Countries: Greece, Great Britain, Finland, Uzbekistan

The name of the organization (university, research center, etc.) with which the joint educational project is carried out: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University of Leeds, University of Oulu; Tashkent Medical Academy, Samarkand State Medical University

• organization of a tender for the procurement of equipment according to the project plan, successful procurement, and installation of a video studio, training of CSOT technicians as part of the development of the Center for Communication Competence (created within the project as part of CSOT);
• training of tutors within the framework of the training organized by the University of Leeds on June 12-15, 2023, online, on the creation of OSCE stations;
• conducting classes according to the PCCSP (Patient-Centered Communication Skills Teaching Program) developed within the project for 5th and 6th-year students of OM under the conditions of CSOT and the Center for the Development of Communication Competence;
• the integration of the project's results (virtual and standardized patient cases) into the university department's syllabi has begun, with gradual implementation into the educational process;
• checklists for summative Virtual Patient cases for basic and advanced modules within the Program project have been developed and piloted;
• conducting a FOR21 project master class within the framework of the Central Asian Conference on Medical Education with the involvement of international project partners in April 2023;
• approval of the methodological guide "Virtual Patient in the Educational Process" (Approved by the Senate of NPJSC KMU, Protocol No. 9 of May 25, 2023);
• intellectual property object No. 37814 "Model of Communication Competence Development in Undergraduate Students of Medical Educational Organizations" dated July 5, 2023.

Link to the project

• 9 new educational courses with a scientific component have been prepared:
  1. Introduction to public health
  2. Global health and burden of disease
  3. One Health
  4. Occupational Health
  5. Environmental & Occupational Toxicology
  6. Epidemiology of non-communicable diseases
  7. Nutrition concepts and controversies
  8. Social and behavioural aspects of public health
  9. Health care management
• 6 studies were conducted within the framework of the developed courses.
• 3 current educational disciplines for the Master's degree level have been updated:
  1. Health promotion and disease prevention
  2. Medical and environmental monitoring
  3. Urban ecology
• 2 doctoral students of NPJSC KMU are working with foreign consultants thanks to the project.
• 3 project members completed 2 capacity-building trainings for university staff.
• A series of webinars on "Epidemiology" and "Occupational Health" were conducted for the staff and students of NPJSC KMU.
• The textbook "Textbook of Occupational Medicine Practice," D. Koh, 4th ed. - New Jersey; London; Singapore: World Scientific, 2018. - 926 p., was purchased and transferred to the library.
• Seminars were organized and conducted by visiting professor K. Colosio (University of Milan) on "Introduction to Occupational Health. Experience of the University of Milan" for students and staff of the School of Public Health of NPJSC KMU.
• The final project conference is being prepared in Almaty, 2024.

Link to the project

The project “Improving Nursing at the Master's and PhD Doctorate Levels in the Higher Education System of Kazakhstan – AccelEd” aims to reform nursing science and research in Kazakhstan's higher education system, modernize management, healthcare management, and the functioning of higher education in natural sciences in Kazakhstan.

Modernization within AccelEd means improving management, planning, quality assurance, internationalization, and broader recognition of nursing education at the Master's and PhD levels, as well as contributing to the promotion of lifelong learning in nursing. As a structural project, AccelEd will be implemented with the support of ministries responsible for healthcare and education, ensuring the sustainability of actions and the inclusion of the results of implemented activities in subsequent operational plans of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The goals and objectives of the AccelEd project were shaped by the problems and challenges related to higher nursing education and the specific needs of the project's target groups. A wide range of national, local, and international stakeholders, including academic staff and policymakers, participated in the development of the project proposal, ensuring the achievement of goals and the feasibility of addressing the set objectives, considering their relevance to Kazakhstan's national context.

Thus, the overall goal of the project to strengthen nursing education at the Master's level, as well as to create and implement a PhD program in nursing science in Kazakhstan, aligns with the strategic interests of the Republic of Kazakhstan and meets the need for specialists in nursing education, research, and clinical practice.

Link to the project

Countries: Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Lithuania

• Batumi International University, Georgia;
• Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia;
• Petre Shotadze Tbilisi Medical Academy, Georgia;
• Georgian National University SEU, Georgia;
• Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Moldova;
• Technical University of Moldova, Moldova;
• International Sakharov Ecological Institute of Belarusian State University, Belarus;
• Gordno State Medical University, Belarus;
• Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, Tadjikistan;
• Khatlon State Medical University, Tadjikistan;
• Medical University (Sofia), Bulgaria;
• Lithuanian University of Medical Sciences, Lithuania

• Creation of the Multinational Peer Review Board (MPRB).
• Achieving consistency in the continuous review of programs and academic activities processes, as well as administrative policies, procedures, and actions in educational institutions of partner countries.
• Increasing the qualifications of faculty and administrative staff in conducting effective self-assessment tasks and peer reviews.
• PRIMED-EECA was created and put into operation.
• Enhancing the level of international activity of educational institutions in partner countries.
• Increasing awareness among key stakeholders about the project's achievements and other final products.

Countries: Finland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Kazakhstan

• Jamk University of Applied Science, Finland;
• Lahti University of Applied Sciences, Finland;
• Angela BoškinFaculty of Health Care, Slovenia;
• Hanze University of Applies Sciences, Netherlands;
• Nazarbayev University;
• West Kazakhstan State Medical University;
• Semey Medical University;
• Astana Medical University

The goal of the ProInCa project was to develop the sustainable innovative potential of Kazakhstani medical universities for the modernization of nursing. The project was coordinated by JAMK University of Applied Sciences and consisted of a consortium of five Kazakhstani medical universities and four European higher education institutions. The project was co-financed by the Erasmus+ program Capacity building in the field of higher education and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the period from 10/15/2017 to 01/31/2021.

• The Center for Nursing Excellence (CNE) was created. CNE has an online platform (https://nursekz.com/) that brings together all stakeholders in the field of nursing: medical universities and colleges, hospitals and clinics, national and regional nursing associations, teachers, researchers, practicing nurses, managers, etc. This platform contains all the necessary information for nursing professionals: clinical protocols and guidelines, methodological recommendations, educational materials, statistics, information on research projects, a database of national experts, contacts, useful links, and more. The platform also includes a blog for nursing leaders and a forum for sharing opinions and ideas.
• Guidelines for medical universities on creating nursing research infrastructure and priority areas of nursing research (Report on recommendations to medical universities for establishing a nursing research program) were developed to create new nursing research programs.
• Educational programs were created for bachelor's courses such as "Fundamentals of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice" and "Evidence-Based Nursing Practice," as well as for master's disciplines such as "Implementation of Evidence-Based Nursing Practice." Educational materials in Kazakh, Russian, and English are freely available on the CNE website (https://nursekz.com/).
• Educational modules were developed for master's courses "Research Projects and Development Projects in Nursing" and "Methodology of Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Nursing." Instructions for their application in nursing research courses at the applied and academic bachelor's levels were provided.
• Educational materials in Kazakh, Russian, and English are freely available on the CNE website (https://nursekz.com/).
• Training materials for nurse managers were developed on four topics: setting direction, managing services and achieving results, professionalism and ethics, and managing human resources and teams. Materials in Russian and English are freely available on the CNE website (https://nursekz.com/).
• The Association of Nursing Leaders of Medical Organizations of the Republic of Kazakhstan is ready for registration.
• A pool of national academic experts in evidence-based nursing, nursing research, and nursing leadership and management was prepared, and more than 500 nurses and students in the "Nursing" specialty from all regions of the country participated in ProInCa trainings or used the materials in their research, thereby increasing their professional capacity.
• To continue the development of nursing education in Kazakhstan, a new Erasmus+ CBHE project was launched: "Improving Nursing at the Master's and Doctorate Levels in the Higher Education System of Kazakhstan" (AccelEd).

Link to the project

Countries: Italy, Estonia, Germany, the Netherlands, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, India.

• University of Milan, Italy
• University of Tartu, Estonia
• Technical University Berlin, Germany
• Learning Foundation and Developing
• Occupational Health, Netherlands
• EMC Space Technologies GmbH, Germany
• International school of medicine, Kyrgyzstan
• Osh State University, Kyrgyzstan
• NGO “Taasir-Impact”, Kyrgyzstan
• Avicenna Tajik State Medical University, Tajikistan
• Khujand State University, Tajikistan
• Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University, India
• Padmashri Vikhe Patil College, India

The goal of the ProInCa project was to develop the sustainable innovative potential of Kazakhstani medical universities for the modernization of nursing. The project was coordinated by JAMK University of Applied Sciences and consisted of a consortium of five Kazakhstani medical universities and four European higher education institutions. The project was co-financed by the Erasmus+ program Capacity building in the field of higher education and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the period from 10/15/2017 to 01/31/2021.

• As part of the project, 20 master's and doctoral students from the university were trained in English language proficiency courses (levels B1 and A1).
• Project participants and university staff attended training sessions at the University of Milan, the University of Tartu (Estonia), and the Technical University of Berlin.
• 1 master's student and 1 doctoral student from KMU completed training courses on environmental protection, occupational health, and scientific research at the University of Tartu.
• An E-lab has been organized, equipped with all the equipment specified in the project.
• Surveys have been developed and are being used to study the level of awareness of students about the project, as well as to study and analyze their satisfaction with the learning conditions and educational programs.
• 14 existing educational programs have been reviewed and updated, and 14 new MSc & PhD discipline programs in the field of environmental protection, occupational health, and public health have been developed considering the needs of stakeholders. The development of educational programs was carried out by experienced specialists with the support of project experts, involving young employees to enhance their potential. The content of the educational programs corresponds to the direction "Environmental Protection and Occupational Health." All programs received positive reviews from independent experts. To ensure an objective assessment of the project's results by external stakeholders, the educational programs were sent to NPP "Atameken."
• Master classes were held for specialists in the fields of labor hygiene and public health.
• At the national level, the results of the project's implementation contribute to the development and strengthening of cooperation between Kazakh and foreign partner universities, as well as between medical universities in the Republic, improving their educational and research potential and activating academic mobility. The results of research work contribute to improving the quality of the environment, increasing the level of health, and social well-being of the population.
• At the institutional level, new and revised educational programs have been integrated into the master's program in "Public Health." Recruitment and training of master's students in the field of "Environmental Protection and Occupational Health" have been conducted.
• The implementation of the project has facilitated the use of new knowledge, skills, and competencies in teaching, gained from training workshops and summer schools within Erasmus+, and the introduction of the "flipped class" approach, as well as tools for the educational process (Quizizz, Kahoot, Dashboard).

Link to the project

Countries: Spain, Sweden, Estonia, France, Portugal, Kazakhstan, China

• Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), Spain
• KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• Tallinn University of Technology (TUT), Estonia
• Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), Portugal
• Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Spain
• Université Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD), France
• Beihang University (BUAA), China
• Tongji University, China

The consortium has developed a portal with information and tools from each partner country and institution related to internationalization and has published a user-friendly publication in the section "Comparative Analysis of Internationalization Practices." The portal is intended to serve as a guide for the internationalization of Kazakh and Chinese higher education institutions. Together with facilitators (program participants and partners), the portal supports students, faculty, researchers, and other universities not included in the consortium that will benefit from the portal on internationalization practices. Moreover, the platform was created following open-source principles, so any educational institution (private or public) can download it, improve it, adapt it, and use it freely. For example, municipalities can use it to create a platform to promote universities in a specific city or region.
The results of the comparative analysis are structured around 6 key parameters:

1. Facts and figures.
2. International structures and models.
3. Academic offerings and training for academic and non-academic staff.
4. Student support services.
5. International promotion and recognition.
6. Marketing and communication.

Link to the project

Countries: Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, Finland, Italy, Great Britain.

• Lund University, Sweden
• Lublin University of Technology, Poland
• University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
• Savonia University of Applied Science, Finland
• Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
• Aga Khan University-Institute for the Study of Muslim Civilization, United Kingdom

The TRUNAK project is aimed at addressing the national priorities of Kazakhstan, focusing on one of the main tasks: the management of university autonomy. A higher degree of organizational, financial, academic, and personnel freedom is a prerequisite for the modernization of university management. Universities and ministries agree that appropriate frameworks are necessary to fulfill their tasks. By working in the area of university autonomy, the TRUNAK project will have a significant impact on the higher education sector in Kazakhstan. Despite the importance of other issues that are also relevant to university management, we believe that autonomy is essential primarily for creating a solid foundation for further organizational modernization.

Efforts are being made in Kazakhstan to decentralize and modernize university structures, their organization, and management. Nazarbayev University has a high degree of autonomy, and the experience gained can be utilized in other universities. On the other hand, it is still unclear to what extent autonomy will be granted throughout the higher education system.

The autonomy of EU universities is a fundamental issue. The European University Association serves as an independent voice for European universities: "It is clear that autonomy does not mean the absence of rules. The state must provide appropriate frameworks within which universities can best fulfill their tasks." Our project proposes a "bottom-up" approach, which is new compared to previous experiences, and facilitates constructive discussion on the issue of university autonomy in collaboration with ministries. The current situation is such that the government is making significant efforts to decentralize and modernize university governance, but a more complete and structured expression of universities' viewpoints is desirable.

Kazakhstan has already joined the Bologna Process, and the TRUNAK consortium sees a clear effect from this initiative, as well as from the EU's flagship initiative "Innovation Union" outlined in the "Europe 2020" Strategy for smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. The initiative calls for freeing European universities from excessive regulation and micromanagement in exchange for full accountability. In the EU, the European University Association has developed a university autonomy tool for benchmarking national policies on university autonomy. The definitions and methodology developed in the university autonomy tool will be used as instruments for this project.

Link to the project

Countries: Kazakhstan, Sweden, Czech Republic, Greece, Great Britain, Vietnam, Ukraine

• Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
• Masaryk University, Czech Republic
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

The first stage was implemented from November 2015 to March 2016. An analysis of the educational program "General Medicine" was conducted, and a place was determined in the curriculum for the introduction of pediatric and new cases involving medical errors. A schedule for pediatric cases involving medical errors was developed for the fall semester of the 2016-2017 academic year for fourth-year "General Medicine" students, focusing on the module "Pediatrics" with integrated pediatric cases.

The second stage took place from January to June 2016. St. George's University (UK) presented 6 branch pediatric cases in English, which were translated and adapted by tutor-adaptors. The adaptation and translation took into account socio-economic factors, national protocols, and other considerations. From the 6 branch cases, 6 linear cases were formed and uploaded to OpenLab for classes. In November-December 2016, classes were conducted with 64 students who were trained on linear and branch cases involving medical errors. After each case, students completed an online survey.

The third stage began from January to June 2017. In December, two tutors in London underwent training on case writing, who upon returning trained 5 other tutors. Starting in February, our tutors wrote 6 cases involving medical errors, which were uploaded to OpenLab. In September 2017, the new cases will be tested and integrated into the schedule for fifth-year "General Medicine" students. Classes on the new cases are scheduled for November-December 2017.

Link to the project

Countries: Spain, France, Netherlands, Portugal

• University of Barselova, Spain
• Universite de Poitiers, France
• Redbound University Nijmegen, Netherlands
• University of Porto, Portugal
• Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Spain

CASEU (Central Asian and European Universities) is an Erasmus Mundus project funded by the European Commission that offers scholarships to European master's students, PhD researchers, and staff (academic and administrative) for a mobility period at some of the best universities in Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan. These are fully funded scholarships; they include a monthly allowance, travel expenses, insurance, and tuition fees.

• Establish strong connections and mobility flows between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and European universities, covering master's, PhD, and staff levels.
• Develop strategies and create a best practices guide to enhance mobility between European higher education institutions and universities in Central Asian republics.
• Promote mutual enrichment and intercultural understanding among the people involved in the project, including scholarship recipients who, upon their return, can share their experiences with society as a whole.
• Activate and expand networks of international academic mobility already existing in some European universities, as well as in Kazakh and Uzbek universities.
• Develop a joint stable and continuous mobility scheme to be achieved through an increased number of bilateral agreements on student and staff mobility, facilitating joint training in doctoral programs and degree attainment and allowing placements abroad.

Link to the project

Countries: Spain, Sweden, Portugal, Georgia, Armenia, Kazakhstan

• Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
• Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
• Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
• Ilia State University, Georgia
• University of Kutaisi, Georgia
• Armenian State University of Economics, Armenia
• Russian-Armenian (Slavic) University, Armenia
• American University Armenian Fund, Armenia

Strengthening the competencies of higher education leaders at both higher and mid-levels through the development of a human resource management and staff development strategy aimed at addressing the challenges faced by higher education institutions in partner countries during economic transformations and globalization.

• Audit of human resource management processes and procedures to identify strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in this area.
• Identification of training needs based on the HR competency map in universities.
• Organization of training events for trainers (experts in human resource management in partner countries) who will then train human resource management specialists (academic and support staff) in each partner university.
• Training workshops on key issues of human resource management (as mentioned above) to enhance the competencies of higher and mid-level leaders (such as academic and administrative staff, technical personnel).
• Development of a strategic plan for human resources development in each partner university, taking into account the specific requirements identified based on the audit results analysis.
• Implementation of the strategic plan during the second and third years of project implementation to identify deviations and improve outcomes.
• Establishment of dedicated resource centers in each partner university with materials, as well as an online platform for the collective sharing of human resource management information.
• Development and publication of a manual with materials on human resource management, results of training events, and standardized human resource management processes.

Countries: Greece, Great Britain, Kazakhstan, Cyprus, Georgia, Ukraine

• Aristotle University, Greece
• St. George’s University of London, Great Britain
• University of Nicosia, Cyprus
• David Tvildiani Medical University, Georgia
• Akaki Tsereteli State University, Georgia
• Zaporozhye State Medical University, Ukraine
• Sumy State Medical University, Ukraine

• Medical Education Centers (MECS) have been established and equipped at NPJSC KMU and NPJSC MUA with the primary goal of developing and coordinating innovative practices in education.
• The educational program for students has been enhanced by introducing a PBL module in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years of the "General Medicine" curriculum.
• A PBL VP case bank (53 cases in Kazakh and Russian) has been created in various fields of medicine, providing the opportunity for their use in the educational process for medical universities in Kazakhstan and other general medical institutions.
• The potential of the teaching staff has been increased: teachers have been trained to adapt new teaching methods (case adaptation, writing, and conducting presentations), with particular attention to teaching fundamental sciences and creating a "critical mass" in the faculty to implement a problem-based educational culture at the national level.
• Memoranda of understanding have been signed and are being implemented with foreign partners of the ePBLnet consortium, forming a transregional network of medical education centers focused on PBL and virtual patients.
• The established medical education centers have helped disseminate the ePBLnet experience to other universities at the national level and have led to the natural development of an integrated systems approach to education in almost all medical universities in the country. Real or virtual meetings with patients at an early stage of medical education provide rich and memorable learning conditions, preparing a critical mass of healthcare professionals capable of critical thinking and bringing positive changes to the entire healthcare system.

At the regional level, the ePBLnet project has helped strengthen the connection between fundamental science teachers and clinicians, making education more practice-oriented and linked to the real labor market, thereby enhancing the public image of KMU and AMU in the region.

At the individual level, the implementation of innovative teaching and learning methods has allowed fundamental science teachers to be closer to the needs of real clinical practice; the faculty has acquired new knowledge and competencies in new educational technologies and the creation of electronic educational resources and materials.

Ccылка на проект

Countries: Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Italy, Sweden, Estonia, Tajikistan

• International Higher School of Medicine, Kyrgyzstan
• University of Milan, Italy
• University of Gothenburg, Sweden
• University of Tartu, Estonia
• Osh State University, Kyrgyzstan
• Tajik National Medical University named after Abu Ali Ibn Sina, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
• Khujand State Medical University, Tajikistan
• Research Institute of Preventive Medicine, Dushanbe, Tajikistan
• NPO "Taasir-Impact," Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

The implementation of this program continued from 2012 to 2015. A total of 14 universities from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, India, Tajikistan, Germany, Sweden, Estonia, and Italy participated in the project. As a result, the International Higher School of Medicine successfully implemented a PhD program in public health. Two doctoral students completed a one-month internship at the University of Milan. Nineteen staff members of the International Higher School of Medicine improved their English language skills, while 44 educators enhanced their teaching and research qualifications as part of the project. A Central Asian network in the field of education, science, and innovation was established, as well as in the area of environmental hygiene. One international grant application was successfully approved.