Develop mechanisms to ensure the quality of the university

Education as a social phenomenon as a social process , and finally , as a social institution , as a member of society suffers from almost all of the changes occurring in it . This is doubly true of education in society undergoing profound qualitative transformation. It is so today Kazakh society .

Despite the existence of the problems associated with the formation of the Republic of Kazakhstan market relations , currently the social and economic situation in the country is significantly improved . If during 1991-2000 . the population has decreased by 1.2 million people . or 7.7 %, in 2004 compared with 2000, an increase in population of 1.3% (202 thousand people.) . By the year 2004 by 9.6% compared to 1994, increased the number of economically active population. Peak unemployed population of the republic to the period from 1996 to 2000 and is 968 thousand people . 1997. In 2004, the figure is 660 thousand people . , That is reduced by 31.8% . According to statistics in 2004, the economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan was employed 7.2 million people . The employment rate was 91.6% , the unemployment rate - 8.4%. The share of low-income population with income (used for consumption ) below the subsistence level , the average for the country declined from 28.4% in 2001 to 24.2% in 2002 and 19.8 % in 2003 [115]. In 2005 , GDP per capita amounted to RK 3700 U.S. dollars. By 2010, Kazakhstan planned to increase the per capita GDP up to seven thousand dollars , and purchasing power parity - up to 15 thousand dollars.

Summary measure of human development , prosperity and welfare of the state is considered to be the human development index (HDI) . According to the UN , in 1990 six CIS countries had a high level of human development (HDI > 0.8 ) in their number of inputs and Kazakhstan ( 0.82) [116]. Currently Kazakhstan HDI position data is as follows: 2000 -73 , 2001-75 , 2002-80 , 2003-76 , 2004-78 , 2005 - 80 place .

Human Development Index evaluates the state average achievements in three areas: life expectancy of citizens; knowledge , as measured by the adult literacy rate and the combined gross enrollment ratio for primary, secondary and higher education , and standard of living, as measured by GDP per capita. Despite the rise in 2005 the number of students per 10,000 population to 497 people , a high level of literacy of the population of Kazakhstan (99.4% - the level of literacy Kazakhstan is among the top three per cent of countries in the world) and the degree of coverage of the population education (81%) , the level of access to education does not provide international standards (30 % of the adult population).

Socio-economic development of independent Kazakhstan in 90 years took place in the plane of market reforms affecting all aspects of society , including the education system. Transitional nature of the processes occurring in the country , economic , political and social reforms associated with the democratization of society and its movement to the construction market relations , could not affect the social institution of education . The country observed diversification of institutional structures , programs and forms of education, their adaptation to market conditions . Expanding academic freedom of universities. Notable in this period was a significant expansion of the private sector education market . Reforming the system of higher education comes amid apparent downward trend in the quality of education , accompanied by a sharp deterioration in the material basis of social prestige and educational activities.

Since independence, the system of higher education in Kazakhstan has overcome several stages of reform , the contents of which at various times was aimed at the formation of legislative and normative base of higher education; modernization of the higher education system , update its content ; decentralization of financial management, education, extension of academic freedom of educational institutions ; strategic development of the system of higher education ( the modern stage , originating in 2001) .

Economic development of the state is directly dependent on the efficiency of the development and operation of its education system. In the context of globalization and the global scientific and technological space in the last 10-15 years a value aspect is the problem of the competitiveness of industries. In the information society knowledge becoming the main source of value. It becomes evident that economic growth and competitiveness are increasingly determined by the "knowledge economy " and to a lesser extent " economy of production." "In the modern Western world , only 15 % of the active population are directly related to the production of goods , the remaining 85% of the added value in the process of creation , management and transfer of information ." In the global competitiveness table growth for 2005-2006 to " Davos " index of 117 countries Kazakhstan occupies 61st place , ahead of all CIS countries .

In the context of global trends to ensure the competitiveness of the national economy in the Republic of Kazakhstan there is a qualitatively new redefinition of the role of higher education in social and economic development of the state. " The concept of" education "is transformed and expanded ." " There is a shift from the concept of functional training to the concept of personal development ." " Is becoming increasingly important continuing education and adult education ." These trends determine the focus of the current stage in the development of science and education system of Kazakhstan.

Following the strategic development plan of the Republic of Kazakhstan until 2010 , the Ministry of Education and Science has developed a program of modernization of the national multi-level system of education to improve the quality of human resources to meet the needs of individuals and society . Expenditure of the state budget , the program implementation , according to preliminary estimates , was 330,812.0 million tenge , including from the national budget will be allocated 175,769.8 million tenge from local budgets - 155 042,2 million tenge . In the next three years in the structure of GDP spending on education will increase to 4.1%.

One of the integral indices of development of higher education , adopted in the international community , is the number of students per 10,000 population. According to this indicator in the Republic of Kazakhstan shows a strong upward trend , based on a variety of nature and content processes . During the 90s ( especially the second half of them ) increase in the number of students , mainly explained by "mass availability " of higher education at its value and loyalty conditions for admission to universities . As a consequence , the number of students per 10,000 population in 2004/ 2005 academic year was 497 against 440 in 2003 /2004, 297 - 2000/2001 , 245 - 1999/2000 , 187 - in 1997/1998 and 175 - in the 1990/1991 academic year .

If a quantitative indicator of the development indicates the positive processes in the higher education system of Kazakhstan , the sociological research conducted to identify existing downward trend in the quality of education. According to the results of the survey conducted in 2001 as part of the project "Social Partnership in Vocational Education and Training" , the poor quality of training indicated 36% of respondents and the need to update the curriculum in line with the requirements of production -19% .

Introduction of a number of state regulation of the quality of educational activities, such as stricter licensing conditions , establishment of a threshold level of knowledge for state education grant and loan and enrollment in higher education institutions on a fee basis , the practice of the intermediate state control of students' knowledge , differentiated increase state estimates for the training of young professionals ( an indicator of financial performance and non-state institutions ) , on the one hand, and increasing the responsibility of universities for the quality of its operations , on the other hand, gradually forms in higher education effect " sieve ". Access to higher education is no longer be universal , widespread. Annually , an average of 25-30 % , increases the cost of tuition at universities. Despite this, the number of students in higher education in 2003/2004 academic year is 658.2 thousand people in 2004/2005 -747.1 thousand people and increases in comparison with the same period of 1999/2000 academic year 2 times. Number of students per 10,000 population during this period also increased 2 -fold - from 245 to 497 people . To a large extent , this is due to the stabilization of the economy of Kazakhstan , which is accompanied by rising demand in the labor market for highly qualified professionals , especially in technical and humanitarian areas of training . Market imposes new requirements on the knowledge of experts. These requirements are subject to market conditions , and in the context of globalization become highly dynamic.

The desire for higher education in society becomes more conscious and purposeful. This is manifested in the growth of not only high school graduates seeking to enroll in universities for education. Motives for expanding educational activities . The dynamics of the situation on the labor market requires advanced education , ie training with a focus on technological progress , training generalists capable of rapidly changing profession. Gets the development demand douchivanie in high school on the basis of secondary vocational education and forms of postgraduate training , retraining and skills . Despite the fact that most of the training costs reimbursed for the expense of the students , the demand for educational services varies in a wide range of ages , from high school graduates to leading experts and top managers of firms and government agencies.

However, in the structure of education there is a clear negative trend : an increase in the demand for fashionable, prestigious specialties ( Humanities and social, legal, economic, administrative ) and a reduction of other ( scientific, educational, te6hnicheskie ) . This trend , in spite of budget funding priority to these areas of training and retained a negative impact on the balance of the labor market , creating a surplus of personnel with higher education for one function and deficits in others. Simultaneously observed disparity in education and training . When objectively existing in the labor market needs in blue-collar jobs , the number of students in vocational schools ( schools ) in 2004 compared to 1999 increased from 92 to 99 thousand people , ie 7.6% , with growth ( over the same period ) the number of students in colleges - by 68.7 % and in high schools - 106% .

In terms of the number of universities per 1 million population of Kazakhstan ahead of countries such as USA, France , Japan, Germany and Russia . Quantitative analysis of higher education institutions suggests that at the stage of market formation VPO dynamically increasing the number of universities from 55 in 1991 to 181 in 2004 , ie 3.3 times .

According to the census of 1999 RK highest level of residents with higher education celebrated in the cities of Almaty and Astana , and the lowest was recorded in the North - Kazakhstan , due to the geographical location , the existing level of socio- cultural development and the problem of non-uniform concentration of educational institutions in regions of the country .

In high school system RK problem uneven concentration of educational institutions by region remains relevant and is currently forming a problem staffing sectors and regions of imbalances in supply and demand for labor in regional labor markets . This problem in Kazakhstan has found its solution , including through the expansion of the existing network of universities, which is carried out mainly through the opening of private educational institutions , which number over the period 1996/1997 to 2004/2005 academic year has increased from 52 to 130 ( in 2.5 times ) , and the number of students - from 25 to 400 thousand people (16 times ) .

Academic year	Number of educational institutions, units	Number of students, thou.people	Fullness of universities, people
All universities of the republic
1990/1991	55	287,4	5225
1996/1997	111	280,8	2530
1998/1999	144	318,8	2214
1999 /2000	163	365,4	2242
2003/2004	180	658,2	3657
2004/2005	181	747,1	4128
State universities
1990/1991	55	287,4	225
1996/1997	59	255,8	4336
1998/1999	56	254,9	4552
1999 /2000	57	271,0	4754
2003/2004	46	360,1	7828
2004/2005	51	347,1	6806
Private universities
1990/1991	-	-	-
1996/1997	52	25,0	481
1998/1999	88	63,9	626
1999 /2000	106	94,4	891
2003/2004	134	298,1	2245
2004/2005	130	400,0	3077

Table 1 - Dynamics of higher education institutions, number of students and filling schools RK

Objective necessity to consolidate the positive trends in economic growth and the achievement of its sustainability policy requires improvement of human development , ensuring the formation of labor demanded by competitive economy of the country , and other approaches to addressing the human factor in the overall process of forming the country's sustainable economic growth trends . This new paradigm of socio- economic development of society , when the cornerstone is placed man was embodied in developed and published in 1997 the Strategy "Kazakhstan -2030" and called " Prosperity, security and welfare of all Kazakhs ." The strategy put forward one of the priorities of "Health, education and welfare of the citizens of Kazakhstan", that is the main elements to ensure a positive trend of human development.

 

 

 

 

1.3 International experience evaluating the performance of schools

Today one of the most topical issues in higher education is Kazakhstan's accession to the Bologna process . In this regard, it is impossible not to focus on the effectiveness of higher education, which is an integral part of continuous assessment of its quality. This topic is becoming increasingly popular , so it seems appropriate to conduct some analysis of assessment methods used in the West - in Europe and the USA. Consideration of international experience will allow us to understand how these techniques are optimal for Kazakhstan , and what steps we need to do on the way to quality higher education .

In world practice different approaches to assessing the quality of higher education institutions: reputation , and the overall score .

Reputational approach uses expert mechanism to assess the level of vocational education programs and institutions in general. Scoring is based on measuring quantitative performance of the university. The general approach is based on the principles of " total quality management " (Total Quality Management, TQM) and requirements for quality management systems of the International Organization for Standardization (International Organization for Standardization, ISO).

So , speaking of the methods of estimation of higher education, it should be noted that the main actors in this process from the European side are the European University Association , the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education , the European Commission , the National Union of Students in Europe , as well as national agencies and associations, universities and ministries. In America, the main role is played by the universities , and many have their own assessment centers, and independent valuation organizations .

The main objectives of structures , conducting quality assessment of higher education are as follows:

- first, quality assurance of higher education in different contexts : economic, social and cultural ;

- secondly , the maintenance and support higher education institutions in the application of measures to improve the quality of teaching and learning ;

- third, to stimulate the mutual exchange of information on quality assurance.

The main methods of evaluation are assessment , accreditation , auditing and ranking of each of the following methods will be discussed in more detail.

"Evaluation" - in a global sense , the term quality assurance , however, quite often it is viewed parallel to other methods, such as, for example , audit. Distinguish between ' assessment of the subject , "" program evaluation "," school assessment , "" evaluation topics. "

The most common estimates used in Europe and the U.S. , are to evaluate programs and educational institution. This is due to the fact that two other types of more specific and require more effort for the assessment, then the more popular types of assessments allow fairly quickly provide insight into the state university.

Next, consider the " accreditation " , this method has recently been particularly active in the European system is used to ensure the quality of education , particularly in Germany, Norway and the Netherlands, where this method is basic. First, it should be noted that the evaluation and accreditation - are two different things . The report of the European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education in 2001 , accreditation has been characterized by the following features : accreditation should recognize or not recognize that too is possible that the program or university he meet the necessary standards. In addition to this accreditation includes an assessment on the basis of the ranking , the data are based on the criteria of quality and always " binary " - it's always either "yes" or "no ." Recently received accreditation is particularly prevalent in Germany new accredited training programs , it allows you to make institutions more flexible to create new programs; in the Netherlands recently published National Organization for Accreditation , which is engaged in the external evaluation of universities.

"Audit" - a method in which should be evaluated strengths and weaknesses of mechanisms to ensure the quality of education , which are common in the assessed institution Traditionally audit is most common in the UK and Ireland .

"Rank " is an element of evaluation , during which compares the results of the subjects , programs, institutions or topics. This, according to the European University Association , leads to a constant exchange of good practices . This is the most young and unexplored method under evaluation.

The basic principles on which the assessment is the autonomy and independence from the state and other universities in the selection of assessment procedures , the use of self-evaluation , external evaluation experts and publication of the report. Under the European system of quality assessment , this model is called " a four ." Here I would like to focus on two aspects .

First, the expert group : it often consists of representatives from universities, as well as representatives of the domain of international experts , in some cases, graduates and students , plus professional organizations.

The second point relates to self-esteem. Almost all universities believe that improving the quality of education is their main purpose , therefore it is logical that the majority of self- actively apply . Most often in the self-assessment process included the leaders and teachers of educational institutions

System design parameters such as the development of indicators in the economic and social environment . Educational indicators problem is the difficulty of determining the criteria of quality education , since there are no direct indicators pointing to the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of this process. It must be observed and relatively students, faculty and relatively . Indicators are usually grouped in terms of the conditions of educational activities (the concept of institution , staff, educational resources ) , process indicators ( university management , the content of educational programs , social infrastructure ) , result indicators (quality of bachelor's , master's , the level of employment , the efficiency of research activities ) .

Having examined the basic assessment methodology , it is necessary to do a little comparative analysis of European and American quality assurance systems in higher education.

To begin with it should be noted that in Western countries , there is also a division on the basis of the presence or absence in the state government educational process . In countries where the government and regulation of higher education , such as the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Education, the main emphasis in the evaluation is done just on these structures , systems that are externally rated the educational process. Internal evaluation and self-evaluation is given much less attention. At the same time , there are countries where the state system of higher education play a much smaller role in the forefront just self-esteem. Also there's an evaluation of education by professional experts , or public representatives.

The main difference between the European systems of higher education assessment from the U.S. based on the powers of the government in the formulation of the final assessment purposes , identifying the key stages , as well as in the organization of the educational process after the application of the assessment results. This seems logical , since differences in the evaluation are often based on the initial conditions of institutional and cultural traditions , as well as national discourses through policies . Educational policy is no exception. Thus, in countries where the education system is quite centralized evaluation is conducted with the filing of government agencies , in the absence of such a system or a task is assigned to the universities themselves or by external experts.

Feature of the American system of evaluation is the development of self-esteem. This fact is connected with the fact that until recently the control of the universities by the administration of state and government in general was quite weak . Despite this, American universities have always sought to improve the education system , the emphasis in this quest was placed on self-assessment system , carried out at the school level .

However, the recent trend to the fact that many Scandinavian countries developing self-esteem. One of the most striking examples is Norway , where, according to the Network Norway Council (Network Norway Council), in the last decade, the number of universities conducting the assessment of its own programs , has increased significantly.