Farida Nurmanbetova, Adviser of the Eurasian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Health Care (ECAQA), took part in an international event themed “The Teaching – Faculty Nexus for Excellence: Partnerships to Enhance Quality in Higher Education”.

The conference was held as part of Nazarbayev University’s 15th anniversary. It served as an international platform for discussing innovative approaches to teaching and learning, academic leadership and quality enhancement in higher education. The programme covered the use of artificial intelligence in education, innovative teaching practices, digital transformation, inclusive learning, academic leadership and the professional development of academic staff.

The conference was organised by the NU Graduate School of Education (GSE) in collaboration with Advance HE (UK), the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA, UK), and the NU Graduate School of Public Policy, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, School of Medicine and Centre for Preparatory Studies.

The General Assembly of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA) took place on 21–23 October 2026 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The Eurasian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Health Care (ECAQA) is a full member of ENQA. The event was hosted by the Canary Islands Agency for Quality Evaluation and Accreditation (ACCUEE).

Representatives of European quality assurance agencies took part in the General Assembly. ECAQA was represented by Farida Nurmanbetova, Adviser of ECAQA and WFME Assessor.

The General Assembly considered the directions for developing the European Higher Education Area. Participants also discussed transnational education, cooperation with educational institutions and international cooperation.

During the General Assembly, Péter Levente Lakatos (MAB, Hungary) was elected President of ENQA. Varduhi Gyulazyan (ANQA, Armenia) and Ronny Heintze (AQAS, Germany) were elected as new members of the Board. Kristin Vinje (NOKUT, Norway) and Patrick Van den Bosch (VLUHR-QA, Belgium) continue to serve as Vice-Presidents. ENQA currently has 61 full members and 43 affiliate members.

Генеральная ассамблея Европейской ассоциации по обеспечению качества высшего образования (ENQA), полным членом которой является Евразийский центр аккредитации и обеспечения качества образования и здравоохранения (ЕЦА) прошла 21-23 октября 2026 года в Лас-Пальмас-де-Гран-Канария и принимающей стороной выступило Канарское агентство по оценке качества и аккредитации (ACCUEE).

В Генеральной ассамблее приняли участие представители европейских агентств по обеспечению качества образования. От имени ЕЦА участие приняла Фарида Нурманбетова, научный консультант, Асессор ВФМО.

На Генеральной ассамблее рассмотрены направления развития европейского пространства высшего образования, обсуждены вопросы транснационального образования, взаимодействие с организациями образования и международное сотрудничество.

В рамках Генеральной ассамблеи избран Президент ENQA Péter Levente Lakatos (MAB, Венгрия), избраны новые члены Совета - Varduhi Gyulazyan (ANQA, Ahvtybz) и Ronny Heintze (AQAS, Германия). Kristin Vinje (NOKUT, Норвегия) и Patrick Van den Bosch (VLUHR-QA, Бельгия) продолжают исполнять обязанности вице-президентов. На сегодняшний день ENQA объединяет 61 полных членов и 43 аффилированных членов ассоциации.

The external expert commission (EEC) was chaired by L.D. Alibekova, Deputy Director for Academic and Educational Affairs at the Higher Medical College, a state коммунal enterprise with the right of economic management under the Almaty City Public Health Department, and holder of a Master of Public Health degree, Republic of Kazakhstan.

New Directions in Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Pediatric Training in the Republic of Kazakhstan – was the title of the presentation by S.S. Sarsenbayeva, Director General of the Eurasian Centre for Accreditation and Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Health Care (ECAQA), at the international conference “Child Health and Development: Modern Approaches to Early Detection of and Intervention in Childhood Diseases”, held on 8–9 October 2026 in Almaty. This traditional international event was organised by the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Scientific Center of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, who included ECAQA’s presentation in the plenary session, highlighting the important role of quality assurance and accreditation in education and their direct impact on child health and development.

ECAQA is the first and only specialised accrediting agency for medical, pharmaceutical and nursing education in the post-Soviet space and, like no other, clearly recognises the close link between the quality of education, the training of future doctors in medical educational and research institutions, and public health, progress in the medical sciences, the quality of healthcare services and the effective protection of maternal and child health.

The aim of ECAQA’s presentation was to inform academic and research staff about the importance of accrediting medical educational institutions and educational programmes in pediatrics amid constant external and internal challenges: new viruses, the rise in chronic diseases, modern diagnostic and treatment technologies, the global digitalisation of healthcare, the introduction of artificial intelligence into medical practice, and others. The key points of S.S. Sarsenbayeva’s presentation were as follows. Today, training a modern pediatrician requires not only a high level of theoretical knowledge but also the ability to apply it in real clinical practice. The new directions aim to ensure that medical graduates are ready to solve clinical problems independently, communicate effectively with patients and their families, work in a team and observe the principles of patient safety. The quality of pediatric training is directly linked to the quality of teaching and clinical mentoring. Digitalisation should be regarded not as an end in itself but as a tool for improving the efficiency and quality of medical education. The new directions in accreditation and quality assurance in pediatric training reflect a shift from formal control of the educational process to the assessment of its actual outcomes. The main strategic goal of WFME recognition and programme evaluation is to guarantee that medical graduates have sufficient competencies for safe medical practice. The main goal of the quality system is to train pediatricians who not only have the necessary knowledge but are also able to apply it safely, professionally and on an evidence basis in providing medical care to children. The experience of ECAQA as a specialised accrediting agency has shown that accreditation has gradually moved from formal verification of an educational programme’s compliance with established requirements to the assessment of the actual quality of the educational process and its outcomes.

The site visit was conducted to assess LLP “Ermen Clinic” against the institutional accreditation standards for organizations additional and non-formal education (continuing professional development). LLP “Ermen Clinic” is undergoing re-accreditation, having previously been accredited by another accreditation agency in 2021.