Department of Quality Assurance and Institutional Research
The Department of Quality Assurance and Institutional Research (QAIR) is a corporate unit operating under the President of KIMEP.
The Department aims to develop the systems for assuring the quality and promoting the effectiveness of academic services by developing practices of evaluation and review that highlight areas for attention and further improvement.
The Department:
- monitors and evaluates the quality of KIMEP academic services by undertaking corresponding surveys of students, alumni and their employers
- provides analyses of current state of teaching process to support planning and decision-making within KIMEP
- provides secure information on KIMEP activities to external agencies: state bodies, higher education institutions, universities’ rankers, national and international accreditation agencies, etc.
- liaises with domestic and international partners to share best practices and develop wider-ranging strategies for the benefit of the community as a whole.
The Department began its work in the area of institutional research and assessment in January 2005 from studying the international experience in corresponding field. In Spring 2005, the first student satisfaction and alumni surveys were conducted and the regular teaching evaluation survey was introduced being accompanied with detailed reports to KIMEP top management and academic community. From AY 2005-06 elaboration and implementation of KIMEP faculty and staff satisfaction surveys has begun. Each year the Department conducts 7 regular and several on-request studies, including the surveys of employers, freshmen, applicants, students’ parents and other stakeholders. Reports on QAIR surveys are available to KIMEP community and the wide public via ‘Survey results‘ link.
The Department actively cooperates with National Accreditation Center of the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) of RK and the Independent Quality Assurance Agency of Kazakhstan, regularly submitting KIMEP information to national HEIs ratings undertaken by these agencies. The high standing of Institute’s academic programs is repeatedly confirmed at national and international levels – ‘National and international rating of KIMEP‘ link.
The Department also presents regular quarterly, semiannual and annual reporting in the frames of HEIs monitoring conducted by the Department of Graduate and Post-graduate Education of the MES of RK.
It also actively participates in seminars and conferences held by the MES and rating agencies.
In March 2006, in cooperation with the MES of RK, KIMEP has hosted the republican conference for HEIs rectors chaired by the Minister of Education and Science ‘Building Quality in Higher Education’.
Following the international practice, from Spring 2006, QAIR annually issues KIMEP Fact Book – a one-stop source of essential information on KIMEP for all interested parties covering the current and three previous academic years. The Book is published in Kazakh, Russian and English languages. All issues are available via ‘KIMEP Fact Book‘ link.
