NQF inventory - Uzbekistan

While a formal NQF per se does not exist, there are NQF-type instruments such as the State education standards and national classifiers.
These provide a structure of defined and validated qualifications, awarded at defined levels and specify how qualifications relate to each other and thus how a learner can progress between them. In higher education, level structures are similar to the
Bologna framework.

Developments in the country’s education system take into account consideration of the European qualifications framework (EQF) and Bologna discussions, but currently there is no explicit intention to emulate neighbouring countries in pursuing a full NQF.

The State education standards (SES) define requirements for the quality of personnel training and education content; ensure a sufficient and necessary level of student training and qualification requirements of graduates of education establishments; determine academic workload and the procedures and mechanisms for evaluating the activities of education establishments and the quality of personnel training. SESs are a basis for preparing other normative documents, regulating
the education process and evaluating the activities of education establishments.
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The Classifier of directions and specialties of higher education is a part of the unified system of classification and coding of information. The renewed classifier is being developed in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan #1553 issued on the 20 May 2011: On measures for strengthening the material and technical base of higher education institutions and the fundamental improvement of the quality of training of qualified specialists. The Classifier is based on the Law on Education and the National programme of personnel training and constructed in accordance with the principles of international standard classification of education (ISCED) adopted by UNESCO in March 1997.
The Renewed classifier of the main working and serving profession’ is the instrument used for systematising the main titles of working and serving professions, determining the range of tariff ranks and position categories for working and serving professions, and requirements for the level and area of education.
The national classifier code assigns codes to all exit qualifications.
SESs and the Classifier of directions and specialties of higher education currently provide a structure of defined and nationally accredited qualifications, which are awarded at defined levels, indicate the interrelationships of the qualifications and how one can progress from one level to another. The SESs and higher education classifier are, therefore, the route through which the country brings education and training together in a single unified system. Moreover, they provide a framework, which assures a nationally recognised quality standard and consistent training standards and provide a way of structuring existing and new qualifications.
 

The State education standards have implicit levels, including secondary, bachelor, master, and graduate. No numeric values are yet assigned to levels.

The Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers On the development and introduction of education standards in the system of continuous education, is related to State education standards, which set the subject area-specific qualifications framework for all specialties listed in the Renewed classifier of main working and serving professions and in the Classifier of directions and specialties of higher education. This document sets clear descriptors of what graduates at bachelor and master level should possess in terms of skills and knowledge. This document can be compared to the level descriptors used in other European countries, but the main difference is that it addresses only exit level descriptors rather than each level within the programmes.

A general definition is included in the qualification requirements, which set out descriptions of the general knowledge and level of professional readiness of graduates at corresponding stages of continuous education.

There is not yet sufficient development of the NQF to say that there is easier access to qualifications or clear progression routes. However, the SESs provide links between higher education and VET and thereby some progression. There is no credit system yet.

Qualifications and curricula are adopting learning outcomes approaches. An example is the State education standard for foreign languages, already
implemented in schools and colleges.
 

No decision has yet been made on the scope of any NQF.

There is no NQF law at present.

Governance and institutional arrangements for the NQF
The Ministry of Public Education and the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialised Education are responsible for qualifications.
Higher education and VET are closely linked, so there is movement and exchange of students between them.

Stakeholders are involved in the Country’s qualification system, contributing
particularly to the development of qualifications. In addition to ministries, actors include providers, students, parents, employers and professional associations. Examples of stakeholder influence include updates to VET provider curricula, on the
advice of employers and others. VET colleges are also usually well-linked to local employers.
612 GLOBAL INVENTORY OF REGIONAL AND NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS FRAMEWORKS
 

All MHSSE activities are funded by the State or through other sources not prohibited by law. Funding of NQF development is currently limited, due to the plans for introducing the full NQF not being finalised. An NQF will need donor support.

The process of developing and approving State education standards, qualification requirements and other normative documents, internal quality control and monitoring is implemented under the coordination of the Ministry of Higher and Secondary Specialised Education. At the same time, the external quality control, attestation and accreditation of education establishments are implemented by the State testing centre (STC) under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan. A review is done periodically by the STC and as a result a recommendation for each education establishment is issued. In general, the main task of the STC in this is to determine the comparability of existing potential, experience, level of qualification and preparedness and other capabilities of the education establishment under review to qualifications awarded to its graduates. Education establishments that fail to pass attestation or fail to receive accreditation within the framework of existing legislation can be closed. One element of quality assurance, referred to above, is strong employer input to curricula and qualifications, so that this provides some degree of labour market relevance to new qualifications.
The ministries are careful to consult employers and also bring in foreign experts to advise on some aspects of qualification design.
 

All State education standards, classifiers and qualification requirements are available in open access through relevant ministry websites and can be obtained using the e-government portal (594). New services, registers and databases are constantly (594) www.my.gov.uz being developed and become available through the internet. However, these services or registers are not linked to an NQF.

Given the limited progress of NQF plans, there are no mechanisms to monitor the NQF’s development.

The NQF is at an ad hoc stage, so has had no impact yet on citizens or institutions.