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International cooperation on qualifications recognition

Mutual recognition of qualifications is part of the cooperation within the EU, the Council of Europe, UNESCO, the European Higher Education Area and the Nordic Council of Ministers.

The European Union

EU has adopted a directive to facilitate professional recognition with a view to practising regulated professions:

Young couple riding escalatorThe Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science coordinates the administration of the directive in Denmark.

As for academic recognition (recognition for education and training purposes), there are no similar binding rules within the framework of the European Union. However, there is a principle of equal access to education programmes of one EU member state for all EU citizens. Furthermore, in order to promote mutual recognition, the NARIC network has been established.

See also:


The Council of Europe and UNESCO

Since the 1950s, the Council of Europe and UNESCO have adopted a number of conventions and recommendations on mutual recognition.

The most important convention is the "Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region", i.e. the Lisbon Recognition Convention, which was adopted on 11 April 1997.

Read more about the Lisbon Recognition Convention and its subsidiary documents:

The ENIC/NARIC networks provide links to other Council of Europe/UNESCO conventions etc.:


Bologna process – European Higher Education Area

Following the Bologna declaration adopted in 1999, European ministers of education have cooperated to establish a European-wide higher education area.

Recognition is important for promoting international education and promoting cross-border mobility of students, researchers and workers. That is why recognition issues are also an important aspect of the Bologna process.

The ministers of education have repeatedly committed themselves to improving the recognition system.

Read more:


Nordic Council of Ministers

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Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science
last modified June 23, 2024