For the purposes of this Convention, the term "higher education institutions" means:

(a)

Universities;

(b)

The other institutions of higher education officially recognised for the purposes of this Convention by the competent authorities of the Party in whose territory they are situated.

(1) The Parties, to the extent that on their territory the State is the competent authority in this field, shall recognize any period of study by a student in a higher education institution of another Party as equivalent to A similar period in its original establishment, provided that

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A prior agreement has been concluded between, on the one hand, the institution of higher education of origin or the competent authority of the Party where that institution is situated and, on the other, the institution of higher education or the authority The competent authority of the Party in whose territory the period of study has been carried out;

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That the authorities of the higher education institution where the period of study has been carried out have issued a certificate attesting that the student has completed the study period to their satisfaction.

2. The duration of the study period referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be determined by the competent authorities of the Party on which the higher education institution of origin is located.

The Parties shall, to the extent that on their territory the institutions of higher education constitute the competent authority in this respect, transmit the text of this Convention to the authorities of the institutions in question on their territory And encourage them to look sympatheally and apply the principles set out in s. 2.

The provisions of this Convention shall not affect those of the European Convention on the Equivalence of Periods of University Study, opened for signature in Paris on 15 December 1956.

1. This Convention shall be open for signature by the member States of the Council of Europe and other States Parties to the European Cultural Convention, which may express their consent to be bound by:

(a)

Signature without reservation of ratification, acceptance or approval, or

(b)

Signature, subject to ratification, acceptance or approval, followed by ratification, acceptance or approval.

2. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date on which two member States of the Council of Europe have expressed their consent to be bound by the Convention Pursuant to the provisions of s. 5.

(2) For any signatory State which subsequently expresses its consent to be bound by the Convention, it shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date of signature or the filing of The instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval.

After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any non-member State of the Council and the European Economic Community to accede to this Convention by a decision taken By a majority provided for in s. 20.d of the Statute of the Council of Europe ¹ And unanimously by the representatives of the Contracting States having the right to sit on the Committee.

2. For any acceding State or the European Economic Community in the event of accession, the Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date of deposit of the instrument of accession. Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

(1) Any State may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, designate the territory or territories to which this Convention shall apply.

2. Any State may, at any other time thereafter, by a declaration addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, extend the application of this Convention to any other territory designated in the declaration. The Convention shall enter into force in respect of that territory on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date of receipt of the declaration by the Secretary General.

(3) Any declaration made under the two preceding paragraphs may be withdrawn, in respect of any territory designated in that declaration, by notification addressed to the Secretary General. The withdrawal shall take effect on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of one month after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary General.

1. Any Party may, at any time, denounce this Convention by sending a notification to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

(2) Denunciation shall take effect on the first day of the month following the expiration of a period of six months after the date of receipt of the notification by the Secretary General.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the Council, to the other Parties to the European Cultural Convention, to any State which has acceded to this Convention and to the European Economic Community acceding to:

(a)

Any signature;

(b)

The deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;

(c)

Any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with its art. 6 and 7;

(d)

Any other act, notification or communication relating to this Convention.

In witness whereof, The undersigned, duly authorized to that effect, have signed this Convention.

Done at Rome, on 6 November 1990, in English and French, both texts being equally authentic, in a single copy which shall be deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit certified copies to each member state of the Council of Europe, to the other States Parties to the European Cultural Convention and to any State or Economic Community European invited to accede to this Convention.

(Suivent signatures)