CAAAE Development Strategy for 2026–2030
Development Strategy of the Central Asian Association for Accreditation of Education (CAAAE) for 2026–2030
1. Introduction
In view of the accumulated experience, international recognition and the growing need of Central Asian states for common approaches to education quality assurance, the Khujand and Almaty Agreements designated CAAAE as the operator of the Central Asian Federation for Quality Assurance in Education (CAFQA) and of the Central Asian Register of Accredited Educational Programmes (CAFQA Register), integrated with European databases.
Under current conditions, ensuring the comparability of educational programmes, mutual recognition of accreditation results, academic mobility of students and faculty, and the integration of national quality assurance systems is becoming one of the key factors of the region's sustainable development.
This Strategy defines the priorities, goals and directions of CAAAE's development for 2026–2030, taking into account the state education policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the international commitments of Central Asian states and European quality assurance standards.
Main strategic goal: the formation of a Common Educational Space of Central Asia through the development of a regional education quality assurance system, mutual recognition of accreditation results, integration of national quality assessment systems and enhancement of the international competitiveness of the region's educational organisations.
2. Mission and Vision
Mission. To ensure and promote a culture of education quality through the implementation of internationally recognised accreditation standards, the development of regional cooperation and the strengthening of trust in the education systems of Central Asian states.
Vision. By 2030, CAAAE is a leading internationally recognised accreditation body and coordinator of the regional education quality assurance system, ensuring the functioning of the Common Educational Space of Central Asia, integrated into the European Higher Education Area and the global educational community.
3. Strategic Directions
Strategic Goal 1. Formation of a Common Educational Space of Central Asia
- development of common approaches to education quality assurance in Central Asian countries;
- improvement of the Central Asian Register of Accredited Educational Programmes;
- development of mechanisms for mutual recognition of accreditation results between the states of the region;
- coordination of the activities of the Central Asian Federation for Quality Assurance in Education (CAFQA);
- promotion of academic mobility of students and faculty;
- development of regional cooperation between universities, employers and accreditation agencies.
Strategic Goal 2. Improvement of the External Quality Assurance System
- continuous updating of accreditation standards in line with ESG, ENQA, EQAR, ENAEE and international practices;
- ensuring the independence, objectivity and transparency of accreditation procedures;
- development of risk-based external quality assessment mechanisms;
- improvement of the system for monitoring the quality of educational programmes.
Strategic Goal 3. Development of Expert Capacity
- training of international-level experts;
- development of the Central Asian expert community;
- introduction of international certification of experts;
- wider involvement of employers, professional associations and students in external evaluation procedures.
Strategic Goal 4. International Cooperation and Recognition
- maintaining membership in ENQA, EQAR and ENAEE;
- expanding cooperation with international quality assurance networks;
- participation in Erasmus+, Horizon Europe and other international initiatives;
- promotion of international quality labels, including the EUR-ACE Label.
Strategic Goal 5. Digital Transformation of the Accreditation System
- digitalisation of accreditation procedures;
- implementation of a unified CAFQA information platform;
- development of electronic document management;
- use of analytical tools for monitoring education quality.
Strategic Goal 6. Institutional Sustainability
- improvement of corporate governance;
- ensuring financial sustainability;
- increasing openness and transparency of activities;
- development of the Association's own internal quality assurance system.
4. Key Performance Indicators
By 2030, the following results are expected:
- expansion of the Common Educational Space of Central Asia;
- an increase in the number of educational organisations recognising CAAAE accreditation results;
- development of the Central Asian Register of Accredited Educational Programmes;
- maintenance of CAAAE's international recognition (ENQA, EQAR, ENAEE);
- an increase in the number of educational programmes holding international quality labels;
- expansion of the expert community of Central Asian countries;
- growth of academic mobility through mutual recognition of accreditation results;
- digitalisation of core accreditation processes.
5. Monitoring of Strategy Implementation
The Strategy is implemented through annual activity plans, a system of key performance indicators (KPIs), internal monitoring, independent external evaluation and regular reporting to CAAAE's governing bodies.
6. Final Provisions
This Strategy is the foundational document defining the long-term directions of CAAAE's development for 2026–2030.
Its implementation will make it possible to build an effective regional education quality assurance system, ensure the functioning of the Common Educational Space of Central Asia, strengthen the international recognition of the region's educational organisations and enhance their competitiveness in the global educational space.