Change of the legislation under the influence of the Bologna process.
Multilevel structure of preparation of specialists with higher education (degrees of the bachelor and the master) has been entered in 1992 in the first Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « On Education ». However in 2003 the new law was passed in which many positions were reconsidered in view of principles of Bologna Process.
The concept of two-level higher education is introduced: the base higher (the bachelor, 4 years) and full higher (the master, 2 years) - in parallel with full higher education with 5 (6) years for education. Such approach was the compelled measure since the labour market is yet not ready to accept the academic degrees, and the higher education has not yet elaborated the designation of new programs.
The status of bachelors and masters is not yet certain in lists of staff and duty regulations of the majority of enterprises and organizations.
These degrees have not got accustomed in industrial sphere and in agriculture. In this connection agrarian and technical colleges have reduced release of bachelors and masters, having given more attention to engineering preparation of specialists with education of 5 years. However in economic and humanitarian spheres degrees of bachelor and master extend and become demanded on a labour market more and more.
On the other hand, presence of a legislative opportunity to prepare specialists acccording to traditional system does not mean radical change of structure of a labour market. The degree of the bachelor as a base level in understanding of the employer and the student assumes continuation of education. Therefore everyone aspire to receive full higher education, at the best to become « the certificated specialist ». Or after reception of a degree of the bachelor it is common to go to magistracy. It is necessary that "bachelor" should become a level sufficient for professional work.
The release of the certificated specialists from higher educational institutions is presented in Table 10.
Table 10
Release in higher educational institutions by levels of the received education (on the beginning of 2003-2004
|
State HEIs |
Private HEIs |
|
In total people |
In % to the general release |
In total people |
In % to the general release |
| In total |
30848 |
100 |
2462 |
100 |
| Including have received the diploma: of the expert with incomplete higher education |
484 |
1.6 |
- |
- |
| Bachelor |
2759 |
8,9 |
599 |
24.3 |
| Expert with higher education |
27095 |
87,8 |
1805 |
79.3 |
| Master |
540 |
1.7 |
58 |
2.4 |
Since 1994 the State Inspection on Licensing and Certification of educational establishments is created at the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic. It carries out the state certification of HEIs and their educational programs. The state certification is made once each five years and is put for consideration of the Board of the Ministry of Education. According to the Law «On Education » institutional and program certification are stipulated. By results of passage of certification the certificate on the right of delivery of the document on education of the state sample is given.
Certification is preceded with procedure of HEI self-inspection that assumes full audit of the activity by HEI itself. The HEI prepares for the report of self-inspection according to the program of the state certification and represents it to a certifying commission created by the Ministry of Education.
The Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « On Education » in national system of content of quality stipulates procedure of accreditation. It can be both state, and public-state. Till present time these procedures are not entered into practice by virtue of absence of the corresponding potential and resources, however already there are elements of their development. Some HEIs try to participate in the international procedures of accreditation.
Thus, Academy of Management under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Bishkek Financial and Economic Academy established relations with accrediting agencies for business-programs. In republic there exists Association of bookkeepers, which certifies the right of conducting professional work in the field of audit. Elements of the international certification are entered into this procedure since the association was created by the project financed by USAID/CARANA.
Unfortunately, in Kyrgyzstan it has not yet adopted practice of invitation of international experts for estimation of quality or for participation in procedure of accreditation of HEIs. The activity connected with introduction of innovative, information technologies in estimation of quality of education is not yet practiced.
Mobility of students.
The international cooperation and foreign trade activities in the field of education are carried out in conformity with article 49 of the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « On Education ».
Normative-legal base of work with foreign students is presented: by the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « On Education », The Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « About an external migration », by the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic « About a legal status of foreign citizens », Regulation on education of foreign citizens in the organizations of the higher vocational education the Kyrgyz Republic and other statutory acts.
Education, retraining and improvement of professional skills of citizens of other states, and also citizens of Kyrgyzstan, is carried out under interstate agreements and under contracts with the educational organizations or with separate citizens.
In the field of education of the Kyrgyz Republic communications with more than 60 countries are established. The contractual legal base of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of education is presented by more than 75 agreements within the limits of which activities on exchange of students are carried out. According to the information of HEIs of the Kyrgyz Republic, about 230 interuniversity agreements between HEIs of the Kyrgyz Republic and foreign HEIs are signed today. It is necessary to note, that on the basis of these agreements there is an active exchange of students, and the above-named agreements have very wide geographical direction.
Citizens of foreign countries are trained almost in all educational organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic, and not only in capital of the state, but also in regions (Naryn State University, Kyrgyz-Uzbek University, Batken State University, the Karakol State University, etc.)
Joint educational establishments on the basis of intergovernmental agreements, such Kyrgyz-Russian (Slavic) University, Kyrgyz-Turkish University "Manas", American University of Central Asia, Kyrgyz-Uzbek University carry out educational activity in the Kyrgyz Republic. Diplomas of these establishments are valid both in Kyrgyzstan, and in those countries with which agrrements are concluded.
Table 11
Quantity of the foreign students trained in educational establishments of the Kyrgyz Republic (in total - 11338 students)
| Name of organization |
# Of students |
Additional data |
| 1 |
2 |
3 |
| Kyrgyz-Uzbek University |
5601 people |
(96% of foreign students- citizens of Republic Uzbekistan) |
| Kyrgyz State Pedagogical University |
1536 |
(From distant abroad - 88 people, from near abroad - 1488) |
| Batken State University |
832 |
Citizens of Republic Uzbekistan and Republic Tajikistan |
| Kyrgyz National University named after Jusup Balasagyn |
658 |
(From near abroad - 455 people, from distant abroad - 203 it is basicly citizens of Turkey and CPR) |
| Osh State University |
642 |
Almost 50% of all foreign students from distant abroad - citizens of Turkey and Pakistan. Near abroad: 89% - citizens of Tukmenistan, others- citizens of Tajikistan |
| Kyrgyz-Turkish University "Manas" |
545 |
Basicly citizens of Turkey |
| Kyrgyz Technical University named after I.Razzakov |
352 |
Students from near abroad- 327, from distant abroad-25. The basic quantity of foreign students- citizens of Kazakhstan |
| Kyrgyz State Medical Academy |
252 |
Basicly citizens of India, Pakistan, Siria |
| American University in Central Asia |
218 |
Here are trained citizens of USA, France, Germany, PRC, Kazakhstan, by the line of Fund “Aga-Han” - citizens of Turkmenistan and Tajikistan |
| Bishkek Humanities University |
190 people |
Citizens of the PRC make about 50 % from all foreign students. The others from Turkey, Jordan, Uzbekistan |
| Jalalabat State University |
108 |
Citizens of the Turkey make about 40 % from foreign students. The others - citizens of Republics -of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, Siria |
| Kyrgyz-Rassian (Slavic) University |
85 |
Almost in an identical parity citizens of Pakistan, PRC, South Korea, Germany, Turkey. From the Republic of Tajikistan - 43 person by the direction of Aga-Han Fund |
| "Ataturk- Alatoo"- International University |
83 |
The basic structure - citizens of Turkey |
| Kyrgyz State University of Construction Transportation and Architecture |
65 |
A plenty of students are the citizens of Turkmenistan. From distant abroad-13 people |
| International University of Kyrgyzstan |
76 |
Citizens of Turkey, India, PRC, Turkmenistan, Afganistan |
| Issik-kul State University |
34 |
Basicly citizens of Russia and Turkey |
| Naryn State University |
32 |
Citizens of Turkey |
| Kyrgyz National Konservatory |
19 |
Citizens of South Korea |
| Talas State University |
11 |
Citizens of Kazakhstan |
| East University named after M.Kashgary-Barskany |
7 |
Citizens of Kazakhstan |
Analysis of situation with foreign students gives the following picture:
The educational system of the Kyrgyz Republic is attractive to the students of Turkish Republic (favorable conditions for bilateral cooperation are created).
In the international market there is a demand for education in HEIs of Kyrgyzstan in a medical direction: from Pakistan 362 citizens, from India 80, from Nepal 31 are trained.
On the basis of intergovernmental, interdepartmental and interuniversity agreements of the Kyrgyz Republic with the Chinese National Republic in the educational organizations of Kyrgyzstan the quantity of citizens of the Chinese National Republic every year increases. They prefer to receive humanitarian education.
In Kyrgyzstan citizens of the advanced countries are also trained (Japan, France, USA, Germany, etc.). It speaks about high enough level of education system of the Kyrgyz Republic.
From the countries of the "near abroad" almost half of all foreigners - citizens of Republic of Uzbekistan. They are basically students of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek University as now is valid and is realized only one bilateral agreement - the Agreement between the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Government of Republic of Uzbekistan about change of the status of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek higher college in Osh city.
Other agreements also are signed within the frame of the Commonwealth of Independent States. Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan prefer technical education. About 300 citizens of Kazakhstan are trained at the Kyrgyz National Technical University. In the educational organizations of the Kyrgyz Republic a plenty of citizens of Turkmenistan and Republic Tajikistan study.
Table 12
Students of HEIs of Kyrgyz Republic, trained abroad, in 2004-2005 educational year
| # |
Countries |
Quantity |
# |
Countries |
Quantity |
| 1 |
Belgium |
3 |
16 |
Livia |
1 |
| 2 |
Grate Britian |
20 |
17 |
Malaysia |
1 |
| 3 |
Germany |
40 |
18 |
Pakistan |
4 |
| 4 |
Holland |
1 |
19 |
Poland |
2 |
| 5 |
Egypt |
1 |
20 |
Russia |
26 |
| 6 |
Israel |
1 |
21 |
Saudi Arabia |
1 |
| 7 |
India |
10 |
22 |
USA |
57 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
Iran |
1 |
23 |
Tailand |
1 |
| 9 |
Spain |
1 |
24 |
Turkey |
125 |
| 10 |
Italy |
3 |
25 |
Ukraine |
6 |
| 11 |
Canada |
1 |
26 |
France |
33 |
| 12 |
Kazakhstan |
11 |
27 |
Croatia |
1 |
| 13 |
PRC |
12 |
28 |
Sweden |
2 |
| 14 |
South Korea |
2 |
29 |
Estonia |
|
| 15 |
Latvia |
2 |
30 |
Yugoslavia |
1 |
|
|
|
31 |
Japan |
4 |
| In total - 376 |
The Bologna Declaration assumes essential development of mobility of teaching and other personnel of HEIs, participation in the all-european research and education on modern educational technologies. The European cooperation has received development in such directions as development of criteria and methods of assessment of works, creation of programs and cooperation of educational institutions, development of schemes of mobility and of integrated programs of education, carrying out research.
Wide mobility of teachers to European HEIs was given by programs TEMPUS/TACIS. Many teachers of HEIs participate in structural and individual projects, have an opportunity to communicate with the colleagues abroad, to study experience of their work. Some HEIs have interuniversity agreements with foreign universities under which invite foreign professors on an exchange for work or for lecturing.
Unfortunately, the full statistics for last ten years is not available. However only in 2003-2004 more than 30 teachers passed traning abroad, including in the USA - 6 persons, in the Chinese People's Republic - 4 and in India - 1.
Students and educational process.
Students do not participate in development of the state educational standards of higher education, however since 2001 in standards is allocated about 10 % from all educational program for courses at the choice of students. Thus, students are given the right to form the educational program on 10 % depending on their interests (but from the courses given by HEI).
The questioning of students is practiced by many HEIs allowing them to express opinion about level of teaching.
In some nonstate HEIs (American University of Central Asia, Institute of Strategic Information Technologies in Education), elective courses are formed based on opinion of students. Thus students are given opportunity of active influence on the content of education.
Toolkit of Bologna Process.
After 2000 under the initiative of HEIs, within the limits of various projects of the European Union (Tempus, Tacis) a number of meetings and conferences on discussion of the problems connected with introduction of credit technologies and connection to Bologna Process was held. For the decision of these problems and development of the general recommendations for transition of HEIs to ECTS system, within the limits of carrying out of actions on rapproachement with Bologna process, in 2004 the expert group of representatives of seven pilot HEIs for development of the experimental curriculum in a direction of "Economy" on credit system has been created.
By the decision of the Board of the Ministry of Education « About carrying out an experiment on the organization of educational process on credit technologies in pilot HEIs » from 9/24/2004 №11/5 experiment on the basis of seven HEIs since 2004 has being performed: Kyrgyz National University named after J.Balasagyn, International University of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek State University of Economy and Business, Academy of Management under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic, Osh Technological University, Naryn State University, Bishkek Financial and Economic Academy. This experiment is led on the basis of the Memorandum signed between the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic, Association of Establishments of Education «EdNet», the National Office of the program of EU " Tempus-Tacis " and Working group under the President of the Kyrgyz Republic on integration of HEIs of Kyrgyzstan in Bologna process from July 1st, 2004. While participation in the joint project « Creation of experimental convergent curriculum in a direction «Economy » in pilot HEIs of the Kyrgyz Republic » HEIs should develop an Information package of documents on introduction of credit technology in educational process and present it upon termination of experiment.
Within the limits of experiment HEIs should fulfil the mechanism of introduction of credit system in educational process, study the problems revealed during introduction of system, work out the questions of adaptation of credit system in conditions of Kyrgyzstan taking into account available educational programs and give proposals on development of normative and instructive-methodological documents.
Some private HEIs (Academy TeachEx, American University of Central Asia, etc.) try independently to enter the world educational market through application in educational process of various systems of recognition of credits and filling appendices to the diploma in credits (Diploma Supplement).
Eng