Chinese Language departments to open at leading Kazakh universities
The leading national and state universities of Kazakhstan will set up departments of Chinese Language. The Chinese language will be recommended for learning as the second [foreign- editor] language. This is what Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek said at the international symposium “Cooperation in Higher Education and Production Integration" held in Astana, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to him, as part of the state visit of the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, to Astana, numerous documents were signed. Among them is the agreement on cooperation in education and science. As per the documents signed, Chinese Language departments will be established at Kazakhstani universities. Bachelor’s, master’s and PhD students will be offered to learn it as the second [foreign - editor] language.
“China is our partner both in economy and trade, therefore we should deeply understand history, language, and culture of China,” Sayasat Nurbek emphasized.
Another agreement, according to Sayasat Nurbek, provides for opening a branch of the University of Hong Kong at Almaty-based Satpayev University.
"The University of Hong Kong is a rapidly developing higher education institution ranked among the world’s Top-100 universities. The branch of the Hong Kong University will start working in September 2024. The students will be offered to obtain an academic degree in AI, architecture, intellectual transport etc," he said.
He added that thanks to the support of Chinese Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng, the second Luban Workshop will be opened in Astana.
Besides, the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University expands partnership with the Xi’an Polytechnical University both in academic and research programs. Xi’an Polytechnical University opened its branch at the Kazakh University last year.
As Sayasat Nurbek said, the standards of the Bolashak Presidential Scholarship Program will be changed. Split PhD scholarship will be introduced to enable research students to enjoy all resources of such a partnership.
He reminded that an important agreement was signed between the Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University, Kozybayev University, Shakarim University and Northwest A&F University on opening a joint laboratory in Kazakhstan.
The National Academy of Sciences also signed an agreement with the Shenzhen University on establishment of a laboratory.