Code of Ethics for the Staff of the Institute for the Development of the National Qualifications System

1. The Code of Ethics for staff of the National Qualifications System Development Institute (hereinafter referred to as “Rules”) consists of the main rules regarding professional culture, conduct during work, and conduct outside of work, as well as appearance and dress code, regardless of the position held by the staff.
2. The Rules aim to foster high professional culture in civil service, enhance public respect and trust toward public service, and prevent actions contrary to ethical standards by civil servants.
3. The obligation of staff to comply with the Rules begins from the day they are hired by the Institute for the Development of the National Qualifications System under the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education.

New employees are introduced to the Rules and required to sign them.

4. Employees must comply with all legislative documents and the Rules. Adherence to the Rules is one of the criteria for evaluating employees’ professional conduct and behavior at work.

Qoidalarga rioya qilinishi holati ularni kelgusida yuqori lavozimlarga tayinlash va rahbar kadrlar zaxirasini shakllantirishda hisobga olinadi.

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

• Loyalty to the country and dedication to service, performing assigned duties fully, and strictly observing discipline;
• Respecting the priority of citizens’ rights, freedoms, and legitimate interests;
• Commitment to the interests of the state and society;
• Fairness, honesty, and impartiality;
• Zero tolerance and combating of corruption;
• Strict confidentiality;
• No abuse of official powers;
• Avoiding conflicts of interest.

6. During their work and outside of work, employees must adhere to the following general behavioral rules:

• Avoid actions that may damage the reputation of the civil service and consistently comply with ethical standards;
• Make responsibility, dedication to work, and honesty a daily motto;
• Assist colleagues in performing complex tasks;
• Demonstrate politeness, attentiveness, and vigilance to instill citizens’ trust and respect toward the state;
• Ensure a healthy family environment, care for family members, and instill patriotism and high moral values in children;
• Treat all citizens equally, sincerely, and respectfully, regardless of their social background, economic status, or other factors;
• Adhere to generally accepted ethical norms in society.

7. Employees:

• Not to allow actions (or inaction) that could lead to discrimination against citizens based on gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, religion, social background, belief, or personal and social status;
• Be honest, fair, and humble; demonstrate politeness, tact, and sincerity when interacting with citizens;
• Ensure legality, fairness, and transparency when making decisions affecting the rights and legitimate interests of individuals and legal entities;
• Refrain from actions (or inaction) that harm the interests of the state and society or reduce the efficiency of government agencies and organizations;
• Take measures to avoid public criticism due to one’s behavior and ethics, prevent persecution for criticism, and use reasonable and constructive criticism to address shortcomings and errors in one’s work;
• Do not use one’s official position to influence personal matters concerning government bodies, organizations, civil servants, or other individuals;
• Do not receive any reward, benefit, or gift in exchange for using one’s official powers to act or refrain from acting in the interest of individuals or legal entities;
• Ensure the integrity of state property and use state assets entrusted to them solely for official purposes;
• Strictly adhere to service discipline and use working hours wisely and efficiently;
• Continuously take measures to improve performance in accordance with the requirements of the public as consumers of government services;
• Avoid any misconduct or actions punishable by disciplinary, administrative, or criminal law;
• Observe professional ethics and work discipline;
• Must not use official position and opportunities to advance 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 while performing their duties, nor compel or encourage participation in the activities of political parties, public associations, or other non-governmental organizations.

7. Employees:

• Not to allow actions (or inaction) that could lead to discrimination against citizens based on gender, race, nationality, citizenship, language, religion, social background, belief, or personal and social status;
• Be honest, fair, and humble; demonstrate politeness, tact, and sincerity when interacting with citizens;
• Ensure legality, fairness, and transparency when making decisions affecting the rights and legitimate interests of individuals and legal entities;
• Refrain from actions (or inaction) that harm the interests of the state and society or reduce the efficiency of government agencies and organizations;
• Take measures to avoid public criticism due to one’s behavior and ethics, prevent persecution for criticism, and use reasonable and constructive criticism to address shortcomings and errors in one’s work;
• Do not use one’s official position to influence personal matters concerning government bodies, organizations, civil servants, or other individuals;
• Do not receive any reward, benefit, or gift in exchange for using one’s official powers to act or refrain from acting in the interest of individuals or legal entities;
• Ensure the integrity of state property and use state assets entrusted to them solely for official purposes;
• Strictly adhere to service discipline and use working hours wisely and efficiently;
• Continuously take measures to improve performance in accordance with the requirements of the public as consumers of government services;
• Avoid any misconduct or actions punishable by disciplinary, administrative, or criminal law;
• Observe professional ethics and work discipline;
• Must not use official position and opportunities to advance 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 while performing their duties, nor compel or encourage participation in the activities of political parties, public associations, or other non-governmental organizations.

9. Employees are required to adhere to the following during their service:
• Strictly comply with the Constitution, laws, and other legislative acts of the Republic of Uzbekistan;
• Honor the dignity of the country and remain loyal to state policies;
• Strictly protect state interests in the field of foreign policy;
• Perform official duties conscientiously, honestly, and professionally, avoiding bureaucracy, forgery, and abuse;
• Continuously improve the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively perform official duties;
• Timely and efficiently execute decisions and assignments issued by higher state bodies, organizations, and officials within their authority;
• Do not approach draft normative or other documents from the perspective of personal, group, or departmental interests, and prevent the expression of such interests;
• Combat any legal violations, especially corruption, with zero tolerance;
• Do not incur any work-related expenses during official trips or inspections at the expense of others;
• Immediately report to a supervisor any solicitations by civil servants or others to commit crimes or other legal violations, as well as any violations committed or planned by colleagues;
• Do not engage directly or through others in unauthorized communication with foreign nationals contrary to established procedures;
• While performing official duties, do not discriminate against citizens or others, remain impartial, and respect their rights, responsibilities, and lawful interests;
• Take all measures to ensure state secrets, legally protected information, and other service-related information are not disclosed or misused;
• Follow rules for information dissemination and comply with established procedures to ensure information security when using the Internet and communication tools;
• Ensure the secure storage of service-related information on assigned computers and electronic devices and prevent its unauthorized dissemination;
• Do not discuss the activities of state bodies or officials on social networks, refrain from using unethical expressions, and avoid posting material that could undermine public confidence in ongoing reforms;
• Do not spread information, slander, incitement, or falsehoods that damage the reputation or dignity of citizens and colleagues.
• Strictly adhere to labor and execution discipline, internal rules, as well as proper telephone etiquette and dress code;
• Handle entrusted property and financial resources with care and prudence;
Take measures to maintain a healthy moral environment within the team;
• Strictly adhere to labor and execution discipline, internal rules, as well as proper telephone etiquette and dress code;
• Handle requests from individuals and legal entities lawfully, fairly, and within the deadlines established by law;
• mehnat jamoasida ishchanlik muhitini shakllantirish va uni mustahkamlashga koʻmaklashishi;
• Refrain from discussing personal or professional traits that could undermine the dignity or reputation of colleagues in the workplace;

10. Leaders are obliged to:
• Serve as a role model in professionalism, honesty, impartiality, and fairness for subordinate civil servants;
• Foster a healthy moral environment and productive morale within the team;
• Do not encourage civil servants to engage in illegal actions, nor require them to perform such actions;
• Avoid selecting, appointing, or recommending personnel based on regionalism, tribal ties, personal connections, or loyalty markers;
• Prevent cliques and favoritism (preferential treatment of certain employees) and other negative influences during task execution;
• Make lawful, reasoned, and fair decisions when evaluating civil servants’ performance;
• Take measures to prevent corruption and other abuses by civil servants.
• Take measures to legally and socially protect subordinate civil servants;
• Approach contract execution, competitions, or approvals within one’s authority with impartiality, fairness, and legality;

11. Leaders must not treat subordinates harshly, insult them, attack their personality, give unjustified reprimands or accusations, or discriminate against them;

12. Employees must adhere to generally accepted ethical standards in their free time and refrain from behavior contrary to these norms;
13. Outside of work, employees are required to:
• Respect national customs, values, and traditions;
• Avoid ostentation, vanity, cliques, hedonism, alcohol abuse, and other negative vices;
• Do not discuss state service matters outside officially published information;
• jamoat joylarida (kafe, restoran va boshqa koʻngilochar maskanlarda) oʻzini tutish qoidalariga rioya etish, atrofdagilarning eʼtiborini tortuvchi ortiqcha va salbiy harakatlarga yoʻl qoʻymaslik;
• Do not commit acts against public order and safety, and do not involve or encourage others in such unlawful actions;
• Do not accept valuable gifts from managers, employees, or other officials related to the performance of official duties;
• Strictly follow rules for handling service certificates and do not use them for non-service purposes, including showing them to authority figures to misuse one’s position;
• Do not use official vehicles for personal or other purposes outside of service activities;
• Do not discuss work-related information in the presence of persons unrelated to the job;
• Follow established rules when using personal vehicles and strictly observe traffic regulations;
• Do not engage in entrepreneurial or other paid activities (outside pedagogical, scientific, or creative work), except as permitted 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 the civil service in which one works;
• tashqi koʻrinishini belgilangan meʼyorlar doirasida saqlash, kamtarona kiyinish, atrofdagilarning eʼtiborini oʻziga ortiqcha jalb qiladigan tarzda kiyinmaslik.

14. Employees should cooperate with the media and support coverage of the activities of state bodies and organizations in mass media.
15. Public statements about state policy or the activities of state bodies and organizations must be made by the head or an authorized official in that field.
16. Public statements cannot be made in the following cases:
• The content of the statement is unrelated to state policy or the activities of state bodies and organizations;
• The statement contains information related to state secrets;
• The statement is intended to undermine the reputation of other state bodies or organizations or to demean their officials.

17. To ensure public oversight in the civil service, state bodies and organizations must publicly respond or provide explanations to accusations or criticisms raised by the public regarding their activities.
18. If a public statement contains phrases that undermine the dignity or honor of citizens, employees must acknowledge the error or inaccuracy of their statements and apologize to the affected individual, unless other legal consequences are stipulated.

19. Employees’ appearance and dress code during work should promote respect for state bodies and organizations, including enhancing the reputation of the civil service.
20. An employee's appearance must suit the work conditions and type of service, help citizens show respect toward the state organization, comply with accepted professional standards, and demonstrate formality, impartiality, modesty, and discipline.

21. Employees must not engage in personal interests that cause or may cause a conflict of interest while performing official duties.
22. If a conflict of interest arises, employees must immediately notify their supervisor.

The supervisor who receives information about a conflict of interest is obliged to take timely measures to prevent or resolve it.

23. Employees are protected by the supervisor from threats, insults, slander, and other unlawful actions related to the performance of their duties.
24. Measures are taken to protect employees who report obstacles to their assigned duties, attempts to commit crimes or other violations, or ongoing or planned illegal actions by colleagues, from potential threats and risks.

25. Compliance with the Rules by employees is monitored by the Chief Specialist for Employee Relations, the Ethics Committee, or a specially authorized state body.
26. Newly appointed employees are familiarized with these Rules and sign an acknowledgment form under the supervision of the HR Chief Specialist.
27. Cases of violation of these Rules are investigated by the Ethics Committee according to the supervisor’s instructions.

28. Employee non-compliance with the Rules serves as grounds for applying ethical and disciplinary measures.
29. For violations of the Rules, the Ethics Committee may apply the following ethical measures to civil servants:
• warning;
• requiring an apology or formal excuse;
• reprimand during collegial meetings of state bodies and organizations.

30. The Ethics Committee may submit a proposal to the supervisor to apply disciplinary measures to employees.

31. If the Rules are violated by a supervisor, the Ethics Committee sends recommendations for appropriate action to the head of the higher state body or organization.

32. Employee violations of the Rules constitute grounds for disciplinary or other legal accountability.

32. Zarurat boʻlganda ushbu Qoidalarga oʻzgartirish va qoʻshimchalar kiritish Taʼlim sifatini taʼminlash milliy agentligining Milliy malaka tizimini rivojlantirish instituti direktorining buyrugʻiga asosan belgilangan tartibda amalga oshiriladi.