RECOGNITION AND ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATION
Presentation of the New Recognition System
The Act on Recognition and Assessment of Education (Uradni list RS No. 73/04) introduces a modern system of recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas and assessment of certificates and diplomas obtained in Slovenia and abroad, taking account, in the procedures and criteria, of the principles of education system reforms as well as respecting and continuing the tradition of transparency provided for by the previous Act regulating the recognition of foreign school certificates (Zakon o nostrifikaciji v tujini pridobljenih šolskih spričeval).
International conventions ratified by the Republic of Slovenia, in particular the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region (Lisbon 1997), and the Bologna process creating a single European higher education area, based on the Bologna Declaration (signed by the Ministers of Education from 29 countries, including Slovenia, on 19 June 2003), form a new and more efficient basis for international academic cooperation processes and exchanges and thus also for the recognition of education.
The establishment of an efficient and transparent recognition system for a quick and efficient exercise of individual rights arising from certificates and diplomas is facilitated by unified and openly designed criteria and frameworks, making it possible to take into account individual legal interests and enable the holders of certificates and diplomas to exercise their individual rights arising from such certificates and diplomas at the national and international level. This in particular concerns two fundamental rights resulting from education: the right to continue education at a higher or the same level as proven by the certificate or diploma and the right to enter the labour market.
As a result of the above-mentioned “double nature” of recognition, the new Act introduces two procedures. The recognition procedure with a view to access to education enables applicants to exercise their right to education or retraining, while the procedure of recognition with a view to access to employment gives applicants a possibility to enter the Slovene labour market and use their foreign vocational and technical education titles or their professional and academic titles. Assessment of education is envisaged by the Act to facilitate the exercise of any other possible rights based on school certificates and diplomas or an individual’s educational achievements. It enables applicants to claim such rights or implement them through the procedure (for example the right to a scholarship or registration with the employment office).
The subject of recognition under this Act is education forming part of the education system of a particular country or several countries and leading to some level of education or its part.
New competences and obligations of schools
Pursuant to the Act on Recognition and Assessment of Education, schools, other education establishments and higher education institutions (hereinafter: schools) are competent for recognition with a view to access to education.
In accordance with their new competences, the Act imposes the following obligations on them:
- By 21 January 2005 schools shall appoint an individual authorised to administer the recognition procedures with a view to access to education, who will be employed in the school's counselling, enrolment or international department.
- Schools shall notify to the competent ministry the name of such authorised persons within 30 days after their appointment.
- The procedures of recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas with a view to access to education shall be administered by schools.
- The records of decisions issued in procedures of recognition of foreign certificates and diplomas with a view to access to education shall be administered by schools. According to paragraph 3 of Article 17 of the Act, the records shall include: data on the holder of the decision: personal name, gender and citizenship;
- data on the certificate or diploma: name of the certificate or diploma for which the decision has been issued, the country of issue of the certificate or diploma, and the name of issuing establishment;
- information on the education program in which the holder of a particular decision is enrolling.
- Schools shall notify the competent ministry of decisions issued and the above-mentioned data within 30 days after the issue of the decision.
Higher education institutions also have the obligation to keep records of opinions issued on the equivalence of foreign professional and academic titles with Slovene ones, including:
- data on the holder of the decision: personal name, gender and citizenship;
- data on the diploma: name of the diploma for which the decision has been issued , the country of issue of the diploma, and the name of issuing establishment;
- the Slovene professional or academic title equivalent to the foreign professional or academic title.
Recognition and assessment procedures, competences, applicants, legal protection, forms, and an indicative list of documents
The Act on Recognition and Assessment of Education provides for the following procedures:
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recognition with a view to access to education in the Republic of Slovenia;
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recognition with a view to access to employment in the Republic of Slovenia;
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decision on the use of foreign titles;
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assessment of foreign certificates and diplomas;
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assessment of Slovene certificates and diplomas;
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assessment of certificates and diplomas awarded prior to 25 June 1991 in the republics of former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia.
The contents and the form of specimen applications for recognition or assessment of education, documents, costs, and the manner of keeping records in recognition or assessment procedures shall be specified by The Rules on forms, documents, fees and record keeping in procedures for recognition and assessment of education.
1. RECOGNITION WITH A VIEW TO ACCESS TO EDUCATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
Recognition with a view to access to education in the Republic of Slovenia is a procedure by which, in the course of enrolment, holders of foreign certificates and diplomas are issued decisions recognising their right to continue education in the Republic of Slovenia.
The procedure is initiated by holders of foreign certificates and diplomas submitting the N Application forms to schools, other educational establishments or higher education institutions (hereinafter: schools) in the Republic of Slovenia, where they seek to pursue their education. Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
A complaint against the decision issued by the school can be filed with the council of the establishment or the senate of a higher education institution concerned within eight days after the decision has been received by the holder.
On the basis of the decision the school shall enrol the holder into the appropriate education programme.
The Act imposes new competences and obligations on schools, as they have been given the right to grant recognition of foreign education with a view to access to education in the Republic of Slovenia.
2. RECOGNITION WITH A VIEW TO ACCESS TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA
Recognition with a view to access to employment in the Republic of Slovenia is a procedure leading to a decision stating the following:
- the level of the Slovene education system equivalent to the level of foreign education;
- the major or discipline of the completed foreign education programme if it is stated by the certificate or diploma;
- the foreign vocational, professional or academic title.
If so required by the applicant, the procedure can also lead to a decision on
- the equivalence of foreign vocational, professional or academic titles to Slovene ones.
The decision on the equivalence of titles is possible only in cases where a comparable programme is offered in the Republic of Slovenia.
NOTE:
Decisions on the equivalence of foreign professional and academic titles to Slovene ones entail additional costs charged to applicants by the higher education institution stated in individual applications, as the opinion on the equivalence is issued by that institution.
The procedure for recognition with a view to access to employment is initiated by the holder of a foreign certificate or diploma submitting the Z Application form to the competent ministry (Ministry of Education and Sport or Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology). Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
The procedure shall be administered in compliance with the General Administrative Procedure Act (Uradni list RS Nos 88/99, 70/00, 52/02 in 73/04). The decision shall be issued within two months after the day of submitting a complete application.
No complaint can be filed against the decision. However, it is possible to file a suit with the competent Administrative Court.
3. DECISION ON THE USE OF FOREIGN TITELS
The recognition procedure with a view to access to employment can also lead to a decision on the use of foreign vocational, professional or academic titles. The application shall be made by submitting the Z Application form to the competent ministry (Ministry of Education and Sport or Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology). Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
No complaint can be filed against the decision. However, it is possible to file a suit with the competent Administrative Court.
4. ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS
Assessment is a procedure leading to the issue of an opinion on a foreign certificate or diploma with regard to:
- the validity of the education programme according to the legislation of the country of issue of the certificate or diploma;
- the level of the Slovene education system equivalent to the level of foreign education;
- the major or discipline of the completed foreign education programme if it is stated by the certificate or diploma;
- the foreign vocational, professional or academic title;
- the equivalence of the foreign vocational, professional or academic title to the Slovene one;
- the comparability of a period of study completed abroad with the appropriate education programme in the Republic of Slovenia.
The V Application form shall be used to file an application for the assessment opinion, indicating the elements to be evaluated, with the competent ministry (Ministry of Education and Sport or Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology). Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
NOTE:
An opinion that has been published as public information is equally valid as an opinion issued by the ministry upon an applicant's request. Applicants are therefore advised to check whether such an opinion in the form of public information has already been published before filing their applications.
5. ASSESSMENT OF SLOVENE CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS
It is also possible to issue an opinion concerning the assessment of a Slovene certificate or diploma with regard to the following elements:
- state accreditation of the Slovene education programme;
- level and discipline of education obtained in the Republic of Slovenia;
- vocational, professional or academic title;
- periods of study completed in the Republic of Slovenia;
- rights granted by a certificate or diploma in the Republic of Slovenia.
The V Application form shall be used to file an application for the assessment opinion, indicating the elements to be evaluated, with the competent ministry (Ministry of Education and Sport or Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology). The application can also be in manuscript. Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
NOTE:
An opinion that has been published as public information is equally valid as an opinion issued by the ministry upon an applicant's request. Applicants are therefore advised to check whether such an opinion in the form of public information has already been published before filing their applications.
6. ASSESSMENT OF CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMAS AWARDED IN THE REPUBLICS OF FORMER SOCIALIST FEDERATIVE REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA PRIOR TO 25 JUNE 1991
It is also possible to issue an opinion concerning the assessment of certificates and diplomas awarded in the republics of former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia prior to 25 June 1991 with regard to the:
- comparability of the level and discipline of education acquired in one of the republics of former Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia prior to 25 June 1991 with the level and discipline in the Republic of Slovenia.
The V Application form shall be used to file an application for the assessment opinion, indicating the elements to be evaluated, with the competent ministry (Ministry of Education and Sport or Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology). The application can also be in manuscript. Appropriate documents shall be included with the application.
NOTE:
An opinion that has been published as public information is equally valid as an opinion issued by the ministry upon an applicant's request. Applicants are therefore advised to check whether such an opinion in the form of public information has already been published before filing their applications.
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