From Tempus...to Erasmus+

Transcription

1 From Tempus......to Erasmus+ EN The main achievements of the Tempus Programme in Central Asia Issue 19 April 2014 Erasmus+ A TEMPUS STUDY

2 THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE TEMPUS PROGRAMME IN CENTRAL ASIA This document has been produced within the framework of the European Union's Tempus programme, which is funded by the Directorate General for Development and Co operation EuropeAid and the Directorate General for Enlargement. Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency Unit A4 Erasmus+: Higher Education International Capacity Building Office address: Rue Colonel Bourg, Bruxelles Belgique Postal address: Avenue du Bourget, Bruxelles Belgique Phone: (32 2) Fax: (32 2)

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4 Preface The main aim of the Tempus programme is to support the modernisation of higher education in Partner Countries in Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, the Southern Mediterranean and Central Asia. Of the 27 countries that the programme works with in these regions, five are in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Cooperation between the EU and Central Asia represents an important objective of the European Union's external relations and international development cooperation policy and aims to increase political, economic and cultural links both between the European Union and these countries and between these countries themselves. The Tempus programme, as a whole, was launched in Between 1994 and 1997, these five countries started participating in Tempus, in the framework of the TACIS programme, the EU s initiative to support economic and social transition in the former Soviet Union and Central Asia. Since then, Tempus has been going from strength to strength in the region. Given the Tempus programme s impact, the European Commission's new education programme, Erasmus+ ( ) incorporates Tempus like activities under its Key Action II, 'Capacity Building in Higher Education' strand. In this publication, we have taken a moment to look back at the impact of the programme in the region, since its introduction. It aims to highlight those achievements and the role of the stakeholders who contributed to them. It is important to acknowledge their contributions and hard work in helping to make the programme a success. The National Tempus Offices (which have now become National Erasmus+ Offices) have played a pivotal role in this respect. Some of the colleagues responsible for the NTOs have been with us for several years. Their untiring dedications to the programme and the wealth of experience they have built up over the past years have been instrumental to the smooth running of the programme. They have proved to be very reliable, trustworthy and committed partners and respected members of the Tempus family. The success of the programme in the region is due, above all, to their hard work and dedication. This publication starts with a general review of the impact of Tempus in the region as a whole, before focusing the lens, with contributions from the NTOs, on each of the five countries in turn. We hope that you will find this stimulating and inspiring and we look forward to continuing to work with the region through further cooperation under Erasmus+ from 2014 to Klaus Haupt Head of Unit Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency

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6 Contents INTRODUCTION I MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROGRAMME 1.1 Main Achievements at Staff Level 1.2 Main Achievements at Institutional Level Implementing Curriculum Reform Providing Necessary Equipment for Communications and Laboratories Encouraging Reform of University Governance and Management Fostering Links between Higher Education Institutions and the Labour Market 1.3 Main Achievements at National Level Supporting the Reform of Higher Education Systems and Policies Promoting Regional Cooperation II MAIN RESULTS BY COUNTRY 1 Kazakhstan 2 Kyrgyzstan 3 Tajikistan 4 Turkmenistan 5 Uzbekistan ANNEXES 1 Brief Overview of the Tempus Programme 2 Statistics on the Number of Projects in Tempus II ( ) 3 Statistics on the Number of Projects in Tempus III ( ) 4 Statistics on the Number of Projects in Tempus IV ( ) 5 List of Participating Institutions by Country in Tempus IV 6 List of Tempus Publications from the Tempus Series 7 Tempus Events Organised in Central Asia AUTHORS

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8 INTRODUCTION With the end of the Soviet Union in 1991, the European Union launched the TACIS 1 Programme, as a grant financed, technical assistance programme, to help the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Mongolia in their transition to democracy and market orientated economies. It was the 'world's largest aid programme of its kind' 2 at that time. The programme's needs analysis pointed out that 'the isolation of the former Soviet Union had resulted in ignorance of market mechanisms and modern economics among enterprise managers' 3 and thus, only projects that made a 'structural contribution to economic development and the promotion of a market economy' 4 would be funded. In light of this, Tempus was to be used as an implementing instrument for TACIS in the area of higher education. On gaining their independence, participation was open to the newly founded republics. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan joined in 1994, Kyrgyzstan in 1995, followed by Turkmenistan in 1997 and Tajikistan in Mongolia also participated in the Tempus II and III programme (under TACIS) from However, in 2004, Mongolia joined the Asia and Latin America Programme and thus was no longer eligible for Tempus funding. Therefore, mainly five countries from Central Asia have been involved in Tempus II, III and IV. The total budget allocated to these five countries since then has been 98.9 million Euro million Euro was allocated between 1994 and 1999 under Tempus II and 31.2 million between 2000 and 2007 under Tempus III. Since 2008, the participation of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in Tempus has been funded by the European Commission s EuropeAid Development and Cooperation Instrument. 50 million Euro was allocated since then under Tempus IV. Between 2007 and 2012, the total amount of funding for the region as a whole increased from 5 million to 15 million Euros. Approximately 150 higher education institutions in the region benefited from this funding. 1 TACIS stands for Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States. 2 European Commission Press Release (RAPID) MEMO/92/54 of on the Tacis Programme (EC Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States and Georgia) 3 EC Press Release (RAPID) MEMO/92/54 of on the Tacis Programme. 4 EC Press Release (RAPID) MEMO/92/54 of on the Tacis Programme. 1

9 Total Tempus Budget Allocated by Year to the Five Central Asian Countries ( ) Tempus II Total amount (Millions of Euro) ,7 3,9 3,8 3,1 1,1 5,1 Tempus III Tempus IV Total amount (Millions of Euro) ,5 1,9 4,8 4,2 7,8 10,0 5,0 5,0 5,0 10,0 10,0 15,0* * Including a bi lateral allocation for Uzbekistan (5m ) Millions Years 2

10 Breakdown of the Total Budget Committed by Country ( ) 5 Number of Projects in Which One or Several Institutions in the Country Have Been Involved in Tempus* Tempus II Tempus III Tempus IV Total Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Turkmenistan Uzbekistan Total** * The 'number of projects' comprises of cooperation projects between HEIs (excluding Pre JEPs and Compact Projects). **Country figures cannot be added, as several countries can be involved in the same project. 5 Under Tempus (in case of multi country projects), the figure for the budget committed to each country is the result of a calculation method, based on the number of institutions of each country participating in the selected projects. These figures do not necessary correspond to the real budget that the institutions of the country concerned will receive during the implementation of the project. 3

11 The fruits of the Tempus programme in Central Asia are evident. Many new academic specialisations have been introduced through curriculum development projects, new teaching materials developed and modern technology introduced to teach more effectively. Closer ties have been forged between universities and the world of work. Governance structures in universities have been modernised. Countries have become more integrated into the European Higher Education Area. Kazakhstan for example has even become a signatory country of the Bologna Process. The Tempus programme has also had an impact on promoting cooperation between the five countries of Central Asia themselves, through a number of regional Tempus projects. Tempus has also allowed them to reinvent their relationship with the former Soviet countries, through cross regional projects. For example, since 2008, these countries have participated with the Russian Federation in 14 projects. The Tempus IV programme in Central Asia is coherent with the EU's Regional Strategy Paper for Assistance to Central Asia, , as it helps promote education exchange, science and people topeople activities in sectors targeted by the EU's poverty reduction strategy. Some changes were introduced in Tempus IV, in order to increase the programme s impact on higher education systems at national and regional levels. Particular emphasis was placed on the structural dimension of the programme, therefore giving priority to Structural Measures projects. In addition, Tempus IV encouraged greater involvement of national Ministries, in order to increase local ownership of projects. For example, national priorities were defined locally and had to be respected by all project proposals. The Ministries were systematically consulted during the selection process and public administrations from the Partner Countries could be partners in projects. The regional dimension was also promoted, in order to encourage and reinforce cooperation between the five Partner Countries. The importance of EU cooperation with the region is also evident from the fact that it will continue to work with all of these five countries under the new Erasmus+ programme. The Erasmus+ programme will now be open to other countries in Asia and this will provide new opportunities for cooperation between Central Asia and Southern and Eastern Asia, as well as for cooperation with new Programme Countries such as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Turkey. 4

12 I MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE PROGRAMME In this first section, the impact of Tempus on the region as a whole will be analysed, at individual, institutional and national level. 1.1 Main Achievements at Staff Level Tempus has played an important role in the professional development of staff in Central Asia. Professional development opportunities are often limited in higher education institutions (as is the case in the EU) and Tempus has given professors the opportunities to meet peers in their field, in different countries. By working together in international consortia, professors have been exposed to different perspectives and gained new insights into their subject. It has allowed them to work together with leading experts in their subject area and sometimes travel to another Tempus Partner Country to job shadow them, updating their skills and knowledge. They have also gained valuable work experience by teaching students in a different country (sometimes in a foreign language). The contacts built have proven extremely useful for pursuing further research and enhancing their publications list. Indeed, contacts with European professors, made through Tempus, have sometimes led to further research activities after the end of the project, such as joint publications and peerreviews. This has definitely helped enhance the sustainability and the long term impact of the projects' outcomes. Tempus promotes a bottom up approach and helps break down hierarchies inherent in the universities. This has given professors and in particular younger staff, great liberty to experiment with new ways of working in the incubator that is the Tempus project, through collaboration with professors outside their higher education institution. Tempus focuses not only on academic staff, but puts equal emphasis on the training of nonacademic, administrative staff as well. For example, Tempus projects have helped these professionals develop and update such competencies as IT and foreign language skills, by using the latest tools and techniques. Tempus has given staff from the region the opportunity to develop their intercultural skills, by working together with staff from many different countries in a multi country consortium. In the past, many professors in the region had studied in Russia and have many links with the country. However, the National Contact Points in the EU have been instrumental in helping institutions from the region to find new EU partners. Over 222 Individual Mobility Grants, awarded under Tempus III, have allowed staff to travel easily to another Tempus Partner Country for specified periods. They have also brought staff together from countries that had no tradition of collaboration. In certain cases, it was also the first opportunity for many younger staff, who had obtained their Ph.D. at home, to work in an international team. In fact, many projects report that the biggest challenge on a Tempus project is learning to work together to overcome cultural differences. All the same, this is considered as an 5

13 incredibly enriching experience by participants who report to have learned as much about themselves, as the academic or administrative subject area. Individual Mobility Grants Offered (Tempus III, ) Country Number of Individual Mobility Grants Kazakhstan 25 Kyrgyzstan 52 Tajikistan 7 Turkmenistan 16 Uzbekistan 122 Total 222 It is also worth noting that in recent years, mobility of staff, students and academic staff has also been supported by the Erasmus Mundus Programme, which is one of the main EU programmes for international mobility of higher education students and professors. 1.2 Main Achievements at Institutional Level Implementing Curriculum Reform One of the main actions of the Tempus programme involves reforming curricula, which was particularly relevant in the context of the socio economic changes in the early 1990s. In Tempus IV, the percentage of projects which Central Asian partners were involved in, which were curriculum development projects was 53%. They have always been a popular topic for Tempus projects, because they allow professors to work together in international consortia, to revise old courses and develop new ones. Common topics for curriculum development projects include environmental science, engineering, land agriculture and food technology in Central Asia. The Tempus programme has also served as a useful tool for updating existing academic courses. Professors from EU universities have worked together with professors from the five countries in the region, to pool their expertise in an academic discipline and modernise a chosen curriculum. Peopleto people contacts have been necessary to obtain access to the latest up to date material and research in a particular field and Tempus has facilitated these exchanges. People to people contacts through Tempus have helped build the trust necessary to allow the exchange of this academic material. Via Tempus, a number of new fields of study have been introduced or developed in the region, such as social psychology for migrants and interoperability in the area of ferry transport and telemedicine. Labour market needs in the region have evolved much over the past twenty years and higher 6

14 education institutions have not always had the necessary resources to adapt curricula at the same pace as these. Tempus has allowed professors from the region to make contacts with European higher education institutions, who had ready made courses in a required area and to work together with them to adapt these study programmes to labour market needs in the region (by translating the courses' content into local languages or developing country specific case studies, for example). Tempus has also helped break the barriers to more traditional classroom based learning and has introduced new teaching methods such as e learning courses, blended learning and intensive on site courses for professionals. This development has allowed professionals to combine work with study, which wasn't always possible before. New methods of designing and structuring courses have also been introduced by Tempus. Based on the principles of the Bologna Process, many European professors are already accustomed to designing courses based on learning outcomes and the European Credit Transfer System and have attempted to transfer this know how to colleagues in the Partner Countries. Professors in certain countries there have been convinced of its merits facilitating student exchange with European universities by allowing institutional recognition, upon return home, of periods spent in Europe or in a country in the region. These bottom up reforms have encouraged certain Ministries of Education to redesign the degree structure along the Bologna model. The three cycle system of Bachelor, Master and Doctorate has been introduced in the region and is extensively used in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan Providing Necessary Equipment for Communications and Laboratories The provision of equipment has always been an attractive component of the Tempus programme for higher education institutions in the region. Between 1994 and 2013, Tempus will have provided approximately 25 million Euro's worth of equipment to all projects in the region. It is no surprise that a large number of curriculum development projects in the region are in the area of engineering, information technology and environmental management. Tempus has stocked university libraries with recent text books and periodicals for new courses. The provision of laboratory equipment has also been very important in supporting practical coursework in the hard sciences. Without such equipment, the effectiveness of such courses would have been severely hindered. Universities took pride in the equipment donated and often allocated rooms to house it and staff to supervise and maintain it. As the benefits of such equipment became apparent, university governing bodies were persuaded to invest more themselves. New equipment was often coveted by researchers and people working in the industry who didn't have access to such up to date materials. It was still used by them after the end of the project, sometimes on a fee basis, thus contributing to further enhance the project's financial sustainability. As internet connection became more widespread across the region, computers, scanners and printers proved a good return on investment, as and Skype became the main means of communication between project partners. Tempus has also allowed the purchase of video 7

15 conferencing equipment, which would have been beyond the budget of many higher education institutions otherwise. Most higher education institutions in the region participating in Tempus have a computer room, funded by the programme to attest to the fact. Computers have not only been essential for communication with European partners but also for introducing new forms of learning in universities, such as e learning and blended learning. Special computer programmes have facilitated language learning, Computer Aided Design and other specialised courses, which require computer access. Internet is quickly replacing the traditional library and internet access provides a wealth of on line literature for student's research and course assignments. Therefore, the value of these computers in terms of learning potential is not to be underestimated Encouraging Reform of University Governance and Management Tempus projects have not only covered curriculum development but have also worked on the reform of higher education institutions' structures and processes something that has often proven more challenging than curriculum development, given the strict hierarchies and politics that exist in many universities. About 20% of Tempus IV projects in Central Asia have been focused on this topic. Tempus projects have dealt with the topic of university governance. Through Tempus projects, students have been given the opportunity to become more involved in governance structures. University administrative structures for managing international exchanges have also been improved. The opportunities for university Presidents and Rectors to visit Europe and meet with their counterparts have exposed them to other ways of working. Tempus has helped raise awareness of alternative ways of working and of the importance of external representatives on governing bodies. Departments in universities tend to work quite autonomously and Tempus has put academics and professionals from different faculties and departments in contact with each other, who might not have had exchanges otherwise. They have had to collaborate well together, to make the project a success. This has helped break down institutional silos in the university and promote knowledge sharing, as well as the transfer of information and know how between departments. Quality assurance has also been an important area in Central Asia. Indeed in all five countries in the region, a government dependent body or Ministry is responsible for quality assurance and no mechanisms are foreseen for independent evaluation. Apart from Kazakhstan, in the four other countries, institutions are not allowed to choose a foreign quality assurance agency for quality assurance purposes. A number of projects in the region are working on the theme of quality assurance, creating regional networks, documentation systems, the professional development of leaders and developing QA systems based on Bologna standards. Quality assurance has also been fostered through the field monitoring of projects by the National Tempus Offices in country and project officers from the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) in Brussels. Since 2009, the EACEA has put increased emphasis on field monitoring to improve the quality of projects in the region and has introduced a policy of monitoring all projects, at 8

16 least twice during their life cycle. Each visit involves meetings with the Rector or Vice Rector of the University, the Dean of the faculty, those involved in running the project from one or more partner institutions, as well as with the final beneficiaries, usually the students, to carry out a full evaluation of the project and help improve its quality. As a result, over the years, Tempus has increasingly become a meaningful support instrument, enabling higher education institutions to develop appropriate governance and management structures, in order to effectively harness their potential and accomplish their educational purpose Fostering Links between Higher Education Institutions and the Labour Market A number of Tempus projects in the region include private sector partners. Tempus encourages the involvement of enterprises in designing new curricula. Local employers often sit on the project steering committee and curriculum review panels and thus participated directly in the curriculum design process. Many curriculum development projects have carried out detailed industry analysis via surveys to find out the precise needs of the labour market and tailored courses accordingly, to ensure that they were as relevant as possible. It is important to note that the labour market includes not only the private sector, but also NGOs and local organisations and authorities who participated as partners in Tempus projects. The Tempus programme has developed concrete structures, such as centres for quality assurance in universities and centres for cooperation between universities, enterprises and research institutions, which have continued to be sustainable after the project ends. Practical placements and graduate training programmes in companies for students have also been integrated into many of these new courses, contributing to help students secure jobs upon graduation. By creating a more relevantly skilled labour force, Tempus has helped give local companies competitive advantage on international markets and thus contributed to economic development. By helping students find jobs at home, it has also helped prevent brain drain to regions where employment opportunities are more plentiful. 1.3 Main Achievements at National Level Supporting Reform of Higher Education Systems and Policies Even though not originally focused on it, Tempus has had an impact on national policy reform in the five Partner Countries in the region. Tempus came to the region at the right moment when most of the countries were beginning to introduce major reforms in higher education. It was considered by all the external evaluations carried out as a useful support mechanism to help implement these 9

17 reforms, working hand in hand with the Ministry of Education. Tempus Structural Measures projects, in which the Ministry must participate as a partner, tackled national policy issues such as promoting the knowledge triangle, Bologna principles such as ECTS and quality assurance. All the National Tempus Offices have established effective working relationships and constructive dialogue with the Ministry of Education and the EU Delegation. Each country's national priorities are set by the Ministry of Education and both they and the National Tempus Offices are consulted in the selection of projects to be funded in each Call for Proposals. Furthermore, they are regularly invited by the national authorities to provide inputs into national studies and publications. Given their knowledge of other countries in the region through Tempus, they serve as a useful point for comparative analysis. Since 2008, Tempus has been used to fund a network of more than 35 Higher Education Reform Experts from the countries in the region. These are local rectors, professors and students among others, who are interested in higher education policy reforms. With the support of Tempus funding, they have had the opportunity to take part in a number of seminars on higher education reform in the EU. Upon return, they have shared their knowledge and expertise with universities, by holding seminars and workshops to disseminate information about the latest developments in EU higher education policy reform and the Bologna process. European experts have also been invited, using Tempus funding, to give training seminars in the Partner Countries. Participation in the Tempus Programme with EU institutions has helped promote Bologna principles and tools and highlight their usefulness. To date, one of the five countries has signed the Bologna Declaration, which is a major driver for change in the higher education sector Promoting Regional Cooperation Tempus has contributed to promote greater cooperation between countries in the region. Prior to Tempus IV, cooperation tended to take place mainly in the framework of national projects where the targeted Partner Country was cooperating with several EU institutions. As a priority of Tempus IV, multi country projects helped strengthen the intra regional cooperation dimension. Indeed, intraregional projects with Central Asian partners represent 36% of the total number of projects under Tempus IV. By working together, exchanging best practice and benchmarking against each other, each country has learned from his neighbours. These lessons and experience have fed into national higher education policy reforms. The benchmarking reports produced by these projects often motivate countries to achieve better results in a particular area, as they take pride in their accomplishments. Since the end of the Soviet Union, the Tempus programme has helped the five countries of Central Asia to re invent relations with the former Soviet republics, in the framework of multi regional projects. For example, under Tempus IV, Central Asian countries are participating in 14 projects with institutions from the Russian Federation, building on links that have existed in the past. 10

18 II MAIN RESULTS BY COUNTRY 1) Kazakhstan During the period that Kazakhstan has been involved in Tempus ( ), 46 Kazakh higher education institutions (HEIs) and 48 non academic partners participated in more than 70 Tempus projects. For the first time in 2013, a Kazakh university was grant holder and project coordinator of a Tempus project. The Tempus programme has had a clearly identifiable impact on higher education modernization in Kazakhstan. Tempus projects were particularly effective in establishing international cooperation between Kazakh and EU HEIs, introducing the reforms needed for the modernization of the national higher education system, strengthening academic mobility, considerably contributing to upgrading the qualifications of teachers and consequently improving the overall quality of teaching and learning. The programme has also encouraged and strengthened cooperation with neighbouring countries. The influence of the programme is particularly evident in the way in which educational content has been modernised. Approximately 55% of the total number of projects implemented concern the development of new curricula or updating of existing curricula. For those fields which are relatively new to Kazakhstan, such as business education, Tempus projects were virtually the only mechanism to access innovative European experience in these areas. Given the absence of up to date training materials, Tempus projects became a catalyst for the development of new educational content. Teaching methods were also improved and equipment upgraded. For the first time after the "Iron Curtain" was raised, the projects provided the opportunity to compare the skills of teachers and facilities and the organization of educational processes in universities in Kazakhstan. Partner universities were inspired by European methods. The wide introduction of practice based learning, the changing of teaching methods, the active use of information technology, the interaction with students and enhancing the competitiveness of graduates are all examples of the positive impact of Tempus projects. Academic staff has learned to apply the competence based approach as a powerful tool in designing educational programmes. Needs analysis, carried out by applying the competence based approach, has improved cooperation with employers and other stakeholders. Tempus helped academic staff access the latest research and know how in European universities and helped develop new academic specialisations in areas such as environmental protection, renewable energy sources and quality enhancement, which met the requirements of enterprises. Tempus contributed to increasing the employability of university graduates and encouraged the studying of foreign languages. Students, as key players in education, have also been influenced by the Tempus programme. Projects have helped increase student involvement, improved student services, based on EU experience and helped develop new attitudes and approaches to considering students as essential partners in university activities. The programme has contributed to creating a better learning environment for students and promoting their personal and professional development for a successful future career. The programme has had a significant impact on management processes and university governance. The share of such projects is relatively small about 30%, but their impact is considered as having been very significant, especially at institutional level. Many university cooperation projects have in 11

19 recent years focused on the development of quality assurance procedures, on enhancing the quality of study programmes and higher education institutions. The Tempus projects implemented in Kazakhstan contributed to the convergence of the national higher education system with EU developments in higher education, through the introduction of modern curricula and the updating of courses in accordance with the three level degree structure, the introduction of ECTS and learning outcomes, leading to the development of an output oriented education system, promoting the implementation of the Bologna Process an important step towards integration with the European higher education area. Tempus has been an important instrument to promote policy dialogue in the field of higher education with the EU and other neighbouring countries. Higher Education Reform Experts (HEREs), whose activities were launched in 2007, are also making a strong contribution to the modernization process through consultations, training seminars and publications based on research findings. They act as change agents, taking into account local needs and aspirations. The most significant outcome, is the intangible outcomes of projects the development of human potential, expansion of professional horizons, regular access to information and European experience and the opportunity to exchange and share experience and maintain regular professional contacts with colleagues from other countries. It is very much appreciated by the academic community. Two Examples of Projects from Kazakhstan Title of Project Project Number SILKTOUR I T_JEP TACIS Year 1999 Coordinator Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Bruxelles, Belgium Partners involved and their Escuela Superior de Turismo de Baleares, Palma de Mallorca, Spain countries of origin Kazakh State University of International Relations and World Languages, Almaty M.Auezov South Kazakhstan State University, Chymkent M.Dulaty Taraz State University, Taraz Grant Size Euro Aims of the project Impact of the project The aim of the project was to develop a sustainable one year, practice oriented Master programme in 'European Travel and Tourism', which would combine text book with computer based learning, educational multimedia software, internet tools and decentralized tutoring, facilitating the integration of the Kazakh travel and tourism business in the European business environment. As a result of the implementation of the project: Staff was familiarized with best practice on developing and launching new Master degree curricula; In addition to the existing Geographical tourism and Sport tourism specialisations, the new specialisation international tourism was launched for the first time in the Central Asian region; The 5 year Bachelor programme in tourism used before was transformed into a 4 year programme. The programme is still in demand on the labour market. Around 25 students apply annually and are recruited; Accreditation of the programme by the Accreditation Agency AQAS (Germany) has been achieved; Professional links between partner universities are strengthening, in the form of joint conferences, seminars and exchange lectures, by inviting teachers and professors to and from the EU to deliver lectures, conduct joint lectures and hold practical training sessions that have already become common practice; Labour market studies, strategies of marketing communications and innovative 12

20 technologies (e business) in the field of tourism were launched; One of the university priorities is extending training services by type and form of education. The Tempus project resulted in developing a Master curriculum on Business and Leisure Administration based on distance education, with recognition of diplomas in Belgium and Spain; Bilateral agreements have been signed with a number of hotels in Kazakhstan for provision of trainee opportunities for teachers and student exchange, joint conferences and seminars and other activities with enterprises. Title of Project Project Number Year 2002 Coordinator Partners involved and their countries of origin Grant Size Aims of the project Impact of the project System of Quality Assurance Development at the Kazakh and Russian Agricultural Universities UM JEP TACIS Wageningen University, Netherlands Kazakh National Agrarian University, Kazakhstan Universitaet fuer Bodenkultur WIEN BOKU, Austria Technische Universitat Hamburg, Germany Polish State Accreditation Committee, Poland Ministry of Education and Science, Kazakhstan Land and Land Use Planning University, Russian Federation Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation Euro The aim of the project was to develop and implement a system of internal quality assurance at the Kazakh and Russian Agricultural Universities. As a result of the implementation of the project: A quality assurance system tailored to the Kazakh and Russian situation and the specific needs of the universities was established; A detailed document on the concept of quality, the aims and objectives, the content, the necessary training, the structure and organization of the management, the quality management cycle and the anticipated results was developed and became a basic management tool. Effective university structures were introduced and a process of full documentation of procedures was put in place; Administrative staff and teachers were trained in the principles of quality assurance, methodology of curricula development and new methods of teaching and learning, with a focus on the autonomous work of students, the introduction of trimesters and an enhanced share of practical work for students; Information and communication technologies were employed to provide more automated and objective evaluation processes, particularly for assessment and examination results; A central student record system in charge of processing and analysing a wide range of student data was established; A new system of assessment was introduced with more frequent, varied, objective and regular assessment; A group of independent experts were set up to assess the quality of training activities; A system of attestation and staff motivation was developed which was based on a rating system; Selected elements of the model have been used by the Ministry of Education and Science in developing instructions on quality assurance and in selecting the criteria for international accreditation. 13

21 2) Kyrgyzstan Since 1995, higher education institutions from Kyrgyzstan have participated in 55 Tempus projects, the majority of which were Joint Projects in the area of curriculum development. Tempus has been the cornerstone of current higher education reform, as it has tested and disseminated a number of key reforms, in particular the introduction of the credit transfer system, the transition to the Bologna three cycle degree system and the establishment of a quality assessment system. Tempus projects have been the main instrument for implementing the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS system) in the national higher education system. Over the past few years, ECTS has been widely used in the framework of bilateral agreements with EU universities, through at least eight Tempus projects. The consequences of the introduction of ECTS in Kyrgyzstan were much more far reaching than expected and required a complete revision of the way courses were structured and described. The ECTS/Diploma Supplement National Bureau under the Ministry of Education was established in 2007 in the framework of a Tempus pilot project to support the introduction of ECTS and the European Diploma Supplement. The ECTS National Bureau prepared a number of concept papers such as the 'Concept of Higher Education Development in the Kyrgyz Republic', the 'Education Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2010' and the 'Education Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for '. It also published an ECTS introduction handbook which was disseminated to all universities in the country. It organised a high number of ECTS trainings for university administration and teachers and monitored the transition process to ECTS. Tempus has also contributed to the establishment of a legal base for a national quality assessment system that resulted in the adoption of the "Law on Education" in Six Tempus projects developed higher education quality assurance systems in Kyrgyz universities. In 2011, a first Independent Quality Assurance Agency has been established as a result of a Tempus project entitled 'Central Asian Network for Quality Assurance', which implemented the first accreditation of programmes (in the area of economics) at two universities. The academic community of the Kyrgyz Republic continues to work on establishing quality assurance systems (both at programme and institutional level). A Quality Assurance manual, based on the guidelines produced by the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) was developed by experts, trained in the framework of Tempus projects and is now widely used. Tempus has also been active in supporting the transition to the three cycle degree system, in particular through ten projects focusing on the development of Bachelor and Master curricula. However, the higher education system continues to consist of two parallel subsystems: the preparation of specialists in five years and the two cycle system leading to Bachelor (4 year) and Master (2 year) degrees. The Tempus programme has given Kyrgyz partners the opportunity to develop links not only with partners in the EU but also with other Central Asian countries. Kyrgyz partners have had the opportunity to work together with other Central Asian higher education institutions (HEIs) in the region, in areas of common interest, such as reforming higher education structures and systems, student services, internationalisation strategies, service learning and institutional autonomy. These new links have been very useful for further research collaboration and student exchange. 14

22 Tempus has helped Kyrgyz HEIs to improve their infrastructure through the establishment of various labs and teaching rooms with modern facilities. HEIs from more remote regions gained considerable advantage from this. Tempus also helped Kyrgyz professors to access the latest research and knowhow in European universities, allowing them to upgrade courses in certain disciplines and enhance the quality of academic programmes. Tempus has brought new disciplines, which never existed in Kyrgyzstan before, such as geo informatics, agricultural management and renewable energy, safety for railway transportation and courses for strategic management at universities. Two Examples of Projects from Kyrgyzstan Title of Project Project Number Creation of a National ECTS Office T045B Year Coordinator Partners involved and their countries of origin Grant Size Aims of the project Impact of the project Université Pierre Mendes France, Grenoble II, France Kyrgyz National University, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Academy of Finance and Economics, Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz International University, Kyrgyzstan Universidad de Alicante, Spain Katholieke Hogeschool Zuid West Vlaanderen, Belgium Euro The aim of the project was to establish the National ECTS Office under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and adapt the credit system for higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan. As a result of implementation of the project: The National Office for ECTS/Diploma Supplement under the Ministry of Education was established in 2007 to support the further introduction of ECTS and the European Diploma Supplement; The National ECTS Office prepared a number of concept papers, such as the 'Concept of Higher Education Development' in the Kyrgyz Republic, the 'Education Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic until 2010' and the 'Education Development Strategy of the Kyrgyz Republic for '; an ECTS introduction handbook was published, which was disseminated to all universities in the country. It organised a high number of ECTS training courses for university administrations and teachers and monitored the transition process to ECTS; The National ECTS Office became a vehicle for the introduction of Bologna Process principles in the national higher education system of Kyrgyzstan, which led to a major collaborative success the adaptation of the 'Decree on the Transfer of Higher Education System of Kyrgyzstan to Two cycle Education'. This governmental Decree was adopted in August (No. 496 of 27 August 2011) and on this basis, all universities in Kyrgyzstan transferred to the new system on 1 September 2012; Later in 2008, experts from the National ECTS Office have been appointed as Higher Education Reform Experts by the Decree of the Minister of Education and Science and they are still working on the higher education agenda in Kyrgyzstan. 15

23 Title of Project Project Number Year Coordinator Partners involved and their countries of origin Grant Size Aims of the project Impact of the project Creation of National Information Centres on the Bologna process in the Kyrgyz Republic SCM TO 12 B University of Pisa, Italy Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic University of Ghent, Belgium International University of Kyrgyzstan Osh Technological University, Kyrgyzstan Jalal Abad State University, Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz National University, Kyrgyzstan Osh State University, Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz State University named after Arabaev, Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyz State University of Construction, Kyrgyzstan Transport and Architecture, Issyk Kul State University, Kyrgyzstan Naryn State University, Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Academy of Finance and Economy, Kyrgyzstan Euro The aim of the project was to support the attempts of the Kyrgyz Republic to reform their national higher education system, in line with the principles of the Bologna Process, to promote the distribution of knowledge and the application of the Tuning methodology. As a result of implementation of the project: National Information Centres (NICs) on the Bologna Process were established at 11 higher education institutions in Kyrgyzstan and Bologna Groups were established at those universities. They played a great role in dissemination, awareness raising and explanation of Bologna process principles to HEIs, parents, students and employers and helped smoothen the introduction of innovations such as ECTS, the Diploma Supplement and Bachelor and Master decrees; Information on the Bologna Process was collected and a web site was created ( The first curricula using the tuning methodology were prepared in Kyrgyzstan. A training course on Tuning was conducted. Pilot syllabi were developed and implemented based on the Tuning methodology; a new model of the state educational standard (SES) was developed and approved by the Decision of the Kyrgyz Government as well as SES on Bachelor (more than 100 directions) and Masters Programme (about 100 directions); A pilot self evaluation on five curricula was conducted for the first time, based on a Self Evaluation Guidebook of the University of Bologna; The capacity of more than 100 teaching staff has been built, to develop curricula using the Tuning methodology. 16

24 3) Tajikistan The Tempus programme started in Tajikistan in 2004 and since then, 42 projects have been implemented which have been mainly Joint Projects. Tajikistan has been embarking on significant changes to its education system since its independence. These changes are necessary since the break up of the former Soviet Union. Tajik universities had to operate in a difficult environment, where the development of international contacts was almost impossible. For this reason, Tajikistan was not able to join Tempus at the same time as the other Central Asian countries. Tempus has helped the most advanced universities to re establish links with the international academic community and catch up with its neighbours. Tempus has been instrumental in capacity building and curriculum modernisation, which are relevant to the country needs, in line with Bologna principles. The higher education reform process in Tajikistan began a few years ago, with the adoption of a number of legislative acts and State programmes for the development of education. The priority placed on quality assurance and the improvement of higher education management is in line with the introduction of Bologna principles in all higher education institutions. The first introduction of ECTS at Tajik higher education institutions was carried out in the framework of a Tempus project, which was used as a pilot for all Tajik universities. Since then, the Ministry of Education and Science has instructed all universities to introduce the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in Tajikistan. The Tempus projects that have been implemented in Tajikistan have focused mainly on curriculum reform, in particular in the area of engineering, renewable energy technologies and geographic information systems. Tempus projects in Tajikistan have also led to the establishment of international relations offices, the development of quality assurance systems in different disciplines and the design of qualification requirement systems. In the framework of a Tempus project on Curriculum development in Renewable Energy Technologies in Central Asian universities, a new Master course in renewable energy technologies was opened, that raised high interest among international agencies and is being used by other donors as a sound basis for the organisation of training among the rural population, on the efficient use of energy resources. This project demonstrated the multiple benefits and the effect of such approaches to economic growth and social progress. With the on going land reform process, a Tempus project on the Development of a New University Programme in Geographic Information Technology provides training for specialists in the State Land Management Agency, as well as water management and land assessment, agricultural, construction, GPS and satellite images. Moreover, Tempus has helped Tajik higher education institutions to establish and strengthen the links between enterprises, to ensure the relevance of the project's outputs to the needs of the market. Some of the universities have benefited greatly from the accreditation of their specific programs by the independent EU accreditation agencies, which led to the international recognition of the study courses and opened up opportunities for international cooperation in research and entrepreneurship. The implication of this know how at the established labs also helped improve significantly the quality of teaching. Another important aspect is the improvement of regional cooperation between Central Asian higher education institutions through various education management instruments, such as the establishment of study courses, teaching materials and internet platforms. Tempus supported dialogue on research at institutional level, which helped Tajik higher education institutions to establish education and research partnerships between Central Asian and EU higher education institutions. 17