On 29 October 2026, a roundtable entitled “Accreditation of Transnational Education Programmes in Kazakhstan: Towards Shared Approaches for Quality, Trust and Academic Integrity” was held at Maqsut Narikbayev University (MNU) in Astana. The event was organised by the British Council and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
The event brought together representatives of the Independent Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (IQAA), national and international accreditation agencies, higher education institutions, the League of Academic Integrity and the international expert community.
The roundtable focused on current issues in quality assurance and the accreditation of transnational education amid the expansion of international academic cooperation, the opening of branch campuses of foreign universities, and the delivery of joint and dual-degree programmes in Kazakhstan.
Participants discussed current approaches to accrediting transnational education programmes, international experience in external quality assurance, the specific features of national regulation, and the role of academic integrity in strengthening trust in learning outcomes.
Particular attention was given to the TNE Quality Assurance Framework for Kazakhstan, developed with the support of the British Council, the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) and Kazakhstani universities.
As part of the programme, Rob Stroud, QAA’s Executive Director for Quality Assurance and Enhancement, presented international approaches to quality assurance and the accreditation of transnational education. Participants also learned about the experience of Kazakhstani accreditation agencies and universities, including practices for developing a culture of academic integrity in international education programmes.
The event concluded with a working session on developing common approaches to the accreditation of transnational education and identifying areas for future cooperation.
Following the discussions, participants were presented with a draft resolution proposing the establishment of a national working group comprising representatives of regulatory bodies, accreditation agencies, universities and international experts. Its priorities include reviewing current accreditation mechanisms, examining international experience and developing proposals to improve approaches to accrediting transnational education. Agreed recommendations and a phased roadmap for their implementation are planned for completion by March 2027.
IQAA’s participation in the roundtable provided an opportunity to exchange experience with representatives of accreditation agencies, universities and the international expert community, and to discuss current issues in quality assurance for transnational education in Kazakhstan.
