About accreditation

The main objectives of state accreditation are as follows: 1) strengthening the accountability and responsibility of managerial staff for ensuring and further improving education quality; 2) providing comprehensive support for improving education quality and fostering a culture of quality; 3) protecting learners from low-quality education services; 4) ensuring compliance with minimum requirements for education quality; 5) enhancing public trust that education services are delivered in line with labor market needs and with appropriate quality.

An accreditation certificate is a document issued to educational institutions that have successfully passed accreditation (comprehensive) or to educational programs of educational institutions (specialized).

Accreditation organizations are international, foreign, and non-governmental accreditation organizations authorized by the Agency (NQAAE) to operate in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan and included in the register of accreditation organizations.

International accreditation is the process of accrediting educational programs by international accreditation organizations included in the register of accreditation organizations.

Comprehensive state accreditation is a process based on the results of external evaluation of educational institutions.

Educational institutions undergo comprehensive state accreditation every five years, based on the schedule approved by the Agency (NQAAE).

Specialized state accreditation is a process based on the results of external evaluation of educational programs delivered by educational institutions.

Specialized state accreditation is conducted before the start of the educational process for the relevant educational programs within educational institutions.

The stages of state accreditation are as follows: Stage 1 — application submission; Stage 2 — internal evaluation of education quality; Stage 3 — external evaluation of education quality; Stage 4 — final decision-making on state accreditation.

Applications for state accreditation are accepted electronically through the Agency’s “Accreditation” platform and, where necessary, in an approved paper format.

The following documents must be attached to an application for state accreditation: 1) a copy of the license / certificate of legal entity registration; 2) a copy of the existing accreditation certificate and report (for comprehensive state accreditation); 3) documentation confirming payment of the prescribed fee for application review; 4) details of the responsible staff member assigned to the state accreditation processes (approved by the head of the educational institution).

A permanently operating Accreditation Commission is established within the Agency (NQAAE) to review the conclusion prepared on the basis of the final report of the Expert Commission and to adopt the final decision on granting state accreditation to an educational institution (program). The composition of the Accreditation Commission is approved by an order of the Director of the Agency (NQAAE). Representatives of ministries, agencies, and organizations, employers’ representatives, learners’ representatives, and international experts may be involved in the Accreditation Commission. The Director of the Agency (NQAAE) serves as the Chair of the Accreditation Commission.

In order to achieve international recognition of their educational programs, educational institutions may, on their own initiative, obtain international accreditation from international accreditation organizations included in the register of accreditation organizations.

The results of accreditation of educational programs of joint educational institutions established with foreign states, as well as branches of foreign educational institutions operating in the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, are recognized where such programs have been accredited by the competent authority in the home country of the parent educational institution. After obtaining an accreditation certificate (or an equivalent document) confirming that their educational programs have been accredited, these educational institutions must submit a copy to the Agency (NQAAE) within two weeks. Where a program has not been accredited, or where non-compliance with state accreditation requirements is identified, the Agency (NQAAE) may initiate an unscheduled state accreditation.

If an educational institution is recognized as having “not passed state accreditation,” the following are not permitted: 1) dissemination of advertising materials related to the educational institution; 2) admission of applicants and prospective learners; 3) provision of education loans for learners (students); 4) issuance of diplomas (certificates, qualification attestations) to graduates or recognition of such documents.

An educational institution that has not passed comprehensive state accreditation is granted a period of six (6) months to address the identified shortcomings. Where the shortcomings are not remedied, the Agency (NQAAE) submits a recommendation to the relevant ministry, agency, or organization under the institution’s oversight, and, in the case of a non-governmental educational institution, to its founder, regarding whether the institution’s management should continue in office.

Learners studying at a terminated educational institution (license revoked) or within a closed educational program are transferred, in accordance with the established procedure, to corresponding or related fields of study and specialties at public or non-governmental educational institutions. This process is carried out by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation in cooperation with relevant ministries and agencies.