Lisbon Recognition Convention

Lisbon Recognition Convention
CET 165
Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region
Signed11 April 1997
LocationLisbon, Portugal
Effective1 February 1999
ConditionRatifications including 3 member States of the Council of Europe and/or the UNESCO Europe Region.
Parties57 (all Council of Europe member states), as well as Australia, Belarus, Canada, Holy See, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyz Republic, Turkmenistan, New Zealand and Tajikistan
DepositarySecretary General of the Council of Europe and Director-General of UNESCO
LanguagesEnglish and French

The Lisbon Recognition Convention, officially the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region, is an international convention of the Council of Europe elaborated together with the UNESCO. This is the main legal agreement on credential evaluation in Europe.

As of 2024, the convention has been ratified by all 47 member states of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. It has also been ratified by the Council of Europe non-member states Australia, Belarus, Canada, the Holy See, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and New Zealand. The United States has signed but not ratified the convention.