Евразийское экономическое сообщество

AGREEMENT

between the government of the Republic of Belarus,

the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan,

the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic,

the Government of the Russian Federation

and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan

on reciprocal recognition and equivalence

of diplomas, academic degree and title documents¹

(as amended on 26 February 2002)

The Government of the Republic of Belarus, the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, hereinafter referred to as the Parties,

guided by the Treaty between the Russian Federation, Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic on promotion of integration in economic and humanitarian areas of March 29, 1996,

taking into account the Parties’ aspiration towards creation of a common labor market,

willing to further promote and increase multilateral cooperation in education, science and culture,

striving to establish norms of the reciprocal recognition of diplomas, academic degree and title documents,

have agreed as follows:

Article 1

This Agreement shall apply to state-recognized qualifications, academic degrees and titles awarded on the territories of the Party states, as well as to official documents issued by educational establishments of the Party states located on the territories of other states.

Article 2

General certificates of education issued in the Republic of Belarus, basic school graduation certificates issued in the Republic of Kazakhstan, certificates of basic school education issued in the Kyrgyz Republic, certificates of basic general education issued in the Russian Federation and certificates of incomplete secondary education issued in the Republic of Kazakhstan shall be recognized by the Party states and be regarded as equivalent in the further continuation of education.

Article 3

Certificates of general secondary education, diplomas of vocational education and training and diplomas of undergraduate education awarded in the Republic of Belarus,

certificates of secondary education, diplomas of undergraduate education awarded in the Republic of Kazakhstan,

certificates of secondary education, diplomas of secondary vocational education awarded in the Kyrgyz Republic,

certificates of secondary (complete) general education, diplomas of secondary vocational education and diplomas of basic vocational education (including certificates of secondary (complete) education) awarded in the Russian Federation,

secondary education certificates awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan,

shall be recognized by the Parties and regarded as equivalent when entering higher and specialized secondary educational establishments located on the territories of the Parties.

Article 4

Certificates or diplomas of vocational education and training awarded in the Republic of Belarus, diplomas of vocational education and training or certificates of vocational qualification awarded in the Republic of Kazakhstan, diplomas on basic vocational education and qualification certificates awarded in the Russian Federation and junior specialist diplomas of undergraduate education awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan shall be recognized by the Parties and be equivalent for employment in accordance with the profession and qualifications stated in the documents, provided the educational establishments which awarded the state-recognized diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications established in accordance with Article 13 hereof.

Article 5

Diplomas of undergraduate education awarded in the Republic of Belarus and the Republic of Kazakhstan, diplomas of non-university level higher education awarded in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation, and junior specialist diplomas (on the basis of higher education) awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan shall be recognized by the Parties and be equivalent for employment in accordance with the profession and qualifications stated in the documents, provided the educational establishments which awarded the diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

Article 6

Diplomas of incomplete higher education awarded in the Kyrgyz Republic and the Russian Federation and certificates of incomplete higher education awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan shall be recognized by the Parties for further education on the territory of the Party states.

Article 7

Higher education diplomas certifying the award of qualification with a four years’ normative education period awarded in the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, and specialist diplomas of higher education with award of profession with five years’ normative education period awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan, except for medical schools, shall be recognized by the Parties for continued higher education on the territories of the Party states, provided educational establishments which awarded the diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

Article 8

Bachelor’s degrees conferred in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Tajikistan, and diplomas of university level higher education awarded in the Russian Federation and certifying the award of a bachelor’s degree shall be recognized by the Parties for continued higher education and for employment in the territories of the Parties, provided educational establishments which awarded the diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

Article 9

Diplomas of higher education awarded in the Republic of Belarus and certifying the award of specialist and advanced specialist degrees,

diplomas of higher education awarded in the Republic of Kazakhstan and certifying the award of respective qualifications,

diplomas of higher education certifying the award of qualifications and with 5 years’ normative education period awarded in the Kyrgyz Republic,

diplomas of higher education awarded in the Russian Federation and certifying the award of respective qualifications,

diplomas of higher education awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan and certifying the award of a specialist’s degree,

shall be recognized by the Parties and be equivalent for further education, including postgraduate education, and for employment in accordance with the profession and qualifications stated therein, provided educational establishments which awarded the diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

Article 10

Master’s degrees conferred in the Republic of Belarus,

specialist’s diplomas certifying the award of a master’s degree in the Republic of Kazakhstan,

diplomas certifying the award of qualification for an academic master’s degree awarded in the Kyrgyz Republic,

diplomas of university level higher education awarded in the Russian Federation and certifying the award of a master’s degree,

higher education diplomas awarded in the Republic of Tajikistan and certifying the award of a master’s degree,

shall be recognized by the Parties and be equivalent for further education, including postgraduate education, and for employment in accordance with the sphere of training and qualifications stated therein, provided educational establishments which awarded the diplomas meet the criteria laid down by the body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications.

Article 11

Candidate of Science and Doctor of Science awards conferred in the Parties’ states shall be recognized by the Parties as equivalent in accordance with the procedures stipulated by bilateral Agreements between the states, and grant their holders the right to work on the territories of the Party states in accordance with their academic degrees.

Article 12

Certificates of Associate Professor and Professor awarded in the Parties’ states shall be recognized by the Parties as equivalent in accordance with the procedures stipulated by bilateral Agreements between the states, and grant their holders the right to work on the territories of the Party states in accordance with their academic titles.

Article 13

To fulfill this Agreement, the Parties shall establish a body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications, which shall be formed on the balance of representation by each of the Party states and shall include heads of the state educational agencies and state bodies for certification of scientists, researchers and teachers of higher qualification in the Party states.

The body for reciprocal recognition of qualifications shall make decisions on recognition of qualifications and shall act under the Regulation adopted by the Integration Committee of the Eurasian Economic Community, the Secretariat of which shall ensure activities of that body.

Article 14

State educational agencies and state bodies for certification of scientists, researchers and teachers of higher qualification of the Parties shall ensure the consistency of basic requirements for education at different levels, as well as requirements for candidates for academic degrees and titles, shall hold mutual consultations when elaborating national nomenclatures (lists) of areas and qualifications of specialists and scientists, and also when establishing degree councils on the territory of their state.

Article 15

The Parties shall promote cooperation in certifying scientists, researchers and teachers through:

establishment of equal conditions to defend a thesis by a fellow applicant of a Party at the degree council of other Parties subsequent to a request by certifying bodies of the Party where theses were prepared;

prompt instruction on any changes in national state systems for the certification of scientists, researchers and teachers of higher qualification;

exchange of respective legal acts and other materials related to certification of the above-stated persons.

Article 16

The Parties shall provide one other with regulations governing the rules of execution and issuance of diplomas, academic degree and title documents, samples and descriptions thereof, and also, when required, deliver official explanations.

Article 17

The Parties shall solve controversial issues related to application and construction hereof through consultations and negotiations.

Article 18

This Agreement shall neither revoke nor impose restrictions on other agreements operable between the Parties, nor impede the formation of new Agreements between them in elaboration of this Agreement.

Article 19

This Agreement shall not restrain any Party in recognizing and determining the equivalence of diplomas awarded in the territory of another Party and not subject hereto.

Article 20

The Parties shall coordinate their activities during multilateral international forums, conferences and meetings devoted to general issues of recognizing and determining the equivalence of diplomas, academic degree and title documents.

Article 21

This Agreement shall come into force on the date on which the fourth notification of the completion of internal procedures by the Parties is given to the Integration Committee.

Article 22

This Agreement shall be operative for a period of five years and shall be tacitly extended for another five years.

Article 23

This Agreement shall be open for accession by other states by mutual consent of the Parties.

Article 24

Any party shall have the right to withdraw from the Agreement by giving a notice thereof in writing to the Integration Committee.

The Agreement shall cease to be operative in respect of such Party after six months upon receipt of such a notice by the Integration Committee.

Done at Moscow on November 24, 1998, in a single original copy in the Russian language. The original copy shall be deposited with the integration Committee, which shall transmit a certified copy hereof to each Party.

For the Government

of the Republic of Belarus                                 S. Ling

For the Government

of the Republic of Kazakhstan                           N. Balgimbayev

For the Government

of the Kyrgyz Republic                                       Zh. Ibraimov

For the Government

of the Russian Federation                                  E. Primakov