Improving European recognition of joint degrees
The recognition of joint degrees within Europe is still problematic, partly due to the lack of transparency and coherence of the information provided on the degree certificate. Within Europe there is also a lack of good examples. These are some of the issues that the JOQAR project aims to address.
On 9 February a wide representation of ENIC/NARICs gathered at the Dutch Flemish Accreditation organization, NVAO, in The Hague to talk about guidelines for higher education institutions on what information should be included on the joint degrees they issue.
The workshop was held as part of NVAO-led project JOQAR (Joint programmes: Quality Assurance and Recognition of degrees awarded), which aims to improve the accreditation and recognition of joint degrees within Europe.
Guidelines
Within the JOQAR project a recognition group has developed guidelines for the information that should be provided on joint degrees and the Diploma Supplement. This working group consist of the ENIC/NARICs in Poland, Denmark and the UK, and Nuffic (the Dutch ENIC/NARIC).
The developed guidelines were topic of discussion during the workshop. Several suggestions were made by the participating recognition experts to improve the draft proposal of the guidelines.
The guidelines and the adjusted document have been sent to the ENIC/NARIC networks for review. An outcome is expected this spring. The final document will be edited for publication and is expected to become available to the wider public over the course of this year.
Some joint programmes and institutions will be asked to put the proposed new guidelines into practice and to produce examples, to create a reference of good practice for other institutions.
Recommendations for credential evaluators
Besides the information provided by higher education institutions, the JOQAR project will also seek to reach agreement on how credential evaluators should deal with joint degrees. In the TEAM II project, JOQAR’s predecessor, differences in recognition practice between ENIC/NARICs were observed.
The JOQAR project has taken the recommendations developed as part of the 
European Area of Recognition project (EAR) as a starting point. Once a European contact point for accreditation – another action point of JOQAR – will become a reality this might ease the recognition process and thus have an effect on the EAR recommendations.
JOQAR will work in close cooperation with the EAR 2 project.