In the framework of the project run by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank "The Modernization of Vocational and Technical Education", the Independent Kazakh Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (IQAA) held a republican seminar and a round table "The Independent National Accreditation of Vocational and Technical Educational organizations" on December 14, 2012.

The seminar included the following reports:

1. The  Independent  National  Accreditation  of  Vocational  and Technical Educational Organizations: a New Educational Strategy in the Context of International Trends.

Sholpan Kalanova

Scientific director of the Independent Kazakh Agency for Quality Assurance in Education

2. The Modern Trends in Accreditation

Serban Iosifesku

Chairman of the Romanian Agency for Quality Assurance in pre-university education, international expert (Romania)

3. Quality Assurance and Accreditation in the System of Vocational and Technical Education

Yochka Anastasova

International expert (Bulgaria)

4. The National Accreditation Model of Educational Organizations: the Stages of Formation, Standards, Process

Mariyam Mukatova

Executive Director of the Independent Kazakh Agency for Quality Assurance in Education

Sholpan Kalanova, the scientific director of the Independent Kazakh Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, and Kuralay Akimkul, the coordinator of "The Modernization of Vocational and Technical Education" project run by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the World Bank moderated the round table.

The representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, the World Bank, the "Kasіpkor" fund; international experts (Bulgaria, Romania), national experts, directors and deputy directors of colleges of the country took part in the seminar and round table. The total number of participants constituted 102 people.

Following issues were discussed during the round table:

• The project of the internal and external evaluation of VET institutions standard;
• The procedures for institutional accreditation of educational institutions.

The discussion was attended by:

• Yochka Anastasova, international expert;
• Serban Iosifesku, international expert;
• Alexander Lu, Director of the Semey College of Transport;
• Victor Starunov, Director of the Astana Polytechnic College;
• Serikbay Kadyrov, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of Technical and economic College of Kostanay Engineering and Economics University after M. Dulatov;
• Gulshat Uvakassova, Director of the Almaty Teсhnologу and Economic college
• Assemgul Nurgazinova, Deputy Director of the College at the Pavlodar State University after S. Toraygyrov, etc.

The participants of the round table gave their recommendations on the introduction of amendments to The Standards for Internal and External Evaluation of VET Institutions.

Below you can find some materials from this seminar:

1. Overview of methodologies and procedures for international and national accreditation of technical and vocational education (VET) organizations - in Russian.

2. Presentation «Current trends in accreditation – general overview» (in English), Serban Iosifescu.

3. Presentation – «Independent National Accreditation of Technical and Vocational education organizations: new educational strategy in the context of international trends», Sholpan Kalanova.