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Code of Conduct for Employees of the National Qualifications System Development Institute

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  • Code of Conduct for Employees of the National Qualifications System Development Institute

Code of Conduct for Employees of the National Qualifications System Development Institute

I. General Provisions

1. The Code of Conduct for Employees of the Institute for the Development of the National Qualification system of the National Quality Assurance Agency for Education (hereinafter referred to as the “Code”) comprises the fundamental rules of professional ethics, conduct during official duties, and general appearance and dress, applicable to all employees regardless of their position.

2. The Code is intended to foster high professional standards in public service, enhance public respect and trust in civil service, and prevent behaviors contrary to ethical norms among state employees.

3. The obligation of employees to comply with the Code arises from the day they are hired by the Institute for the Development of the National Qualifications System of the Quality Assurance Agency for Education. New employees are introduced to the Code and required to sign an acknowledgment.

4. Employees must comply with all legislative acts and the provisions of the Code. Adherence to the Code is one of the criteria for evaluating employees’ professional performance and conduct. Compliance with the Code is also taken into account when considering employees for promotion and when forming the pool of managerial personnel.

II. Fundamental Principles and Rules of Employee Conduct in the Workplace

5. Employees must carry out their professional activities based on the following principles:

  • Loyalty to the homeland and dedication to their official duties, full performance of assigned functional responsibilities, and strict adherence to executive discipline;
  • Priority of citizens’ rights, freedoms, and lawful interests;
  • Commitment to the interests of the state and society;
  • Fairness, honesty, and impartiality;
  • Zero tolerance for corruption and active opposition to corrupt practices;
  • Strict confidentiality of official secrets;
  • Non-abuse of official powers;
  • Avoidance of any conflicts of interest.

6. During both professional activities and off-duty time, employees must adhere to the following general rules of conduct:

  • Refrain from actions that could harm the reputation of public service, consistently observe ethical standards, and make responsibility, dedication, and honesty a daily principle;
  • Assist colleagues in performing complex tasks;
  • Demonstrate politeness, attentiveness, and vigilance to inspire citizens’ trust and respect toward the state;
  • Ensure a healthy family environment, provide constant care for family members, and cultivate patriotism and other high moral values in children;
  • Treat all citizens equally, sincerely, and respectfully, regardless of their social background, economic status, or other factors;
  • Comply with generally recognized moral standards in society.

III. General Ethical and Professional Conduct Rules for Employees

7. Employees must:

  • Avoid any actions or omissions that could lead to discrimination against citizens based on gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, religion, social origin, beliefs, or personal and social status;
  • Be honest, fair, and modest, demonstrating politeness, composure, and sincerity in interactions with citizens;
  • Ensure legality, fairness, and transparency when making decisions affecting the rights and lawful interests of individuals and legal entities;
  • Refrain from actions or omissions that could harm the interests of the state and society or reduce the effectiveness of government bodies and organizations;
  • Take measures to avoid public criticism due to their behavior or ethics, not provoke unjustified criticism, and use reasonable and constructive criticism to address shortcomings and defects in their work;
  • Not use their official position to influence state bodies, organizations, civil servants, or other individuals for personal matters;
  • Not receive any rewards, benefits, or gifts from individuals or legal entities in exchange for performing or failing to perform their official duties in consideration of their interests;
  • Ensure the preservation of state property and use entrusted state property solely for official purposes;
  • Strictly observe service discipline and use working hours efficiently and effectively;
  • Continuously take measures to improve the quality of activities in accordance with the demands of citizens as consumers of public services;
  • Not engage in legal violations or other misconduct subject to disciplinary, administrative, or criminal liability under the law;
  • Observe professional ethics and business conduct;
  • Not use their official position or opportunities for the interests of political parties, public associations, or other non-governmental organizations.

8. Civil servants must not require subordinate employees to engage in political activities on behalf of a party, participate in political parties, public associations, or other non-governmental organizations, nor coerce or compel them to do so while performing their official duties.

IV.  Ethical and Professional Conduct Rules Related to Employees’ Official Duties

9. During their official duties, employees are obliged to:

  • Unconditionally comply with the Constitution, laws, and other legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
  • Honor the country and remain loyal to state policy;
  • Strictly protect state interests in foreign policy;
  • Perform official duties conscientiously, honestly, and at a high professional level, avoiding formalism, falsification, and abuse;
  • Continuously improve the knowledge and skills necessary for effective performance of official duties;
  • Timely and efficiently implement decisions and assignments issued by higher state bodies, organizations, and officials within their authority;
  • Avoid approaching the development of normative-legal and other documents from the perspective of any individual, group, or agency’s interests and prevent their interests from being represented;
  • Actively combat any violations of law, especially corruption;
  • Refrain from incurring expenses related to work assignments, official trips, or inspections at the expense of others;
  • Promptly inform their supervisor of any requests from civil servants or other persons to commit crimes or other violations, as well as any ongoing or planned illegal actions by colleagues;
  • Not communicate directly or indirectly with foreign nationals outside established procedures;
  • Avoid discriminating against citizens or other persons in the performance of official duties, resist undue influence, and consider citizens’ rights, obligations, and lawful interests;
  • Avoid actions that could hinder conscientious fulfillment of official duties;
  • Take all measures to protect state secrets, legally protected, and work-related information from disclosure and illegal use, comply with information dissemination rules, and follow established procedures for information security when using the Internet and communication tools;
  • Ensure the security of service-related information on assigned computers and electronic storage devices and prevent its dissemination to others;
  •  Avoid discussing the activities of state bodies, organizations, and officials on social networks, refrain from using unethical expressions, and refrain from posting materials that may undermine public trust in ongoing reforms;
  • Refrain from spreading information, slander, incitement, or falsehoods that damage the reputation and dignity of citizens or colleagues;
  • Strictly observe labor and executive discipline, internal regulations, telephone etiquette, and dress code;
  • Handle entrusted property and financial resources carefully and economically;
  • Maintain a healthy moral environment within the team;
  • Resolve appeals from individuals and legal entities lawfully, reasonably, and fairly within the legally established timeframe;
  • Contribute to creating and strengthening a productive work environment;
  • Refrain from discussing colleagues’ personal or professional traits in a way that could undermine their reputation and dignity.

10.  Supervisors are obliged to:

  • Serve as an example of professionalism, honesty, impartiality, and fairness to subordinate civil servants;
  • Foster a healthy moral and professional environment within the team;
  • Not encourage or require civil servants to engage in unlawful actions;
  • Avoid selecting, appointing, or recommending personnel based on localism, nepotism, acquaintanceship, or personal loyalty;
  • Prevent groupism and favoritism (preference or support for certain employees) and other negative factors during task performance;
  • Make lawful, reasonable, and fair decisions when evaluating the performance of civil servants;
  • Take measures to prevent corruption and other abuses by civil servants;
  • Ensure the legal and social protection of subordinate civil servants;
  • Approach contract execution, competitions, or approval matters fairly, lawfully, and impartially within their authority.

11.  Supervisors must not treat subordinate employees rudely, insult them, attack their personal dignity, issue unjustified reprimands or accusations, or discriminate against them.

V. Employees’ Ethical and Conduct Rules Outside of Official Duties

12.  Employees must observe generally accepted ethical norms during their off-duty time and refrain from behaviors and actions that contradict these norms.

13.  During off-duty hours, employees are obliged to:

  • Respect national customs, values, and traditions;
  • Avoid ostentation, vanity, factionalism, indulgence in pleasures, alcohol abuse, and other negative habits;
  • Refrain from discussing matters related to public service activities beyond officially published information;
  • Follow proper conduct in public places (cafes, restaurants, and other entertainment venues) and avoid excessive or inappropriate behavior that draws attention;
  • Not engage in actions that threaten public order and safety, and not involve or encourage others in such illegal activities;
  • Refrain from receiving expensive gifts from heads and employees of institutions and organizations related to official duties, or from other officials;
  • Strictly adhere to the rules for keeping and using service certificates and not use them for non-official purposes, including not abusing their position by showing service certificates to authorized persons;
  • Not use official vehicles for personal or other non-service purposes;
  • Avoid discussing work-related information in the presence of persons not connected to the work;
  • Comply with established procedures when using personal vehicles and strictly follow traffic rules;
  • Not engage in entrepreneurial or paid activities (outside of pedagogical, scientific, and creative work), except in cases provided by the laws of the Republic of Uzbekistan and presidential decrees;
  • Refrain from actions that could damage the reputation of the state bodies, organizations, or public service in which they work;
  • Maintain appearance within prescribed standards, dress modestly, and avoid clothing that draws excessive attention.

VI. Ethical and Conduct Rules for Employees in Relations with the Public and Media Representatives

14.  Employees must cooperate with mass media and facilitate the coverage of the activities of state bodies and organizations in the media.

15.  Public statements regarding state policy or the activities of state bodies and organizations shall be made only by the head or an authorized official responsible for the relevant area.

16.  Public statements are not allowed in the following cases:

  • The content and subject of the statement are unrelated to state policy or the activities of state bodies and organizations;
  • The information contained in the statement involves state secrets;
  • The statement is intended to undermine the reputation of other state bodies and organizations or to disparage their officials.

17.  To ensure public oversight in civil service, if the public raises accusations or criticism regarding the activities of state bodies and organizations, these bodies must provide a public explanation or response to the accusations or criticism.

18.  If a public statement contains expressions that infringe upon citizens’ dignity and honor, employees must acknowledge any errors or inaccuracies in their statements and apologize to the affected citizen, unless other consequences are provided by law, ensuring respect for their dignity and professional reputation.

VII. Ethical and Conduct Rules Regarding Employees’ Appearance and Dress in the Workplace

19.  Employees’ appearance and dress during official duties should foster citizens’ respect for state bodies and organizations and contribute to enhancing the prestige of public service.

20.  An employee’s appearance, taking into account working conditions and the nature of the service, must facilitate citizens’ respectful attitude toward the state organization while performing official duties, comply with generally accepted workplace standards, and reflect formality, impartiality, modesty, and discipline.

VIII. Conflict of Interest

21.  Employees must not allow personal interests that cause or may cause a conflict of interest while performing official duties.

22.  In the event of a conflict of interest, employees must immediately inform their supervisor. Upon receiving information about a conflict of interest, the supervisor is obliged to take timely measures to prevent or resolve the conflict.

IX. Protection of Employees’ Interests

23.  Protection of employees from threats, insults, slander, and other unlawful acts related to performing official duties is carried out by the supervisor.

24.  Measures are taken to protect employees who report interference with their duties, requests to commit crimes or other violations, and any illegal actions committed or planned by colleagues, from potential threats and risks.

X. Control over Compliance with Ethical and Conduct Rules

25.  Compliance with the Code by employees is monitored by the Chief Specialist for Human Resources or Ethics Commissions, as well as by a specially authorized state body.

26.  Employees appointed to positions are introduced to the Code by the Chief Specialist for Human Resources and sign an acknowledgment.

27.  Cases of violations of the Code are investigated by Ethics Commissions in accordance with the supervisor’s instructions.

XI. Liability for Non-Compliance with the Code

28.  Non-compliance with the Code serves as a basis for applying moral and disciplinary measures to the employee.

29.  For violations of the Code, the Ethics Commission may impose the following moral measures on civil servants:

  • Warning;
  • Requiring an apology or submission of an official written apology;
  • Reprimand during collegial meetings of state bodies and organizations.

30.  The Ethics Commission may submit a recommendation to the supervisor to apply disciplinary measures to employees. If the supervisor violates the Code, the Ethics Commission submits proposals on appropriate measures to the head of the higher-level state body or organization.

31.  Violations of the Code provide grounds for bringing employees to disciplinary and other legal responsibility in accordance with the law.

XII. Final Provisions

32.  If necessary, amendments and additions to this Code are made in accordance with the procedure established by the order of the Director of the National Qualifications System Development Institute of the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education.