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The Reference Practice Number 120: 2021 "Non-regulated professional activities - Professional profile of the Credential Evaluator - Requirements for knowledge and skills requirements, responsibility and autonomy", in force since 22 October 2021, establishes the requirements relating to the activity of the Credential Evaluator from the definition of specific tasks and related contents in terms of knowledge and skills, up to the ethical and deontological aspects of the profession.

Levels

The reference practice establishes the distinction between two different levels, Junior and Senior, and identifies their specific tasks and activities. This allows us to clearly identify their degree of autonomy and responsibility in line with the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) as well as making the evaluation processes of correspondence homogeneous and transparent.

At both levels, Junior and Senior, the ability to carry out the essential functions of the Credential Evaluator profession is required, such as the recognition of a qualification, the identification and acquisition of all the information necessary to carry out the procedures of recognition, the communication of useful information to the applicant, the verification of the authenticity of the documents and their compliance with the standards of the reference system, and the formulation and transmission of the outcome of the evaluations.

Some tasks, on the other hand, are required exclusively of the Senior professional, such as - for example - that of cooperating with the main players that deal with recognition at national and international level, monitoring the quality of the recognition procedures, defining and updating the methodology at the level of their own institution or body, carrying out research and developing new knowledge in the field of recognition of qualifications.

Knowledge and Skills

Carrying out the activities and tasks envisaged by the Reference Practice implies a set of specific knowledge (K-Knowledge) and skills (S-Skill).

Knowledge (K-KNOWLEDGE)
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  • Be familiar with the principles of the Lisbon Convention and its subsidiary texts, with the principles of the international conventions on the recognition of qualifications (global convention and regional conventions) and with the national legislation on recognition.
  • Understand what information on the qualifications for which recognition is being requested is necessary and adequate for the procedures and criteria adopted to be transparent, consistent and reliable.
  • Understand which recognition procedures to use on the basis of their different purposes (academic recognition, non-academic recognition and professional recognition).
  • Understand which documentation is required for recognition procedures based on specific purposes.
  • Understand which is the necessary documentation for the recognition procedures based on the education and training system of the country to which the qualification refers, and the main information tools available (qualification, exam certificate, diploma supplement, etc.).
  • Know the specific requirements for access to educational and professional activities.
  • Be familiar with the qualifications for access to higher education in the different education and training systems, and any specific requirements (e.g. need for an additional exam in addition to the final high school qualification for access to higher education or qualifications that give access only to particular types of institutes or specific higher education programs).
  • Understand the difference between access and admission as defined in the recommendation on the automatic recognition of qualifications.
  • Know how a qualification is normally evaluated, and the specific recognition cases/evaluation standards of a particular qualification, used as a base even in the uniqueness of a single individual evaluation.
  • Understand the concepts of comparability, equivalence and nostrification.
  • Be familiar with the main national and international legislation in the field of recognition of refugee qualifications.
  • Know the main methodologies for evaluating the qualifications of refugees in the event of partial or missing documentation.
  • Know what the timelines set by national legislation are for the different recognition procedures.
  • Know what the consequences of recognition are, in terms of access to further studies, and in terms of utilisation of an academic degree.
  • Be familiar with the main current and historical elements of education and training systems at national and international level.
  • Be familiar with the theory and practice of the concept of level of a qualification, the qualifications frameworks, national and international (European Qualifications Framework - EQF, and qualifications framework of the higher education system - QF-EHEA).
  • Know the theory and practice of the concept of workload of a qualification, of the main forms of measurement (credits, ECTS, etc.), and of grading systems.
  • Know the theory and practice of the concept of accreditation of the programme or institution where the qualification was obtained and the forms of accreditation and quality assessment of institutions and programmes in education and training systems at national and international level.
  • Know the theory and practice of the concept of the programmatic or institutional profile where the qualification was obtained.
  • Know the theory and practice of the learning outcomes concept and where related information can be found.
  • Know the main elements to assess the status of an institution and a programme at the time the degree was issued.
  • Know the types of institutions that are not accredited but legitimate, enjoying other forms of quality assessment.
  • Be aware of the types and models of transnational and international education, the types of institutions and their qualifications and the legislation that regulates them.
  • Know the programmes and joint degrees, and the legislation that regulates them at national and international level.
  • Be aware of the phenomenon of diploma mills and accreditation mills.
  • Be familiar with the main primary and secondary sources of information, both national and international.
  • Be familiar with the national information centres on the recognition of qualifications established on the basis of regional conventions.
  • Be familiar with the main types of non-traditional qualifications (e.g. qualifications issued following the recognition of previous learning, flexible paths such as MOOCs, modular examples, such as the so-called micro-credentials, etc.) and the main criteria for their recognition.
  • Know the main methods of verifying the authenticity of a qualification (security features such as watermarks, stamps, etc.; databases for online verification, etc.) and the main standards of reference with respect to the format and characteristics in the various education and training systems.
  • Know the theory and practice at national and international level of the concept of substantial difference in line with the Lisbon Convention.
  • Know how to formulate an opinion and/or a decision, as a result of the recognition procedures based on different purposes (academic recognition, non-academic recognition and professional recognition).
  • Know the different forms of partial, alternative or conditional recognition.
  • Know the right of appeal and the related procedure in accordance with national law.
  • Be familiar with the main methods of digitalisation in the field of recognition of qualifications and secure exchange of digital student data.
  • Deploy the main IT tools necessary to carry out the evaluation of qualifications.
  • Know the main methodologies and criteria for conducting a comparative analysis between foreign higher education systems, underlying principles and recognition criteria.
  • Be familiar with the main research topics in the field of academic recognition of qualifications.
  • Understand the criteria for dealing with complex recognition cases, such as the recognition of qualifications issued by institutions in war zones and/or disputed territories, qualifications and institutions for which accreditation information is not clear and transparent, etc.
  • Understand the principles and characteristic elements of the security and protection of personal data as set by the GDPR.
  • Be familiar with the contents, methodology and methods for training and bringing up to date junior credential evaluators.
  • Be familiar with the main national and international guidelines and best practices in the field of monitoring the quality of recognition procedures.
  • Understand recognition policies on the basis of the legislation and the main reference documents at national and international level, at the current state and during their evolution.
  • Know the main players that deal with recognition at a national and international level.
  • Be familiar with the main elements of education and training systems around the world and their evolution, the main issues of interest for recognition and about the evolution of legislation at national and international level.
Skills (S-SKILLS)
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  • Know how to conduct the evaluation procedure, from the request to the appeal, in line with the principles of the Lisbon Convention and its subsidiary texts, and on the basis of national legislation on recognition.
  • Know how to find necessary and adequate information on the qualifications for which recognition is requested for the procedures and criteria adopted to be transparent, consistent and reliable.
  • Know how to give authoritative and accurate information on the system and qualifications of the system in which the evaluator is based, on the systems and qualifications of other systems, and on issues related to the recognition and assessment of qualifications, in accordance with national laws and regulations.
  • Know how to apply and follow the recognition procedure based on purpose (academic recognition, non-academic recognition or professional recognition).
  • Know how to provide information to the applicant on the documentation necessary for recognition based on the purpose declared.
  • Know how to find the missing information necessary for the evaluation and how to use the main information tools (qualification, exam certificate, diploma supplement, etc.).
  • Know how to provide clear and transparent information at all stages of the recognition procedure.
  • Know how to provide clear and transparent information on the recognition procedures, from the request to the appeal procedure and on the methodology and criteria used for the evaluation of qualifications.
  • Know how to judge the completeness or otherwise of the documents and information necessary to conduct the evaluation procedure according to the purpose and the system of reference.
  • Know how to manage requests and applications from the applicant, indicating missing documents and/or information, using the terminology of the applicant’s country of origin, and providing information to the applicant on how and where to obtain the required documents and/or information.
  • Know how to find the information necessary for recognition, first of all from the holder of the qualification, then from the institution that issued the qualification and from the competent authorities of the education and training system of reference.
  • Know how to find accurate and certified information from primary and secondary, national and international sources.
  • Know how to evaluate a qualification for the purposes of access and admission to a specific programme/course.
  • Know how to conduct evaluations on a case-by-case basis and according to the purpose stated, but taking into account how a qualification is normally evaluated, and knowing the specific recognition cases/evaluation standards of a particular qualification, on which to base each single evaluation.
  • Know how to apply the concepts of comparability, equivalence and nostrification in the evaluation.
  • Know how to evaluate the qualifications of refugees in line with the relevant national and international legislation.
  • Know how to evaluate the qualifications of refugees even in cases of partial or missing documentation.
  • Know how to carry out a recognition in a reasonable period of time, and in any case within the maximum terms established by the national legislation on the subject.
  • Know how to give information on the consequences of recognition, in terms of access to further studies, and in terms of utilisation of an academic qualification.
  • Know how to evaluate a qualification on the basis of knowledge of the characteristics of the education and training system at the time of its release.
  • Know how to determine the level of a title.
  • Know how to calculate the workload represented by a qualification.
  • Know how to verify the status of an institution and the accreditation/recognition of a course at the time the degree was issued based on the education and training system of reference.
  • Know how to identify the type of institution and the type of course.
  • Know how to measure the learning outcomes of a qualification.
  • Know how to identify non-accredited but legitimate institutions with alternative forms of quality assessment.
  • Know how to evaluate qualifications and titles issued in international and transnational study path scenarios.
  • Know how to evaluate joint degrees.
  • Know how to identify a fake institution (so-called “diploma mills”) and a fake accreditation agency (so-called “accreditation mills”).
  • Know how to request information from national information centres on the recognition of qualifications established on the basis of regional conventions where they exist.
  • Know how to evaluate non-traditional qualifications and titles, such as qualifications issued in the face of flexible and modular paths, prior learning and lifelong learning (e.g. micro-credentials).
  • Know how to verify the authenticity of a qualification and its compliance with the standards of the system it comes from.
  • Know how to identify and evaluate false and counterfeit documents, be able to identify anomalies or inconsistencies in documents that may be indicators of fraud, or that require more convincing explanation during the evaluation phase.
  • Know how to identify differences that can be defined as substantial, in line with the Lisbon Convention, in the qualification for which recognition is requested and the corresponding qualification in the system in which recognition is sought, with respect to the purpose for which such recognition is requested.
  • Know how to formulate an opinion and/or a decision, as a result of the recognition procedures based on the different purposes (academic recognition, non-academic recognition or professional recognition).
  • Know how to communicate the outcome of the procedure to the applicant, explaining the decision on the recognition in a way that is consistent and compliant with the relevant legislation.
  • Know how to justify the reasons for denial of recognition in cases of substantial difference
  • Where there is a substantial difference and full recognition of the qualification is not possible for the required purpose, suggest partial, alternative or conditional forms of recognition.
  • Know how to provide information on the right to appeal and the appeal procedure.
  • Know how to manage the appeal procedure according to the relevant legislation, from the request to the drafting and communication of the outcome of the procedure.
  • Know how to use the main types of IT solutions and methodologies for the secure sharing of qualifications and student data in a digital environment, and being able to verify the authenticity of digital certificates and qualifications.
  • Mastery of the main IT and digital tools necessary to carry out the evaluation of qualifications.
  • Know how to carry out a comparative analysis between foreign systems of higher education, and between the principles and criteria of recognition, deepening the differences that then lead to an evaluation decision rather than another.
  • Know how to carry out constant and periodic research on changes related to the education and training systems of all countries in the world, on the main issues of interest for recognition, on the evolution of legislation at national and international level on the subject, and know how to develop new knowledge on the subject.
  • Know how to evaluate complex cases of recognition, such as the recognition of qualifications issued by institutions in war zones and/or disputed territories, qualifications and institutions for which the information relating to accreditation is not clear and transparent, etc.
  • Know how to apply the principles and main elements in the field of safety and protection of personal data of the GDPR, and handle and protect the personal data of the applicant in line with this legislation.
  • Know how to set up, conduct and evaluate the training and bringing up to date of junior credential evaluators.
  • Know how to set up, conduct and evaluate an action to monitor the quality of recognition procedures according to the main national and international guidelines and best practices on the subject.
  • Know how to define, set up, implement and update the recognition practices on the basis of the legislation and the main policies of reference at national and international level.
  • Know how to develop and maintain professional relationships with education officials from other countries to obtain information on qualifications, programmes and education systems from other cultural backgrounds.
  • Know how to cooperate with the main bodies that deal with recognition at a national and international level, exchanging information and best practices, and helping to promote useful tools for the entire professional community.
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