The accreditation procedure of educational organisations of the Kyrgyz Republic is regulated by legal acts in accordance with the Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On Education”, Articles 10 and 17 of the Constitutional Law of the Kyrgyz Republic “On the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic”, as well as the following documents:

• The Education Development Concept in the Kyrgyz Republic until 2020.
• The Education Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2012-2020.
• Decree of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic “On strategic directions of the education system development in the Kyrgyz Republic” dated March 23, 2012 No. 201.
• State Education Standards of the Higher Professional Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.
• European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European Higher Education Area ESG 2015.

Institutional accreditation – the procedure for recognition by the accreditation body for compliance of the quality level of the medical educational organisation as a whole against established criteria, standards and its status.

International institutional accreditation in the Kyrgyz Republic is fully recognised only if the accreditation body is included in the National Register of Recognised Accreditation Bodies and is included in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education EQAR.

IAAR

• recognised by the World Federation for Medical Education WFME
• has the status of a full member of the European Association for Quality Assurance in Higher Education ENQA
• is registered in the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education EQAR

All this gives the IAAR the right to conduct international institutional accreditation of medical organisations.

The educational organisation accredited by the IAAR receives the status of an international accreditation.

What gives IAAR international accreditation?

• Obtaining a status that is recognised both in the European and in the global educational space;
• Recognition of the University diploma by foreign universities for further education (master's degree, PhD) of graduates;
• The ability for graduates to continue their studies at any universities in the world;
• Recognition of University degrees and expanding employment opportunities for graduates abroad;
• Recognition of diplomas of doctors applying for ECFMG certification;
• Opportunity to take Step 3 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination® (USMLE®) and to obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine in the United States (ECFMG 2023 announcement https://wfme.org/accreditation/ecfmg-2023/);
• Increasing the interest of foreign students in studying at an accredited University;
• Development of internal and external academic mobility of students and teaching staff;
• Internationalisation of educational activities of the university;
• Publication of the External Review Reports and the decision on international accreditation in the DEQAR database of the European Quality Assurance Register for Higher Education EQAR.

IAAR conducts international institutional accreditation of the medical educational organisation in the Kyrgyz Republic based on the Standards developed on the basis of international medical education standards WFME.

The “Standards for institutional accreditation of medical educational organisations”, according to which the institutional accreditation of medical HEIs in the Kyrgyz Republic is carried out, are available here. 

IAAR Standards for institutional accreditation of the medical educational organisation aimed at professional and reliable external quality assurance of medical and pharmaceutical education.

IAAR Standards define the requirements for a medical educational organisation and international institutional accreditation of an educational organisation.

The separate Guidelines have been developed for the standards of institutional accreditation of medical education organisations, in which methodological recommendations are given on organising and conducting the self-assessment procedure, preparing and elaborating a report on the results of self-assessment.

The IAAR Standards and Guidelines for institutional accreditation of the medical educational organisation are subject to amendment, revision and updating, and are governed by the Instruction on the Development and Improvement of Standards, taking into account changes made to the Regulations of the Kyrgyz Republic on accreditation of educational activities, the HEIs recommendations, academic experts, employers, professional organisations.

Stages of the international institutional accreditation process:

I Submission of an Application by the Education Organisation

II Self-Assessment (Internal Assessment) of Educational Organisation

III Site Visit of the Expert Panel to an Educational Organisation for External Assessment

IV Decision-Making by the Accreditation Council on Accreditation/Non-Accreditation

V Follow-Up Procedures: Post Accreditation Monitoring

VI Reaccreditation

• Submission by a medical educational organisation of the application for the institutional accreditation with copies of the title and permit (authorisation) documentation.
• Consideration by IAAR of the educational organisation’s application.
• IAAR decision-making on institutional accreditation of the medical HEI.
• Conclusion of a contract between the IAAR and the medical HEI to conduct institutional accreditation.
• Management of educational organisation and the IAAR organise training to explain the standards and procedure for the institutional accreditation to internal experts of medical educational organisation at the special seminars on the theory, methodology and techniques of the institutional accreditation.
• The medical educational organisation independently carries out a self-assessment process according to the IAAR Standards and submits a self-assessment report to the IAAR (in Russian and English languages) in e-format and 1 hard copy in each of the languages.
• Upon examination of a self-assessment report of the medical educational organisation, the IAAR takes one of the following decisions: develops recommendations on the necessity to finalise self-assessment report; to proceed with an external expert assessment; the deadline for institutional accreditation to be postponed due to the impossibility of carrying out the procedure due to the non-compliance of the self-assessment report with agency standards.
• In case the decision on continuation of accrediting procedure is taken, IAAR forms an External Expert Panel to carry out an assessment of the medical educational organisation. It consists of representatives of the academic community, employers and students of the Kyrgyz Republic, as well as foreign experts.
• In case the decision on continuation of accrediting procedure is taken, the IAAR will agree with the medical organisation of education the dates of institutional accreditation and schedule of the panel work plan.
• The duration of the site visit of the commission is usually 3-5 days.
• At the end of the site visit the External Expert Panel prepares a detailed review report on assessment of the medical educational organisation and a presentation on the progress of the Expert Panel visit. Organisation of education for the meeting of the Accreditation Council prepares a short video containing a brief description of the organisation of education and information on the progress of the Expert Panel visit.
• The review report contains a description of the site visit, a brief assessment of compliance of the medical educational organisation’s operations in the context of the IAAR’s standards, recommendations to the medical educational organisation for improving performance and quality assurance, recommendations to the Accreditation Council. Proposals to the Accreditation Council contain recommendation on accreditation (including recommended accreditation period) or non-accreditation.
• The review report, including recommendations, shall be elaborated by the External Expert Panel members collectively.
• The External Review Report on the evaluation of medical educational organisation and a Self-Assessment Report of the medical educational organisation serve as the basis for the Accreditation Council’s decision on institutional accreditation.
• The chair of the external expert panel speaks to the Accreditation Council on the outcomes of the external expert panel’s visit. If there is an objective reason, the IAAR General Director shall appoint a member of the external expert panel to participate with the report at the meeting of the Accreditation Council. The Replacement of the chair of the external expert panel implemented by the order of the IAAR General Director.
• The exclusive competence of the IAAR’s Accreditation Council includes making decisions on accreditation or refusal of accreditation of the medical educational organisation. The composition of the Accreditation Council is determined in accordance with the Regulations on its activities. The meeting is held in the presence of a quorum. The Accreditation Council has the right to make an informed decision that does not comply with the recommendations of the External Expert Panel.
• The Accreditation Council adopts one of the following decisions:
• «accredit for a period of 1 year» – in the event of compliance with the criteria as a whole, but with some shortcomings and opportunities for improvement;
• «accredit for a period of 3 years» – with positive results in general, but with some minor shortcomings and opportunities for improvement;
• «accredit for a period of 5 years» – with positive results in general;
• «refuse accreditation».

• An organisation of education previously accredited for a period of 5 years upon successful completion of post-accreditation monitoring, in the event of re-accreditation and its positive results, has the right to be accredited for a period of 7 years.
• In the event of positive decision on accreditation by the Accreditation Council, the IAAR sends an official letter to the education organisation with the results of the accreditation and a certificate of institutional accreditation of educational organisation, signed by the IAAR General The decision on accreditation of educational organisation the IAAR sends to the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic. Further, the decision of the Accreditation Council and the External Review Report is published on the IAAR website for public information.
• After receiving the accreditation certificate, the medical educational organisation publishes a Self-Assessment Report on its website.
• In case of a negative decision made by the Accreditation Council, the IAAR sends a formal notification to the medical educational organisation about the decision taken.
• The medical educational organisation in accordance with the established procedure under the Service Agreement (Contract) and the Regulations on the Commission for the Review of Appeals and Complaints may file an appeal to IAAR on the decision of the Accreditation Council. In case of doubt about the competence of the external expert panel and representatives of the Agency, or concerns of a gross violation committed by members of the external expert panel, the medical educational organisation may send a complaint to IAAR.