On December 18, 2023, as part of the implementation of the DEFA project aimed at enhancing the financial autonomy of universities in Kyrgyzstan, the Head of the International Relations Department of the International Higher School of Medicine (IHSM) met with a quality group from the International University of Kyrgyzstan.

The participants in the meeting included: Bekboeva R.R., project coordinator, Mambetova Aynura, Mustakova Sabira, Kydyralieva Saltanat Cholponbaevna, and Raimova Aynura Bolotbekovna.

During the meeting, issues related to the work package 4 "Quality Assurance" of the project were discussed. Key points of the meeting included:

• Assessment of the current state of the project regarding work package 4: Meeting participants analyzed the current progress, identified strengths, and highlighted areas requiring additional attention.
• Quality assurance plans: Strategies and plans to ensure the necessary level of quality during the project implementation were developed and discussed.
• Interaction with the International University of Kyrgyzstan: Measures to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the quality group of partner universities within the consortium were discussed.

The DEFA project aims to establish financial autonomy for Kyrgyzstan's universities, and this meeting was a crucial step in ensuring the quality of its implementation. The Head of the International Relations Department at IHSM expressed gratitude to the International University of Kyrgyzstan for their productive collaboration and active participation in the project.