TAM Seminar “International Competitiveness and Cooperation” held in Astana
28-29 September 2026, the National Erasmus+ Office in Kazakhstan (NEO KZ), together with the Higher Education Reform Experts of Kazakhstan (HERE), held a Technical Assistance Mission (TAM) Seminar on “International Competitiveness and Cooperation” at L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MSHE RK) and the European Education and Culture Executive Agency.
The seminar brought together 57 participants from 34 higher education institutions across 14 cities of Kazakhstan, including vice-rectors, heads of departments, researchers, experts and other university staff. The opening session featured welcoming remarks by Lazzat Tolegenkyzy, Member of the Board-Vice-Rector for Social and Infrastructure Development of L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University; Aaro Ylitalo, First Counsellor, Head of Political, Press and Information Section, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Kazakhstan; and Nauzhan Didarbekova, Acting Deputy Chair of the Committee of Higher and Postgraduate Education of the MSHE RK.
The two-day programme focused on strengthening the capacity of Kazakhstani higher education institutions to enhance their international competitiveness and strategic international cooperation in the context of growing global competition.
During the seminar participants explored:
- QS and THE global university ranking methodologies and indicators
- institutional KPIs and data-driven approaches to improving ranking performance
- international academic programmes, including double and joint degrees and English-taught programmes
- research excellence and international research cooperation
- strategies for building and diversifying international partnerships
- mechanisms for monitoring partnership effectiveness and sustainability
A particular focus was placed on practical work. Through a series of Executive Strategy Laboratories, participants analysed institutional strengths and weaknesses, developed key performance indicators, designed internationalisation portfolios and conducted benchmarking of international peer universities.
The seminar featured Konstantinos Petridis, EHEA expert, Professor of Laser Physics and Vice Rector of Internationalization and Extroversion at Hellenic Mediterranean University, Greece, as well as Fatima Zhakypova, Head of the Academic Excellence and Global Competitiveness Projects Group at the Project Management Office of the Higher Education Development National Center of the MSHE RK; Aliya Sembayeva, National Coordinator for Horizon Europe in Kazakhstan; and Eldar Tulekov, Director of the Department of Strategic Planning and Coordination at the MSHE RK.
The speakers addressed key aspects of international competitiveness and cooperation, including global university rankings and institutional performance indicators, strategies for strengthening academic and research excellence and international visibility, access to international funding opportunities, and the development of institutional strategies aligned with national priorities and international research agendas. The TAM Seminar provided a valuable platform for sharing expertise, exchanging institutional practices and developing practical approaches to strengthening the international profile and cooperation of Kazakhstani universities.
The event materials are available here.
