REGIONAL CONVENTION ON REGIONAL CONVENTION ON RECOGNITION OF STUDIES AND RECOGNITION OF STUDIES AND

DEGREES OF HIGHER EDUCATION DEGREES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN AFRICAIN AFRICA

Juma SHABANIJuma SHABANISecretary of the Regional Convention for Recognition Secretary of the Regional Convention for Recognition

in Africa andin Africa andDirector of the UNESCO Harare Cluster Office, Director of the UNESCO Harare Cluster Office,

ZimbabweZimbabwe

Peter OkebukolaPeter OkebukolaExecutive Secretary of the National Universities Executive Secretary of the National Universities

CommissionCommissionAbuja, NigeriaAbuja, Nigeria

Five Regional ConventionsFive Regional Conventions

Latin America and Caribbean (1974), Latin America and Caribbean (1974), Arab States (1978), Arab States (1978), Europe (1979), Europe (1979), Africa (1981) –Africa (1981) – Arusha Arusha

ConventionConventionAsia and Pacific (1983) Asia and Pacific (1983)

Arusha Convention meant to..Arusha Convention meant to..

contribute to UNESCO’s efforts towards contribute to UNESCO’s efforts towards promotion of international academic promotion of international academic mobility and to facilitate implementation mobility and to facilitate implementation of some provisions of the charter of the of some provisions of the charter of the Organization of African Unity in particular Organization of African Unity in particular those relating to regional co-operation and those relating to regional co-operation and training of human resources in order to training of human resources in order to promote development and application of promote development and application of knowledge, to improve quality of the knowledge, to improve quality of the higher education and to contribute more higher education and to contribute more effectively to the process of sustainable effectively to the process of sustainable human development. human development.

Thrust of Arusha ConventionThrust of Arusha Convention

Gives general guidelines to facilitate Gives general guidelines to facilitate the implementation of regional co-the implementation of regional co-operation in the area of recognition operation in the area of recognition of studies and degrees through of studies and degrees through national, bilateral, sub-regional and national, bilateral, sub-regional and regional mechanisms already in regional mechanisms already in place or created for this purpose. place or created for this purpose.

The academic recognition The academic recognition covers…covers…

qualifications giving access to higher qualifications giving access to higher educationeducation

recognition of the partial studies recognition of the partial studies complete stages of higher studies complete stages of higher studies

Major objectives of the Major objectives of the Convention Convention

to strengthening African unity and solidarityto strengthening African unity and solidarity to improve effectiveness in the use of higher education to improve effectiveness in the use of higher education

resources available in member states resources available in member states coordination of entrance requirements and admission to coordination of entrance requirements and admission to

higher education; and harmonization of recognition higher education; and harmonization of recognition procedures and criteria in order to ensure comparability of procedures and criteria in order to ensure comparability of curricula, diplomas and degrees used in contracting States; curricula, diplomas and degrees used in contracting States;

to promote a continuous curriculum reform in contracting to promote a continuous curriculum reform in contracting States in order to respond more efficiently to the States in order to respond more efficiently to the developmental needsdevelopmental needs

to promote regional cooperation in the area of recognition to promote regional cooperation in the area of recognition of studies and degreesof studies and degrees

Commitments of Contracting Commitments of Contracting StatesStates

Currently, there are 20 contracting Currently, there are 20 contracting States and the Holy See States and the Holy See

Commitments of non-contracting Commitments of non-contracting StatesStates

Kenya and South Africa which have not yet ratified Kenya and South Africa which have not yet ratified the convention have established very effective the convention have established very effective systems of accreditation, quality assurance and systems of accreditation, quality assurance and recognition of recognition of

At least 19 countries which have not ratified the At least 19 countries which have not ratified the convention are playing a major role in the convention are playing a major role in the implementation of the Arusha convention through implementation of the Arusha convention through sub-regional bodies in charge of recognition like the sub-regional bodies in charge of recognition like the African and Malagasy Council for Higher education African and Malagasy Council for Higher education (CAMES), the SADC (Southern Africa Development (CAMES), the SADC (Southern Africa Development CommunityCommunity) ) Technical Committee on Accreditation Technical Committee on Accreditation and Certification and the Inter-University Council and Certification and the Inter-University Council for East Africa.for East Africa.

Recognition IssuesRecognition Issues

AcademicAcademicProfessionalProfessionalExchange of informationExchange of information

Mechanisms for Mechanisms for implementationimplementation

national level by national bodies national level by national bodies sub-regional level by sub-regional sub-regional level by sub-regional

and bilateral organizations. and bilateral organizations. regional level by the regional regional level by the regional

committee in charge of the committee in charge of the application of convention application of convention

New Challenges and New Challenges and OpportunitiesOpportunities

challenges call for improvement of challenges call for improvement of mechanisms currently used for recognition mechanisms currently used for recognition of studies and degrees and reinforcement of studies and degrees and reinforcement of academic mobility advocacy campaign of academic mobility advocacy campaign mainly through publication of an electronic mainly through publication of an electronic newsletter and news briefsnewsletter and news briefs

capacity building on processes and systems capacity building on processes and systems of accreditation and recognition through the of accreditation and recognition through the virtual institute for higher education in virtual institute for higher education in Africa Africa

development of an online database for development of an online database for exchange of information on accreditation, exchange of information on accreditation, quality assurance and recognition of studies quality assurance and recognition of studies and degrees. and degrees.

Priorities for capacity buildingPriorities for capacity building

national level by national bodies national level by national bodies sub-regional level by sub-regional sub-regional level by sub-regional

and bilateral organizations. and bilateral organizations. regional level by the regional regional level by the regional

committee in charge of the committee in charge of the application of convention application of convention

Three Capacity-Building Three Capacity-Building QuestionsQuestions

In what areas do we need to build In what areas do we need to build capacity?capacity?

What capacity-building strategies do What capacity-building strategies do we need to deploy?we need to deploy?

What capacity-building projects are What capacity-building projects are the priorities at the national, sub-the priorities at the national, sub-regional and regional levels?regional and regional levels?

In what areas do we need to In what areas do we need to build capacity?build capacity?

How to implement transparent How to implement transparent quality assurance and accreditation quality assurance and accreditation processesprocesses

Assessment of certificates, diplomas Assessment of certificates, diplomas and degreesand degrees

Management of database on the Management of database on the provisions of the Arusha Conventionprovisions of the Arusha Convention

Management of foreign studentsManagement of foreign students

What capacity-building What capacity-building strategies do we need to deploy?strategies do we need to deploy?Training of personnel involved in the Training of personnel involved in the

implementation of provisions of the implementation of provisions of the Convention- Convention- on site, off site and on site, off site and onlineonline

What capacity-building projects are the What capacity-building projects are the priorities at the national, sub-regional and priorities at the national, sub-regional and

regional levels?regional levels?

Establishment of sub-regional centres for Establishment of sub-regional centres for capacity building in higher education quality capacity building in higher education quality assurance and accreditation located in assurance and accreditation located in existing institutions with strengths in such existing institutions with strengths in such areasareas

Establishment of a database on degrees, Establishment of a database on degrees, diplomas and certificates awarded by higher diplomas and certificates awarded by higher education institutions in Africaeducation institutions in Africa

Establishment of networks among QAA Establishment of networks among QAA agencies and regional HE agencies such as agencies and regional HE agencies such as the AAthe AA

National ProjectsNational Projects

Establishment of Desk/Appointment of Establishment of Desk/Appointment of Focal Person for the implementation of the Focal Person for the implementation of the provisions of the Arusha Convention where provisions of the Arusha Convention where this is not already in placethis is not already in place

Training of Desk Officers on recognition of Training of Desk Officers on recognition of certificates and establishment of certificates and establishment of equivalencesequivalences

Establishment of national database on Establishment of national database on certificates, diplomas and degrees offered certificates, diplomas and degrees offered in higher institutions in the countryin higher institutions in the country

Thank youThank you