On October 5, 2026, Malayka Abbaszade, Chairperson of the Board of the State Examination Center (SEC), received Arnold Brouwer, Director of the Research Center for Examination and Certification (RCEC) of the Netherlands. During the meeting, A. Brouwer extended his congratulations and best wishes to Chairperson M. Abbaszade on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the SEC. A. Brouwer remarked that the SEC’s decade-long activity signifies far more than just an organizational milestone. He noted that through its mission, the State Examination Center fosters the discovery of talent in Azerbaijan, recognizes potential, and creates pathways for individuals to further cultivate that capability. Fair and reliable assessment empowers individuals to advance based on their knowledge, skills, and future potential. In this manner, the SEC contributes directly to the development of Azerbaijan’s human capital and, ultimately, to shaping the nation's future.
Chairperson M. Abbaszade expressed her gratitude to the guest and shared perspectives on future collaboration between the two institutions. First, M. Abbaszade provided insight into current initiatives, objectives, and challenges concerning digital solutions and the application of artificial intelligence across assessment procedures at the SEC. She highlighted that virtually all exam-related workflows have long been digitized, encompassing computer-based test administration, score processing, evaluation of written papers, the appeals procedure, and subsequent stages. Furthermore, M. Abbaszade shared the SEC’s experience regarding AI integration into evaluation processes, addressed the reliability and associated risks of deploying AI in high-stakes examinations, and proposed conducting joint scientific research in this domain going forward.
The parties also reviewed the current state of ongoing cooperation between the SEC and RCEC, notably the surveillance audit for the certificate of conformity awarded to the SEC following the successful re-audit of its Quality Management System in 2024. As background, RCEC conducted the initial audit of the SEC’s Quality Management System in 2020–2021 and a re-audit in 2024. Following each audit cycle, the SEC’s operations and working principles were commended for full compliance with international standards, earning the Center a certificate of conformity valid for three years.
