TAM Report / Azerbaijan - Quality Assurance Instruments

GENERAL INFORMATION

TAM title: International Quality Assurance instruments

Type of Event: Training 

Modality: Online

Location: University of Mingachevir

Country: Azerbaijan

Dates: 12 – 13 May 2024

Participants: 30 people from the University of Mingachevir including IQA experts, representatives of the international office and various faculties, the language

department, Head and staff from national Erasmus+ office.

THEMES COVERED

• The European perspective and its development (guest speaker Oliver Vettori)
• The Austrian perspective and Internal Quality Assurance (IQA)
• How to build IQA Instruments
• How to integrate reporting into Higher Education Management Procedures
• How to integrate Quality Based Follow ups into Higher Education Institutions
• How to close the loop in Quality Assurance

KEY OUTCOMES

During the workshop, participants: 

• Gained a deeper understanding of the European (EU) approach to Internal Quality Assurance (IQA).

• Discussed actively around the practical methods for developing and integrating IQA, particularly concerning tools relevant to the Azerbaijani context.

• Gained access to additional resources including presentations, publications, and useful links.

OVERVIEW

The training session focused on internal quality assurance (IQA) systems, with particular attention to the practical use and adaptation of relevant instruments. A combination of presentations and open discussions was used, which proved effective—especially when exploring how these tools could be applied in the local context. Participants engaged actively, showing particular interest in the technical aspects of IQA.

Feedback from participants was very positive, with discussions indicating that the session was both useful and engaging. Knowledge levels among participants were mixed: some were experienced in IQA, while others, particularly from the academic side, were less familiar with the topic. The training content was therefore adapted, with more time dedicated to explaining technical elements.

Additionally, there was a strong interest among participants in broader themes related to the European Higher Education Area. Future training activities could respond to this by expanding beyond IQA to cover other relevant aspects of European higher education.

ENHANCING IMPACT: PROPOSED NEXT STEP

• Strengthen digital infrastructure in HEIs (e.g., proper tools and licenses for virtual training and QA processes).
• Promote in-person trainings instead of online formats to improve engagement and effectiveness.
• Create a national network of QA practitioners to complement top-down reforms with bottom-up exchange.
• Disseminate TAM learnings across all universities, including targeted trainings for institutions with little QA experience.
• Support regional development so that universities outside Baku are not left behind in QA and HE reforms.

• Expand future capacity-building to additional areas of the European Higher Education Area beyond IQA.

   

RESOURCES AND BACKGROUND MATERIAL

• Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (Austria) (2025). Higher education system. Available at: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Topics/Higher-education---universities/Higher-education-system.html
• Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (Austria) (2025). Hochschul-Qualitätssicherungsgesetz (HS-QSG). Available at: https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/en/Topics/Higher-education---universities/Higher-education-system/HS-QSG.html