EAR HEI Manual: The European Recognition Manual for Higher Education Institutions

The European Recognition Manual for Higher Education Institutions (third edition, 2020) is a recognition manual for credential evaluators.

It has been developed as part of the European Area of Recognition Project (EAR). It contains shared standards and clear guidelines on all aspects of the recognition of foreign qualifications and aims to provide credential evaluators at higher education institutions with a practical tool on how to apply the principles of the Lisbon Recognition Convention in their daily recognition work.The manual is based on the EAR manual, the use of which has been endorsed by the 47 Ministers of Education from the European Higher Education Area in the 2012 Bucharest Communiqué.

The EAR HEI manual has been developed in close cooperation with higher education institutions and contains examples and topics that are specific to the reality of credential evaluation in higher education institutions.In general, the EAR HEI manual aims to create more clarity regarding recognition practices in all European countries and to contribute to a joint recognition area of higher education, in which all European countries practice a similar methodology in the recognition of qualifications, based on commonly agreed standards and guidelines. The manual makes the recognition procedures transparent to all stakeholders directly or indirectly involved in recognition: credential evaluators, higher education institutions, learners and policy officers. Topics covered in the manual are, for example, how to deal with accreditation, authenticity, credits, grades, substantial differences, qualifications frameworks and applications from refugees without documentation. The chapters offer flowcharts, an introduction to the topic, practical examples and references and information resources for further reading.

See also:

EAR Manual: European Area of Recognition, second edition 2023

EHEA Bucharest Communiqué, 2012

Recognition of qualification holders without documentation - European guidelines for credential evaluators and admissions officers, 2016

Lisbon Recognition Convention, Council of Europe, 1997