Kazakhstan strengthens its position as a regional hub of international education, DKNews.kz reports.
As part of the Council for Strategic Partners under the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a round table was held on the topic “The Role of Transnational Education in Strengthening Kazakhstan as a Territory of Academic Knowledge”.
The event, organized with the support of the British Council, brought together representatives of leading Kazakhstani universities, international branch campuses, accreditation agencies, industry partners, foreign experts, and policymakers from the Ministry. The purpose of the discussion was to explore ways to strengthen Kazakhstan’s role as a regional center of high-quality international education.
Miras Daulenov, President of Coventry University Kazakhstan, who moderated the session, emphasized that:
“Coventry University Kazakhstan aims to be a leader in transnational education in the region. Today we are discussing not only the transfer of knowledge and technology but also the creation of a sustainable system that combines international standards with national priorities. Our goal is to create conditions under which our talented students can receive world-class education and be in demand in the innovative economy that Kazakhstan is building.
This round table is being held as part of the 2nd Forum of Strategic Partners, initiated and directly supported by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, who pays special attention to the development of international education in our country. Thanks to these efforts, Kazakhstan has become a leader in Central Asia in both the number and quality of international partnerships.”
Among the speakers of the round table were:
- Wendy Larner (President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University, UK) - Working with Government and Private Partners to Establish a Campus in Kazakhstan;
- Yerlan Shulanov (Provost of Narxoz University) — Experience of Collaboration with Kazakhstani Partners and Alignment of Foreign and Local Regulatory Requirements;
- Paul Noon (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Innovation) of Coventry University, UK) — Examples from Countries where Transnational Education Operates in Parallel with National and Foreign Systems;
- Dana Moldakulova (Head of the KAIST Kazakhstan) — Integration of Innovative STEM Programmes into Local Regulatory and Qualification frameworks;
- Almaz Maralov (Managing Director of the Harvest Agro Group) – Employers’ Expectations from Graduates of Foreign University Branches in Kazakhstan;
- Rob Stroud (Executive Director of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), UK) — International Practices of TNE Accreditation: How Local Regulations and Quality Assurance Systems of Foreign Universities Can Coexist.
“I am honoured to have been invited to attend the Strategic Partners Forum. QAA is working to both support the development of individual universities in Kazakhstan through our rigorous International Quality Review, and we are now recognised on the National Register of accrediting agencies. We are also delighted to work through British Council funded projects on sector wide initiatives, including the Transnational Quality Assurance Framework for Kazakhstan which will both help assure and enhance quality of the education here” Rob Stroud, international accreditation expert, Executive Director of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) in the UK
During the discussion, participants emphasized the need to maintain a balance between innovation and adherence to standards, the importance of involving employers in accreditation and program evaluation processes, and the necessity of strengthening international trust in Kazakhstani diplomas.
The event reached its highlight with the participation of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the closing session on October 31, during which the Council for Strategic Partners presented its key findings and recommendations.
The meeting concluded with a consensus on priority directions for the Council’s future activities — among them, developing joint accreditation frameworks, fostering innovative educational models, and enhancing Kazakhstan’s reputation as a trusted and forward-looking partner in international education.
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. We support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. We do this through our work in arts and culture, education and the English language. We work with people in over 200 countries and territories and are on the ground in more than 100 countries. In 2024-25 we reached 599 million people.
