The countries that are part of UNESCO Conventions on recognition, must have a dedicated office to promote recognition and provide authoritative information on national education systems.

Such offices can be part of the Education Ministry, but can also come in different forms as government and non-governmental agencies. Their power varies between that of a “public authority”, with the right to make final decisions (in case of appeals); information and advisory centers that issue authoritative and binding recommendations (from the legal and actual standpoint); all the way down to less powerful entities or bodies which “only” act as competence centers and data bases that are accessible to several parties concerned (Ministries, Institutions, students, other parties concerned).

The Holy See too, having signed four regional conventions, has established and runs its own “Recognition Office” within the Congregation for Catholic Education, called the International Center for Recognition (ICR).

This Office’s jurisdiction extends to the entire world, since it is responsible for the four regional conventions