On January 18, American Councils for International Education in Almaty, Kazakhstan hosted a closing ceremony for the U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnerships Program's "University Governance and Financial Management Workshops and Pilot Projects." The event was held to honor the collaborative efforts of six Kazakh universities and seven experts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). These institutions worked together throughout 2023 to implement various projects related to revenue generation, university administration, financing and human resources, and commercialization and entrepreneurship.
The participants were welcomed by the U.S. Consul General, Michelle Yerkin, who expressed her gratitude for their efforts in forming partnerships that enhance higher education in both countries. In her welcome speech, Consul General Yerkin highlighted that the partners had worked together to strengthen university education programs, teaching approaches, and institutional research capacities. Teams from the U.S. Embassy in Astana and the U.S. Consulate General in Almaty participated in work sessions and presentations. Colin Guard, the Cultural Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy in Astana, delivered the closing remarks on behalf of the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan.
The event was dedicated to finalizing the project implementation activities and a chance for the Kazakh teams to plan the future of their pilot projects with their UW-Madison coaches. Each Kazakh university presented its project outcomes, accomplishments and challenges, studies learned, and plans for development in 2024.
Apart from project results and successes, Kazakh universities report gaining skills in inter-departmental collaboration, team building, project management, financial planning, evaluation, and risk management.
The U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnerships Program is sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan, U.S. Department of State, and administered by American Councils for International Education.