Why is the recognition of credentials not just a matter of good will? Five theories and the Austrian case

ABSTRACTWe live in a period of heightened internationalisation of population movement for work, education, and varied forms of forced and voluntary migration. Recognition of qualifications earned by the individuals concerned is a key practical, social, and psychological issue for themselves, as well as impacting on prospective employers, host communities and nations, and a variety of political and cultural debates. This paper analyses the education and qualification system in Austria, a longstanding recipient country for migration, and develops a theoretical framework for classifying institutional procedures that can recognise foreign degrees and the results of both non-formal and informal learning. It argues that both technocratic objectives and moral claims for a quick (or centralised) simplification of these procedures are unrealistic but identifies complementary measures to improve the situation incrementally. Additionally, the paper compares five theoretical approaches – namely human capital theory, ...