More than one hundred students, professionals and dignitaries from both the UK and Kazakhstan will gather together tomorrow (28 November) at a high profile event at the University of Birmingham.
More than one hundred students, professionals and dignitaries from both the UK and Kazakhstan will gather together tomorrow (28 November) at a high profile event at the University of Birmingham.
The event, which will be attended by both His Excellency Mr. Kairat Abusseitov, the Kazakhstan Ambassador to the UK and Prof. Adrian Randall, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic Quality and Students) at the University of Birmingham, will give delegates the opportunity to share their experiences of living, working and studying in the UK.
The students organising the event, are all studying at the University of Birmingham. There are currently 22 Bolashak scholars studying at the University, out of a total Kazakhstan student population of 34. These numbers are expected to increase over the coming years as the University of Birmingham has an active presence in Kazakhstan and works closely with the Bolashak office, in order to attract top students from Kazakhstan.
Andrea Edwards, the Director of International Relations at the University of Birmingham said: “We’re delighted our Bolashak students are organising this event. They are keen promote their culture and their many achievements whilst studying at the University of Birmingham. This is testimony to the excellent students we attract to the University, and to the quality of education we offer our students.”
The Bolashak scholarships are only awarded to the most exceptional students in Kazakhstan and are globally renowned. The scholarships represent the Kazakhstan Government’s ambitions for the future by educating Kazakhstan’s most talented students at the best universities world-wide. The word “Bolashak” in Kazakh means “future”.
There are currently 20,000 Kazakhstan students in total, enrolled in education in 35 countries throughout the world. The percentage increase of Bolashak-funded students for the UK has increased from 29% in 2005, to 40% in 2008, representing a total of 577 Bolashak students. In 2008, there were 132 new Bolashak scholars enrolled in UK higher education, 12 of whom chose to student at the University of Birmingham.
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Media information: Anna Dingley, University of Birmingham Press Officer, 0121 4158134/07769 952763, email a.j.dingley@bham.ac.uk
Notes to the Editor
• There are approx 8.5 million people in Kazakhstan (55.8%) between the age of 14 years and 44 years. It is a rapidly increasing recruitment market but limited by the size of the population, and by increasing competition.
• The government is investing in education to meet shortages in the labour market at many skill levels. Kazakhstan aspires to become a major financial centre and has created a banking system comparable to those in Western Europe. Science, Engineering and Technology are also priority areas and these are reflected, among a wide diversity of subjects, in the Bolashak recommended subjects
• The political focus lies on strengthening relationships with both neighbouring countries and Western countries
• The UK education is perceived as academically challenging and many Kazakhstani students are not prepared for independent living
• There are 20,000 Kazakhstani students enrolled in education in 35 countries. The market share of Bolashak for the UK has increased from 29% in 2005, to 40% in 2008, representing 577 Bolashak students. In 2008, there were 132 new Bolashak scholars enrolled in UK HE.
• There is increasing demand for the UK professional qualifications (e.g. CIM, CIMA, ACCA)
• Top UG subjects (in order of priority): Business, Economics, Politics, Engineering, Finance, Social Policy and Law.
• Top PG subjects (in order of priority): Business, Finance, Social Policy, Economics, Politics, Law, HRM, Marketing and Education
