Building a Successful International Research Career Seminar

Friday 30 April 2010

British Council, Almaty

13 Republic Square

British Council with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of Kazakhstan organized “Building a Successful International Research Career” seminar in Almaty on 30 April, 2010 within the framework of INSPIRE programme. Twenty five young researchers from 17 institutions all over Kazakhstan were selected through an open competition to take part in the seminar.

The programme included presentations, information sessions and interactive games on a range of topics from applying for international research grants and developing a successful research project to participating in international research collaboration and networks.

The seminar was opened by a moving speech of the British Council Director Lena Milosevic on the importance of research in Kazakhstan and the need for internationalization. An inspiring message from Professor Omirbayev, Head of HE Department of the Ministry of Education and Science, stressed the importance of building capacity of national researchers and science and their integration into international research networks.  

The programme was continued by the sessions of three young researchers, Anastassiya Aliyassova (Innovative Eurasian University), Anel Kabdulina (KazNU) and Dinara Aitkazy (KazEU) who participated in the similar three-day training in London in February 2010 and cascaded their knowledge to their research fellows.

Other invited speakers included INSPIRE Strategic Partnership grants recipients – Dr Zhanabayev from KBTU and Professor Salnikov KazNU – who shared their hands-on experience of developing partnerships with Birmingham and Nottingham universities respectively. A lot of questions from young scientists were addressed to the Chief of International Department of Kazakh Institute of Scientific and Technical Information Ms Anessova and the Chair of Young Scientists Committee of First President Foundation Professor Abdiraimova.

As a result if the seminar all participants agreed to establish a network of researchers in Kazakhstan and continue to maintain newly developed professional contacts and friendships in the virtual space on the Facebook website.

Aida Kistaubayeva from KazNU thanked the British Council for supporting talented youth by offering such opportunities and commented in her feedback: “After this seminar I have gained a clear vision on how I can put together an interesting proposal that would not just describe my research, but also appeal to the members of an expert committee distributing funding. I have internalized that one should always look for contacts and develop international links.”

All participants were awarded with certificates recognizing their hard work and commitment to continuous learning.