Between 14-16 March BOMCA Technical Mission experts visited Astana to evaluate the compatibility of the existing customs officer training system with World Customs Organization (WCO) professional standards and recommendations of the European Commission Directorate-General for Taxation and Customs Union (DG TAXUD).

Mr. Aldis Čevers and Mr. Aivars Gulbis, Associate Professors at the International Institute of Business and Customs of Riga Technical University, visited Kazakh National University to discuss the existing training curricula, methodology, and resources used at the Kazakh institution. The experts presented to the national partners the basic principles of WCO professional standards and DG TAXUD recommendations   

In order to get a detailed insight into organisation of the educational process and the methodological approaches involved, separate meetings were organised between the expert team and the Heads of Departments specialised in topics such as customs control, state regulation of foreign trade activities, classification and certification of goods, customs statistics and information technologies, and legal and economic disciplines. 

BOMCA experts together with teachers made a detailed analysis of the Institute’s existing training programme, prepared a comparative table containing the WCO professional standards, and examined the programme in terms of compliance with the standards. The list of requirements and documents to be submitted to the World Customs Organization was also discussed.

As a result of the mission, the experts will develop practical recommendations for achieving World Customs Organization accreditation for the Kazakh National University training programme, which will be the marker for the Institution’s alignment with international standards.