In November 2019, the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education was adopted by UNESCO’s General Conference, making it the first legally binding United Nations treaty on Higher Education.

What is the Global Convention?

The Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education is a binding agreement. It joins the ranks of other UNESCO conventions, such as the cultural conventions and the Convention against Doping in Sport.

The Global Convention is the first of its kind within the United Nations, focusing on higher education with a global scope. It complements the five UNESCO regional conventions on the recognition of higher education qualifications.

Built on existing regional conventions, the Global Convention establishes a framework for the fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory recognition of higher education qualifications. The novelty of the Global Convention lies in its opening of space for inter-regional academic mobility and the establishment of universal principles for enhancing recognition practices.

Under certain conditions, the Convention is open to countries that wish to be committed to its text.

What are the benefits of this future Convention, and how will it help students?

Global Convention is designed to facilitate academic mobility between regions. It primarily benefits individuals seeking recognition of their qualifications in a region other than their home region, for either accessing higher education or continuing their studies.

For example, it becomes easier for a student to have their high school diploma recognised in another region, allowing them to pursue their studies there. It also facilitates options for a student who wants to complete a degree in another country based on studies that a student started elsewhere.

The Global Convention also provides platforms for national authorities to collaborate across borders and regions, developing better tools and practices for the recognition of higher education qualifications.

What exactly is UNESCO’s role?

UNESCO is the only United Nations agency with a mandate in higher education. It serves as a global platform for discussion on the recognition of higher education qualifications and the promotion of academic mobility.

The new Convention is part of UNESCO’s technical support for reviewing higher education strategies and policies in countries that choose to commit to its text. This support aims to improve equitable access to quality higher education and enhance mobility and accountability.

UNESCO will serve as the Secretariat of the mechanism to ensure and monitor the implementation of the Convention’s text, specifically the Intergovernmental Conference of Parties. This implementation mechanism body will convene every two years to provide guidance, including recommendations, guidelines, and best practices, to countries committed to the Convention.

How will the Convention contribute to more inclusive higher education systems?

For countries that decide to be legally committed to the Convention’s text, the Global Convention is a strong instrument to prevent brain drain, since these countries may put in place mechanisms to facilitate the recognition of degrees or studies obtained abroad.

The Convention also helps migrants access higher education in their new home countries, as it obliges those countries to establish mechanisms to facilitate the recognition of refugees’ qualifications, even for those who cannot provide documentary evidence of their qualifications. UNESCO has launched a Qualifications Passport to facilitate the mobility of refugees with recognised qualifications. The qualifications passport concept is currently being piloted in Zambia.

What was the process to develop the new Global Convention?  

The idea of a Global Convention has been on UNESCO’s agenda for a long time. The formal process began in 2011, following a feasibility study that highlighted the urgent need for a Global Convention to address the issue of improved recognition of foreign qualifications worldwide. For this purpose, UNESCO established a drafting committee in 2016 consisting of experts from all regions. The committee finalised a preliminary draft in June 2017.

The draft was circulated among Member States for comments between 2017 and 2018, and UNESCO presented a revised draft for discussion at two intergovernmental meetings held in December 2018 and March 2019.

At the March meeting, more than 260 technical and legal experts from around 150 Member States approved the draft. UNESCO’s 40th Session of the General Conference adopted the draft text in November 2019.

Background Resources

• Text of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
• What is the Global Convention on higher education?
• Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education
• Video on the Global Convention on Higher Education (Long Version)

Preparation Process

• Members of the Drafting Committee
• Preparation Process of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, October 2019