HEA Committed to the Ratification of the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications Concerning Higher Education
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has confirmed that progress is underway for Zambia to ratify the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education (2019).
Speaking during a submission to the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology on 24th July, 2025, HEA’s Manager of Internal Audits, Mrs. Grace Mpiya Mjumphi, explained that the delay in ratifying the treaty was primarily due to the need for Zambia to thoroughly assess how well the policy aligns with the country’s education system.
In response to a question from Committee Member and Msanzala Constituency Member of Parliament, Honourable Mr. Elias Daka, MP., on why the process had taken so long, Mrs. Mjumphi stated that one contributing factor was that the minimum threshold of 20 Member States required to bring the treaty into effect under UNESCO was only met in 2023.
“Ratifying this treaty requires a country to be a member of UNESCO, and not all African countries hold that status. Globally, UNESCO has 194 member states, of which only 38 have ratified the treaty. As a country, we needed to conduct extensive research and ensure that this was the right policy direction for our education sector,” she explained.
Mrs. Mjumphi added that although more African countries have since ratified the Global Recognition Convention (GRC), HEA’s research focused on three (3) countries namely South Africa, Namibia, and Nigeria, to assess the potential benefits for Zambia. Findings from these countries indicated significant improvements in access to employment and educational opportunities, enhanced trust in higher education systems, and strengthened cooperation in academic and professional exchanges.
“Namibia leveraged the convention to establish a National Qualifications Framework, promoting regional harmonisation. Nigeria reduced its credential evaluation time from six (6) months to just 30 days. Meanwhile, South Africa, a continental leader in higher education, ratified the convention in 2023 to enhance the portability of qualifications across the SADC region and globally,” Mrs. Mjumphi submitted.
The GRC builds upon and complements five existing regional frameworks. It was adopted on 25th November, 2019, during the 40th Session of the UNESCO General Conference in Paris. These frameworks, including the 2014 Addis Convention for Africa and the 1997 Lisbon Recognition Convention, aim to bridge the gaps in cross continental recognition of qualifications.
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