Bridge of Opportunities Between the North and South: The SERPIN WAY 2.0 Caravan Has Launched

On March 31, the branded SERPIN WAY 2.0 bus set off from Petropavlovsk with the team of Kozybayev University. Over the course of 23 days, students, faculty members, staff, as well as public figures and representatives of the city career center, will travel more than 6,000 km across Kazakhstan.

During this time, they will visit the Karaganda, Zhetysu, Almaty, Zhambyl, Kyzylorda, Turkestan, and Aktobe regions. The SERPIN WAY 2.0 caravan will meet with school students, their parents, and local administrations in both major cities and remote rural villages.

The route from north to south has been designed to inform as many prospective students as possible about admissions, grants, academic programs, including dual-degree programs with the University of Arizona, study conditions at the university, dormitory accommodation, and student organizations.

Last year, Kozybayev University implemented this initiative for the first time in Kazakhstan. As a result, around 130 students from the southern regions of the country were attracted. Now the project enters a new stage. This time, the route geography will cover 14 cities as well as 16 villages and district centers.

Another large-scale objective is to give new momentum to the national “Serpin” program. Over its ten years of existence, it has become a true social elevator for thousands of young Kazakhstanis, giving young people from labor-surplus regions the opportunity to receive quality education and find employment where there is an acute shortage of specialists. Kozybayev University has been participating in the implementation of the Serpin program since 2014. During this time, more than 1,400 students have studied under it.

A group of students and faculty gathered in the central campus square to see off the 24-member SERPIN WAY 2.0 team. In his online address, Ruslan Yemelbayev, Advisor to the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, noted that this project fulfills the task of attracting prospective students to the northern part of the country, provides them with information on university admissions, and helps them choose a profession.

“For the second year in a row, Kozybayev University has been implementing the unique SERPIN WAY project. Its uniqueness lies in the fact that it covers the entire southern region of the country. This year, around 120 events and meetings with prospective students will be held. During the trip, more than 30 settlements will be covered. This is a wonderful opportunity for young people to receive full career guidance information, consultations on the UNT, and participation in the Serpin program,” said Ruslan Yemelbayev.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kozybayev University, Galym Baituk, also wished the SERPIN WAY 2.0 team success in their work.

The SERPIN WAY 2.0 caravan will return to Petropavlovsk on April 23. The total audience outreach is expected to exceed 600,000 people.