The follow-up meetings in Prague and in Salamanca of the Bologna process have been important for new developments in ACE-related fields. The recognition issues are no longer seen as formalities after crossing a border, but as one of the crucial issues of the process. Recognition is part of ensuring the possibility to create a genuine European education space. The main outcomes on research of recognition issues in the Bologna process, adopted Code of Transnational Education and the Recommendation on Criteria and Procedures will be discussed. The session also focuses on the recognition of non-traditional qualifications.

Credential evaluation can be provided by various agencies within different educational systems: by each university, by a national agency, or by private evaluation services. This session will review the processes used in the United Kingdom, Sweden and United States and identify the methodologies and significant issues in each country.

A joint Nordic-Baltic working group established by the Nordic Council of ministers studied the feasibility of a common Nordic-Baltic higher education space in 1999-2000. A meeting of representatives of Nordic and Baltic Rectors' conferences will take place in October 2001 in Riga to elaborate on the institutional perspective of the cooperation. In this EAIE session the speakers will discuss the main results: a comparison of the higher education systems in Nordic and Baltic countries, and the main assets and obstacles for further cooperation, taking into account the participation of both groups of countries in the Bologna process.

This presentation will focus on different ways of obtaining recognition of refugees’ educational background even if they lack evidence of their academic achievements. Data on practices in Europe will be presented. Some data on the level of fraud will be presented. Should refugees from certain countries be declared as refugees without documentation, to reduce the ‘necessity’ of fraud?

After Salamanca and Prague recognition has become a crucial issue in the Bologna process. In June 2001 Lisbon Convention was supplemented by Recommendations on Criteria and Procedures for the Assessment of Foreign Qualifications. Recommendations will help ensure flexible and fair recognition that is so much needed to ensure a genuine European higher education space. The speakers will concentrate on both the criteria and procedures of recognition and examples of their concrete applications.

'On-line' and 'for-profit' educational institutions and degree programmes present many challenges for international educators. Quality assurance, accreditation and control are but a few of the issues that must be addressed. Session presenters will discuss the scope, methodology and direction of on-line and for-profit education, and its impact on traditional academic institutions and our profession.