On December 10, 2021, in honor of the 30th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the President of NGI "Independent Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (IQAA)" Kalanova Sh.M. was awarded with a high state award "Kurmet", signed by the President of Republic of Kazakhstan for a significant contribution to the development of higher education and international accreditation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The award was presented by Akim of the city of Nur-Sultan, Mr. Kulginov A.S.
The professional path and merits of Professor, d.p.s. Kalanova Sh.M. in the field of education and science deserve respect: from junior researcher, senior lecturer, associate professor of Karaganda State University, Cooperative Institute of the Centrosoyuz, Vice-rector for Educational and Methodological Work of the Kyzylorda Institute of Agricultural Engineers, Vice-rector for Academic Affairs of Zhambyl University and Taraz State University named after M.H. Dulati, Advisor to the Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Deputy Director of the Department of State Inspection and Monitoring, Deputy Director of the Administrative Department of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Director of the National Accreditation Center of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to the Deputy of Center for Strategic Research and Analysis of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Sholpan Murtazovna completed a 10-month scientific internship in the GDR (Humboldt University in Berlin and the Academy of Sciences of the GDR), a 3-month internship in the USA (Indiana University in Bloomington) and a one-month internship in the education system in South Korea (Seoul, KOICA).
Kalanova Sh.M. is one of the organizers of the creation of JSC "Information and Analytical Center" of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and its first head.
With her active participation, while working at the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan the section on "National Education Quality Assessment System" of the State Program for the Development of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2005-2010 was developed.
During her work in the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kalanova Sh.M. was personally responsible for finalizing and introducing the State Program for the Development of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2011-2020. At the initiative of Kalanova Sh.M. and with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, changes were made to the sections of secondary, technical, vocational and higher education in the State Program for 2011-2020. She took part in the development of the education section of the Strategic Development Plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2020. She took an active part in the development of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Science", being a member of the working group under the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2011.
In 2017-2018, she was an expert of the working group responsible for the development of the draft Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on "Amendments and Additions to some legislative acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the expansion of academic and managerial independence of higher education institutions".
Working as the head of JSC "Information and Analytical Center", Kalanova Sh.M. paid great attention to Kazakhstan's cooperation with international organizations, thus with her personal participation, the first three cooperation agreements were signed between the Ministry of Education and the OECD Education Committee. The first international review of secondary education in the Republic of Kazakhstan was prepared by OECD experts with her direct participation.
Kalanova Sholpan Murtazovna is a pioneer of the introduction of the procedure of independent accreditation of educational organizations in Kazakhstan and the national Kazakhstan rating of higher educational institutions. In 2008, Sh.M. Kalanova established the first independent agency for quality assurance in education in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
In 2018, for the first time in the CIS countries, the Agency, under the leadership of Kalanova Sh.M., held the General Assembly of European Accreditation Agencies - ENQA. In October 2021, the INQAAHE General Assembly selected the Independent Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (IQAA) as the organizer for the INQAAHE Conference in 2023.
The award "Kurmet" for the entire IQAA team is a confirmation of the success and effectiveness of work, and recognition of significant results of the Agency's activities.
The IQAA team sincerely and cordially congratulates the President of the Agency Kalanova Sholpan Murtazovna with the award, and wishes happiness, health, long life and success in the implementation of the most important project for the agency and for the entire education system - the international accreditation of educational organizations and educational programs of all levels!
Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan 
Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic 
