The international scientific-practical conference on “Assessment systems: Trust, Transparency and Innovation”, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the State Examination Centre, continues with sessions.
The sessions are held in various halls and more than 20 presentations are shown in total.
The sessions include presentations by foreign and local experts in the field of assessment and an exchange of experience.
Speaking on the topic “AYYS - Automated Assessment System for Written Works in Mass Examinations”, Aydin Gasimov, Head of the Unit of the State Examination Center, said that AYYS is a technological system that includes the organization and conduct of the process of assessing written works in online and offline modes based on criteria and auditing the activities of markers participating in the verification process. Currently, AYYS evaluates written works and essays (essays) of general and complete secondary education level (IX and XI years), entrance exams to bachelor's level of higher education institutions (I-IV majors’ groups), entrance exams to master's level of higher education institutions, etc. exams. A. Gasimov noted that so far, more than 47 million assessments have been carried out in AYYS on various exams and subjects.
Chinara Batrakeyeva, Director of the Center for Educational Assessment and Teaching Methods in Kyrgyzstan,spoke about the National Entrance Exam (NAT): A mechanism for ensuring trust and transparency in university admissions in Kyrgyzstan.
Aygun Gurbanli, the associate of the Institute of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, spoke about the role of international assessment studies in shaping Azerbaijani education policy.
Çiğdem Deniz, the expert of the Measurement, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) of Türkiye, provided information about e-TEP: From Design to Delivery – Türkiye's Innovative Four Skills Language Exam.
Ulviyya Gasimova, the associate of the Department of Development of Testing and Measurement Materials of the State Examination Center, spoke on the topic "From Knowledge Assessment to Skills Assessment." U. Gasimova noted that a transition has already been made to a new exam model that can fully measure analytical thinking, correct interpretation of information, and problem-solving abilities in accordance with the new curriculum, and a skill-oriented assessment system has been formed.
The Advisor to the Chairperson of the Measurement, Selection and Placement Centre (ÖSYM) of Türkiye gave a report on “Harmonization of the Turkish language as a Foreign Language Test (e-YDTS) with the CEFR”.
Avazbek Abbosov, a leading specialist at the Uzbekistan Agency for Assessment of Knowledge and Qualifications, spoke about a new approach to the assessment of speaking skills in mass language tests.
Aysel Khanaliyeva, Advisor to the State Language and Foreign Languages Unit of the State Examination Center, made a presentation on the topic “Azerbaijani Language Certification Exam (ACL): standardization and development stages”.
The speech noted that the exam model is based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and assesses language skills at six levels (A1–C2). The exam covers listening, reading, writing and speaking skills.
It was noted that within the framework of the project, the CEFR document was translated into Azerbaijani and placed on the official platform, and appropriate software and methodological tools were developed for teaching and assessing the Azerbaijani language as a foreign language. At the same time, an electronic platform was created and a pilot exam was held for the purpose of implementing the exam model.
Batma Topoeva-Stavinskaya, Director of the Kyrgyztest State Institute, made a presentation on the topic “Digitalization of language tests: Models and methods of theoretical and practical approaches to assessing knowledge and skills.
Assessing creativity and skills in the modern education system: providing information about aptitude exams, employees of the State Examination Centre Eltun Suleymanov and Nuran Abasova noted that these exams are mainly held in the fields of fine arts, music, sports, theater, cinema and choreography, architecture and journalism. “Aptitude assesment exams are organized by the Center to measure the skills and creative potential of applicants in specific fields, and the exams consist of practical and theoretical stages and are held in a centralized manner,” Eltun Suleymanov noted.
Mirigul Abdullaeva, Department Head of the Uzbekistan Agency for Assessment of Knowledge and Qualifications, spoke about the role of the Scientific, Educational and Practical Center in improving the knowledge assessment system.
Konul Hasanova, the employee of the Methodology and Textbook Monitoring Unit of the State Examination Center, provided information on the dynamics of the content of final and entrance exam programs and exam models. The speech focused on the impact of recent changes in the country's education system on the content of final and entrance exams, the work done to update exam programs and models, and the monitoring of textbooks.
The preparation of new programs and task samples in 2016–2017, the holding of final exams for IX-Grade and XI-Grade educational bases in 2017 and 2019 on the basis of the curriculum were presented in sequence. It was especially emphasized that the new models expand the opportunities for assessing not only theoretical knowledge, but also the cognitive and applied skills of students. In addition, scientific and methodological seminars held at the State Examination Center, discussions organized in the regions, training courses for teachers and large-scale work on monitoring textbooks were presented. It was noted that during 2016–2026, final reviews were prepared for more than 600 sets of textbooks for grades 1-11 and sent to the Ministry of Science and Education, and it was noted that since 2017, 313 preparatory courses have been held and more than 4 thousand participants have successfully completed these courses and received certificates.
Said Askerzade, the associate of the Test Bank Unit of the State Examination Centre, gave a presentation on the life cycle of a test task. The presentation showed the stages that test tasks go through from their creation to the exam in a consistent and systematic manner.
It was stated that the process begins with the preparation of the test task, then goes through the stages of expertise and verification. In the next stage, the test tasks are selected in closed conditions and prepared for the exam. This approach serves to ensure transparency and security.
The head of unit of the State Examination Center, Ilgar Mahmudov, and employees of the Institute of Mathematics of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (ANAS), Elshan Mustafayev and Rustam Azimov, provided information about the intellectual system used for processing and evaluating test exam results. The presentation described the developed recognition system used in processing the results of the State Examination Center's school graduation and university entrance exams. It was noted that the system allows for conducting mass exams in a short time and ensuring their correct and objective evaluation. This system can be adapted to any type of form used in test exams through a convenient visual interface. Its use also allows you to abandon the use of expensive and complex optical scanners. As a result of experiments, special limits were set to increase the reliability of recognition results. Models that recognize printed handwritten characters were trained using modern artificial deep neural networks. A visual interface that is especially easy for the operator to resolve suspicious cases was developed.
Speaking on the topic “Hybrid approach in Azerbaijani education: transition to artificial intelligence and rule-based assessment”, Gunel Aldostova, employee of the Test Bank Unit of the State Examination Centre, provided detailed information about the artificial intelligence-based system developed for the objective, transparent and stable assessment of written work. She noted that this system does not replace teachers, but acts as an assistant supporting their work.
Gulmira Isayeva, Head of the Center's Electronic Examination Organization Sub-unit, made a presentation on the topic “Electronic Examination Systems: Development, Analytics and Technological Transformation”.
Thereafter, Kamran Kazimi, associate of the Examination Organization and Management Department of the State Examination Centre, who made a presentation on the topic of “Application of technologies to examination management”, brought to attention that the goal was set to fully digitize all examination processes within the State Examination Centre and establish a high-tech infrastructure that is independent of external interference.
Minakhanim Salamova, an employee of the Department of Development of Testing and Measurement Materials of the Center, speaking on the topic of “Informatics in Entrance Examinations”, stated that the inclusion of the subject of informatics in entrance examinations to higher education institutions is considered an important strategic innovation in the process of assessing knowledge and skills in this area. This step serves to prepare future specialists in accordance with the requirements of the digital economy and increase the country's competitiveness.
Later, Narmina Bayramova, Head of the Civil Service and Personnel Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Azerbaijan, made a speech on “The system of remuneration of civil servants”.
In the continuation of the sessions, Blanca Lazaro, Senior Specialist of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Support for Improvement in Leadership and Management (SIGMA) made a speech on “Civil Servant Selection: Evidence-Based Approach and Practices Applied in OECD Countries”.
During the sessions, Parviz Kazimov, Head of the Competency and Professional Potential Assessment Unit and associates of the unit Nazli Abdulalimova, Hamzayeva Jannat made a speech on “Competency-Based Assessment for Civil Service Recruitment: Multi-Method Approach and Validation of Tools”.
Speaking on the topic “Strategy for the Development of the Civil Service in the Republic of Azerbaijan”, Lala Gadirova, Head of the Legal Support and Civil Service Unit of the State Examination Centre, noted that the main goal of the strategy is to improve management in the civil service system, develop the human resources potential of state bodies, and increase the efficiency of the activities of state bodies by forming a corps of civil servants based on high moral and ethical values, distinguished by knowledge, skills and positive personal qualities.
Speaking on the topic “Digitalized areas of activity in the civil service”, Vugar Akbarov, Head of the State Information Resources Department of the State Examination Centre, noted that the Center prioritizes the application of modern information technologies in all areas, including in its activities in the civil service, and in this regard, the Center regularly develops new program modules, improves existing information systems and enriches them with new functional capabilities, and adds various analytical and statistical reports to the programs.
