The key role of recognition services in ‘responsible internationalisation’
UK ENIC Head of External Engagement, Chris Lyons, delivered a presentation on ‘Responsible Internationalisation’ at the British Columbia Council for International Education Annual Conference in Vancouver, Canada.
‘Responsible internationalisation’ is a subject attracting growing interest in the international education sector, particularly in higher education. It describes an approach to admissions that is fair, student-centred, and based on positive learning experiences.
At the event, Chris Lyons stressed that there are clear links between recognition, readiness to study and responsible approaches to internationalisation.
He says: ‘Recognition is an integral part of responsible internationalisation. Recognition services, such as those offered by UK ENIC, can be viewed as part of the foundation to the approach.
‘The Lisbon Recognition Convention, which underpins the purpose of an ENIC-NARIC, determines that recognition is based on principles of fairness and transparency.
‘Recognition can provide solutions where barriers to access may exist, through mutual recognition agreements which ensure students from across the world benefit from opportunities to study overseas, because admitting institutions have an enhanced understanding of their respective education systems.
‘Through awareness of a student’s home education system, and possible similarities and differences between systems, recognition services can help institutions to understand the extent to which the individual student is equipped academically to succeed on their programme of study.’
In his presentation, Chris Lyons also explained that key elements of the approach include:
- A focus on building a diverse international student population; on offering appropriate support; on giving excellent learning and life experiences
- The principle that students are ‘front and centre’ with student voice and student experiences key.
He also stressed that the UK’s International Education Strategy underlines the importance of internationalisation, with targets for both the volume of inbound international students and for the delivery of outbound UK education through transnational education delivery.
‘International student recruitment is really important and relevant socially, culturally, politically and economically to many popular student destination countries and territories,’ Chris Lyons adds.