Cluster Meeting on the impact of Erasmus+ projects on higher education in environment and natural resources management

On December 9, 2025 the National Erasmus+ Office in Kazakhstan (hereinafter – NEO KZ) hosted a Cluster Meeting on the impact of Erasmus+ projects on higher education in environment and natural resources management at Esil University in Astana, Kazakhstan. The aim of the event was to promote and disseminate the results, outcomes, and achievements of completed and ongoing projects; evaluate the impact of projects across multiple levels, including individual, institutional, and national; enhance synergies among various projects and foster networking opportunities and develop recommendations for future projects. The event was held in a hybrid format with the participation of on-site and online guests.

The welcoming remark was delivered by the Vice-Rector for Internationalization and Research of Esil University Ms. Dametken Torekulova. The NEO KZ Coordinator Laura Paluanova presented information about the Erasmus+ programme and outcomes of the 2025 call. Furthermore, Coordinators of various CBHE projects (ESGCA, UnWaste, EMINReM, LESLIE, SAGRIS, GDCAU, GreenCA) presented their projects’ results and their impact on different levels. The event gathered not only current CBHE projects but also projects that were completed or just have started as well. During the Q&A sessions, participants put questions to the speakers and received feedback from them. At the end of the event, participants gave sound recommendations on how to increase the impact of the Erasmus+ projects. The number of participants of the event comprised 103, including 24 on-site and 79 online participants. Participants represented 11 cities of Kazakhstan and 34 higher education institutions of the country.

The main impact of the event:

• Consolidated understanding of Erasmus+ contribution to environmental higher education: The meeting successfully generated a shared and evidence-based understanding of how Erasmus+ projects have enhanced teaching quality, curriculum relevance, and institutional capacity in environment and natural resources management, reinforcing the strategic value of the programme for national and regional priorities.
• Strengthened network of universities and stakeholders: A major achievement of the meeting was the expansion and deepening of cooperation among universities, project coordinators, and external stakeholders. Participants established new professional connections and reinforced existing partnerships, laying the foundation for more coordinated and impactful future initiatives.
• Identification of best practices and scalable innovations: The meeting enabled institutions to showcase successful project outcomes, innovative teaching models, digital tools, and interdisciplinary approaches. These shared best practices were recognized as scalable solutions that can be replicated across higher education institutions to enhance the impact of environmental programmes.
• Enhanced capacity for project design, management, and sustainability: Through presentations, discussions, and peer learning, participants strengthened their competencies in developing high-quality Erasmus+ proposals, managing ongoing projects, and ensuring long-term sustainability of project results. The meeting provided actionable insights that will directly improve the effectiveness of future initiatives.
• Clear prioritization of future directions: An important impact of the meeting was the collective identification of priority areas for upcoming projects, including water resource management, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and green technologies. Participants also agreed on the need for more regular coordination, thematic working groups, and mechanisms to ensure synergy among related projects.

Presentations from the event are available on NEO KZ website (Section “Resources-Presentations”).

Recording of the event is available on NEO KZ website (Section “Activities-Video gallery”).