Unpacking the benefits of the Global & regional recognition Conventions: Capacity-building webinar for Asia and the Pacific – Session 1

Date and time: 28 August 2025 from 11:00 to 12:30 Bangkok (GMT+7)
Format: Zoom webinar
Prior registration is required:
https://unesco-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I8woGgu7RmOjOTXZlYKZYA
Target audience: Policymakers and higher education stakeholders based in Asia and the Pacific
Languages: English

Background

Higher education drives innovation, equity, and sustainable development. At a time of global uncertainty, conflict, and transformation, UNESCO’s Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education, the first UN treaty on higher education, offers a bold, forward-looking framework for collaboration. Since coming into force in 2023, the Global Convention on Higher Education now has 38 States Parties, and this number continues to grow rapidly.

It complements UNESCO’s five regional conventions, creating a cohesive international system for higher education recognition. With a focus on a particular region of the world, regional conventions provide legal frameworks for countries to facilitate recognition of qualifications and improve academic mobility.

To ensure learners worldwide can benefit, more countries need to understand the local and international benefits and develop action plans to ratify and implement the recognition conventions based on their needs and priorities. This is why UNESCO is working at both the global and the regional level to increase understanding and implementation of the conventions, including through different capacity development webinars.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, known as the Tokyo Convention, provides a mechanism for countries in the Asia and the Pacific region to facilitate the recognition of higher education qualifications through basic principles, increased information provision and transparency. The Tokyo Convention was adopted on 26 November 2011 in Tokyo, Japan and entered into force on 1 February 2018. It is open to all UNESCO Member States and the Holy See and has been adopted by 12 States parties.

About the webinars

This webinar is the first in a new series developed in cooperation with the Bureau of the Tokyo Convention, aimed at promoting cooperation on qualifications recognition within the Asia Pacific and increasing understanding of the Tokyo Convention and Global Convention in the region.

The Asia-Pacific webinar series will bring together policymakers to explore how national systems can better support recognition of qualifications for lifelong learning, skills development, and employment opportunities to serve national development goals. Following this first webinar, two webinars will be organised in September and October respectively, in the lead up to the sixth session of the Tokyo Convention Committee Session and the fourth session of the Asia-Pacific Network of National Information Centres (APNNIC) Plenary.

Objectives and agenda

This webinar is designed to facilitate a broad-ranging and interactive discussion on the UNESCO recognition conventions and will include opportunities for participants to provide insights and pose questions to the facilitators and panel.

It aims to:

• identify and explore key issues and challenges relating to qualifications recognition and the UNESCO recognition conventions.
• raise awareness and understanding of the UNESCO regional recognition conventions, namely the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (Tokyo Convention), and the Global Convention.
• raise awareness and understanding of the role of national information centres (NICs) and NIC networks, including the Asia Pacific Network of National Information Centres (APNNIC).
• address common misconceptions about the UNESCO recognition conventions, their provisions, how they operate in practice, and how they are implemented.
• share reflections from countries around the world and discuss the strategic and practical benefits of ratification and implementation of the conventions in practice.
  

Agenda