The Professional Development and Engagement Centre for Almaty and Almaty oblast at Al-Farabi KazNU is holding a Researcher Connect work shop as part of the Newton - Al-Farabi Partnership Programme. The three-day work shop aims to help researchers to improve their communications and proposal writing skills to support them in engaging with both local and international audiences. . It will be held on 13-15 October 2015 from 9.00 to 17.00, in room 306 of the Rector’s BuildingatAl-Farabi KazNU.

Researcher Connect is a series of short interactive learning modules for researchers at any stage of their career and from any academic discipline. It is a professional development course that focuses on the development of excellent communication skills in international, multi-cultural contexts.

In an increasingly competitive and global market, researchers and the institutions they represent need to communicate their research to an international audience. Key communications skills are required to enable researchers to publish in international journals, present at international conferences, apply for funding from national and international bodies, and build international collaborations to further their research.

The workshop will be attended by 20researchers from universities and research institutions in Almaty and the surrounding regions. The participants will build communications skills that they will utilize to further their research and improve performance in publishing and presenting. Asaresult,theparticipants’ organizations will improve the quality of research as well as international reputation and ranking.

First Vice Rector Al-Farabi KazNU, Professor Mukash Burkitbayev, said: “Our university has been selected on the competitive basis as part of the intergovernmental UK-Kazakhstan Newton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme to become a hub for providing training to researchers.We believe this initiative is timely and relevant. I hope thatmany scientists from Almaty universities who attendthe seminarwill gainvaluableskills for productive international cooperation."

Jim Buttery, Director of the British Council Kazakhstan, said: “TheNewton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme allows us to use the UK’s strength in research and innovation to promote the economic development and social wel fare of Kazakhstan. I would like to offer my congratulations to the winners of the competition and I hope the Centreswill make a significant contribution to the training of scientists in Kazakhstan and building of sustainable and productive relations between the scientific communities in Great Britain and Kazakhstan.”

Yerkin Tazabekova, Acting Chair of JSCScience Fund, said: “Participation in large-scale research projects on strategically important themes which encourage Kazakhstani researchers to integrate with the international scientific community was one of the main priorities set out by President Nazarbayev in his message to the people of Kazakhstan. We are do in g everything in our power to enable scientists and researchers from across Kazakhstan to take part in the activities of the Newton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme – and thereby contributing to the strengthening of Kazakhstan’s research potential.”

About the Newton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme

TheNewton – AlFarabi Partnership Programmeis financed jointly by the governments of the UK and Kazakhstan and aims to develop existing contacts and build strong, sustainable, systemic relationships in research and innovation. It works with government bodies, research organizations, universities and businesses to support Kazakhstan to achieve its development goals. The Programme is coordinated by JSC Science Fund, for Kazakhstan, and the British Council, for the UK.

The Professional Development and Engagement strand of the Newton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme aims to support the development of the research environment in Kazakhstan and enable optimal impact from research.As part of this strand of the Partnership Programme, the British Council and JSC Science Fund have supported the establishment of eight Professional Development and Community Engagement Centres based in Kazakhstani higher education / research institutions in different regions of the country.

For more information on the Newton – Al-Farabi Partnership Programme please visitwww.britishcouncil.kz/newton-al-farabi

About Al-Farabi KazNU

KazNU is one of the leading universities in Kazakhstan. It promotes systemic change in the higher education sector and demonstratessteady progress in world university rankings.According to the QS rankings published on 15 September 2015, Al-Farabi KazNUentered the top 300 universities, in position 275.

Since 2010 KazNUhasraiseditsrankingby 326 placesand for the last year by 30 places. KazNUis the first universityin Kazakhstan and Central Asia to achieve such a significant improvement in its international ranking. According to foreign experts, entering top 300 world best universities list in such a short period of time is one of the world's phenomena and examples of breakthrough progress, indicating a high level of professionalism and well-coordinated teamwork.”

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