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Korea Academic Recognition Information Center (KARIC), under the Korean Council for University Education, attended the Sixth Session of the Tokyo Convention Committee in conjunction with the Nineteenth Session of the 1983 Bangkok Convention Committee, and the Fifth Plenary of the Asia-Pacific Network of National Information Centres (APNNIC) held from 17 to 19 November at the Avani Sukhumvit Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
Jointly organized by the UNESCO Bangkok and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the meeting brought together representatives from ministries of education and National Information Centres of more than 30 countries to discuss regional cooperation on the recognition of higher education qualifications and the enhancement of learner mobility.
During the Sixth Session of the Tokyo Convention Committee, participants reviewed the progress of implementation and discussed the next steps of the Tokyo Convention 2030 Roadmap. Member States also exchanged experiences on addressing emerging challenges such as the rise of education fraud, digital credentials, and micro credentials, and explored ways to strengthen National Information Centres and advance policies that support cross-border mobility. In the panel session, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea chaired the session on “Building a community of practice and fostering inclusion,” leading discussions on the future direction of qualification recognition in the era of artificial intelligence.
At the 5th APNNIC Plenary, Member States discussed the APNNIC Action Plan 2030 and strategies to further activate the network. Countries shared insights on degree and qualification verification, responses to education fraud, information exchange on transnational education (TNE) provision, and the need to strengthen NIC capacities. The plenary highlighted practical cooperation measures such as improving the APNNIC Portal, which contains outdated information, expanding practitioner-oriented training and workshops, and introducing a shared platform for education fraud cases. In the panel discussions on 'Operationalising the UNESCO Conventions: challenges and opportunities of recognising refugee qualifications and transnational education,' KARIC presented Korea’s efforts to develop recognition procedures for refugees with limited documentation and shared key policies and challenges related to the quality assurance and recognition of TNE in Korea.
The meetings resulted in several important outcomes, including the amendment of the Rules of Procedure of the Tokyo Convention, the adoption of the 2025 Tokyo Convention Statement, enhanced support for countries preparing for ratification, and strengthened NIC capacity-building measures. Notably, the Republic of Korea was elected First Vice-President of both the Tokyo Convention Committee and APNNIC, reinforcing its leadership role in regional cooperation on higher education qualification recognition. Building on this mandate, KARIC will continue to support the operation of the Tokyo Convention and APNNIC, promote information exchange and collaboration among NICs in the region, and contribute actively to strengthening trust and mobility across the Asia-Pacific. The next session of the Regional Convention Committees is scheduled for 2027.
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