Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) is expanding collaboration with Kazakhstan: on Wednesday 17 September Mr. Gani Saktaganovich Nygymetov, the President of Center for International Programs (CIP)/ Kazakhstan President’s Bolashak Scholarship Program and Mr. Olzhas K. Toguzbayev, Minister-Counsellor at Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan visited our University to discuss various possibilities of collaboration.
‘This is my first visit to KTU and I must admit, I am impressed. You have a well-developed base for studies and research, which is essential to train high skilled engineering specialists. You are an excellent example of competitive University, which integrates full circle of education process – from studies to cooperation with business’, said Mr. Nygymetov.
The delegation from Kazakhstan were welcomed by University’s Rector prof. Petras Baršauskas, visited KTU Food Research and Technology Competence Centre, Integrated Science, National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre, Studies and Entrepreneurship Centre-Santaka Valley, Startup Space and met with representatives from faculties and research institutes as well as Kazakh students at our University. The guests were particularly impressed by well-established cooperation with business and the possibilities for students to realise their innovative ideas at Startup Space.
‘Kazakh institutions of higher education lack such experience and would need to import good practice examples. The innovation centres and science-business cooperation is only picking the grassroots momentum’, said the President of CIP.
Bolashak International Scholarship was established in 1993 with the aim to provide opportunities to skilled Kazakh students to seek education abroad as Republic of Kazakhstan needed highly-qualified professionals capable to conduct further reforms and worthily represent the country at the international arena.
Seeking to ensure industrial-innovative development of Kazakhstan economy, the scope shifted to support specialists in sectors of industrial innovative development, education and science, management, marketing, logistics, new information technologies, housing and utilities; also a short-term fellowship programs for training research fellows, teaching staff, medical and engineering-technical specialists was developed.
At the moment most of the students from Kazakhstan choose to study at the universities of Great Britain, USA, Russia, Germany, Canada, Ireland, and Malaysia. The purpose of Nygymetov’s visit Lithuania was to witness first-hand the possibilities and potential of Lithuanian higher education and to assess if and in which sectors Kazakh students and researchers would have most valuable education and trainings.
‘During this visit, I have witnessed a great motivation of KTU to accept talented Kazakh students and thus, we will do our part to deepen the practical cooperation’, said the President of the prestigious Kazakhstan scholarship programme.
