introduction DigiLink 

Final conference of the TPG-LRC and IN-GLOBAL projects
Rome (Italy), 19 February 2025
Meeting Agenda and Preparatory note

The event aimed at sharing the results of the TPG-LRC CoRE and IN-GLOBAL projects, to support the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention within EHEA and to promote dialogue between the Bologna Process and the other macro-regions of the world.
By sharing the projects’ results, the conference also served to build on the work done during the previous mandate, providing a foundation for the activities of the next mandate until 2027. Moreover, the final conference also aimed at facilitating reflections on the future of higher education, both from the regional and the global perspective, highlighting main common opportunities and priorities to work on.

Presentations and documents of the conference:

1.     1. From Rome to Tirana Communiqués and beyond. State of art and future perspectives. (presentation)
2. How projects support the implementation of the Bologna Process. (presentation)
3. The experience of the TPG-LRC CoRE and IN-GLOBAL projects: results and way forward. (presentation)
4. Intergovernmental Cooperation areas in Higher Education: lesson learnt, space for synergies and future perspectives

• Central Asia Higher Education Area (presentation)

5. Cooperation through projects – PART I: Experiences from the INGLOBAL project.

• Presentation 1
  

• Presentation 2

6. Implementing fair recognition as a key commitment in international cooperation: dialogue among regional recognition conventions.

• Addis Convention Committee and Network of Implementation Structures Area (presentation)

7. Cooperation through projects – PART II: Experiences from the TPG-LRC CoRE project.

• Presentation 1
  

• Presentation 2

8. Thematic workshops “For a future-proof higher education system from the EHEA and global perspectives”.

-         ROUND 1

• Quality Assurance

§  The experience of QA-fit project (presentation)

§  TPG-LRC CoRE publication “Ensuring and enhancing the quality of recognition processes. Key considerations and recommendations” (presentation)

§  Quality Assurance in the East African Common Higher Education Area (presentation)

• Micro-credentials

§  TPG-LRC CoRE publication “Micro-credentials for higher education institutions. Approaches developed in the EHEA using peer support” (presentation)

§  Experience from the Thematic Peer Group A on Qualifications Framework (presentation)

§  Micro-credentials in South-East Asia region. The experience of MICROCASA project “White Paper: Action Plan for Microcredentials adoption in HE of SEA” (presentation)

-          ROUND II

• Digitalisation

§  Digitalisation and AI in education: the Council of Europe’s perspective (presentation)

§  TPG-LRC CoRE publication on digitalization (presentation)

§  The South African national experience (presentation)

• Evolving tools and practices

§  State of art of European degree at policy level (presentation)

§  TPG-LRC CoRE publication on European Degree (presentation)