Preparation for specialized accreditation of educational programs

In May, 2011 at university the Strategy on specialized accreditation of educational programs was approved. According to this Strategy an analysis of international accreditation agencies and their criteria, the analysis and a comparison characteristics of acting educational programs of university was conducted. In July, 2011 a seminar “International accreditation of educational programs” was passed for vice-rectors, deans and heads of departments.

In November, 2011 on the analysis result an application was filed to a German agency ASIIN for accreditation of educational programs cluster: 5В071600 Instrument Engineering, 5В071800 Electrical Power Engineering, 6М071800 Electrical Power Engineering. In spring 2012 much work on a contract agreement for accreditation among university and the German agency ASIIN have been done. New general and subject-specific accreditation criteria of ASIIN were translated from German.

In January, 2012 a training seminar on ASIIN criteria, a content of accreditation stages, requirements for self-assessment and report was organized for teachers and workers of EMF and ITF.

In February, 2012 by rector’s odder a Working group was created, Plan of preparation for accreditation of educational programs’ cluster was developed and approved.

According to the approved plan the department of energetic and instrument-making conducted the self-assessment of programs in correspondence with ASIIN requirements. On the self-assessment result a report was drawn up, which was sent ASIIN in the beginning of July, 2012.

On preparation for accreditation working groups for development of accrediting programs were created, which consist of representatives of industrial environment. Modularization of programs was carried out, modular and personnel reference books were made. Several new contracts were made, SRDP on scholarships of the Ministry of education and science of the Republic of Kazakhstan were activated by the department of energetic and instrument-making. Elements of learning activity were detected, which would be realized in English, for strengthening an international component. English courses were organized for teachers of departments of energetic and instrument-making, radio mechanic and electronics, information systems.

Report on self-assessment on requirements of agency includes:

• application and self-assessment results of three above programs on the basic criteria (90 pages);
• four modular reference books;
• personnel reference book with information about 44 teachers;
• more than 20 supplements (regulations, rules, etc.).

In October, 2012 on pre-ex results recommendations and propositions on the report improvement were made by experts of ASIIN agency. The main recommendations and commentaries of ASIIN were connected with credits and disciplines allocation for semesters, transfer credits in ESTC, and demanded much work on modification of educational documentation.

ASIIN experts visited university on April 16-18, 2013. Within the visit a meeting of experts was hold with administration of university, teachers, students and managers of energy companies. Experts explored normative and organization-methodic documents of educational programs, work programs of disciplines, models of students and graduate qualifying works, education-methodic complexes and other materials, provided by the HEI in audit.

When assessment quality of educational programs ASIIN experts noted the following high-level moments:

• quality of theoretical training of students on fundamental disciplines;
• level of planning of students’ practical training in laboratories and control an acquisition knowledge, abilities and competences while doing laboratory works;
• the high motivation of academic staff and students;
• the high level of consulting support of students;
• the high level of academic staff and students contact, good developed dialogue between them;
• the high level of planning of an education process.

University was provided with the first variant of the report on experts’ examination in July, 2013 and it consisted of several commentaries and recommendations. On results of this report works have done on improvement curriculum, development European Addendum to diploma of graduates.