UK colleagues were given the opportunity to hear about the latest developments in Kazakhstan higher education and international partnership opportunities from a delegation made up of representatives from 17 Kazakhstan universities, as well as the Center of International Programmes, Bolashaq.
The delegation was led by the minister for science and higher education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek, who spoke about a shared ambition to build a “regional academic mobility and higher education hub” in Kazakhstan and presented a call to action to UK colleagues to forge new partnerships with Kazakhstan institutions.
“We have a two billion people market right there. We have a lot of demand for quality higher education. The [Kazakhstan] government is ready to provide full institutional financial regulatory support for any higher education institutions that want to be part of that big education market,” said Nurbek. “So please consider this opportunity.”
A number of Memorandums of Understanding were signed during the event, organised by the UK’s Department for International Trade, including one between the Ministry for Science and Higher Education, Heriot-Watt University and Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University.
“For us, as a university, this is an exciting development. This is a very big focus for us right now as an institution and as we go forward” said Mark Biggs, vice-principal and provost at Heriott-Watt University.
Heriot-Watt University and Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University MoU
According to Biggs, through the partnership the universities will focus on the development of staff at Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University, leading them to a become a Fellow HEA. They will also focus on establishing research collaborations, with the possibility of bringing the National Robotarium to Kazakhstan – the university’s global research institute focusing on robotics and AI.
The future of Kazakhstan-UK relationships is assured
David Hardy, chairman of the education committee of the British–Kazakh society gave his closing remarks at the event held in London.
“With your involvement, the future of Kazakhstan-UK relationships is assured,” he told the delegation.
The delegation also took the opportunity to visit three UK campuses – Loughborough University London, the University of Reading and the University of Warwick.