Standards for Dual Program Accreditation

I. Standards for Dual Program Accreditation

General provisions

1. Provision by the state of preferences to companies and enterprises involved in the implementation of dual education in HEIs/VET.

2. Increasing the social responsibility of companies and enterprises to train specialists according to professional standards and an Atlas of Emerging jobs by regions of the country.

3. Availability of training centers for advanced training (professional development) and retraining at industrial enterprises and their participation in the training of specialists by HEIs and VET.

4. Allocation of grants for dual education to HEIs/VET by the state and enterprises.

5. Legal regulation of the activities of companies involved in the implementation of dual programs.

1. Educational Program Quality Assurance Policy and academic integrity

1.1. Evaluation criteria

1. Correlation of aspects of the dual education development with the strategic goals of the HEIs/VET.

2. The existence of a multilateral agreement “On cooperation within the framework of the organization of a dual training system”, the existence of two-, three-lateral agreements on the provision of educational services within the framework of dual programs, including mandatory employment of graduates.

3. Provision of effective communication ways of educational organizations with companies/enterprises for the implementation of dual education. Provision of effective feedback with students, teachers, mentors from the industrial organizations involved in the implementation of the dual program.

4. Selection of partners for the implementation of educational programs of dual training. Availability of developed partners choosing criteria for the implementation of dual programs. Availability of network and specialized educational infrastructure to ensure the training of specialists in dual education (training centers, enterprises, workshops, equipment by professions and areas of training).

5. Compliance of the educational program profile with the profile of enterprises and the region industry profile according to the Atlas of Emerging jobs by regions of the country, the Industry qualifications framework and professional standards of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

6. Availability of training centers at manufacturing enterprises for industrial training on the enterprises base.

7. Internal regulatory documents and acts regulating dual education in an educational institution.

8. The system of internal quality assurance of the educational program of dual education. Participation of teachers, mentors, and students in supporting the quality assurance policy. The procedure for reviewing the quality assurance policy based on the results of monitoring and performance analysis.

9. Academic integrity of students and corruption risks. Appeal procedures and resolution of conflicts of interest based on the results of the assessment of students' knowledge of theoretical and industrial training. Force majeure circumstances in the performance of contractual obligations and the procedure for their resolution.

10. Consideration and discussion of the issue "The dual education system" in a collegial body with the participation of social partners and other interested parties (representatives of professional communities, the parent committee, etc.).

11. Participation of companies’ representatives in HEIs’ collegial bodies at the level of the educational institution, faculty, department, educational program.

2. Development and approval of educational programs, information management

2.1. Evaluation criteria

1. Internal regulatory documents and acts regulating the procedures of the dual educational programs’ development and approval in an educational institution. The procedure of updating dual educational programs.

2. Availability of a plan / schedule of the educational process / academic calendar, its coordination with the relevant enterprise and the administration of the HEIs /VET.

3. The structure of the dual educational program (the distribution of modules by semester, the complexity of modules in credits, etc., the ratio of theoretical and practical training).

4. Demonstration of the module for the formation of students' social skills in the educational program (creative thinking, teamwork, ethics and communication, project management, academic and business writing, public speaking, etc.).

5. Availability of a digital integrated platform in HEIs/VET for dual education.

6. The relationship of dual programs with the needs of the region in terms of the number of graduating specialists and the directions of their training.

7. Compliance of dual educational programs with modern technological processes of enterprises and specialist labor functions requirements.

8. Educational-methodological support and information-communication support of the dual educational program.

9. Ensuring the relevance of the dual educational program based on monitoring of key aspects of the program for early identification of areas requiring intervention and adjustment during its implementation.

3. Organization of the study process, student-centered learning and teaching, assessment

3.1. Evaluation criteria

1. The organization of dual education identifies the responsibility and authority for the organization, coordination, management and evaluation of the educational environment and process.

2. Ensuring flexibility in the organization of the dual learning process: consistency of the stages of theory and practice.

3. Availability and accessibility at the HEIs/VET of a guide/guidebook for students on dual education.

4. Identification of structural and collegial management bodies for planning and implementing dual educational programs to ensure the expected learning outcomes in the chosen field of profession, teaching and learning methods, assessment of students' knowledge and skills, introduction of innovations in the educational program.

5. Organization of practical/professional training in the dual form of training at work (equipment of the student's workplace, compliance with safety regulations, instruction on safety precautions) and quality assurance control.

6. Assignment of the supervisor of the practice from the HEIs/VET and mentors from the industrial organizations to control the study and safety of students.

7. The use of didactic techniques focused on dual learning (project-oriented learning, learning in action, etc.).

8. Organization of high-quality practical training and its evaluation criteria, the results of practical training.

9. Organization of high-quality of industrial and other types of practice and criteria for its evaluation.

10. Management of practical training quality at the enterprise, the responsibility of departments and individuals for the quality assurance of practical training, the effectiveness of their work.

11. Learning outcomes, tools (methods and methodology) for assessing students' academic achievements of theoretical (on the basis of an educational institution) and practical (on the basis of an enterprise) training according to an educational program, accessibility for students. The involvement of students in determining the methods of assessing students' knowledge.

12. Satisfaction of students with working conditions, training at the workplace (equipment at the student's workplace, compliance with safety regulations, instruction on safety precautions).

13. Holding meetings with representatives of social partners and students (graduates) based on the results of the stages of implementation of dual education programs at the HEIs/VET.

14. The work of collegial bodies/working groups to discuss the results of training and the development of dual educational programs.

15. Development of recommendations for improving the main directions of the educational-industrial process.

16. The existence of agreed regulations of the HEIs /VET and enterprises on the maintenance of reporting documentation by a student, a responsible teacher from the HEIs/ VET, a mentor from the enterprise on the organization of practical training in the workplace.

4. Student admission, academic performance, recognition and certification

4.1. Evaluation criteria

1. On the basis of the agreement "On cooperation within the framework of the organization of dual education system", the selection of students for referral to practical training on the basis of industrial organizations (for per capita financing). Availability of criteria and procedures agreed between the educational institution and the enterprise for the selection of students for dual programs.

2. The issuing of the order of the head of the educational institution on participation in the competition for the selection of students for referral to practical training on the basis industry. Determination of the quota for students for further education in the dual system on the basis of industry.

3. Professional orientation of students in dual educational programs (readiness to study chosen educational program, conducting excursions and internships in companies / enterprises, informing interested parties and the public), the mechanism and flexibility of choosing places of industrial training and practices.

4. Conditions for the recruitment of students for dual education, transparency of the organization of admission and selection of students. Assessment of the pre-training of applicants for the educational program. Considering and assessing of applicants' preferences and their prerequisites for the successful completion of the selected academic/educational program.

5. Recruitment of students and involvement of internal stakeholders in career guidance, recruitment and selection of students according to the dual educational program profile.

6. Corruption risks in the admission and selection of students for the dual educational program. Appeal procedures and resolution of conflicts of interest of applicants for an educational program.

7. The student's contribution to the educational process (academic policy and ethics of the student), the ability of students to graduate according to the educational program (consideration and mechanisms for identifying and preventing the causes of expulsion).

8. The existence of procedures for recognizing previously received practical education and crediting credits acquired during academic mobility and/or practical internship.

9. Confirmation by students of their competencies through an independent quality assessment qualification exam.

10. Determination and registration of the corresponding certificate of education in the dual system of education.

11. The level of employment of graduates and their postgraduate support. At the stage of piloting the educational program of dual training, planning of measures for the employment of graduates on the basis of industrial education.

12. Satisfaction of students and employers with the quality of education and training in the dual system.

13. Holding meetings of representatives of social partners with students (graduates) on the basis of enterprises, based on the results of the stages of implementation of dual educational programs.

5. Teaching staff and mentors

5.1. Evaluation criteria

1. Personnel policy of the educational institution for the implementation of educational programs of dual training. Academic policy and ethics of teachers and mentors, professionalism and selection criteria. Distribution of the functions of teachers and mentors.

2. The qualification level of the teaching staff (indicators on the quantitative and qualitative composition of teachers, categories, scientific achievements in the profile of the disciplines taught) of the dual educational program.

3. The mentor's qualification profile (working with students, conducting scientific and project research, consulting, developing their own competencies, professional perception of tasks and understanding of roles, etc.).

4. The norm of the pedagogical load of teachers and mentors, the quality of teaching disciplines, educational and methodological support of the educational process, the introduction of the results of scientific-industrial projects, scientific and methodological developments in the educational process.

5. Evaluation of teachers and mentors’ activities, the effectiveness and quality of teaching. Procedures for suspension from teaching and mentoring activities due to low level of teaching and mentoring, violation of ethics norms of the teacher and mentor. Appeal procedure and resolution of conflicts of interest.

6. The program of advanced training of teachers in the profile of the disciplines taught and the training of mentors from industrial organizations.

7. Providing training of mentors by industrial organization on the basis of training centers for advanced training and retraining at manufacturing enterprises.

8. Satisfaction of mentors and teachers with the working conditions of training at the workplace (equipment of the student's workplace, compliance with safety regulations, instruction on safety precautions).

6. Learning resources and student support

6.1. Evaluation criteria

1. Availability of material and technical base to provide the proper implementation of the dual educational program, training facilities and equipment for theoretical and practical training.

2. Availability and access to up-to-date educational, methodical and professional literature and sources, modern information and communication technologies.

3. Ensuring the safety of the learning environment for teachers, mentors and students.

4. Assessment of material, technical and financial resources for the implementation of the dual educational program. Sustainability and risk management in the process of development of the educational program.

5. Financial compensation and support of students by companies/enterprises.

6. Forms of financial support for dual programs from the state, HEIs/VET, enterprise.

7. Availability of service at HEIs/VET responsible for the implementation of dual education. Periodic professional development of the staff of the service for the implementation of dual education.

8. Availability of student support services: academic, consulting, social and psychological support for students; information support and library services; space for the development of professional and personal interests of students; center of career, academic mobility and professional internship.

7. Public information

7.1. Evaluation criteria

1. The presence on the official website of the HEIs/VET of a special tab (page) with the information about dual education.

2. Availability of information about the dual educational program (profile of enterprises and training, expected results of the educational program, stages of implementation of the educational program, reputation of teachers and mentors, achievements of teachers, mentors and students, plan of activities for the employment of graduates, development of educational programs for dual training).

3. Availability of feedback from the public on the implementation of dual programs.