European Qualifications Passport for Refugees holds 8th Project Coordination Group meeting
The European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) project coordination group met in Strasbourg and online on 18 October to discuss the current state of activities and the way forward.
The meeting was opened by Mr Sjur Bergan, Head of the Department of Education at the Council of Europe, who warmly welcomed the participation of the National Recognition Center of Serbia as the 12th center to join the EQPR .
Among recent developments, Mr. Bergan highlighted two elements: the piloting of the EQPR online platform and the design of a specialized training course for assessors. The first cycle of training for credential assessors has now been completed, and further cycles will be organized to build the capacity of assessors for the assessment of refugee qualifications. These two developments will ensure the quality and sustainability of the project.
Representatives from the national recognition centers of the 12 participating countries and UNHCR also advised the CoE on how to move forward beyond 2021.
Among the main topics discussed were the preparations for the third phase of the project running from 2022 to 2024, the scaling of the assessment sessions to a weekly schedule, how to facilitate the exchange of experience between the credential assessors even in online mode, the Afghanistan Qualifications Working Group, and how to engage employers, academia and government.
Implemented by the Council of Europe since 2017, the European Qualifications Passport for Refugees allows refugees to have their qualifications assessed even in the absence of complete documents. The EQPR helps refugees to continue their studies or to look for a job.
National recognition centers in Armenia, Bosnia herzegovina, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Serbia and the UK are currently actively participating in the EQPR, and other ENIC-NARICs are welcome. For more information, please send an email to: [email protected]