This article addresses the need for embedding a politics of diversity in the Irish third level educational system. This involves a move beyond the simple recognition and transfer of qualification agenda already addressed in state policy. It engages in a reflexive re-reading of dialogues with 'translocating' people who were attempting to access Irish third level institutions or attempting to transfer their qualifications to the Irish labour market. On the basis of this reading it addresses 'ethnic reflexivity' (the critique and reflection on our ethnic placement in the world in terms of the power it bestows on us) and 'translational positionality' (the positionality of the translocator engaged in the translation of knowledges and actions) in Irish third level accreditation, knowledge production and work practices.