A memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministry of Education and Science and Cito on June 12, 2021 to expand cooperation in enhancing institutional development in the field of assessment in education.

According to the memorandum, the MFA and Cito agreed to cooperate in the following areas:

1. Implement learning and development initiatives in areas such as education assessment, computer-based examinations, psychometric testing, competency-based assessment, and student tracking systems;

2. Implement joint partnership programs that support the training and development of assessment specialists and trainers in education and quality assurance mechanisms during testing;

3. Increase joint regional initiatives in the field of education assessment in Azerbaijan and the Eurasian region;

4. Regularly share information on new initiatives that are relevant and add value to collaboration in education assessment;

It should be noted that the cooperation between Cito and the Ministry of Education began during the activity of the State Student Admission Commission, the predecessor of the Ministry of Education. Thus, the SSAC met with leading international organizations in the field of education assessment in order to study the advanced, positive and progressive criteria and standards of world practice in the field of knowledge and skills assessment, to use them creatively, to bring the most effective and optimal ones to our country and apply them. including close ties with Cito.

In September 2009, a working group consisting of employees of the SSAC's "Development of Testing Materials" and "Development of Testing Materials for Master's Degrees" visited the Netherlands and met with representatives of Cito to discuss and exchange experiences on the following issues:

· Modern test theory (IRT) and its application;

· Adaptive test;

· Computer-based testing (multimedia, simulation);

· Dutch education system;

· Monitoring at the secondary education level;

· Test bank system.

A delegation led by Maleyka Abbaszadeh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ministry of Education and Science, participated in the 19th annual conference of the European Association for the Evaluation of Education (AEA-Europe) organized by Cito in Arnhem and Nijmegen, Netherlands on November 7-10, 2018. new bridges were built, and even the MFA was one of the conference's partner organizations.

During the 45th Annual Conference of the International Association for the Evaluation of Education (IAEA 2019), organized by the Ministry of Education and Science on September 22-27, 2019, Cito's representative Niko Diteren said "Achieving a sustainable transition in education and assessment in line with functional literacy of the XXI century" organization of trainings for "

Following the IAEA 2019 conference, discussions are held regularly between SEP and Cito staff to support the writing of PISA-type assignments and to develop skills and standards for task evaluation. Training modules have been developed for the professional development of specialists in the above-mentioned areas in 2021, and the trainings are planned to be implemented in the near future with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

It should be noted that the project proposal was prepared in accordance with the "Azerbaijan 2030: National Priorities for Socio-Economic Development" approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated February 2, 2021. Within the framework of the issues arising from the order, the ongoing modernization of the education system should be continued, content reforms should be deepened, and integrative teaching practices should be developed in order to strengthen general education, which is the guarantor of society's development. On this basis, the country's position in international assessments (PISA, PIRLS, TIMSS, ICILS) should be significantly improved.