Council of Europe

The Council of Europe is an international organisation focused on promoting human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. It was founded in 1949 and counts 46 member states.

The Higher and Further Education programme of the Council of Europe is guided by the Council of Europe 2030 Education Strategy “Learners First”. The higher education programme comprises the programmes related to the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention, including its Co-Secretariat, the running (jointly with UNESCO) of the ENIC Network; the democratic mission of higher education, the Platform on Ethics, Transparency and Integrity in Education (ETINED) and the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees. The Council of Europe has contributed to the Bologna Process and is a consultative member of Bologna Follow-up Group (BFUG), aiming to realise a unified approach to higher education across the EHEA.

European Higher Education Area - Higher education and research

The Council of Europe’s contributions to the Bologna Process include:

• Membership in several BFUG Working Groups

• In partnership with UNESCO, drafting and promoting the Lisbon Recognition Convention, the only legally binding text that ensures fair, automatic recognition of higher education qualifications and refugees’ qualifications

• In partnership with UNESCO and the European Commission, developing and disseminating recognition policies and practices through national and Pan-European information centres on academic recognition of qualifications, the ENIC-NARIC Networks, with current focus on finalising the update of the ENIC- NARIC Charter and the ENIC-NARIC ‘Revised Code of Good Practice in the Provision of Transnational Education’ (2007), including a new text on digital solutions, taking into account the existing ENIC-NARIC ‘Guidelines for National Online Information Systems’ (2019);

• The establishment of an Ad Hoc Working Group aiming at promoting automatic recognition of qualifications;

• The European Qualification Passport for Refugees (EQPR) is an initiative aiming at facilitating the recognition of refugees’ qualifications even in the absence of full documentation. It develops synergies and cooperates with the UNESCO Qualification Passport for Refugees and Vulnerable Migrants, which targets countries outside the European Region;

• Working on the Democratic Mission of Higher Education;

• Developing the >Committee of Ministers recommendation on the public responsibility for higher education and research;

• Establishing the Council of Europe Platform on Ethics, Integrity and Transparency (ETINED Platform). The ETINED Platform's mission is to promote ethics, transparency, and integrity in education by sharing best practices, addressing corruption and fraud in education through policy guidelines and legal instruments, fostering ethical commitment and advocating for quality education. The principle of quality education is enshrined in three main Committee of Ministers Recommendations: Committee of Ministers to member States on ensuring quality education, and the Committee of Ministers to member States on fostering a culture of ethics in the teaching profession, and the most recent one, adopted in 2022 Committee of Ministers to member States on countering education fraud.

Publications of the Higher Education and Research Division

Higher education leadership for democracy, sustainability and social justice

Council of Europe Higher Education Series No.26 (2023)

Democracy, sustainability and social justice: the leading role that higher education must play in maintaining these three principles.

Monitoring the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention - Monitoring report Paris/Strasbourg 2022

Council of Europe, UNESCO

Higher education has changed dramatically over the past decades with increasing enrolment, student mobility, diversity of provision, research dynamics and technology. The recognition of higher education qualifications in fair, transparent and non-discriminatory matter remains paramount for ensuring that all students can access higher education and the labour market.

Higher education's response to the Covid-19 pandemic - Building a more sustainable and democratic future

Council of Europe Higher Education Series No.25 (2021)

The book describes the various ways in which higher education is facing the Covid-19 pandemic. It is designed to help universities, specifically their staff and students as well as their partners, contribute to a more sustainable and democratic future.

Monitoring the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention

Council of Europe Higher Education Series No.23 (2019)

This report summarises the results of the first round of monitoring of the implementation of the Lisbon Recognition Convention since its signature in 1997.

Higher education for diversity, social inclusion and community

Council of Europe Higher Education Series No.22 (2018)

Authors from Europe, North America and South Africa outline how higher education could respond to today’s pressing challenges. The first section makes a strong case for the continuing importance of higher education and research to modern society. The second focuses on higher education institutions and the need for inclusive and diverse campuses. The third section considers opportunities to improve the inclusion of refugees and immigrants in higher education.