Extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Conference of the States Parties to the Global Convention on Higher Education.

Adopted at the 40th Session of the General Conference on 25 November 2019, the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education (hereinafter the Global Convention) entered into force on 5 March 2023, following the deposit of the 20^th instrument of ratification on 5 December 2022.

Today, more than half of the world’s 6.3 million international students are studying outside their region. As the first worldwide UN treaty in higher education, the Global Convention ensures fair, transparent and non-discriminatory recognition of higher education qualifications across regions. It establishes an inclusive framework for mutual recognition higher education qualifications and qualifications giving access to higher education, offering avenues for further study and employment. With provisions on non-traditional learning modes, the Global Convention also facilitates the recognition of qualifications, prior learning and study periods earned remotely.

As of December 2023, 25 States have ratified and around 20 other countries report to be at an advanced stage in the ratification process. 

UNESCO will convene an extraordinary session of the Intergovernmental Conference of the States Parties to the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education (hereinafter referred to as “the Intergovernmental Conference”) on 7 March 2024 at its Headquarters.

The mandate of the Intergovernmental Conference is to promote the application of the Convention and oversee its implementation by adopting recommendations, declarations, models of good practices, or any relevant subsidiary text at the global or interregional level (cf. Art. XV para 7). It also adopts an interim work programme concerning activities between sessions (cf. Art. XV para 5).

Pursuant to paragraph 5 of Resolution 1/IC.5 adopted at its first session in July 2023, the Intergovernmental Conference is to decide, at the extraordinary session, “on the finalized draft of the interim work programme, prepared by the working group assisted by the Secretariat, for the period until its second ordinary session […]”.