RESULTS OF THE STUDY VISIT TO SPAIN
Brief report
As a result of the Erasmus+ First Call, the universities from Kazakhstan become participants of 13 newly selected projects. This is a great success, which has arisen due to staff interest, support of universities’ management, European partners’ willingness to cooperate. One of the most effective tools to establish good connections is meetings.
National Erasmus+ Office in Kazakhstan continued to organise study visits to European universities. This practice showed its effectiveness in strengthening bilateral and multilateral relationships with partners from other countries along with the presentation of information about Kazakh universities on Information days and sessions with the support of National Contact Points (NCP) in EU Member States, uploading of project ideas on NEO website, disseminating information and requests from potential partners to universities’ contact persons, recommending reliable partners to be included in project consortium, etc. In total, there were 6 visits organized (2009 – Italy, January 2011 – France, November 2011 – the United Kingdom, 2012 – Spain, 2013 - Italy, 2014 – the United Kingdom).
On the invitation and with the support of the National Agency in Spain, the representatives of higher education system of Kazakhstan visited Spain in December 2015. Choosing Spain is a result of European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) in Kazakhstan, which was organized with the support of European Commission, where Spanish universities and Spanish National Agency of Internationalisation in Education (SEPIE).
On behalf from the entire Kazakh group, we would express special thanks to Mrs. Teresa Udaondo Gascón, Senior Advisor for Institutional Relations of Internationalization of the Spanish Higher Education Unit, who supported the idea of organizing the study visit and together with Mrs. Patricia Onieva González organized the whole work on preparation of the visit – starting from invitation for visa till development of the detailed programme of visits to Spanish universities and organisations. Due to Teresa’s energy, organizational skills, interest and indisputable authority the visit was carried out at a high level, was very informative and efficient.
The programme of the visit was accurately planned. In all universities the meetings were organised with the participation of high-level management staff, and representatives from Kazakh higher education system had an opportunity to meet and discuss the issues on cooperation with the first heads. All host universities prepared presentations and information about their HEIs. All of the universities kindly organized excursions around their campuses, where we learned a lot about the history of universities’ establishments.
The delegation from Kazakhstan was representative. The group included Director of the Department on Higher and Post-Higher Education and International Cooperation, Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan - professor Serik Omirbayev, Vice-Rector for academic affairs of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University - professor Darkhan Akhmed-Zaki, Vice-Rector for international relations of Tynyshpaev Kazakh Academy of Transport and Communications - Gulnara Merzadinova, Vice-Rector for Economic and Financial Work of Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University - Perizat Ainabekova, Director of the Department of Education and Methodology of Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University - Meiramkul Abirova, Rector of Baikonyrov Zhezkazgan University - professor Abdilmalik Takishov, Head of International Affairs, Department of science and international cooperation of the National Agrarian Scientific Educational Centre - Balsulu Tasbulatova, Dean of post-graduate education department of Kazakh university of economics, finance and international trade - Assemgul Kapenova, Coordinator of the National Erasmus+ Office -Shaizada Tasbulatova.
We express special thanks to European Commission Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency Erasmus+: Higher Education – International Capacity Building (Unit 4) and personally to Programme Manager - Róisín Mc Cabe for the idea support and assistance with visit organization.
The programme of the visit was intensive and included the meetings with the colleagues in Barcelona, Madrid, Tarragona, and Valladolid.
The first day, 14th of December the delegation from Kazakhstan visited Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). Vice-Rector for strategic projects and planning Lluís Tort addressed his welcome speech. In the meeting also participated: professor Louis Lemkow who is responsible for international cooperation issues (Institute for Environmental Science and Technology), professor Manel Lopez Béjar, Head of the Department of Anatomy and Health Sciences, professor, professor Miquel Àngel Piera professor of the Department of Telecommunication and Engineering Systems at the School of Engineering; Coordinator of the INOCAST project (3 HEIs from Kazakhstan participate in this project), Juanjo Ramos professor and coordinator of the Bachelor in Aeronautic Management and Master in Logistics and Chain Supply, and Mr. Xavier Biarnès, Project Manager of the Area of International Relations.
Professor Tort introduced us with the history of UAB. Autonomous University of Barcelona is one of the most prestigious universities of Spain and it was founded in 1968. The founders strived to establish four principles of autonomy and independence:
· Freedom to choose academic staff;
· Freedom to study for all students;
· Freedom to develop own curriculum;
· And freedom to manage University’s funds.
The university has 3 campuses in Barcelona and suburbs. Most of the departments are located in Bellaterra main campus where the most significant research is also done. Sabadell is mostly dedicated to technologies, business and employment. Here are economic, engineering and law departments are located as well. Sant Pau campus is located in historical buildings and dedicated to medicine. One of the University’s buildings at Casa Convalescència is an object of UNESCO world heritage.
The University’s motto is developing education and encouraging innovations. In 2012 UAB was named as a best HEI of Spain according to QS World University Rankings, and #176 in the world. As for the natural sciences and biomedicine, the University is on the 144 place, arts and humanitarian sciences – 92, social sciences – 95, engineering and IT – 203.
12 Nobel laureates are teaching at University, more than 3600 teachers and sciences are working there, and more than 2500 staff members are working. The University’s library has more than 1 mln books, and its budget is 338 mln euros.
There are more than 30 000 Bachelor students, around 130 000 Master students and Doctorates, including 2 500 international students. There are 78 Bachelor programmes, 183 Master and 88 Doctoral programmes are offered. The University’s campus is equipped well for students’ comfortable life.
After the main presentation, directions of cooperation and contact persons were identified according to interests during the group discussions. Then the group went to the next meeting (business lunch with the representatives of SPHERE team).
Our group was consisted out of two members of HERE team – Serik Omirbayev and Darkhan Akhmed-zaki. The headquarters of the SPHERE are located at the University of Barcelona (UB), so it means that Kazakhstan is already familiar country to UB. And we had to meet with the representatives of an organization that does so much to support the team of experts and representatives of higher education institutions in the partner country, by organizing seminars and consultations on a wide range of issues. Due to the busy schedule we met the colleagues from SPHERE during lunch, but the discussion was very productive. We have identified a range of problems, which will be the themes for future seminars in Kazakhstan in the first half of 2016, outlined the new activities for the second half of the year. Many thanks to the representatives of SPHERE team: Olga Bogurina and Ramon Torrent for their time and support.
In the second half of the day the meeting was held in Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). The vice-rector for international relations professor Lourdes Reig Puig welcomed a delegation from Kazakhstan, introduced her colleagues, introduced the history and development of university. She presented her vision on the opportunities of further development of cooperation between universities of Kazakhstan and UPC.
Polytechnic University of Catalonia is one of the biggest state universities in Spain. University prepares highly qualified technical staff in areas such as architecture, design, commercial shipping, the economy, health and applied mathematics at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. The University includes 17 faculties (schools), well-equipped research laboratory in Barcelona and in other 5 cities in the region. The university has about 30,000 students, of which about 2000 - foreigners who teach 2,752 teachers. Training is conducted in Catalan and Spanish (with some programmes in the first year - only in Spanish), but at the level of master's and doctoral studies there is a number of programmes taught in English. The main campus is located in Barcelona, there are telecommunications departments, information technology, civil engineering, architecture school, industrial design, mathematics and statistics, and the School of Marine Research.
Most students choose this university because of an attractive cost, training programs offered in in English, foreign students are provided accommodation for low budget, there is an opportunity to study at the preparatory courses at the university, if the entrant is not enough fluent in Spanish.
The Ministry of education in Spain regularly holds a competition called "Campus of international excellence." Out of the 13 sites that have received such status, two belong to UPC. In addition, in collaboration with the ESADE, University received the status of the Community of Knowledge and Innovation (Knowledge and Innovation Communities), which is a significant university’s contribution to the promotion of innovations and impact on the development of the European economy and society in the field of sustainable energy. Research and training are complemented by practice in organizations and companies that contribute to the further employment of graduates of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
UPC’s experience in the field of scientific research is very important for Kazakhstani universities. There are 1200 research projects implemented, 2400 articles in scientific journals published annually, 300 theses are defended. 160 people have different awards, 20 are parties to the research of high quality networks. Between 1998 and 2015 455 patents and licenses were received. Business incubator created in collaboration with Spanish companies is operating. Scientific studies are not funded from the state budget, but funded through the project, i.e, on the principle of commercialization of scientific developments. So only in 2014 it earned 43 million Euros, of which 16 million were received from companies.
UPC has a good experience in the development and implementation of international programmes. Among them, 5 Tempus projects, 57 double degree programs with 62 universities around the world, 21 programmes are offered in English. In two Tempus projects University cooperates with universities from Kazakhstan, including ISMU ??? PEOPLE. Interestingly, the last project was developed as a result of the previous visit, and the Ryskulov Kazakh Economic University became a coordinator of a project. The project is progressing well, and Professor ??? emphasized the interest in the development of new joint projects-already within Erasmus+ CBHE.
Representatives from Baikonyrov Zhezkazgan University, Kazakh university of economics, finance and international trade and National Agrarian Scientific Educational Centre presented their proposals for the development of bilateral cooperation. The suggestions to expand cooperation were discussed: joint project applications development for Erasmus+ Second Call (CBHE and Credit Mobility Actions). In addition, within the framework of bilateral cooperation universities discussed the possibility of joint management training of doctoral students, professors UPC invitations for lectures in Kazakhstan.
After the break, a cordial meeting with Alicia Berlanga was held. Alicia has a good experience of cooperation with our universities and is highly respected by our country as a generator of ideas for projects. The "brainstorming" was organized, where together with Alicia the frameworks of the new projects proposals for the upcoming E + Call were identified.
In December 15 in accordance with the agenda, participants visited University of Roviro i Virgili in Tarragona.
The meeting was conducted in the Rectorate building. From Spanish site Vice-rector for internationalisation professor Mar Gutiérrez-Colón, Vice-rector for academic policy, and teaching and research staff professor Josep Pallarès Marzal, Vice-rector for scientific and research policy professor Josep Manel Ricart Pla, Professor of archeology of the department of history and history of arts Ricardo Mar, director of international relations Marina Casals, CEICS Executive director Dr. Jordi Cartanyà, Director of the lifelong learning center Mrs Charo Romano were present.
University education in Tarragona dates back to the XVI century, when Cardinal G. Gaeta founded the first school for the teaching of grammar, art and theology. Over the centuries, on the basis of school there were different schools (faculties) and courses in Arts and Sciences. In 60-ies of XX century, the college was opened, where electrical engineering, mechanics and chemistry were taught. The modern university was founded in 1991 by a decision of the Parliament of Catalonia. Currently, the University of Rovira and Virgili is one of the leading higher education institutions in Spain. It is a whole complex of campuses, faculties and colleges, which are combined into a single training center. The university collaborates with the leading experts in Europe, which helps to improve students' employment opportunities. The University of Rovira and Virgili has high level of teaching and a lot of experience in the field of research in the development of innovations. It unites 12 faculties, with an enrollment of about 13,000 students, 1435 teachers, 640 members of the administrative and support staff. The total annual budget of the institution is € 98.9 million. Tarragona is a small town. However, the proximity to such major cities like Barcelona, well-established transport infrastructure, high-quality teaching in the fields that are in demand on the labor market, good quality of life, closeness to the sea, enough affordable cost of living and food - all of this makes Tarragona a comfortable and attractive place for students from different parts of Spain and other countries.
By the number of research publications on the number of research staff, the university takes the 4th place in Spain (998 publications in highly ranked journals). This university is a participant of 6 centers of excellence (ESI areas of excellence). This special attention which university devote to scientific research helped university to take the leading role in region development, especially in such important areas like chemistry, energy, nutrition and health, cultural heritage and culture, tourism, oenology. Due to established relationships with business and community the university has been recognized by the Ministry of Education as an International Campus of Excellence in the field of cultural heritage.