We spoke to her when she got back about the highlights from her visit.

Can you share a little about your time in Kazakhstan?

Last month, I spent several days in Kazakhstan to promote our skills solutions with a special focus on our ‘English for Speakers of Other Languages’ (ESOL) Qualifications.

The visit was part of a Higher Education Trade Mission led by British Expertise International, and I was pleased to represent NOCN Group amongst a number of other stakeholders: Pearson, UCL Consultants Ltd, Advance HE, Arup, The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), and IXL Learning/Rosetta Stone. 

During the mission we visited universities, met with diplomats and ministers, and learned about the country’s education priorities.

NOCN Group offers a suite of ESOL Qualifications to equip learners with the skills they need to increase employability and thrive in an English-speaking environment. We also offer courses created for teachers of English, known as TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages).

It was my first time in Central Asia and I felt really welcomed by all the people we met and visited. Everyone was keen to showcase the amazing work their students are doing, and the focus on innovation, digital skills and the use of AI was clear to see.

It is also a really interesting time for many of the universities we visited, who are promoting an agenda of technology and innovation, and focusing on improving employability and life-long learning.

Did you visit any training institutes while you were there?

Yes, I was lucky enough to meet with representatives from universities in two of the country’s biggest cities, Almaty and Astana. Members of the Trade Mission visited Nazarbayev University, Astana IT University, KazGASA, and a Coventry University Campus.

It was brilliant to visit each of these universities and hear from students and staff about the importance of teacher education and vocational studies. I was also really impressed by the focus on sustainability and innovation in their approach to learning. It was clear that each institution is actively promoting international cooperation; from partnerships with universities abroad, joining regional summits and networks, and through high-level conferences.

I had the opportunity to meet with other key stakeholders in the higher education space, including a roundtable with His Excellency Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education, who spoke powerfully about his plans to innovate the Higher Education system in the country. I also joined a wonderful evening reception, hosted by Her Excellency Kathy Leach, British Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan.

What are your key takeaways from the visit?

Overall, it was a really fruitful and inspiring visit, and was reflective of growing collaboration between the UK and Kazakhstan in education, and shared commitments to innovation and partnerships.

We look forward to continuing to engage with those working across the Kazakh Higher Education system to share our skills solutions and to better understand the education landscape in this beautiful country.

I was fortunate to be there during Nauryz, three days of national celebrations to mark the beginning of Spring and a new year. It was a pleasure to see how the country celebrates through food, concerts, and music, and felt symbolic at a time of fresh ideas and new partnerships.

Find out more about NOCN Group's international skills solutions, including ESOL International Qualifications here.