KOZYBAYEV UNIVERSITY PRESENTS KEY INTERNATIONAL AND RESEARCH PROJECTS TO VICE MINISTER

During the visit to Kozybayev University, Vice Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Gulzat Kobenova met with students of the “Serpin” program, and also with participants in dual degree programs with the University of Arizona and international students from China studying at the university under academic mobility programs.

Throughout the semester, 29 Chinese students studied at the Agrotechnological Faculty and gained practical experience at agricultural enterprises in the North Kazakhstan region. This was made possible thanks to the close cooperation between the university and Northwest A&F University, a partnership that has been ongoing for eight years.

“Kozybayev University has a unique mission — it was the first university in Kazakhstan to establish a strategic partnership with the University of Arizona. Today, the entire country is watching the results of this project. This academic year will see the first joint graduation. I hope the project will continue to expand. Partnerships in other areas are also thriving. I am pleased to see progress in cooperation with our Chinese partners. I hope that during these six months, students from China have gained valuable knowledge here and developed a strong interest in Kazakhstan. In the future, they may become a ‘bridge’ between Kazakhstan and China,” Kobenova noted.

On the same day, she visited the university’s infrastructure, including its modern laboratory complex, and reviewed research projects conducted by its scholars. Currently, the university is implementing 20 scientific projects. In cooperation with the University of Arizona, projects are being carried out in key areas important for the country: sulfur polymerization, providing farmers with high-quality domestic seeds (wheat and rice), as well as the conservation of biological species such as the Tulipa greigii and the Caspian seal, and genomics research of national heritage species. Jointly with Northwest A&F University, projects are underway in livestock farming, genomic selection of agricultural animals, water purification, and irrigation. All these scientific projects are conducted in partnership with agricultural producers in the North Kazakhstan region. They are aimed at addressing pressing regional challenges in food security and water resource management.

Overall, Kozybayev University has built strong partnerships with agricultural and industrial enterprises across the region. In addition to joint research projects, the university has introduced advanced workforce training programs for the region, dual education, launched an industrial PhD program, and signed memorandums with all major factories, companies, and organizations in the North Kazakhstan region. Gulzat Kobenova was able to witness this cooperation firsthand at a job fair attended by around 500 students and 34 employers. Thanks to coordinated efforts, the university has achieved a high graduate employment rate of 81%.

In the second half of the day, the Vice Minister met with international professors from Turkey, Italy, and Poland working at Kozybayev University, as well as distinguished figures of the North Kazakhstan region.