“An Opening of the Winter School at Karaganda Buketov University: Experience, Perspectives, and Strategies”

The opening of the Winter School, which will last until January 16th of the current year, was held at the coworking center of Karaganda Buketov University. At the beginning of the event, the Chairman of the Management Board and Rector, N.O. Dulatbekov, delivered a welcoming speech, outlining the aims and tasks for the current year. The Member of the Management Board and Vice-Rector, E.Zh. Sarmurzin, discussed the QS Ranking Methodology, which currently attributes 30% weight to academic reputation, 20% to the number of citations per teacher and student, 10% to the teacher-to-student ratio, 15% to employer reputation, 10% to graduate achievements, 5% to the proportion of international teachers, 5% to sustainable development goals, and other factors. In turn, the Member of the Board and Vice-Rector for Scientific Work, E.M. Tazhbaev, shared valuable insights from his experience during a scientific internship abroad. During his presentation, he highlighted effective strategies for managing scientific activities. According to him, nearly all teachers from European countries hold scientific degrees, and the importance of libraries operating 24/7 was emphasized, allowing access even during nighttime hours. Equally interesting was the speech by the Member of the Academic Affairs Board and Vice-Rector, M.M. Umurkulova, on the topic “Education in the Context of a Research University: Perspectives and Difficulties.” G.M. Baigozhina, Acting Chief of Staff of the Rector's Office at the Winter School, provided a detailed presentation on the European Union’s Erasmus+ Program. She offered recommendations for designing project proposals and raised questions regarding International Credit Mobility, Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE), which currently ranges from 200,000 to 1 million euros, as well as the available budget for CBHE and number of projects in 2025. The first day of the Winter School concluded with a speech by Zhanna Kopbaeva, a certified trainer of the National Association of Psychologists of Kazakhstan. She conducted a masterclass titled “Effective Manager: Communications, Soft Skills, and Change Management.”