IQAA signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the UK

On August 25, 2021, the Independent Agency for Quality Assurance in Education in Kazakhstan (IQAA) and the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the UK (QAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding. QAA agency, founded in 1997, is one of the leading agencies in the world dedicated to ensuring academic standards in the UK higher education and is involved in the international development of standards and quality.

Douglas Blackstock, Chief Executive of QAA, noted that the signing of an agreement with IQAA, with which QAA shares common missions and organizational goals in striving for high-quality higher education, is important for joint cooperation. The head of the QAA also emphasized that the partnership with IQAA will allow consulting on the improvement of standards and criteria of institutional accreditation, and producing reports targeted to the UK higher education providers on the regulatory context for transnational education in Kazakhstan.

Prof. Sholpan Kalanova, President of IQAA, focused on the exchange of experiences in the field of assessment and accreditation of educational institutions, the benefits of joint work of the two agencies in ensuring the quality of education at universities in both countries of the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan, as well as the exchange of information, professional development of employees and experts, who participate in accreditation.

QAA and IQAA support the quality culture development in higher education, as both organizations are members of the International Network of Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education (INQAAHE), the main goal of which is to develop international experience in quality assurance in higher education.

In particular, the promotion of academic integrity and the development of the system of transnational higher education in Kazakhstan are issues that are considered by both agencies. The cooperation has a great potential and is aimed at achieving success in an international partnership through effective interactions.