Bolashak:Innovative Education for the

Future

Prague, Czech Republic, 2006

Analysing the pastAnalysing the past

• Fourteen years of independence as the first life cycle for the country.

• GDP for 2005 - US$ 41 bln.• Annual average GDP growth for the period

of 1999 - 2005 is 10,2%.• Annual average growth of industry for the

same period is 10,6 %.• Annual average growth of investments in

capital is 19,3%.

Strategic planning systemStrategic planning system

• In 1997 - Kazakhstan 2030 Development Strategy.

• In 2000 - Strategic plan up to year 2010, the main task of which was:– doubling the GDP in 2010

(from 2000).– this task will be done already

in 2008.• In 2006 – Kazakhstan’s Strategy

to be in the list of top 50 competitive countries

Strategy for Strategy for IndustrialIndustrial and I and Innovational nnovational DDevelopmentevelopment

Annual investment is planned to be US$ 1,5 bln. (including annual state investment of US$ 460 mln.).

Aggregate capital of development institutes for 2006 is forecasted to US$ 1,3 bl.:– Development bank, – Investment fund, – Innovation fund, – Export insurance corporation, – Marketing reasearch center,– Technology transfer and engineering center.

Identifying prioritiesIdentifying priorities

• Development of heavy industry.• Investment into strategic infrastructure.• Development of non raw material

production sector (finished good production).

• Development of technology based service sector.

• Development of petro-chemical industry. • Development of new and information

technologies.

One of the main priorities is EDUCATIONOne of the main priorities is EDUCATION

In order to maintain Kazakhstan economic leadership, we must ensure a continuous supply of highly trained and educated specialists and numerically literate population. And ensure that that population work for the development of Kazakhstan.

In the course of transition to market economy and international relations development Kazakhstan faces an exigency in specialists with [advanced western] education. Therefore, there is a need to send talented young people for study in the leading educational institutions abroad.

President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Nazarbayev N.A., November 1993

««BolashakBolashak» » Scholarship InitiativeScholarship Initiative

Established in 1993 by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the purpose of educating the best students in elite universities overseas. For the first time citizens of Kazakhstan are granted the opportunity to receive education fully funded by the government in the world’s top-level outstanding institutions of higher education.

GoalsGoals

• Training of highly educated specialists in priority fields;

• Intellectual elite development and new generation of technocrats, capable of bringing the country to a completely new level of development.

• Put global expertise and innovation to work for Kazakhstan, including introducing new areas of expertise

The scholarship is awarded for purpose ofThe scholarship is awarded for purpose of

• Receiving higher education • Receiving Bachelor’s degrees (as of 2005)

- successful high school graduates or university students of Kazakh and foreign higher educational institutions

• Receiving Master’s degrees-successful Kazakh and foreign higher educational institution graduates

• Receiving PhD Degrees-young talented scientists

• Residency training and Master and PhD studies in medical specialties

General Requirements for Candidates - 2006General Requirements for Candidates - 2006 • Citizen of Kazakhstan, aged 18 – 35 years old

• Appropriate level of education completed

• National University Test of at least 90 (out of 120) points

• GPA of no less than 4.5 (out of 5.0)

• Excellent competence in language of study (determined by standardized testing and interview)

• Psychological preparation for study abroad

• Commitment to development of Kazakhstan, patriotism

Total Number of Bolashak Fellows - 2556Total Number of Bolashak Fellows - 2556

0

250

500

750

1000

1250

1500

1750

2000

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005

19119 81 50 86 86 58 56

59 28 87

1756

CoverageCoverage

• University Tuition (in Czech Republic ~3500 – 5000€)• Housing (~230€ per month)• Living stipend (~360 € per month)• Textbook allowance (~170 € per semester)• Registration fees• Visa fees• Medical insurance• Travel to and from place of study every year (during holidays)

Which specialists are in Which specialists are in demand?demand?

• Engineers and health care professionals• Professional civil servants and administration specialists• New generation of scientists• Innovation economy clusters managers • Specialists in the new high-tech industrial and agricultural

sectors

Public Administration

Cluster Initiative

Aerospaceand

AeronauticsEngineering

Petroleum Industry

Biotechnology

Information and Telecommunications

Technology

Priority Fields of Study

Where do Fellows go?Where do Fellows go?

• USA: 2062 candidates—639 Fellows accepted– 17 PhDs, 211 Masters, 411 Bachelors

• UK: 1678 candidates—518 Fellows accepted– 4 PhDs, 115 Masters, 399 Bachelors

• Russia: 1236 candidates—240 Fellows accepted– 42 PhDs, 31 Masters, 167 Bachelors

• China, Germany, Canada, France also popular• This year Bolashak has expanded dramatically to include much of the

Asia/Pacific region, most of Europe, and even one candidate to Costa Rica

The Head of Protocol of the Administration of the President

Associate Chairman of the Agency for the Civil Service

The Vice-Minister of Education and Science

Advisors to the Prime Minister

Director of Kazakhstan Foreign Investors’ Council Association

Professors and researchers

KazMunai Gas and the Center for International Programs

Successful Alumni Include:Successful Alumni Include:

Contract between student and Contract between student and BolashakBolashakEducation Contract

Student agrees to study in approved field of study, in approved universityIn specified period of time

Mortgage Contract

Piece of property pledged on behalf of studentPeriod of education plus 5 years, during which student must

work in KazakhstanValue of property must be proportional to proposed education plan

Scientific potentialScientific potential

№ Priority 2004 2005

1. Oil, chemistry and new materials 84 117

2. Metallurgy and mining 45 71

3. Biotechnology 26 76

4. New technologies 52 107

5. Information technologies and space research

35 61

6. Material development 10 19

7. Scientific provision of socio-economic and cultural development of the society

12 75

Total 264 526

Dynamics of applications submitted to the Science Fund’s grants in 2004-2005

Research personnelResearch personnel

Type of research

Quantity of specialists engaged in:All research / financed by the Ministry of Education and Science

2003 2004

Total

With high

education

PhDs

Doctors of

science

Total

With high

education

PhDsDoctor

s of science

State programs

5856/1312

3628/904

598/138

183/54

2943/998

1813/811

297/177

102/70

Fundamental research

5815/5815

4769/4769

1658/1658

884/884

5881/5881

4948/4948

1708/1708

899/899

Field research

1614/113

1245/112

444/34

256/9

2543/335

1861/315

616/98

316/39

Innovation research

65/65

61/61

26/26

22/22

- - - -

TOTAL 13350/

7305

9703/5846

2726/1856

1345/969

11367/7214

8622/6074

2621/1983

1317/1008

Financing of the fundamental and applied researchFinancing of the fundamental and applied research

Resume: Increase of research financing from the year 2000 for more that six times

MoES

Other ministries

SWOT ANALYSIS OF KAZAKHSTAN’S SWOT ANALYSIS OF KAZAKHSTAN’S R&D:R&D:

• A small domestic market area and population

• Fragmented research activities: Resources allocated to a large number of small units

• A small number of foreign students and researchers

• The inflow of FDI is relativly low

SOME BASIC CONCLUSIONSSOME BASIC CONCLUSIONS

Innovation policy is an essential part of government’s strategies to attain macroeconomic stability, economic renewal and full employment

New structures and competencies are needed in the government to facilitate effective innovation policy

Evaluation is an intrinsic element of innovation policy

Innovation policy is to an increasing extent based on public/private partnership

Scientific excellence and social and economic relevance are not conflicting but complementary goals

Innovation/science/technological policy should cover the whole system from knowledge generation through diffusion to knowledge utilization

New policies need to be complemented by structural reforms in the system

CONCLUSINS IICONCLUSINS II Translating skills needed in Kazakhstan into university fields of study can be difficult, requires extensive knowledge of education systems in different nations

Likewise need to be to date with admission requirements, needed documents, in different nations and universities.

Evaluation of students far from home is difficult

Every student has special, personal circumstances which need to be dealt with

Thus Bolashak requires educated researchers and large staff to handle numbers of students. Need to be a learning, self-evaluating organization

Also need a careful combination of flexibility to accomodate variety of universities and education systems, and rigidity to ensure Kazakhstan benefits

Bolashak working to integrate its expertise and connections with other education projects

THANK YOU!

YERBOL SULEIMENOV, PHD

E-mail: nauka@inti.kz

NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION OF THE

REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

PRAGUE, 2006