ASTANA – A Representative Office of the Nobel Academy, a Swiss-based group of educational and research institutions offering online tuition accredited around the world, has opened in Astana, the Astana Akimat (city administration) has announced.
“We are opening the academy in Astana due to the historical cooperation between your country and the Nobel family,” said Philip Nobel, chairman of the Nobel International Fraternity Academy, at the opening of the branch on May 23, according to the akimat website. “It is planned to open representative offices in Almaty, Atyrau and other cities of Kazakhstan. Students will receive two diplomas from the United Kingdom and Switzerland, having successfully trained at the centre. Upon successful completion, they will be able to continue their studies in any university in the world.”
The Nobel Academy, an online education platform, is based in Zurich, Switzerland and offers a range of educational programmes for qualifications accredited in the U.K., Russia and other countries, according to the academy website. The academy currently offers a bachelor of economics degree from Moscow State Industrial University, a Higher National Certificate and Diploma accredited by Business and Technical Education Council (BTEC) of the U.K. in business and related sub-specialities for undergraduate students and a postgraduate BTEC Higher National qualification in strategic leadership and management.
The academy is also a forum for discussion and exchange of ideas between students and scientists. Branches of the academy are now active in Kazakhstan, Russia and Azerbaijan and the programme plans to expand into Asia, according to their website.
The academy will provide five grants this year for students to study abroad in the U.K., Kazakh TV reports. Kazakh graduates will be able to take the entrance exam for U.K. A Levels programmes in June. Graduates will have to demonstrate that they have the necessary English languages skills in order to study abroad. There will also be distance learning programmes in economics, business and law at the academy, both for new graduates and those with higher level educations.
