31 October 2009

Sheffield joins official ministerial visit to Kazakhstan

The University of Sheffield has recently improved its links in Kazakhstan after joining an official ministerial visit to the country.

The visit was organised by the office of David Lammy, Minister for Higher Education, and included meetings and round table discussions with Kazakh officials and principals of colleges and universities.

Professor Geof Tomlinson from the University of Sheffield's Faculty of Engineering was invited to represent the university sector and its strong links with industry in the delegation.

Discussions centred on educational partnerships between the two nations. Kazakhstan, once part of the USSR, is rich in oil and minerals and is currently working hard to reform its education system to create a more skilled workforce.

A round table event organised by the British Council in the capital of Astana focused on the role of partnerships and ways of ensuring effective joint working.