Cabinet decides Maldives will become a party to two international conventions of UNESCO

The Cabinet has decided that the Maldives should become a party to two international UNESCO treaties: the "Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education" (Tokyo Convention) and the "Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education."

The Cabinet reached this decision following deliberations on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development during a Cabinet meeting held on Sunday, October 1st.

The President's Office noted that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided to seek parliamentary approval for this matter, as it is a requirement under Article 93(a) of the Constitution.

UNESCO has conducted a national assessment titled "National Assessment of the Benefits and Implications of Ratifying the Global Convention and Tokyo Convention" to evaluate the impact of joining these two treaties.

Furthermore, in collaboration with UNESCO, the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) has conducted a mission to gather feedback from relevant stakeholders and held focus group meetings involving various representatives from the sector.

The UNESCO assessment report highlights that the Maldives' participation in these conventions will facilitate the elevation of the nation's higher education sector to international standards. Furthermore, it will streamline the process for international students and academic staff to relocate to the Maldives. According to the President's Office, the report also notes that this will provide Maldivian students with greater opportunities to pursue studies abroad and return to the country with internationally recognized qualifications.