LACs Advance Educational Cooperation at Buenos Aires Convention Meeting in Uruguay

Committee Adopts 2025 Work Plan, Strengthens Regional Networks, and Focuses on Refugee Qualifications Recognition.

Representatives of States Parties and Observers to the Buenos Aires Convention on Higher Education Recognition convened for the third session of the Convention Committee on December 11–12, 2024, in Montevideo, Uruguay. This pivotal meeting, aimed at enhancing the mobility and recognition of qualifications across Latin America and the Caribbean, laid the groundwork for a transformative 2025 agenda.

The Convention Committee adopted a forward-looking work plan for 2025 with key objectives:

Advocacy for broader ratifications of the Convention to include more countries in its framework.

Capacity building and policy advisory services to support member states in implementing recognition policies.

Strengthening the CINALC Network—the regional hub for information on recognition systems—to streamline cooperation and information sharing.

Enhancing inter-regional collaboration, linking efforts with global initiatives like the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications.

Leadership and Governance Updates

The Committee elected its Bureau for 2025:

Gonzalo Baroni (Uruguay) as President.

Dana Mc Quilkin (Grenada) as Vice President.

Denise Pereira (Cuba) as Rapporteur.

These appointments highlight a strong commitment to inclusive leadership, balancing representation across the region.

Spotlight on Refugee and Digital Initiatives

The session addressed regional challenges and opportunities, including:

Recognition of refugee qualifications: A critical step to integrate displaced individuals into higher education systems.

Exploring the feasibility of introducing a Diploma Supplement to enhance transparency and comparability of academic qualifications.

Advancing digital systems for recognition: Modernizing processes to facilitate cross-border education and qualification verification.

Strengthening internationalization efforts among universities in the region.

CINALC Network Pre-Meeting

Preceding the Committee’s session, the CINALC Network—the operational arm of the Convention—held its own meeting on December 10. The Network elected a new coordination group with representation from Cuba, Grenada, Ecuador, and Uruguay. It will focus on:

Developing a guide for Convention implementation to support member countries.

Crafting a regional strategy for the recognition of qualifications held by refugees and displaced persons.

Collecting and disseminating data on recognition and mobility trends.

Progress and Ratification Milestones

Adopted in 2019 in Buenos Aires, the Convention entered into force in 2022. To date, six countries have ratified it: Cuba, Ecuador, Grenada, Holy See, Peru, and Uruguay. Several other nations, including Argentina and Brazil, announced they are in advanced stages of the ratification process.

The Buenos Aires Convention complements the Global Convention on Higher Education Qualifications Recognition by fostering regional inter-university collaboration and student mobility.

Next Steps

The next session of the Committee is scheduled for late 2025, where progress on the work plan and emerging challenges will be reviewed. The outcomes of this meeting reinforce the region’s commitment to building a unified and accessible higher education space that responds to the needs of students, universities, and displaced communities.

This session in Montevideo underscores the growing momentum in Latin America and the Caribbean toward achieving equitable and streamlined recognition of qualifications, boosting educational opportunities, and deepening international academic cooperation.