KazNU students participated in the international project ConnectEurasia
At the Higher School of Economics and Business of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, the international project “ConnectEurasia: designing collaborative online learning for sustainability” (2024–2025) has been implemented.
The project was carried out by a consortium of five partners from four countries: University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland HES-SO (Switzerland), Shanghai University (China), Azerbaijan State University of Economics (Azerbaijan), Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Kazakhstan), and Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW, Switzerland). The project was funded with the support of Movetia, the Swiss national agency for exchange and mobility.
The main goal of the project is to create and pilot a joint international online program (COIL) aimed at developing students’ intercultural competencies and studying the Eurasian market. The course was dedicated to UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, which aligns with strategic priorities in the field of sustainable development.
At Al-Farabi KazNU, the project was led by faculty members, including the Institutional Coordinator PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Management Aknur Zhidebekkyzy; Director of the Center for Economic Research, PhD, Associate Professor of the Department of Finance and Accounting Raigul Doszhan; and c.e.s., Associate Professor of the Department of Management Saule Kupeshova.
A total of 36 students took part in the project, including 10 students from the Higher School of Economics and Business of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The work was carried out in mixed teams under the guidance of faculty members from the partner universities. Special attention was given to solving business cases related to the sustainability analysis of companies such as Bühler Group (Switzerland), ERG Group (Kazakhstan), SAIC Volkswagen (China), and SOCAR (Azerbaijan), as well as developing practical recommendations. For collaboration, the digital platform Padlet was used, enabling interactive engagement and knowledge exchange.
The students noted that participation in the project allowed them to gain new knowledge in the field of sustainable production and consumption, acquire experience in intercultural teamwork, improve communication skills, and broaden their horizons through learning about the culture and traditions of peers from other countries.
Upon completion of the program, all participants received certificates. The results of the project will be of value to universities, educators, students, and business representatives interested in international cooperation and the promotion of sustainable development in education.
