Interview with the Rector of AUWS: What Future Awaits the Alliance of Universities

In my opinion, an alliance always contributes to the consolidation of certain forces. AUES is a specialized university that prepares specialists for economic sectors such as energy, telecommunications, and the space industry. Within its projects, it actively participates in the digitalization of the energy sector. All KEGOC projects under the Digital Kazakhstan initiative are carried out by the scientific staff of the AUES university and are already being implemented. Therefore, here we expect to receive a new impetus; we will have access to new joint projects where we will combine our efforts and competencies.

The concept of mobility emerged when the Bologna Process came to Kazakhstan. If we look at Europe, the European territory is very small, with neighboring universities and small countries, and students followed professors. Since a professor could teach in one university, even in one country, in the morning, and then travel to another in the afternoon to teach there, this movement followed. Therefore, an alliance best realizes the concept of academic mobility within our universities, because mobility should not be understood solely as international. In fact, we need to focus on our own market. We prepare specialists primarily for our own market, so we need to pay attention to its needs. Therefore, academic mobility in the context of the pandemic provides more opportunities: it is easier to cooperate online in some cases, but face-to-face contact is still necessary. I think new joint programs and dual-degree programs will emerge, and everything will be beneficial.

There will definitely be advantages: having two diplomas from universities that are reputable, recognized in the market, and in demand is an obvious advantage. Plus socialization: contacts, student exchanges. It seems to me that student youth always strives to learn more and encompass the vastness, so this is also a great opportunity for communication. Documentarily, this involves certification using the connections of all alliance universities with business partners. For example, we have the CISCO Academy, Kaspersky Laboratory, and an Institute for Professional Development, where we additionally provide qualifications. Alongside the education diploma, the labor market will require specialist certification. Therefore, the more various courses students complete, and not just any courses, but those specifically in demand by the labor market, the more opportunities they have to find employment and secure a high-paying job. I believe that personnel certification will be a significant advantage.

Creating an alliance is a voluntary matter, and joining this alliance is also voluntary. Five universities expressed a mutual desire to cooperate and move forward together because our directions overlap. I think any university that expresses a desire can join. The creation has just happened, so we are not limiting ourselves; now anyone who wishes can join this alliance. Of course, we will bring in partners, but based on the effect generated, both for the individual university and for the alliance as a whole. Therefore, both Nazarbayev University and the Kazakhstan Branch of MSU have such opportunities if they express a desire.At the same time, the united universities develop freely in an academic sense, but we are developing in cooperation with the Foundation for Education of Nursultan Nazarbayev. This idea, proposed by the foundation, regarding the consolidation of efforts and resources of universities, was supported by everyone. We had the right not to join; no one forced us to do so. All will join the alliance: it is only necessary to understand that this must bring benefits to both the alliance itself and the university. Before joining this alliance, we worked through and studied extensively what kind of personnel we would prepare and how in demand they would be.