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Equivalence > Analysis grid
Analysis Grid
The two eligibility criteria directly affect the acceptance or refusal of an application.
While in certain states qualifications must be recognised by the competent state-designated authority, in others, it is the institutions themselves that must be recognised by the competent authority.
If the qualification is not recognised in the issuing country according to the procedures in force in that state, it cannot result in the issuing of a comparability statement.
"Recognition is a form of assessment of individual qualifications. However, while evaluation may take the form of a statement of the value of a foreign qualification, recognition refers to a formal statement by a competent recognition authority, attesting to the value of the qualification in question and indicating the consequences of this recognition for the holder of the qualification for which recognition is sought."
(source : Explanatory Report to the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European region: Section I, Definitions, Article 1 of Recognition.)
Recognition of the qualification by the state education system under which it was issued
Recognition, therefore, qualification by qualification, by a competent authority within the country issuing the qualification.
Status of the institution in the issuing country
This criterion refers to a concept unfamiliar within the French educational system: in some countries, the mere fact that an institution is recognised suffices for the qualifications it issues to be recognised.
(source : Annex to the Recommendation on procedures and criteria for assessing qualifications and periods of Foreign Studies 6 June 2001, V, evaluation criteria: status of the institution, Articles 29, 30 and 31.)
Bilateral or multilateral agreement
France has signed a number of bilateral agreements on recognition of qualifications and periods of study with certain states.
These agreements are more or less binding depending on the signatories and content that varies from one agreement to another.
"These texts do not all have the same legal force and their relative legal status must therefore also be taken into account." (Explanatory Memorandum, paragraph 33)
If an agreement exists and can be considered for the qualification submitted, it constitutes a crucial source for the issuing of a certificate of equivalence.
Relative status of the qualification within a national or international framework
To facilitate comparisons between foreign degrees, international agencies such as UNESCO, the European Commission and the Council of Europe have created frameworks within which states are invited to position their degrees according to specific framework criteria.
Some countries have positioned their qualifications in various frameworks such as their own national and international frameworks.
Other countries have not positioned their qualifications in such frameworks.
If there is a national framework in the country issuing the certificate to be evaluated, the study level assigned to that qualification must be taken into account.
UNESCO offers states the opportunity to measure their national qualifications against internationally agreed criteria via the "International Standard Classification of Education" (ISCED).
On 23 April 2008, the European Parliament adopted the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for education and lifelong learning.
"This is a voluntary framework [...]. 2012 is the date set for [European] countries to ensure that all their certificates correspond to the appropriate CEC level.
(European Commission Leaflet, DG Education and Culture, p. 4, 2008)
In France, the French nomenclature of 1969, used for equivalence, is based on the 1967 classification.
The 1967 nomenclature of levels is defined by the Interministerial Circular No. 11-67-300 of July 11, 1967, published in the Official Bulletin (BO) No. 29 of July 20, 1967. It classifies national courses leading to qualifications by levels.
The nomenclature of 1969 was approved by decision of the Standing Group for Vocational Training and Social Advancement on March 21, 1969. It classifies qualifications issued by all certifying ministries into levels based on the skills acquired.
Official duration of studies
The official duration of studies for a qualification is the prescribed period set by the institution or authority issuing the qualification.
It is a formal indication of equivalence.
For a qualification to be eligible for certification, the official duration of the programme must be at least one full-time semester.
"Duration of study may generally be considered to provide an indication of the level of qualification. The bigger the difference in the duration of study usually required to obtain various qualifications, the more likely it is that these qualifications are of different levels. [...] It is proposed to consider a difference of one year or more in most higher education programs as substantial, while the difference in duration of courses leading to qualifications giving access to higher education should be two years or more to be considered substantial.
(Explanatory memorandum, paragraph 40)
ECTS / credits
Credits represent measurements of time spent on the acquisition of knowledge and skills training. The credit system is used in many countries, but is not standardised between countries.
To ensure the equivalence and transfer of training courses within Europe, countries belonging to the Bologna process have agreed to establish a common system of credits, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS).
As part of the Copenhagen process, European countries will, for vocational training purposes, adopt the system of European Credits for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET).
In France, a semester of training in higher education is equal to 30 ECTS European credits.
In England, 60 credits are equal to 30 ECTS European credits.
Prerequisites for admission to further study
Prerequisites are preconditions for access to further education. They mainly relate to levels of training and requirements in terms of previous qualifications, for example those required for admission to a training course.
Components of the certification
The Bologna process initiated by France in 1998, calls on participating countries to focus on learning outcomes and skills.
"Certification components include learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and expertise, the degree of specialisation or general education, written work requirements and the inclusion of training course periods." (Explanatory Memorandum, paragraph 36)
The various documents provided to supplement qualifications such as "Qualification Supplements", examination marks or any other document indicating learning outcomes are all factors enabling a more detailed assessment of the qualification.
Academic and professional opportunities
Academic (access to further studies) and professional outcomes determine the ranking in an ISCED-type international framework and are indicators enabling evaluation of the relevant qualification.
There is a link between evaluation of foreign qualifications and the purpose or purposes for which recognition is sought. For example, a qualification may be adequate for the purpose of further studies but not for employment at a given level. Conversely, a qualification may be suitable for employment, but not for further studies, for example at doctoral level. (Explanatory Memorandum, paragraph 32)
Quality assurance
The final element of assessment used to establish proof of equivalence is the existence of an independent external evaluation of the training or institution. Its relevance is affected by overall changes in education context.
"Knowledge of the quality of an institution or a particular programme is essential in order to determine whether a qualification issued by that institution or on the basis of this programme should be recognised."
(Explanatory Report to the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European region, Article VIII.1).
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