U.S.-Kazakhstan University Partnership Program Hosts Closing Ceremony in Almaty

On January 18, 2024 American Councils for International Education in Almaty, Kazakhstan hosted a Closing Event for the University Partnerships Program’s “University Governance and Financial Management Workshops and Pilot Projects”. In 2023 six Kazakh universities worked together with seven experts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison on implementing projects in revenue generation, university administration, financing and human resources, and commercialization and entrepreneurship.

U.S. Consul General Michelle Yerkin welcomed the participants and thanked the participants for all their efforts to form partnerships that further enrich higher education in both countries. In her welcoming remarks Consul General Yerkin notes that “together we have worked to strengthen university education programs, teaching approaches and institutional research capacities”. Representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Astana and U.S. Consulate General in Almaty joined the teams in the work sessions and participated in the presentations. Cultural Affairs Officer of the U.S. Embassy in Astana Colin Guard gave the closing remarks on behalf of the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan.

The event was dedicated to finalizing the activities of the project implementation as well as a chance for the Kazakh teams to strategize and plan the future of their pilot projects with their UW-Madison coaches. Each Kazakh university presented their project outcomes, accomplishments and challenges, lessons learned and plans for development in 2024.

Ualikhanov University – “Ualikhanov Language Intensive Center (ULIC)” project

East Kazakhstan Technical University – “Building a modern and efficient innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem at EKTU” project

Satbayev University – “SU – Employee #1” project

Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University – “Strengthening the University Ecosystem through Professional Development” project

Yessenov University – “Innovative Ideas Into Successful Business” project

Toraighyrov University – “Revenue Generation via Language Centers” project

Apart from project results and successes, Kazakh universities report gaining skills in inter-departmental collaboration, teambuilding, project management, financial planning, evaluation, and risk management.

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.