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June 11, 2013

The Commission on Higher Education of the Republic of the Philippines (henceforth: CHED) and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports of the Kingdom of Spain (henceforth: MECD), hereinafter referred to singularly as “the Signatory” and collectively as “the Signatories”;

DESIRING to further advance cooperation in the field of education in accordance with the Agreement on Cultural, Sports and Educational Cooperation between the Republic of the Philippines and the Kingdom of Spain, signed on 03 December 2007 in Madrid;

RECOGNIZING the importance of strengthening their countries’ cultural and educational relations and of promoting cooperation and exchanges between them;

Have agreed as follows:

1
PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF APPLICATION

 
1. The purpose of this Agreement is to promote the mutual recognition of studies (including partial studies), academic programs and academic correspondences, which have official validity within the respective educational systems of the Signatories and to facilitate access to each other’s institutions of higher education.
 
2. This Agreement is applicable to study programs that have official validity within the educational system of the other Signatory, as well as to the certificates, transcripts, diplomas, and academic levels evidencing the said studies in accordance with the legal systems of the Signatories.

2
UNIVERSITY ADMISSIONS

 
1. The Signatories shall recognize, in accordance with their domestic laws, the transcripts and official records certifying that their corresponding nationals have successfully completed secondary education. Where students meet the academic requirements of the education system of one of the Signatories in order to gain admission to a university, the students may likewise be admitted, on the basis of reciprocity, to the universities of the other Signatory.
 
2. This shall be without prejudice to compliance with the requirements, as the case may be, under their respective domestic legal systems in the case of university studies where it is necessary to pass certain admission requirements, as well as adequate knowledge of the language in which classes are to be given.

3
RECOGNITION OF HIGHER EDUCATION STUDIES AND ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

 
1. A Signatory shall, in accordance with its domestic laws, recognize the other Signatory’s official higher-education programs followed at higher-education academic institutions. This recognition shall be applicable in all cases where the said qualifications are equivalent in terms of academic level, and to the conditions and contents laid down as compulsory in the study programs in force in the system of the Signatory granting recognition.
 
2. Recognition shall have such academic effects as are conferred by each Signatory on its own official qualifications, without prejudice to compliance with all non-academic requirements that must be met in accordance with their respective domestic laws.
 
3. If the studies and study programs completed in the education system of one Signatory do not have a direct equivalent in the education system of the other Signatory, such other Signatory shall recognize the corresponding academic level in accordance with its own legislation.
 
4. For these purposes, Annex I to this Agreement contains the structure of the university studies of each of the Signatories.
 
5. The officially recognized Universities and Higher Education Institutions for each Signatory shall be as follows:   
        
   1. For the Philippine side, those higher-education academic centres authorized by the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines, as stated in the Education Acts and further regulations; and
        
   2. For the Spanish side, those defined at Article 3 of the Ley Organica 6/2001, of December 21, of Universities, Ley Organica 4/2007, of April 12, and authorized by the Spanish Ministry of Education.
            Both Signatories shall present to each other, in due time, with the lists of officially-recognized universities and higher education institutions. For initial purposes of this Agreement, the list of Spanish universities is included in Annex II, and the list of Philippine universities is included in Annex III.  
      
6. Under no circumstances shall such recognitions apply to professional accreditation.

4
RECOGNITION OF PARTIAL STUDIES

The recognition of partial studies or training of a particular type, level or branch of studies, where evidenced by way of a certificate, shall be carried out on the basis of the courses or materials that have been passed, and in accordance with the education system and framework of the receiving country.

5
MASTER’S AND DOCTORAL STUDIES

 
1. The universities of both Signatories may admit students who have qualified under the education system of the other Signatory to study official Master’s or Doctoral Degrees, if:   
        
   1. It is verified that the study programs correspond to a level of education and training that is equivalent to those that give access in each country to official Master’s and Doctoral programs; and     
   2. The required admission and conferment criteria are met.   
    
2. Such admission shall not amount to recognition, accreditation or homologation of the prior degree obtained in the other country, or to recognition thereof for any purposes other than admission to the Master’s and Doctoral programs.

6
ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES

 
1.   The Universities of both countries may, by way of arrangements and in accordance with their regulations, deliver joint study programs leading to joint or double degree programs.
 
2. The Signatories shall promote the execution of Agreements between their universities in order to develop joint post-graduate programs.
 
3. The preparation, requirements and approval of these programs shall be carried out in accordance with the regulations of each of the Signatories.

7
UPDATING OF EQUIVALENCE TABLES

 
1. The Signatories shall implement the necessary measures to update and review the equivalence tables which are included in the Annex 1. For this purpose a system for exchange of information on their respective education systems and study plans shall be set up through the Working Group under Point 9 of this Agreement.
 
2. The inclusion of any amendments that may be necessary in the future as a result of any innovations that may be introduced into the current education systems shall be performed by the means mentioned in Point 11 (2).

8
REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

 
1. For the recognition of the studies evidenced by certificates, transcripts, records or academic levels referred to in the above paragraphs, it shall be necessary to submit the official document evidencing the studies.
 
2. All documents submitted must be duly legalized by the authorities of both the issuing and receiving countries.

9
WORKING GROUP

 
1. A Working Group is hereby established to:   
        
   1. Facilitate the implementation of this Agreement;     
   2. Recommend, as the case may be, any reforms that may be necessary, for the implementation of this Agreement; and     
   3. Perform other functions as may be deemed necessary by the Signatories.   
   
   
2. The Working Group shall be composed of three (3) representatives from each Signatory and shall meet upon request of either Signatory, and at least once every two (2) years alternately in the territory of each Signatory, or through electronic procedures.

10
CONSULTATIONS

Should there be any divergence on the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement, the Signatories shall immediately consult with each other to settle the matter amicably.

11
ENTRY INTO FORCE

 
1. This Agreement shall come into effect on the date the Philippine Signatory notifies its entry into force to the Spanish Signatory.
 
2. Any amendment or revision to the text shall be done in writing through consent of both Signatories.
 
3. This Agreement shall be valid for an indefinite period of time, unless a Signatory expresses in writing its intention to terminate it at least a hundred and eighty days (180) prior to the intended date of termination.

This Agreement is made in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages, both texts being equally authentic

Signed in Manila, on the 23^rd day of October 2012.

Entry into Force: June 11, 2013