The Cabinet has approved the Maldives joining two UNESCO conventions on the recognition of higher education qualifications, the President's Office said on 2 November 2026.
The two are the Asia-Pacific Regional Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education, known as the Tokyo Convention, and the Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education.
The decision was made at the Cabinet meeting on Sunday 1 November, on a paper from the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development. The proposal will go to Parliament for approval, submitted by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu as Article 93(a) of the Constitution requires.
What the assessment found
UNESCO carried out a national assessment of the benefits and implications of ratifying both conventions. UNESCO and the Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) also held a mission and focus group discussions with stakeholders.
The assessment found that joining would help align the Maldives' higher education sector with international standards and make it easier for international students and academic staff to come to the country. It would also create opportunities for Maldivian students to study abroad and return home with internationally recognised qualifications.
What it could mean in plain words
Maldivian students and graduates abroad: UNESCO says countries that join commit to recognise higher-education qualifications fairly, through transparent and non-discriminatory rules. A degree earned in another member country should therefore be easier to have recognised when a graduate returns home to work or study further.
Foreign workers' degrees in the Maldives: the same fair-recognition rules would apply to degrees held by foreign staff and incoming students. The President's Office has not said how the MQA would apply them, or whether current checks on foreign qualifications would change.
Joining takes effect only after Parliament approves the proposal.