Recognition of outcomes of learning periods abroad in general secondary education

Another Step Towards A European Education Area.

Learning mobility is one of the key policy priorities promoted by the EU as it is fundamental in the development of competences crucial for active participation in society and in the labour market. For this reason, Ministries of Education of EU countries have committed to ensure that by 2025 all pupils in Europe will also be able to spend a study period abroad.

However, this is not enough. One of the principal barriers to mobility in secondary education is the lack of recognition of its learning outcomes and unfortunately, in general secondary education, procedures for mutual recognition across EU Member States are often underdeveloped or non-existent.

Knowledge on this topic is also lacking, which is why the European Commission entrusted a Consortium composed by EFIL, EIESP and CESIE to work on this topic in the scope of Preparatory Action that should eventually lead to a real automatic recognition Europe-wide.

To this end, the Consortium, supported by a Network of Experts on the topic, has developed an online information site, which is now available on a dedicated section of the European School Education Gateway website. The site provides specific and up-to-date Infopacks for each EU Member State with information on how outcomes of learning periods abroad are recognised in sending and receiving countries. These Infopacks can provide guidance and support to pupils and their families, education professionals, and policy makers who engage or work in the area of pupils’ mobility and wish to learn more about current mobility and recognition procedure.

Fondazione Intercultura, with Roberto Ruffino and Mattia Baiutti, is participating in the Preparatory Action.

The Consortium is also designing a proposal for a framework of European guidelines for automatic recognition, which all Member States can adopt and respond to, and a model of training programme to support schools and education professionals in their assessment of competences of pupils acquired during study periods abroad. Both the Framework and Training Programme will be released soon.

The Preparatory Action was set up in view of the creation of an European Education Area by 2025, and to better apply the Council recommendation on promoting automatic mutual recognition of higher education and upper secondary education and training qualifications and the outcomes of learning periods abroad.

If you are interested in learning more, visit European School Education Gateway website or contact us at expert-network@recognisestudyabroad.eu