ASTANA – Kazakhstan has established the council for strategic partnership with foreign universities, said Deputy Prime Minister Tamara Duissenova at an Oct. 18 meeting with the heads of international universities.
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“This council will become a permanent platform for exchanging opinions and finding innovative solutions, taking into account the interests of all participants,” Duissenova noted.
According to the Prime Minister’s press service, 23 foreign universities are operating in the country’s various regions to date. During the meeting, Duissenova emphasized the interest of the Kazakh side in strengthening ties.
The meeting outlined the need to develop a single general rule for a strategic partnership that will not affect universities’ academic and managerial freedom. The comprehensive collaboration is supposed to develop scientific research and transfer advanced educational programs and teaching methods, ensuring high education standards.
Representatives of foreign universities supported the idea of creating the council and introducing common rules for strategic partnership and shared views on deepening cooperation.
Duissenova also met with the Regional Director of Pearson Arkadiusz Jaworski to discuss the training and certification of Kazakh specialists.
Pearson is one of the world’s leading companies in education and the United Kingdom’s largest awarding organization offering academic, vocational and work-based learning qualifications. Pearson develops world-class qualification standards through cooperation with international experts in educational programs and assessment. The BTEC certificate, included in the company’s list, is recognized in over 70 countries.
Duissenova discussed the development of the domestic national qualification system, which includes technical assignments of employers (professional standards), corresponding educational programs and an assessment of the level of knowledge, skills and abilities of students studying these programs (certification).
During the meeting, Jaworski expressed readiness to cooperate with relevant ministries to implement international educational standards and an independent certification system.
“When developing standards, we focus on the requests of employers. We are ready to work together to create qualification standards, assess educational programs and improve them if necessary,” Jaworski said.
