Partnership with US universities (UniCEN)

This project is supported and funded by the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan - a partnership program of U.S. and Kazakh universities and implemented by the American Councils for International Education

The U.S.-Kazakhstan Partnership Program strengthens educational ties between the two countries by providing Kazakh universities with the opportunity to establish new partnerships with U.S. institutions, as well as adapt and modernize curricula in English as a foreign language, English in STEM, agribusiness, entrepreneurship, environment, air quality and commercialization of research.

UniCEN projects:

• Project Title: Improvement of Master's Degree Programs in Kazakhstan Through the Use of Renewable Energy Technologies that Affect Poultry Production

  Period of Implementation: February 2023 – February 2024

  Partners KZ

  • Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University;
  • Shakarim Uniersity, Semey;
  • Seifullin Kazakh Agro-Technical Research University

  Project goal: modernization of existing curricula as a priority for the project.

  Project objective:

  • development of an innovative module of the master's program with the formation of competencies in obtaining bioenergy from the sun and the production of organic waste to provide the region's poultry farms with an optimal microclimate;
  • improvement of educational and scientific technologies in the training of undergraduates, their involvement in various design work;
  • training of demanded and competitive engineering personnel for the modern poultry industry.

  Expected results of the project

  1. Development of new disciplines in the master's curriculum with the formation of competencies in the field of solar bioenergy and organic production waste to provide the region's poultry farms with an optimal microclimate.
  2. Modernization of the master's curriculum with the development of interdisciplinary courses for the effective implementation of new professional competencies.
  3. Development of educational and methodological materials for new disciplines using the experience of the United States in the field of solar bioenergy and organic waste production.
  4. Strengthening academic capacity in renewable energy and biowaste.
  5. Strengthening cooperation with all interested parties (undergraduates, teachers, interested business communities, universities in Kazakhstan and the USA) to increase the scientific potential in the field of solar bioenergy and organic production waste, as well as the professional development of specialists.
  6. Creation of an online platform for the exchange of knowledge and the development of tools to improve the quality of education based on the use of project materials during the mobility of undergraduates, teachers, various seminars, round tables, trainings on the use of renewable energy sources, and their introduction into the infrastructure of poultry farms to maintain optimal microclimate
  7. Dissemination of the results of the project on various information and social resources to ensure the sustainability of the project and attract more interested participants;
  8. Achieving the UN SDGs and building the capacity of scientists, improving the quality of training in partner countries, etc.

  Project coordinator: Koshkin I.V., head of Department of Electric Power Engineering, e-mail:  elektroenergetika@mail.ru

• Project Title: Media savvy global citizenship: Reading between the lines for the common good

  Period of Implementation: September 15, 2022 - August 31, 2023

  USA educational institution: Bemidji State University, Bemidji, MN, USA

  Partners in Kazakhstan

  • Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University;
  • Kazakh-American Free University

  Project Purpose: develop a flexible, digital certificate program with at least five modules, to help Kazakhstan’s educators and their students who consume news in English become more media savvy and resilient to disinformation

  Project objective:

  • Improve Kazakhstan university professors, high school teachers, and their students access to authentic and objective sources in the English language.
  • Increase identified audience’s media savviness, critical thinking, and ability to address misinformation/disinformation.
  • Integrate the media literacy component into the English language curricula taught at the regional universities.

  Expected outcomes of the project

  • Improved media literacy skills among Kazakhstan university professors, high school teachers, and their students through these MOOC materials.
  • Increased usage of objective, and editorially diverse information sources among Kazakhstani information professionals’ (journalists, librarians, teachers, professors);
  • Integrate designed MOOC courses as a credit course at the university level for humanities and social studies students.

  Project team:

  • Yelena Kandalina, candidate of educational sciences, acting Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Philology, coordinator
  • Regina Akhmetkalieva, Head of the Department of Foreign Philology
  • Margarita Trichik, PhD, acting Associate Professor of the Department of Foreign Philology

Project archive

• Project Title: Academic Publishing Partnership — K-MAPP

  Period of Implementation: 2020, extended, 2021 – one week training

  U.S. institution: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

  Partners in Kazakhstan: Rudny Industrial Institute, E.A. Buketov Karaganda University

  Project  objectives: To improve academic publishing capacity of Kazakhstani academic staff

  Project outcomes: May 24-29, 2021 Academic Publishing Partnership project workshop:

  • 15 academic staff from A.Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University
  • 7- academic staff from Rudny Industrial Institute
  • 13 academic staff from E.A. Buketov Karaganda University

  Project Coordinator at ABKRU: Yelena Kandalina, kandalina.em@ksu.edu.kz

  Program: US-Kazakhstan University Partnerships Awards • UniCEN (americancouncils.org)

• Project Title: The University of North Texas, A. Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University, and Karaganda Technical University: Creating a Partnership Program in Teaching and Learning English Language for both TESOL Training and STEM Teaching

  Deadline: 2021

  American educational institution: University of North Texas

  Partners in Kazakhstan: Karaganda Technical University

  Aim of the project: to improve the English language skills and pedagogical competency of English and STEM professors through remote intensive English classes and through TEFL and STEM pedagogical workshops for both ABKRU and KTU professors.

  Results of the project: 

  • January 11 to February 26, 2021 11 professors virtually studied and completed the English for Communication course at IELI, UNT
  • October 18 to December 10 UNT IELI Communication classes for Fall 2, 2021 7 faculty of ABKRU were involved, graduation ceremony was held synchronically with offline learners
  • November 15, 2021 Gordon Clark. Director and Assistant Dean, Intensive English Language Institute, UNT presented a webinar "Communicating What you Need in Culturally Appropriate, Timely and Sensitive Way with U.S. University Officials" within IHEEP series of webinars. Participants: everyone Interested in collaboration with US universities, particularly International Offices employees at KZ universities, total number of participants is 48.
  • December 14-15, 4 hours per day UNT STEM Workshop on Scientific Teaching for KZK Partner University Instructors. Dr. Thompson delivered online training, which included the following issues: active learning, assessment, The Framework for Backward Design, Building a Teachable Lesson

  Project Coordinator at ABKRU: Yelena Kandalina, kandalina.em@ksu.edu.kz

  Program : U.S. - Kazakhstan University Partnerships Program awards announcement • UniCEN (americancouncils.org)

• Project Title: Partnering to Develop Project-Based Learning Capacity for Teaching and Research in Renewable Energy 

  Period of Implementation: January –September 2022

  U.S. institution: Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  Project  objectives: Build capacity among a core group of faculty at A.Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University to develop evidence-based undergraduate curricula in renewable energy and/or environmental studies while adopting project-based learning

  Project Outcomes: Communicate the value of project-based learning and explore best practices for implementing projects in STEM courses

  1. Increase faculty awareness of STEM curricula
  2. Fostering opportunities for discussion about capacity building in STEM courses and programs
  3. Increase faculty knowledge of PBL strategies

  Project Coordinator at ABKRU:

  • Academic issues - Gulnara Yunussova, Head of Ecology, Biology and Chemistry Department
  • Communicative issues - Yelena Kandalina, Associate Professor of Foreign Philology Department

  Program : U.S. – Kazakhstan University Partnerships Program awards announcement • UniCEN (americancouncils.org)

• Project Title: STEM Environmental Technologies Courses For Investigation Water Flow In The Aral Sea Basin

  Period of Implementation: January –September 2022

  U.S. institution: Washington State University

  Project  objective: establishment of the collaboration between Washington State University (WSU) and Urgench State University (UrSU) in the areas of applied mathematics research and education

  Project Outcomes:

  • to facilitate research collaborations between mathematics and sciences faculty at the partner universities via webinars and offline discussions
  • to identify potential for short-term undergraduate student exchanges, with the ultimate goal of organizing student summer schools and conferences.

  Project Coordinator at ABKRU:

  • Abdykarim Baimankulov, professor of Information Systems Department

  Программа проекта: Central Asia University Partnerships Program (UniCEN) awards announcement • UniCEN (americancouncils.org)

• Project Title: Renewable Energy and Climate Change

  Period of Implementation: January–September 2022

  U.S. institution: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

  Partners in Kazakhstan:

  • L.Gumilyov Eurasian National University - coordinator,
  • Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University,
  • Toraighyrov University
  • A. Baitursynov Kostanay Regional University

  Project  objectives: Development of a new online course on Renewable Energy and Climate Change

  Project Outcomes: The new course is implemented in master program

  Project Coordinator at ABKRU: Igor Koshkin, Head of Electric Power Department

• Project Title: COIL - Collaborative Online International Learning

  Period of Implementation: January-May 2022

  Project  objectives:

  • Development of collaboration and intercultural competence via a semester long exchange between participating faculty, partnering U.S.and Central Asian Higher Education Institutions.
  • A four-week professional development course to learn, understand and design a virtual experiential learning experience through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).

  Project Outcomes: One-semester exchange with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte

  Project Participants at ABKRU: Svetlana Ibragimova, Associate Professor at Electrical Power Department

  Program: Collaborative Online International Learning: Introduction • UniCEN (americancouncils.org)