Dr. Jospeh Isaac

The President of the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) Dr. Joseph Isaac is calling for higher education to be prioritized to allow graduates to contribute positively to the socio-economic, technological and developmental advancement of the Liberian society.

Dr. Isaac said the higher education section of Liberia must include professional and academic experts into the system as a way of harnessing the skills, talents and professionalism of Liberian students through what he called an exchange of knowledge between Liberian and their foreign professors.

Speaking recently when he attended the week-long Intergovernmental Meeting on Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, Dr. Isaac underscored the significance of Liberia to make use of the opportunities available on higher education.

He stated that higher education qualification review are essential to setting the standards as to how certain qualifications can be accessed and reviewed and at the same time making sure that it meets the basic requirements acceptable globally.

Since its creation in 1945, UNESCO has served as a global platform for discussion on the recognition of higher education qualifications and the promotion of academic mobility.

UNESCO has therefore established a number of regional conventions in higher education.

Globally academic mobility is said to be sharply on the increase with the overall population of mobile students doubling since to more than 4 million students studying outside their home country and it is estimated that by 2020 around 8 million students will be studying abroad.

This significant growth in mobile tertiary students calls for a global regulatory framework for the recognition of higher education qualifications.

The framework will reduce the obstacles faced by students, teachers, researchers and job-seekers outside their countries of origin.

In March 2016, following a General Conference decision, UNESCO established a Drafting Committee in consultation with its Member States.

The committee will elaborate a draft text of a Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications.

Isaac C. Yeah