Recognition Network project carried out by Economic Research and Social Solidarity Foundation of the Balkan Immigrants (BİSAV) to seek a solution for the recognition and equivalence problems between Turkey and Bulgaria in terms of education, is coming to an end.

The project’s closing conference which interests around 800 thousand people in Turkey who have dual citizenship, was held with the participation of Ministry for European Union Project Implementation Director Bülent Özcan, Ankara Bulgaria Ambassador Nadezhda Nikolova NEYNSKY, Vocational Qualifications Institute Vıce President Metin Karaman, AKP members of parliament for Amasya Haluk İpek and for Bursa Hakan Çavuşoğlu attended the meeting. The closing activity in which the project results were shared, continued with the vocational qualifications panel. The activity ended with a session about the expansion of project results.

What was achieved in the project?

BİSAV and its Bulgarian partner Alliance for Regional and Civil Initiatives first reviewed, studied and compared the occupations in both countries to contribute to mutual recognition. Systems in the countries were examined carefully and experts were consulted. On this basis, counselling guidelines were prepared as one of the most important outputs of the project. 9 seminars -four in Turkey and five in Bulgaria- were organized. Various awareness raising and publicity activities were carried out.

Another very important output was the establishment of two offices –Vocational Recognition Information Centres (METBİM)- one in Ankara and one in Sofia providing free information and counselling services. For the sustainability of the project, METBİM will continue to provide information and counselling services after the project is completed. However, after the project completion, these services will be provided for a small fee. People will also use these services through online applications via the web site established under the project: www.metbim.org.