Since 2017, the U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnership Program, implemented by American Councils for International Education and the U.S. Embassy in Astana, has established a strong network of Kazakh and U.S. higher education institutions.
American Councils and the U.S. Embassy were able to unite teams of 31 U.S. and 34 Kazakh universities through workshops, trainings, and guidance on building relationships between higher education institutions of the two countries. 42 university partnerships grants have been awarded to modernize curriculum, teaching methodology and pedagogy, conduct joint research, and strengthen the institutional capacity to build a long-term partnership.
On March 27-28, American Councils hosted networking Iftar dinners in Almaty and Astana, bringing together universities from various Kazakh cities including Kokshetau, Karagandy, and Kaskelen. These gatherings served as platforms to share the program activities' outcomes and spotlight the remarkable achievements of participating universities upon completing their grants. Representatives from the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan joined both events, underscoring the importance of collaboration as participants shared success stories and expanded their networks.
In Almaty, International IT University highlighted the opportunities that their partnership grant with the University of Cincinnati gave them in establishing both collaborations with a U.S. university and with peers from other institutions in Kazakhstan.
Satbayev University shared the results of their research project on STEM education, conducted with Purdue University and Zhubanov Aktobe Regional University. Several institutions shared the continuation of their activities even upon completion of the grants. Kazakh National Agrarian Research University and al-Farabi Kazakh National University faculty members shared their experience working with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Rutgers University.
In Astana, Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KazATRU) shared the success of receiving a substantial grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Kazakhstan to continue their research in collaboration with Michigan State University (MSU). Furthermore, three faculty members from KazATRU received scholarships to conduct their internships at MSU. A team of four faculty from Ualikhanov University and a director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s International Project Office shared their experience working on the “University Governance and Financial Planning Pilot Projects and Workshops.”
Eurasian National University faculty reported on the activities of their projects with the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. A former head of the International Collaboration Department of Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University shared her experience working with Penn State University, Monroe Community College, and Washington State University.
American Councils is proud to collaborate with exceptional minds from higher education institutions in the United States and Kazakhstan. The organization is delighted to report the strong connections that have been established through several iterations of the University Partnerships Program. The program's activities have helped build the capacity for long-term collaborations and resulted in sustainable partnerships.
U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnerships Program is funded by the U.S. Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan, and the Bureau of South and Central Asia Affairs of the U.S. Department of State.