INSPIRE – International Strategic Partnerships in Research and Education is a British Council funded project that aims to significantly strengthen the academic and research partnerships between the UK and a strategic selection of countries in Central South Asia, including: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan.
INSPIRE includes:
These partnerships are networked at institution-to-institution level through targeted activity: research co-operation, teacher exchange, curriculum development, student exchange or collaborative programme development. Over the course of the partnership, institutions should aim to involve different levels and departments within the university to create a multi-dimensional, international relationship.
Kazakhstan: The first round of Strategic Partnerships grants was announced in 2008. As a result of an open selection 4 institutions received grants and 2 partnerships are currently active. They are Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the University of Nottingham in the area of climate change and Auezov South Kazakhstan State University and Manchester Metropolitan University in the field of textile. Successful partnerships who applied in 2009 will be announced soon.
INSPIRE recognizes that many UK Higher Education institutions (HEIs) and Central & South Asian HEIs may have a limited awareness of their counterparts. An important part of our project is to help institutions gain knowledge and to provide active support in helping them to develop strategic relationships. In order to assist institutions to develop new links we are offering a number of grants of up to £2,000 to support strategic partnership discussions between Kazakhstan institutions and potential partner institution located in the UK.
Kazakhstan: In 2009 3 grants were offered in Kazakhstan, 7 more local and UK institutions recently received funding to explore partnership opportunities in Kazakhstan and the UK.
The purpose of TRP is to support early stage researchers, aimed mainly at doctorate and post graduate level students. It aims to equip individuals with valuable skills they need to build international research careers, sustain research networks and to encourage international collaboration.
Inspire and the Prime Minister’s Initiative (PMI2) are jointly offering a workshop to be held on 22-24 February 2010 on ‘Building a successful international research career’. It aims to provide a development opportunity for early-stage researchers and will include:
- Inter-cultural communication for the purpose of collaboration
- Project management for sustainable international collaboration
- Tips and techniques in bidding for external sources of funding
- Strategic skills: influencing, negotiating, presenting and embedding international partnership impact across your institution
- Techniques in developing and maintaining international networks
Kazakhstan: Three young researchers, Anel Kabdulina (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University), Dinara Aitkazy (Ryskulov Kazakh Economic University) and Anastassiya Aliyassova (Eurasian Innovative University, Pavlodar) were selected through an open competition to take part in the workshop which they will cascade in spring upon their return to Kazakhstan.
This strand provides opportunities for policy makers and practitioners to come together and collaborate on Higher Education issues and strengthen leadership at institutional and national levels. HE leaders will be able to guide their country towards international standards in partnership with the UK, thereby improving the UK’s perception and understanding of HE opportunities in Kazakhstan.
Kazakhstan: two senior representatives from Kazakhstan attended the Going Global 3 Conference from 3-5 Dec 2008 in London while three delegates have been nominated for the Going Global 4 in March 2010.
The INSPIRE Leadership Programme, in partnership with the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, will build the leadership capacity of senior administrators in universities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan and Pakistan.
Working with Ministries, Vice Chancellors and senior university academics, the Leadership Programme will design tailor-made training programmes, and commission reports on leadership in participating countries.
Further information about the project can be found at www.britishcouncil.org/inspire
Please forward your questions about INSPIRE project to Inga Chugalskaya, by phone +7 (727) 2720 207 or e-mail inga.chugalskaya@kz.britishcouncil.org
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