From November 5 to 6, 2024, the International Relations Office of AIU held a two-day TAM workshop with the support of the National Office of Erasmus+ in Kyrgyzstan on the topic “Sustainable Development Goals for Higher Education: Learning from the European Experience”. The workshop brought together participants in a hybrid online and offline format. Within the framework of this event, lecturers of D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (VKTU) acted as the main speakers and thus strengthened their positions as a leading participant in sustainable development in Central Asia.
On the first day of the event, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation of the EKTU and a member of the national Higher Education Reform team of the Republic of Kazakhstan (HERE) Zhadyra Konurbayeva presented a key report, focusing on the importance of the transition from a linear to a circular economy for sustainable development. She noted that the linear model with the “take-produce-throw” approach is unstable, and stressed the need to move to a cyclical model that minimizes resource consumption and waste. She also gave examples of successful initiatives, emphasizing the significant role of universities in developing solutions based on EU strategies and international experience.
The next stage of the program was a practical session led by the Dean of the Business School Alfiya Zakirova, dedicated to identifying priority SDGs that best match the mission, needs and resources of universities. Using the TRIZ methodology, the participants took a structured approach to choosing priorities and developed specific approaches for integrating sustainable development into educational and scientific processes. These interactive sessions made it possible to discuss the challenges and opportunities of implementing sustainable approaches in educational programs and organizations.
The second day of the workshop focused on the practical aspects of SDG implementation. Special attention was paid to the project “GREEN CAMPUS - GREEN UNIVERSITY: VKTU's path to a green strategy”, which was presented by VKTU professors Olga Petrova and Evgeniy Varavin. Also, in her report “Transforming Education: Implementing the SDGs through Erasmus+ in the field of circular economy and sustainable development” Madina Yusubalieva emphasized the role of the Erasmus+ project in supporting universities in integrating the principles of circular economy and sustainable development into educational programs.
The next stage of the discussion was the presentation by Aizhan Samambayeva, who stressed the importance of integrating the SDGs into scientific projects to address the unique environmental and social challenges of Central Asia. Also, among the honorary speakers were representatives of universities in Spain, Finland and leading experts from the international organizations of the United Nations and UNESCO.
As part of the workshop, experts from Europe and Central Asia conducted hands-on training, providing participants with the tools and skills needed to integrate the SDGs into educational institutions. The program covered the creation of methodologies for scientific research, as well as strategies for interaction with the public
in Central Asian countries.
The workshop participants got a comprehensive understanding of the importance of the SDGs for higher education and got acquainted with the best European practices of their implementation. During the event, they developed their own strategies for integrating the SDGs, mastered methods of involving students in sustainable development projects and learned how to use tools to track and evaluate progress towards achieving the SDGs.
The event concluded with final discussions and informal communication, during which the participants discussed the prospects for further cooperation.
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