From Principle to Practice

Towards Fair Recognition in the EHEA

In the creation of the European Higher Education Area, academic recognition is still considered to be one of the most problematic issues even though changes at both the legislative and the practitioner’s level have greatly improved the process of recognition. This article is based on both national and international experience of practitioners in the field. The article will look at developments in academic recognition, including the historical background, and describe the current situation and legal and practical tools available. Furthermore, it will focus on the most recent efforts to further the fair academic recognition of qualifications, including one of the most central new tools, the European Area of Recognition Manual. The article will argue that the current major challenge in recognition is streamlining the implementation of good practice.