Meeting with the AQA Global Delegation at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan

Ashgabat, September 18, 2025 — Today, an official meeting was held at the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan with the delegation of AQA Global Assessment Services (United Kingdom), which included Mr. Sean Crowley, Director of International Business Development; Ms. Anna Green, Director of Assessment Systems; and Mr. Vali Guseyn, Regional Consultant.

In his welcoming remarks, Deputy Minister of Education Azat Atayev expressed keen interest in developing strategic cooperation with AQA, particularly in the context of enhancing the quality of education through the implementation of advanced methodologies for assessing learning outcomes. One of the key areas of collaboration identified was the improvement of the final assessment system for students and aligning educational results with the needs of the labor market.

AQA’s International Experience and Its Significance for the Region

AQA Global has successfully implemented dozens of projects worldwide, including in Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Their support has covered the following areas:

Introduction of national final certification systems;

Support for reforms in qualification standardization;

Digitalization of testing processes;

Methodological assistance to governments in shaping education policy.

For example, in Uzbekistan, AQA participated in the development and piloting of a new final assessment model for upper secondary education, which allowed the integration of national tests into international standards and improved the transparency of examination procedures.

In Kazakhstan, AQA supported the transition to a criteria-based assessment model, upon which a new system of qualification requirements for graduates of schools and universities was built.

Such systemic approaches contribute to a tangible improvement in the quality of education, increased trust in diplomas and certificates, and stronger alignment between graduates' qualifications and employers’ expectations.

Discussion Topics and Areas for Cooperation

During the meeting, the following potential areas for collaboration were discussed:

Studying AQA’s experience in organizing final certification and building examination platforms;

Digital solutions for education results analytics;

Joint development of assessment and qualification standards;

Methodological support in the preparation of teachers and assessment system administrators.

Special attention was given to methodological approaches for analyzing and planning education systems that meet international standards. The implementation of such approaches will enable the creation of a data-driven, step-by-step, and sustainable planning model that ensures the effectiveness and impact of education reforms.