The Benelux countries - Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - have been recognising each other's bachelors and masters degrees since 2015. Associate degrees and doctorates were added to the list in 2018. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania had a similar agreement. The two groups of countries are now joining forces. They signed a declaration of intent in 2019 for the recognition of each other's degrees. The resulting treaty was officially signed on Monday 27 September.
As a result, anyone who has obtained a higher education degree covered by the treaty in one of the Benelux countries or the Baltic States is assured that it will be recognised, automatically, in the other signatory countries. This means an end to lengthy administrative procedures and associated financial costs for students who want to study or work abroad.
Open to other countries
This is an especially important step forward for Luxembourg, given that "80% of Luxembourg students study abroad and more than 50% of students at the University of Luxembourg are foreigners", says minister for higher education, Claude Meisch (DP).
The treaty is open to the accession of other European countries, provided that "the quality requirements for automatic and generic mutual recognition of the level of diplomas are met".
This article was originally written in French for and has been translated and edited by Delano