Supporting recognition and integration: the EQPR and Irish credential evaluators

Education plays an important role in supporting the integration of refugees across European societies, and QQI is pleased to play its part in supporting the fair recognition of qualifications held by refugees by working in partnership with expert credential evaluators in educational institutions.

Credential evaluators across the tertiary system representing University of Limerick, Munster Technological University, Maynooth University, University College Dublin, Technological University of the Shannon, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB, and Cavan & Monaghan ETB have all participated in European Qualifications Passport for Refugees (EQPR) credential evaluator training. 

One of these evaluators, Siobhán Magee, from Cavan & Monaghan Education & Training Board and the Further Education and Training Support Service (FESS), was honoured to be invited by the Council of Europe to put her EQPR credential evaluator training into practice. From 17 to 21 June, Siobhan attended a face-to-face evaluation session in Lyon with colleagues from across Europe to assist with the assessment of refugees’ qualifications for whom there is insufficient or missing documentation. Further evaluation sessions to meet increased requests from people in refugee-like situations will take place in the autumn.

QQI and NARIC Ireland look forward to continuing to work with our expert teams across higher and further education to strengthen our national approach to providing fair recognition for the learning and qualifications of refugees and migrants, meeting our obligations described in the Lisbon Recognition Convention (LRC).