Qualifications Recognition:

Australias Approach
Mark Darby / Education & Science Counsellor (Washington)
Canada-Australia Roundtable on Foreign Qualification Recognition
March 2013, Vancouver


AEI-NOOSR
Part of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research
and Tertiary Educations International Education and Science
Division
Provides official information and advice on the comparability of
overseas qualifications with Australian qualifications
National authority for qualifications recognition
Australian state/territory governments undertake qualifications
recognition using policies and guidelines developed at the federal
level by AEI-NOOSR

Qualifications recognition in Australia
Guided by principles outlined in two UNESCO Regional Recognition
Conventions for higher education:
Lisbon Recognition Convention
Tokyo Recognition Convention
Conventions include broad recognition principles to support mobility:
national information centres (NICs) to provide information on
qualifications recognition policies and practices
promoting use of a Diploma Supplement or its equivalent
commitment to recognition of overseas qualifications at level
unless substantial difference can be shown
participation in a regional network of national information centres
to exchange information and engage in qualification recognition
policy discussions


Decision-making organisations
AEI-NOOSR
Undertakes assessments for
general purposes
Universities &
other
educational
institutions
Migration Study
General
Employment
Regulated
employment
State/territory
Overseas
Qualifications
Units (OQUs)
Professional
assessing
authorities,
registration or
licensing boards
Professional
assessing
authorities
Department of
Immigration and
Citizenship
AEI-NOOSRs services
Country Education Profiles (CEP) Online - an online recognition
tool for assessing overseas educational qualifications from over 120
countries
Advisory service - decision-making organisations can seek AEI-
NOOSRs advice on the comparability of complex overseas
qualification or recognition issues
Professional development and training - AEI-NOOSR routinely
run training for organisations in developing assessment policies and
qualifications recognition skills
Educational assessments - AEI-NOOSR assess higher education,
post-secondary technical and vocational overseas qualifications for
general purposes
AEI-NOOSRs methodology
AEI-NOOSRs services are based on an established assessment
methodology
Based on a range of quantitative and qualitative factors
3 levels: country, institution, qualification
Focus on educational outcomes
Uses Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) as the benchmark
AEI-NOOSRs recommendations are advisory only and one part of a
recognition decision for migration, employment or study purposes
Additional factors considered by decision-making bodies include
program content, practical training, work experience and English
language competency
Development of qualifications
recognition in Australia
AEI-NOOSR has over 40 years of experience and expertise in
qualifications recognition
Phase 1, 1969-1989
Professional recognition: established and coordinated expert
professional panels to develop policy on recognition for
skilled migration, developed and administered national
exams for regulated professions
Educational recognition: established and coordinated expert
general academic and technical panels to develop policy on
recognition for general purposes, assessed overseas
qualifications, published assessment guidelines
Development of qualifications
recognition in Australia, contd
Phase 2, 1989-1999
Professional recognition: skilled migration recognition
responsibility devolved to professional bodies, panels
disbanded
Educational recognition: assessed overseas qualifications,
published assessment guidelines and CEPs
Phase 3, 1999 onwards
Professional recognition: supporting professional bodies by
providing policy advice and broad information services
Educational recognition: multilateral engagement to promote
mobility, assessing overseas qualifications, publishing CEPs,
professional development, panels disbanded
Impact of qualifications
recognition developments
Active policy of decentralisation of qualifications recognition
AEI-NOOSR went from assessing as many as 14,000 applications
per year in the late 1980s to 1000 per year in 2012
Decisions made by specialist professional bodies with interests in
positive recognition outcomes for their professions, the ability to
react to developments in the profession, and adjust their recognition
processes accordingly
More flexibility in recognition processes as professional bodies
have developed recognition processes that best suit their profession
Future directions
Increasing student and labour mobility will increase demand for
recognition
Competition for highly-skilled migrants will highlight the importance
of streamlined, transparent and equitable recognition
Recognition is an essential step in ensuring people with overseas
qualifications and skills can contribute and participate in Australians
economy and society
A key Australian Government priority is promotion of qualifications
recognition capacity-building in the Asia-Pacific region to support
both inbound and outbound mobility
AEI-NOOSR
14 Mort Street
Canberra City, ACT 2601, Australia
GPO Box 1407, ACT 2601, Australia
General Enquiries: educational.noosr@innovation.gov.au
CEP Online: ceponline@innovation.gov.au


DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION,
SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TERTIARY EDUCATION
Industry House
10 Binara Street
Canberra City, ACT 2601, Australia