Expert Meeting on the Impact of Globalization on Quality Assurance,
Accreditation and the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education
!E"#$, %aris, &'(&& "eptember )''& ILO perspectives Bill Ratteree, ILO, Geneva The international context 1. The background document prepared by ro!. van "amme clearly #et# out the changing context and challenge#$ the regulation o! ne% educational provider# out#ide the traditional public #ector, nationally ba#ed higher education in#titution or #y#tem& the international tran#!erability and recognition o! 'uali!ication# and credit#, e#pecially in employment term#& developing an international approach to 'uality a##urance and accreditation, more o! an in#titutional concern than that o! employment( related i##ue#, but neverthele## important in an era o! increa#ingly tran#national educational provi#ion. ). *ithin thi# context I %ould like to !ocu# on the challenge# po#ed by the range o! employment con#ideration# %hich %ill condition mobility o! educational provi#ion in higher education, either through tran#national provi#ion +electronically ba#ed virtual, open or corporate univer#itie#, public or private con#ortia, etc, or mobility o! pro!e##ional#. The examination o! -uropean experience# in thi# !ield contained in .r. /iri "ivi#0 paper provide# a very good #tarting point !or di#cu##ion by !ocu##ing on #everal key i##ue#$ advance# in the area o! *acceptance+ of professional ,ualifications a# a !orm o! recognition of e,ui-alence %ithin or out#ide national border#& important %ork done by 12-34O, 4--3, the 4ouncil o! -urope and the -uropean 4ommi##ion in developing recommendation# and code# o! good practice in area# o! transparency instruments and international net.or/s recognition o! %hat are termed *regulated+ professions through -uropean 1nion directive#& the need !or #imilar initiative# in non(regulated professions0 the emerging challenge o! ,ualifications structures and1or competencies systems in the !rame%ork o! increa#ing diver#ity o! learning alternative# and li!elong learning. Extending the focus to other employment issues2 the use of international standards 5. I %ant to #ugge#t that an important addition to the regional or international e!!ort# to addre## the#e challenge# come# in the !orm o! the !E"#$ Recommendation concerning the "tatus of Higher(Education 3eaching %ersonnel, &445. Thi# in#trument ha# begun to be monitored beginning in )666 by the /oint ILO712-34O 4ommittee o! -xpert# on Teacher#. 1 It could be a u#e!ul #et o! good practice# in the area# o! in#titutional autonomy, academic recognition, academic !reedom and e#pecially employment condition# %hich enhance the context o! recognition !or labour market deci#ion#. 8. In the realm o! institutional autonomy and accountability !or example, the Recommendation contain# provi#ion# on$ international academic co(operation .hich transcends national, regional and other barriers and promoting e'ual partner#hip o! academic communitie# around the %orld +9rt )) +n,& urge# the creation o! statements or codes of ethics at in#titutional level in negotiation# %ith higher education per#onnel organi:ation# to guide teaching, re#earch and exten#ion %ork +9rt )) +k,, %hich could be important element# o! a regulatory !rame%ork !or tran#national 'uality control or recognition o! competence to %ork in another country a# a ba#i# !or employment recognition& development o! appropriate accountability #y#tem#, including 'uality a##urance mechani#m# at in#titutional level, including the participation o! teacher#0 organi:ation# +9rt )8, %ith detailed de!inition# o! criteria in 9rt. )),, %hich could a##i#t the #earch !or 'uality a##urance at regional or international level. ;. In term# o! individual right# and !reedom# ( civil right#, academic !reedom, publication right# and international exchange# ( the Recommendation contain# an important #et o! guideline# in the#e !ield# %hich underpin the contextual !rame%ork o! #y#tem# a# much in the ne% globali:ed context a# in more traditional, nationally ba#ed #y#tem#$ re#pect !or basic ci-il or human rights in terms of freedom of thought, expression, assembly and association +9rt )<,+important !or individual# 1ILO and 12-34O, Report, 3eventh 3e##ion o! the /oint ILO712-34O 4ommittee o! -xpert# on the 9pplication o! the Recommendation concerning the 3tatu# o! Teacher#, Geneva, 11(1; 3eptember )666. and in#titution#, and important to evaluate in term# o! tran#national educational provi#ion,& academic freedom .ithout discrimination in teaching, research and professional acti-ities +9rt )=(56, a# a corner#tone o! international #tandard# +12-34O, in a##ociation %ith the ILO, i# launching a multi( year re#earch pro>ect on thi# #ub>ect %hich could provide important point# !or re!lection in de!ining ho% thi# principle can be incorporated into regional or international regulatory !rame%ork#,& <. In term# o! expected duties and responsibilities o! higher education teaching and re#earch per#onnel a# the nece##ary balance to right# and !reedom#, the Recommendation contain# 1) detailed guideline# inherent in academic !reedom +9rt 58, %hich include principle# #uch a#$ re#pect !or ethical #tandard# on teaching, re#earch and di##emination o! in!ormation7publication# derived !rom re#earch& avoid con!lict# o! intere#t in !ull con#ultation %ith in#titution# and appropriate di#clo#ure +a potentially important con#ideration in the #pread o! national or tran#national re#earch and teaching %hich i# #upported by large private !inancial intere#t#,& avoid mi#repre#entation o! pro!e##ional experti#e to the public +and by exten#ion #tudent#, other member# o! the academic community,, etc. =. 9rea# o! the employment relation#hip, notably entry into the academic profession and career de-elopment, security of employment, appraisal and discipline 6 dismissal provide #ome key pointer# on i##ue# underpinning recognition$ a >u#t and open #y#tem o! career development, ba#ed on !air procedure# !or appointment, tenure, promotion, di#mi##al, etc +9rt 85,, %hich provide# the general principle !or national application o! non(di#criminatory employment practice# among member# o! a regional bloc +!or in#tance the increa#ingly contentiou# i##ue o! -1 national#, #uch a# teacher# o! !oreign language#,& #ecurity o! employment in the !orm o! tenure or its functional e,ui-alent +9rt 8;(8<,, %hich al#o may come under increa#ing #crutiny or challenge %ithin entitie# #uch a# the -uropean 1nion, but %hich %ill probably emerge in other regional #etting#, and indeed acro## border# a# tran#national educational provi#ion #pread#. The ILO, in a##ociation %ith 12-34O and other #takeholder#, i# beginning a complementary re#earch pro>ect on thi# i##ue to that on academic !reedom& appraisal systems of higher education staff, #till a relatively underdeveloped and al#o highly #en#itive i##ue a# to criteria and procedure#, but a 'ue#tion at the heart o! recognition i##ue#. The Recommendation +9rt 8=, lay# out #ome recommended guideline# !or both criteria and procedure# %hich merit con#ideration in national, and by exten#ion, tran#national #etting#& #imilarly, criteria especially .hich condition disciplinary and dismissal actions %hich may bear on portability o! capacity and aptitude to teach or re#earch in tran#national #etting#. ?. In the area o! salaries, .or/load and social security benefits +9rt ;=( <@,, %e enter a realm %hich may or may not have direct implication# !or recognition o! 'uali!ication# and 'uality a##urance, but %ill #urely have indirect e!!ect# on the practical application o! mobility +are the #tandard# the #ame, ho% do you compen#ate !or #alary di!!erential#, %orkload re'uirement# and content, portability o! #ocial #ecurity bene!it#,. O! #pecial intere#t are study and research lea-e pro-isions +9rt <;(<@, %hich are 'uite di!!erent among educational #y#tem# and in#titution# but directly impact on 'uali!ication# and competence#. @. There i# another #imilar domain %hich %e might 'uali!y a# a A#econdary generationB o! i##ue#, namely tho#e %hich concern #pecial categorie# #uch a# disabled and part(time higher education personnel +the latter a large component o! the overall %ork !orce and gro%ing,, but %hich are likely to gro% in importance a# tran#national provi#ion and mobility o! per#onnel increa#e#, particularly in the context o! national and regional non(di#criminatory la%#. "umming up2 a proposal for action 16. Thi# revie% #ugge#t# that a# a ne% and #till underutili:ed international #tandard, the 1@@= Recommendation, complemented by !or in#tance international labour #tandard#, could play an important contextual, and even direct role in a##i#ting the e#tabli#hment o! regional or international regulatory !rame%ork# !or recognition and 'uality a##urance in the !uture. In that re#pect, 12-34O, along %ith the ILO and notably the /oint ILO712-34O 4ommittee o! -xpert# could play a u#e!ul role in #ynthe#i:ing and a##uring complementarity in application.