THE PROBLEMS OF RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN EDUCATIONAL DOCUMENTS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION

This paper covers the study of the regulatory and legal and organizational aspects of the functioning of the applied in the Russian Federation system of recognition of education and (or) qualification got in a foreign country. The author analyses the procedure and practical experience of recognition of education and qualification in the territory of the Russian Federation and other states and presents the statistical data on the provision of services by the GlavExpertcentre that indicate the annual increase in the number of consumers of the organization. The author carries out the comparative analysis of the procedure for recognition of the education certificates in five foreign countries that allows identifying the non-competitive elements in the native procedure for recognition of education and (or) qualification. It is concluded that it is necessary to reduce the cost of a service and the time it is provided. It is suggested revising the regulations in regards to the necessity to submit the original of an education certificate in most cases requiring legalization in the consulate or through apostille. The author identifies the difficulties in the native law enforcement practice of recognition of education and (or) qualification associated with the change of education systems in foreign countries, the lack of relevant information about them, that makes it difficult to assess foreign documents. The author recommends using the more flexible approach to the assessment of qualifications obtained through the continuous monitoring of foreign educational systems and updated recommendations on the expert evaluation of foreign education documents. Possible additional assessment methods are described involving the provision of the information on the completion of educational or vocational training or on the labor experience in the acquired specialty. The conducted work allows identifying the main problems in the sphere of recognition of education and (or) qualification and proposing mechanisms for enhancing Russia’s competitiveness in this sphere.