A roundtable titled “EU – Kazakhstan: Education and Culture – Sustainable Bridges of Cooperation” was held at the European Parliament. The event was jointly organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Belgium and the Delegation of the European Parliament for relations with Central Asia and Mongolia (DCAS).
The aim of the event was to strengthen the bilateral dialogue between Kazakhstan and the European Union, as well as to develop new forms of long-term partnerships in the areas of higher education, academic mobility, and cultural exchange, DKnews.kz reports.
The roundtable continued the active political and institutional dialogue between the EU and Kazakhstan, based on the Enhanced Partnership and Cooperation Agreement.
The opening remarks were delivered by Chair of the DCAS, Member of the European Parliament Giusi Princi, Minister of Higher Education and Science of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek (online), Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the EU Margulan Baimukhan and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), Alberico Gambino.
The first panel, titled “Developing Educational Cooperation between the EU and Kazakhstan – Strengthening Academic Dialogue and Strategic Partnership,” featured speakers from Kazakhstan’s academic and research circles: Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan Yerkin Tukumov, Vice President for International Cooperation and Development at Narxoz University Aigerim Raimzhanova, and Director of the School of Law and Public Administration Talgat Sarsenbayev. On the European side, Members of the European Parliament Manuela Ripa and Katarína Roth Nevedalová delivered keynote addresses.
In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of academic mobility, the development of joint research programs, and the role of science and higher education in strengthening strategic ties between Kazakhstan and the EU.
The second panel, “New Horizons of Mutually Beneficial Cultural Cooperation and Exchange,” focused on issues of cultural diplomacy, the preservation of historical and cultural heritage, and the development of creative industries. Speakers on this topic included Kazakhstan’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO Askar Abdrakhmanov and Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski.
Particular attention was given to the implementation of joint cultural projects and the promotion of Kazakhstan’s cultural heritage in EU countries.
During the event, participants discussed the promotion of European academic exchange programs, including «Erasmus+», digitalization of education, sustainable development through culture, youth initiatives, and the role of education and culture in building an inclusive and sustainable society.
Special attention was given to the initiatives of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, who at the EU-Central Asia Summit in Samarkand highlighted the importance of expanding regional participation in the «Erasmus+CA» program as a key instrument for strengthening scientific, educational, and interpersonal cooperation.
Additionally, the EU’s decision to grant Kazakhstan a mandate to begin negotiations on visa facilitation was noted as an important step toward expanding cultural and humanitarian cooperation and fostering closer ties between Kazakh and European communities.
Members of the European Parliament, as well as representatives of the EU academic and expert communities, emphasized that Kazakhstan is one of the EU’s key partners in Central Asia, with whom the Union is keen to further develop dialogue on strategically significant long-term issues.
The roundtable served as a logical continuation of the active humanitarian dialogue between Kazakhstan and the EU. It complemented previous events held in the European Parliament on various areas of bilateral cooperation.
Participants underscored the importance of regularly organizing such events involving representatives of academic, cultural, and youth communities as an effective tool to strengthen long-term partnership between the EU and Kazakhstan.
