PREAMBLE
The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, meeting in Paris from 12 to 27 November 2019 at its 40th session,
Inspired by a common will to strengthen educational, geographical, humanitarian, cultural,
scientific and socioeconomic ties between States Parties, and to enhance dialogue
between regions and the sharing of their recognition instruments and practices,
Recalling the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which stipulates that “the purpose of the Organization is to contribute
to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education,
science and culture”,
Mindful of the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations of 1945, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948, the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951 and its Protocol of 1967, the Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons of 1954, the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education of 1960 and in particular its Article 4a, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966, and the UNESCO Convention on Technical and Vocational Education of 1989,
Mindful of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Recognition of Studies and Qualifications
in Higher Education of 1993; the UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Higher-Education
Teaching Personnel of 1997; the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples of 2007; and the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers
of 2017,
Building on the UNESCO regional conventions on the recognition of qualifications concerning
higher education,
Reaffirming the States Parties’ responsibility to promote inclusive and equitable
quality education at all levels and lifelong learning opportunities for all,
Conscious of increasing international cooperation in higher education, of the mobility
of students, workers, professionals, researchers and academics, of changes in scientific
research, and of the different modes, methods, developments and innovations in teaching
and learning,
Considering higher education, provided by both public and private institutions, as
a public good and a public responsibility, and being aware of the need to uphold and
protect the principles of academic freedom and of the autonomy of higher-education
institutions,
Convinced that the international recognition of qualifications concerning higher education
will facilitate interdependent learning and knowledge development via the mobility
of learners and learning, academics, scientific research and researchers, and workers
and professionals and will enhance international cooperation in higher education,
Respecting the cultural diversity among the States Parties, including, inter alia,
differences in educational traditions and in the values of higher education,
Desiring to respond to the need for a global convention on the recognition of qualifications
concerning higher education to complement the UNESCO regional conventions on the recognition
of qualifications concerning higher education, and to enhance the cohesion between
them,
Convinced of the need to find common, practical and transparent solutions to improve
recognition practices globally,
Convinced that this Convention will promote international mobility, as well as communication
and cooperation regarding fair and transparent procedures for recognition, and quality
assurance and academic integrity in higher education at a global level,