Promoting European-Levantine Internationalisation

The project Promoting European-Levantine Internationalisation and Automatic Recognition of Qualifications (PELIARQ) seeks to support European higher education institutions to establish improved links with and understanding of the education systems in the Levant (Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria). The project aims for the guidance to be valuable to HEIs across all of Europe. The expected impact is to contribute to new links and partnerships between European HEIs and the region. This guidance toolkit is expected to make internationalisation activities in the Levant clear and easier for European HEIs. In turn this has the potential to generate a direct impact on students and staff in European HEIs who will benefit from the collaboration with colleagues in the Levant. It will also have an impact in the Levant, improving links for HEIs in the region with European counterparts.

Strategic internationalisation activities are the cornerstone of a world class higher education system. European universities must be at the forefront of internationalisation to deliver exceptional higher education opportunities for their students and the opportunities for staff to develop ground-breaking research. At the same time, the ability to understand international education systems and qualifications frameworks is a crucial enabler for universities looking to recruit the best students and staff from around the world.

According to UNESCO statistics, the top destination for outbound student mobility from Lebanon is in the EU (France) with the UK fifth and EHEA countries making up 10 of the top 20 destinations; 9 of the top 20 destinations for Jordanian students are in the EHEA; for Syria, the top destination is Turkey, with 10 of the top 20 destinations being within the EHEA. It is therefore necessary for EU and EHEA institutions to better understand the education systems these students are coming from.

Furthermore, while internationalisation at home and within the EU are well established, other regions continue to require additional information and support. In order to ensure these strategies have the maximum success and impact, HEIs require clear guidance on the available opportunities in specific regions and the ways in which these opportunities can be maximised. It is necessary to identify barriers to internationalisation (such as regulatory issues) and how these can be overcome, and concurrently any particularly pertinent enablers for the opportunities available, such as the use of technology to support internationalisation, support for public-private initiatives, the degree to which educational levels are aligned between systems, and the recognition of prior learning to facilitate transition of learning between different HEIs. The nature and structure of quality assurance arrangements is also a key element in supporting both internationalisation and a clear understanding of the education systems of the region.

PELIARQ is funded by the Erasmus+ programme of the European Union during the period  September 2020 to August 2022. The project is implemented by Ecctis Ltd (UK ENIC), as the lead partner, with the Union of the Universities of the Mediterranean and the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MQRIC).

You can access the PDF versions of the project outputs here: PELIARQ Guidance Toolkit for Internationalisation and PELIARQ Guidance on Levantine qualification frameworks and credit systems

You can watch the virtual launch event

A webinar was held on 9 August 2022 to share more information about the project.