Licensing and Accreditation of Private Educational Institutions

In the context of modernizing Uzbekistan’s education system, non-state (private) educational institutions are acquiring particular importance. They create alternative opportunities for obtaining knowledge, contribute to the development of a competitive environment, and introduce innovative teaching methods. However, their activities are strictly regulated by the state, which is expressed in the mandatory licensing and the procedures of attestation and accreditation. These mechanisms are designed to ensure the quality of educational services, their compliance with national standards, and public trust in issued educational documents.

According to the Law “On Education” (No. ZRU-637 of September 23, 2020), a non-state (private) educational institution is a legal entity that provides educational services on the basis of a license or in a notification procedure, in accordance with state educational standards and requirements. Such institutions may provide services at all levels of education: preschool, general secondary, vocational, higher, and postgraduate.

Their activities are based on a charter and a license, and graduates of accredited programs receive state-standard documents.

Licensing of Private Educational Institutions

1. Legal framework. Licensing is carried out within the framework of the Law “On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures” and the Law “On Education.”
2. Competent authorities. Issuance, reissuance, and revocation of licenses fall within the competence of:
   • The Ministry of Preschool and School Education (for preschool, general secondary, and secondary specialized education),
   • The Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations (for vocational, higher, and postgraduate education).
3. Licensing features.
   • Licenses are issued for an indefinite period.
   • A separate license is issued for each type of education.
   • Certain types of activities (e.g., extracurricular education, family-based preschool education, professional development courses) may be carried out under the notification procedure, without a license, but with registration in the respective ministry.

Attestation and State Accreditation

1. Attestation. Attestation is the main form of state control aimed at assessing the compliance of educational content and quality with state standards and requirements.
2. State accreditation. This is the procedure of officially recognizing an educational institution as meeting state educational standards and curricula. For non-state (private) organizations, accreditation is necessary to grant the right to issue state-standard educational documents.
3. Comprehensive and special accreditation.
   • Comprehensive accreditation is based on external evaluation of all areas of activity.
   • Special accreditation is conducted before the start of the educational process for specific programs.
4. Stages. Accreditation procedure includes:
   • Internal evaluation (self-assessment by the institution),
   • External evaluation (by state authorities or international accreditation organizations included in the official register).

Interrelation of Licensing and Accreditation

• A license grants the right to carry out educational activities.
• Accreditation confirms the quality of these activities and legitimizes the issuance of state-standard educational documents.

Without a license, a non-state institution cannot operate, and without accreditation it cannot issue state-recognized diplomas and certificates.

International Accreditation

The law allows participation of international accreditation organizations, provided they are recognized in Uzbekistan and included in the official register. This expands opportunities for integrating non-state universities into the international educational space.

Challenges and Prospects

The main challenges for non-state (private) educational institutions are related to:

• the complexity of licensing and accreditation procedures,
• the need to comply with state standards for material and technical resources,
• increased requirements for teaching staff.

At the same time, accreditation provides access to international recognition of diplomas, enhances employer trust, and improves the competitiveness of institutions.

Licensing and accreditation are key mechanisms for ensuring education quality in Uzbekistan’s private sector. They serve as a balance between educational initiative freedom and the need to comply with state standards. In the future, improvement of accreditation procedures and expansion of international cooperation will enable private educational institutions to make a significant contribution to building an innovative and competitive education system.

Licensing vs. Accreditation

Criterion	Licensing	Accreditation
Legal basis	Law “On Education” (ZRU-637), Law “On Licensing, Permitting and Notification Procedures”	Law “On Education” (ZRU-637), by-laws of the Cabinet of Ministers
Purpose	Granting the right to carry out educational activities	Confirming compliance with state standards and granting the right to issue state-standard documents
Authorities	- Ministry of Preschool and School Education (preschool, general secondary, secondary specialized) - Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations (vocational, higher, postgraduate)	- Ministry of Preschool and School Education - Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovations - International accreditation organizations (included in the register)
Form	Issuance of license for an indefinite period, by education type	State accreditation certificate with a fixed validity period
Types	License by levels: preschool, general secondary, secondary specialized, vocational, higher, postgraduate	- State accreditation - Comprehensive accreditation - Special accreditation
Procedures	- Application submission - Verification of compliance with licensing requirements (facilities, staff, programs) - License issuance	- Internal evaluation (self-assessment) - External evaluation (state authorities or international organizations) - Commission decision- Certificate issuance
Validity	Indefinite	Limited, depending on level and type
Consequence of obtaining	Institution receives the right to provide educational services	Institution receives the right to issue state-standard educational documents
Consequence of absence	Institution’s activity is illegal	Graduates do not receive state-standard documents; trust and status decrease
Specific features	Notification procedure applies to certain activities (extracurricular, family-based preschool, professional development courses)	Mandatory for institutions issuing state-standard documents; international accreditation is taken into account

 

Roadmap: Licensing and Accreditation of Private Educational Institutions

Stage	Institution’s Actions	Competent Authority	Documents / Requirements	Result
1. Preparation	Define type of education; prepare charter, programs, facilities; recruit staff	—	Founding documents, charter, staff and infrastructure information, sanitary and fire safety approvals	Document package ready
2. License application	Submit application and documents	- MPSE (preschool, general secondary, secondary specialized) - MHESI (vocational, higher, postgraduate)	Application, charter, staff and facility details, program drafts	Review process starts
3. Review and license issuance	Address remarks if required	MPSE or MHESI	—	License issued for indefinite period
4. Activity organization	Launch educational process under state standards	—	Contracts with students, curricula	Right to conduct educational activity
5. Internal evaluation (attestation)	Self-assessment based on quality criteria	Institution	Self-assessment report	Preparation for external review
6. Report submission and external evaluation	Submit report 2 months before review	MPSE / MHESI or international accreditation organizations	Self-assessment report, additional materials	External evaluation conducted
7. Accreditation commission decision	Review evaluation results	Commission under MPSE / MHESI	—	Issuance of accreditation certificate (state, comprehensive, special)
8. Inclusion in register	Add institution data to register	Competent authorities	—	Right to issue state-standard documents
9. Accreditation maintenance	Comply with standards, prepare for re-accreditation, publish data on website	Institution and supervisory bodies	—	Accredited status maintained