TVETipedia Glossary

Recognition

A formal acknowledgment by a competent recognition authority of the validity and academic level of a foreign education qualification, of partial studies, or of prior learning for the purpose of providing an applicant with outcomes including, but not limited to:

(a) the right to apply for admission to higher education; and/or

(b) the possibility to seek employment opportunities.

Source:
Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education

Recognition is a process of granting official status to learning outcomes and/or competences, which can lead to the acknowledgement of their value in society.

(see also “Recognition of Learning”)

Source:
UIL, UNESCO GUIDELINES for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of the Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning, 2012
UIL, UNESCO GUIDELINES for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of the Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning, 2012
Access resource, available in English, French, Spanish
The UNESCO Guidelines for the Recognition, Validation and Accreditation of the Outcomes of Non-formal and Informal Learning were developed to facilitate recognition, validation and accreditation (RVA) of all learning outcomes, particularly those of non-formal and informal learning. UNESCO Member States also committed themselves to establishing recognition frameworks to develop and improve RVA principles and mechanisms.

Formal recognition: the process of granting official status to skills and competences: through the award of qualifications (Certificates, diploma or titles); through the grant of equivalence, credit units or waivers, validation of gained skills and/or competences. Social recognition: the acknowledgement of the value of skills and/or competences by economic and social stakeholders.

Source:
European Commission, Validation of Non-formal MOOC-based Learning, 2016
European Commission, Validation of Non-formal MOOC-based Learning, 2016
Access resource, available in English
The OpenCred study is part of the OpenEdu Project, carried out by DG JRC IPTS on behalf of DG EAC. It supports the 2013 European Commission's Communication 'Opening up education: Innovative teaching and Learning for All through New Technologies and Open Educational Resources1.
It focuses on one of the core dimensions of the OpenEdu framework for openness in higher education institutions, which is recognition […]. Recognition is an important topic in the European Agenda for modernising higher education. […] Within this perspective, the purpose of validation and recognition are the same: both confirming certain learning outcomes against specific standards, providing proof of learning that can potentially be exchanged into future learning and/or work.

The formal approval of training organisations, products and services operating within the vocational education and training (VET) sector (as defined by state and territory legislation).

Source:
NCVER (Australia), VOCEDplus: Glossary of VET, (accessed 05/2026)
NCVER (Australia), VOCEDplus: Glossary of VET, (accessed 05/2026)
Access resource, available in English
This glossary is a compilation of Australian vocational education and training (VET) terms and acronyms. It includes both current and historical terms, concepts, acronyms and other abbreviations found in Australian VET research, policy and data.