How well does automatic mutual reco­gni­ti­on of higher education qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons work in the EU?

This study analyses the mecha­nisms of automatic mutual reco­gni­ti­on of higher education qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons within the EU and explores the pos­si­bi­li­ties of a European reco­gni­ti­on system.

image by Christian Lue on Unsplash

Improving pro­ce­du­res for the automatic mutual reco­gni­ti­on of qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons in EU Member States is a cor­ner­s­tone on the way to a European education area. Learner mobility promotes the deve­lo­p­ment of key com­pe­ten­ces and expe­ri­en­ces that are crucial for active par­ti­ci­pa­ti­on in society and the labour market. In the context of a glo­ba­li­sed education and employment envi­ron­ment it is crucial that students are able to make the best use of all learning oppor­tu­ni­ties across the EU.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) has com­mis­sio­ned ICF (BE), CHEPS (NL) and 3s to study the progress of the imple­men­ta­ti­on of the Council Recommendation on the promotion of automatic mutual reco­gni­ti­on of qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons acquired abroad and the outcomes of learning periods abroad in the EU27 Member States. In a first step, the study deals with an analysis of the imple­men­ta­ti­on of the Council Recommendation and ela­bo­ra­tes recom­men­da­ti­ons for future deve­lo­p­ment. In a further step, it will be explored whether and how the creation of a European reco­gni­ti­on as well as quality assurance system is possible. 3s is involved in various roles: Sigrid Mannsberger-Nindl is leading one of the two work packages, Julia Fellinger is the country coor­di­na­tor and is also inve­sti­ga­ting the situation in Austria and Germany, Karin Luomi-Messerer com­ple­ments the team as a policy analyst.

Download of the Executive Summary

Download of the Evaluation Report

The Commission’s report to the Council based on this study


Project: Study on the imple­men­ta­ti­on of the Council Recommendation on promoting automatic mutual reco­gni­ti­on of higher education and upper secondary education and training qua­li­fi­ca­ti­ons and the outcomes of learning periods abroad and on the fea­si­bi­li­ty of a European Recognition and Quality Assurance System

Contact: Sigrid Mannsberger-Nindl

Mail to sigrid.mannsberger-nindl@3s.co.at

Client: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC)

Duration: 12/2020 – 4/2023

Tools & Applications

All occu­pa­ti­ons in one click — The AMS world of occupations

The online Occupational Information System of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) provides details on all occu­pa­ti­ons and app­ren­ti­ce­ships. 3s experts are con­stant­ly deve­lo­ping this tool and main­tai­ning its content.

Studies & Analyses

Feasibility studies for new higher education programmes

Since the estab­lish­ment of uni­ver­si­ties of applied sciences, 3s supported the accre­di­ta­ti­on of new study pro­gram­mes through fea­si­bi­li­ty studies. These provide infor­ma­ti­on on the future demand for study places or the labour market

Studies & Analyses

Competences for a Democratic Culture in VET

The Council of Europe launched a new project on promoting a culture of democracy in Vocational Education and Training in Europe with Jörg Markowitsch as an expert.

Studies & Analyses

Exploring excel­lence and inclusion in voca­tio­nal education and training

3s coor­di­na­tes a signi­fi­cant study com­mis­sio­ned by Cedefop titled ‘European VET for the 21st Century: The Balancing of Excellence and Inclusion’.

Tools & Applications

All occu­pa­ti­ons in one click — The AMS world of occupations

The online Occupational Information System of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) provides details on all occu­pa­ti­ons and app­ren­ti­ce­ships. 3s experts are con­stant­ly deve­lo­ping this tool and main­tai­ning its content.

Studies & Analyses

Feasibility studies for new higher education programmes

Since the estab­lish­ment of uni­ver­si­ties of applied sciences, 3s supported the accre­di­ta­ti­on of new study pro­gram­mes through fea­si­bi­li­ty studies. These provide infor­ma­ti­on on the future demand for study places or the labour market

Studies & Analyses

Competences for a Democratic Culture in VET

The Council of Europe launched a new project on promoting a culture of democracy in Vocational Education and Training in Europe with Jörg Markowitsch as an expert.

Tools & Applications

All occu­pa­ti­ons in one click — The AMS world of occupations

The online Occupational Information System of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) provides details on all occu­pa­ti­ons and app­ren­ti­ce­ships. 3s experts are con­stant­ly deve­lo­ping this tool and main­tai­ning its content.

Studies & Analyses

Feasibility studies for new higher education programmes

Since the estab­lish­ment of uni­ver­si­ties of applied sciences, 3s supported the accre­di­ta­ti­on of new study pro­gram­mes through fea­si­bi­li­ty studies. These provide infor­ma­ti­on on the future demand for study places or the labour market

Tools & Applications

All occu­pa­ti­ons in one click — The AMS world of occupations

The online Occupational Information System of the Austrian Public Employment Service (AMS) provides details on all occu­pa­ti­ons and app­ren­ti­ce­ships. 3s experts are con­stant­ly deve­lo­ping this tool and main­tai­ning its content.

Studies & Analyses

Feasibility studies for new higher education programmes

Since the estab­lish­ment of uni­ver­si­ties of applied sciences, 3s supported the accre­di­ta­ti­on of new study pro­gram­mes through fea­si­bi­li­ty studies. These provide infor­ma­ti­on on the future demand for study places or the labour market