Answering the numerous questions on the organization of the summer exam session of the 2019-2020 academic year on May 7 through the online "Open day" within 3 hours, ASOIU's Rector Mustafa Babanli clarified the issues of interest to students through a short interview. The interview featured discussion on the issues of organization of examinations, time, criteria for assessing students' knowledge, defense of diploma theses and master's dissertations, as well as admission to master's and doctoral levels, as well as second higher education at ASOIU, payment the cost of the tuition fees of students who are members of families belonging to the socially vulnerable groups by state and other issues.
When and in which format will be held the upcoming semester exams?
According to the current result, if there is no ease regarding the quarantine rules, all exams will be conducted online in oral format. Semester exams will be held as before. In general, we plan to start the exam session in early June. The schedules will be ready by May 20 and will be presented to the students. The exam session may take longer than a regular session.
According to which criteria the students' knowledge will be evaluated and will there be discounts for students?
As you know, ASOIU has a unibook system. Our students have already received all the materials from the beginning of the semester. Our discount for students will be that, unlike in previous years, they will not have questions from the passive syllabus. There will only be materials included in the active syllabus in the unibook which is about 55% of the relevant materials. All questions will be average and easy. For each question answered by the student, the teacher will ask at least one question according to that answer to determine how student has mastered the knowledge. The exam score will be formed on the basis of the student's pre-exam activity and the answer given by student during the exam. This ratio is taken as 30% // 70%. 30% will be formed from activity, presentation, and 70% from the answer given by student in the exam. Each question will be considered with a coefficient of 1,4 that is if the student used to receive 10 points, now can receive 14 points from that question.
If a teacher evaluates a student's knowledge gained during the semester on a 100-point scale with 85 points, we will accept it as it is. But the student should not think that the teacher's examination process will be out of control. The examination process of teachers will be monitored in the form of a commission, will be filmed in video format, and the answers of each student will be listened.
How much time will be allocated for the exam in total?
Online exams will be held in group form. Each group will be divided into subgroups consisting of 6 people. The exam will be conducted in active mode with the participation of a maximum of 6 students and teachers at the same time. It will take about 1 hour. Then, after a 5-minute break, the exam process will begin with a second subgroup of 6 students. Students will draw tickets online, and both students and teachers will see the questions on their tickets at the same time, and the questions on these tickets will be identified through computer at that moment. Each student will be given 15-20 minutes to prepare, but it is also possible to answer directly after drawing a ticket.
What role of student participation in online classes and presentations made by student will play in the assessment during the online exam?
If the student has made a presentation, he or she can gain up to 20 points. If a student has actively participated in lessons, he / she can gain 10 points. If the student has not been able to attend previous online lessons but is joining now, a teacher conducts the student's assessment. That is, until May 15, they have right to join and participate in the assessment. However, if it will not be during the general semester assessment, then the teacher will accept the presentations, and they will be deprived of 10 points in this assessment. On the other hand, the teacher is totally free to assess the student. If the teacher is satisfied with the student's answer during the exam, then can test student's knowledge by giving additional questions and give him 100 points on a 100-point scale.
Is there a need for the report related to practical internship?
There is no need for a final report from the practical internship, and the results of the practical internship will be evaluated according to the expert's opinion, depending on in which enterprise the student undertakes the practical internship.
How will the exams of subgroup, individual group or students who have paid 25 percent be held?
Students will take exam in online form according to this semester. The process related to subgroups or individual groups is underway. The students in subgroups will take the exam in a same way as in other exams. If they are individual group, then they have paid their fees and the teacher will conduct an exam in the same system. We have provided materials for everyone in the system - unibook. As for those who paid 25 percent of fees, since these debts were the debts of previous semesters, it has been implemented with 25 percent. Those who fail exam in this semester will continue to receive discounts in the future. However, due to previous debts 25% remains in force. Those exams also will be held online in oral form.
How will diploma theses be evaluated and when is the deadline for submission?
The overall average achievement of students taking the state exam has been calculated, and everyone already knows this. That grade will be noted for them as the final certification. If the student objects, an exam will be arranged for that student. Thesis work will be controlled with anti-plagiarism. Once it is approved that there is no plagiarism, the thesis work will be accepted electronically. That is, for the first time, taking into account the students, we will consider the thesis work being accepted without any defense in the electronic version and again offer the student an average achievement indicator. If the student objects and wants to fight for a higher score, we will arrange a defense at the appropriate time for that student.
There is no date for the submission of diploma thesis, but it would be better to submit them by mid-June, so that we can complete it by mid-July.
How will be the diploma thesis and exams of master students?
Master's degree is a different level and is the first step of a scientific degree. Therefore, the defense of dissertations in the master's degree is mandatory. We will offer students a variety of options. Temporarily Academic Boards are established for the defense of master's dissertations. Therefore, these defense councils will be presented online. Depending on the current situation and the training of experts, starting from mid-June, we will organize the defense of all thesis. After that, the experts will hold a meeting, assess each student individually, and the final certification will be brought to the attention of students.
How admission to ASOIU for master's degree, doctorate and second higher education will be held?
Admission to the second higher education will be the same as before. It is possible to apply year-long for a second education. We interview them in accordance with the teaching. We have enrolled our 52 doctoral students who passed the exams of the State Examination Center to doctoral level. I would like to express my gratitude to the minister of Education for taking into consideration our request to ensure the distribution of vacant places that did not meet the requirements of the competition to other specialties. We will join the process when the admission to the doctoral program for the next year will be agreed with the Ministry of Education at the country level. As for the admission to the master's program, when the State Examination Center conducts registration, we will wait for the list of students placed accordingly. Until then, we will conduct the exam only at the Azerbaijan-French University (UFAZ).The organization of these exams has been determined together with the French partners. 140 people applied to 80 places for admission to UFAZ for master's program. 50 of them are UFAZ graduates. The other 80 are graduates of different universities, including ASOIU. UFAZ will hold entrance exams for the master's program on June 8.
How will be the exams and defense of students studying in MBA, ZU, BA programs?
The approach in all universities is the same and the exams will be held in the same way. Only this process will be organized for students studying in MBA, ZU, BA programs in accordance with their programs.
How will the process regarding the payment of tuition fees by government for students who are members of families belonging to socially vulnerable groups be carried out?
This is not only the university job. There is a database with enough information about each student, his\her parents and it is a reliable source. On the basis of the documents processed there and submitted to us, the list is approved after coordination of this information with the relevant ministries. Based on this, the student's name is added to the list and this issue is ended. I would like to emphasize that according to the document approved by the state, the state covers the tuition fees of students belonging to a certain category for this semester. If any of these students have paid tuition fee this semester, the payment will be refunded. We do not require tuition fees of the students whose name approved and did not pay the tution fee. This specifically referred to the current semester. It is still unknown how the admission will be conducted in the next semester, how many students will study on paid basis. Therefore, our students should rely only on official information and not worry if their names are approved, they can easily participate in all processes.
What advice would you like to give to students?
My biggest request from students is to protect themselves, their relatives and beloved ones. Certainly, health comes first. protect themselves, their relatives and loved ones. The head of state always emphasizes that the health of our citizens is above all. In connection with the current situation, we try to create conditions so that students do not miss education. It is possible that the student refuses to complete this year's material and does not want to join the exams. We will understand such students also. There will be free consultation hours and an exam process for them in early September. However, those students will be excluded from scholarship program. It would be better if our students try to benefit from the online lessons, keep in touch with teachers, if it necessary we will provide additional connections, additional consultation hours. We will approach the examination process in accordance with the existing conditions, and ensure that this process is objective and transparent.
