Kazakhstan boosts European university ties, aims for new research institutes [Advocacy Lab Content]

5 months ago 13

Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Education, Sayasat Nurbek, is expanding international collaborations to provide Kazakh youth with new educational opportunities while boosting the economy.

In less than two years Kazakhstan has successfully attracted over 20 reputable universities to establish branch campuses there. Having boosted European university ties, Kazakhstan now aims for new research institutes in the near term.

Nurbek believes that Kazakhstan has the potential to become an academic hub for the region due to its high quality of education. He remarked: “We are actively promoting this vast market to all our partners, including European partners who hold a special place among our priorities.”

“There are two billion people living in the greater Eurasian region, one of the fastest-growing regions in the world,” said Nurbek, “More than half of these people are young individuals with immense talent but very limited access to quality education. That is a significant challenge.”

The Bolashak scholarship program

At the forefront of Kazakhstan’s educational efforts stands the “Bolashak” scholarship program, which has awarded scholarships to more than 12,000 students, enabling them to pursue studies at some of the world’s top universities. Nurbek said: “More than 1,200 Bolashak scholars have completed their studies in European universities.”

The program launched in 1993, has been instrumental in sending Kazakhstan’s best and brightest students abroad, primarily to European countries.

“The country is setting ambitious goals for restructuring the economy, modernisation of the political system, and building a truly fair and inclusive society. Investments in education and the creation of ample opportunities for self-realisation of citizens are of particular importance,’ remarked the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in a recent speech.

“I am confident that graduates of the Bolashak program and all young professionals in the country will contribute to the large-scale and comprehensive transformation of Kazakhstan,” he said.

European universities are popular

Minister Nurbek told Euractiv: “Germany, the Czech Republic, and France have been popular destinations for our Bolashak scholars.” Notably, he remarked, Germany leads the way with 437 graduates, followed by the Czech Republic (261) and France (189). These students specialise in diverse fields, with humanities leading at 48.7%, followed by technical fields (40.3%), medical studies (8.1%), and creative disciplines (2.9%).

Minister Nurbek’s vision for development extends beyond scholarships, “Our goal is to position Kazakhstan as an educational hub in Central Asia,” he said.

German-Kazakh Institute of Sustainable Engineering

During the visit of the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, last year, several agreements were signed. Among these, the creation of the Kazakh-German Institute of Sustainable Engineering (KINI) at the Caspian Yessenov University of Technology and Engineering in Aktau, Kazakhstan stands out as a significant milestone. German universities partner with the local university in Aktau.

KINI will train technical specialists in best engineering practices to meet the needs of the large energy projects implemented in the region, including green hydrogen production. The inaugural batch of students embarked on this journey last year.

The educational program follows a structured 2+1+1 formula: students spend their initial two years in Aktau, followed by a year of intensive study in Germany. By the fourth year, these students will actively participate in operations, directly employed by the German-Swedish company Svevind.

State-of-the-art plant

The company is constructing a state-of-the-art plant to produce two million tons of green hydrogen. The total project cost is estimated at €50 billion, reflecting the scale and significance of the initiative.

Of note, is the plant’s capacity to generate 40 GW of green electricity – clean energy which will be exported to both Asian and European markets.

Beyond its environmental impact, the Svevind project holds immense promise for the local economy. Approximately 3,500 jobs will be created during the construction phase, providing a boost to employment opportunities.

On 21 June, Minister Nurbek also signed an agreement with the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences in Germany, in the field of telecommunications and engineering.

[By Nicole Verbeeck I Edited by Brian Maguire | Euractiv’s Advocacy Lab ]