University of Arizona Delegation on a Working Visit to Kozybayev University

A delegation from the University of Arizona - the strategic partner of Kozybayev University - has arrived at the university for a working visit. The delegation includes Ricky Salazar, Senior Director of Educational Partnerships; Minh Zhou, Assistant Director of Educational Partnerships; and Sarah Young, Lecturer at the College of Information Science.

The cooperation between the two universities has been ongoing for three years and has reached a qualitatively new level. As part of the implementation of the Head of State’s поручение (instruction), the first dual-degree programs in the country were launched. The project is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan and local executive authorities.

Currently, five dual-degree and eleven joint educational programs are operating between the universities. More than 1,200 students from various regions of Kazakhstan and abroad are enrolled in these programs.

During the current visit, the parties are discussing further expansion of academic cooperation, the launch of new research initiatives, the development of faculty mobility, and new opportunities for students.

Over two weeks of work in Petropavlovsk, representatives of the University of Arizona will:

• review the university’s laboratory facilities and research potential to identify promising areas for joint research;
• refine the mechanisms for implementing the dual-degree program in Business and Management;
• conduct classes for students on cultural studies, ethics in the digital society, Data Science technologies, communication, discourse, and new media;
• deliver a lecture for faculty members on cybersecurity issues in higher education;
• discuss the development of research internships, including under the Bolashak program;
• participate in an open meeting at the SKO Hub focused on digital responsibility, cybersecurity, and ethics in educational technologies;
• visit districts of the North Kazakhstan Region together with the university’s career guidance specialists and meet with school students as part of Open Days;
• give interviews to regional media outlets about the prospects for further development of the partnership.

The development of cooperation with the University of Arizona contributes to improving the quality of specialist training, strengthening research capacity, and fostering a modern, internationally oriented educational environment in the North Kazakhstan Region.