2. Bolashak: Innovative Education for the Future Prague, Czech Republic, 2006

3. Analysing the past Fourteen years of independence as the first life cycle for the country. GDP for 2005 - US$ 41 bln. Annual average GDP growth for the period of 1999 - 2005 is 10,2%. Annual average growth of industry for the same period is 10,6 %. Annual average growth of investments in capital is 19,3%.

4. Strategic planning system In 1997 - Kazakhstan 2030 Development Strategy. In 2000 - Strategic plan up to year 2010, the main task of which was: –doubling the GDP in 2010 (from 2000). –this task will be done already in 2008. In 2006 – Kazakhstans Strategy to be in the list of top 50 competitive countries

5. Strategy for Industrial and Innovational Development Annual investment is planned to be US$ 1,5 bln. (including annual state investment of US$ 460 mln.). Aggregate capital of development institutes for 2006 is forecasted to US$ 1,3 bl.: –Development bank, –Investment fund, –Innovation fund, –Export insurance corporation, –Marketing reasearch center, –Technology transfer and engineering center.

6. Identifying priorities Development of heavy industry. Investment into strategic infrastructure. Development of non raw material production sector (finished good production). Development of technology based service sector. Development of petro-chemical industry. Development of new and information technologies.

7. One of the main priorities is EDUCATION In order to maintain Kazakhstan economic leadership, we must ensure a continuous supply of highly trained and educated specialists and numerically literate population. And ensure that that population work for the development of Kazakhstan.

8. In the course of transition to market economy and international relations development Kazakhstan faces an exigency in specialists with [advanced western] education. Therefore, there is a need to send talented young people for study in the leading educational institutions abroad. President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev N.A., November 1993

9. «Bolashak» Scholarship Initiative «Bolashak» Scholarship Initiative Established in 1993 by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the purpose of educating the best students in elite universities overseas. For the first time citizens of Kazakhstan are granted the opportunity to receive education fully funded by the government in the worlds top-level outstanding institutions of higher education.

10. Goals Training of highly educated specialists in priority fields; Intellectual elite development and new generation of technocrats, capable of bringing the country to a completely new level of development. Put global expertise and innovation to work for Kazakhstan, including introducing new areas of expertise

11. The scholarship is awarded for purpose of Receiving higher education Receiving Bachelors degrees (as of 2005) - successful high school graduates or university students of Kazakh and foreign higher educational institutions Receiving Masters degrees -successful Kazakh and foreign higher educational institution graduates Receiving PhD Degrees -young talented scientists Residency training and Master and PhD studies in medical specialties

12. General Requirements for Candidates - 2006 Citizen of Kazakhstan, aged 18 – 35 years old Appropriate level of education completed National University Test of at least 90 (out of 120) points GPA of no less than 4.5 (out of 5.0) Excellent competence in language of study (determined by standardized testing and interview) Psychological preparation for study abroad Commitment to development of Kazakhstan, patriotism

13. Total Number of Bolashak Fellows - 2556 191 19 81 50 86 58 56 59 28 87 1756

14. Coverage University Tuition (in Czech Republic ~3500 – 5000) Housing (~230 per month) Living stipend (~360 per month) Textbook allowance (~170 per semester) Registration fees Visa fees Medical insurance Travel to and from place of study every year (during holidays)

15. Which specialists are in demand? Engineers and health care professionals Professional civil servants and administration specialists New generation of scientists Innovation economy clusters managers Specialists in the new high-tech industrial and agricultural sectors

16. Priority Fields of Study Information and Telecommunications Technology Biotechnology Petroleum Industry Engineering Aerospace and Aeronautics Cluster Initiative Public Administration

17. Where do Fellows go? USA: 2062 candidates639 Fellows accepted –17 PhDs, 211 Masters, 411 Bachelors UK: 1678 candidates518 Fellows accepted –4 PhDs, 115 Masters, 399 Bachelors Russia: 1236 candidates240 Fellows accepted –42 PhDs, 31 Masters, 167 Bachelors China, Germany, Canada, France also popular This year Bolashak has expanded dramatically to include much of the Asia/Pacific region, most of Europe, and even one candidate to Costa Rica

18. The Head of Protocol of the Administration of the President Associate Chairman of the Agency for the Civil Service The Vice-Minister of Education and Science Advisors to the Prime Minister Director of Kazakhstan Foreign Investors Council Association Professors and researchers KazMunai Gas and the Center for International Programs Successful Alumni Include:

19. Contract between student and Bolashak Education Contract Student agrees to study in approved field of study, in approved university In specified period of time Mortgage Contract Piece of property pledged on behalf of student Period of education plus 5 years, during which student must work in Kazakhstan Value of property must be proportional to proposed education plan

20. Scientific potential Priority20042005 1.Oil, chemistry and new materials84117 2.Metallurgy and mining4571 3.Biotechnology2676 4.New technologies52107 5.Information technologies and space research3561 6.Material development1019 7.Scientific provision of socio-economic and cultural development of the society 1275 Total264526 Dynamics of applications submitted to the Science Funds grants in 2004-2005

21. Research personnel Type of research Quantity of specialists engaged in: All research / financed by the Ministry of Education and Science 20032004 Total With high education PhDs Doctors of science Total With high educatio n PhDs Doctors of science State programs 5856/ 1312 3628/ 904 598/ 138 183/ 54 2943/ 998 1813/ 811 297/ 177 102/ 70 Fundament al research 5815/ 5815 4769/ 4769 1658/ 1658 884/ 884 5881/ 5881 4948/ 4948 1708/ 1708 899/ 899 Field research 1614/ 113 1245/ 112 444/ 34 256/ 9 2543/ 335 1861/ 315 616/ 98 316/ 39 Innovation research 65/ 65 61/ 61 26/ 26 22/ 22 ---- TOTAL13350 / 7305 9703/ 5846 2726/ 1856 1345/ 969 11367/ 7214 8622/ 6074 2621/ 1983 1317/ 1008

22. Financing of the fundamental and applied research Resume: Increase of research financing from the year 2000 for more that six times MoES Other ministries

23. SWOT ANALYSIS OF KAZAKHSTANS R&D: A small domestic market area and population Fragmented research activities: Resources allocated to a large number of small units A small number of foreign students and researchers The inflow of FDI is relativly low

24. SOME BASIC CONCLUSIONS Innovation policy is an essential part of governments strategies to attain macroeconomic stability, economic renewal and full employment New structures and competencies are needed in the government to facilitate effective innovation policy Evaluation is an intrinsic element of innovation policy Innovation policy is to an increasing extent based on public/private partnership Scientific excellence and social and economic relevance are not conflicting but complementary goals Innovation/science/technological policy should cover the whole system from knowledge generation through diffusion to knowledge utilization New policies need to be complemented by structural reforms in the system

25. CONCLUSINS II Translating skills needed in Kazakhstan into university fields of study can be difficult, requires extensive knowledge of education systems in different nations Likewise need to be to date with admission requirements, needed documents, in different nations and universities. Evaluation of students far from home is difficult Every student has special, personal circumstances which need to be dealt with Thus Bolashak requires educated researchers and large staff to handle numbers of students. Need to be a learning, self-evaluating organization Also need a careful combination of flexibility to accomodate variety of universities and education systems, and rigidity to ensure Kazakhstan benefits Bolashak working to integrate its expertise and connections with other education projects

26. THANK YOU! YERBOL SULEIMENOV, PHD E-mail: nauka@inti.kznauka@inti.kz NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN PRAGUE, 2006