According to the findings of EU research project “East West Transport Corridor-2”, the European transport sector (esp. Eastern Europe, the Baltic Sea Region) depends also on Logistics competence level in KZ and RU. In spite of “Customs Union” btw. RU and KZ (created in 2010) and highly prioritized national strategies in KZ and RU for Logistics Management, the current competence level and educational realities there do not meet the real demand of the EU partners (cf. EWTC-2). There is a disastrous unbalanced approach in RU, KZ; huge investments nowadays in hard-infrastructure (roads, railways, terminals) vs. very low educational level in Logistics. It is not the lack of financial resources or political will in KZ or RU, but the lack of specialists, deficits Logistics competences that prevent partner countries from efficient implementation of their strategic transport policies; it keeps also the EU companies from sustainable growth in this sector. In response to identified challenges and to the great improvement demand of Logistics competences in KZ and RU, the project aims at implementation of MSc Programme “Green Logistics Management” to be implemented in partner Universities by Sept 2017.LogOn-U sets ambitious goal to advance Trans-Eurasian accessibility through strengthening Logistics competitiveness, and brining Partner Universities in KZ and RU on international level according to Bologna process in fields of sustainable, i.e. “Green” Logistics Management. The international component will be strengthened via promoting inter-regional cooperation, since modern transport challenges are mostly of global nature, thus a common and consolidated approach is needed. Through complex measures and project activities the academic content at relevant faculties in Partner Universities in Logistics Management will be brought to the EU standards and Bologna process. Durability, transferability of the project results will be secured through efficient and targeted dissemination.

Since 2015 Kazakhstan has been developing a Road map for the development of dual education mainly driven by the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs. However, despite the attractiveness of the dual system in Kazakhstan, there are barriers that need to be encountered when transferring one system from one country to another. Vocational training is considered to be a gateway to the labor market. Approximately two thirds of all people recruited by companies in dual system programs are directly hired by the company, once the training is completed. Once hired, students will become employees with a specific qualification, getting a good salary and having the advantage of already knowing the company, the procedures, some of the peers, the organizational culture and values. Conversely, in Kazakhstan barely 10% of recruited students are offered a job position. The period of practice is short and does not allow to provide all the necessary professional skills. Furthermore, supervisors want to get paid for the extra job of training a person and students are not motivated since are not getting paid. At most, employees will cover their accommodation and travel costs. Only in very exceptionally cases, bright students may get some extra money as incentive or for performing specific tasks that provide added value to the employer. Moreover, there is a gap between vocational education and HE (levels 5 and 6).Seizing the opportunity of new Law , within the new autonomy given to HEIs, KAZDUAL will elaborate a model for internships, co-tutoring of students, conducting ongoing monitoring of student performance based on practice-based education and introducing modern forms of professional training based on best practices from EU partners. One of the main goals is that there is a continuation of learning skills (technical and knowledge-based) between the programs offered at vocational education level and HE level in 3 selected fields.

The motivation behind the Project is to bring together European HEIs which possess and supply cutting-edge developments, innovative learning practices and extensive international experience and HEIs from Partner countries in Central Asia/CA/ which need and demand the same developments, practices and experience. The specific problems of Region 7 would be solved by assuring Accessibility and Harmonization of HE in CA through curriculum modernization and development. ACADEMICA Project intends to promote the voluntary convergence with the EU expertise in Engineering Studies. The innovative character is expressed by:1. Innovative methodology: ACADEMICA training path integrates methodology and content that would equip lecturers with transversal and key competences and skills necessary for their active inclusion in the global digital teaching and learning space.2. ICT-based educational opportunities: Provision of a more flexible accessibility to training opportunities thanks to ICT-based approaches;3. Modernised University curricula in Engineering Sciences where the contemporary technology-based approaches and contents are integrated.4. Establishment of a transnational co-operation system among Universities and business organizations in order to improve the capacity of HEIs in Region 7 thus achieving excellence by linking education, innovation and business.The Project is expected to create short- and long-term benefits for HE, business and society generating European Added Value through:- the acknowledgment of European educational standards beyond the EU borders;- fostering the link: education-business-society;- enhancement of the inter-cultural dialog among the participating countries;- inspiring the supply of open accessible and free of cost educational resources. - provision of a common framework stimulating the exchange and synthesis of experiences and best practices gained through collaboration of experts from different sectors of EU and CA.

The main aim of the project is to modernize, improve accessibility and internationalize the higher education in Physical sciences and Environmental protection in Kazakhstan and in Russia. To achieve this aim the capacity of the academic staff will be built in partner universities in Sustainable Waste Management, the latest European eLearning pedagogical approaches and English language skills. Further, eight online learning modules reflecting the local needs will be built on the topic to benefit the secondary target group, students and staff members of private companies and local/regional authorities in partner countries. The focus of the pedagogical approaches used will be on student-centered learning, integration of industry-university cooperation and innovation activities into the learning modules and eLearning. The modules will be available online first on the platforms of ITMO in Russia and KazNU in Kazakhstan for the partner university students. After accreditation the aim is to transfer the piloted courses on the national online platforms opened.ru (Russia) and moocs.kz (Kazakhstan). The theoretical parts of the courses will be available for the wide audience free of charge. After the project, a reasonable fee will be charged for intensive studies linked to the previously developed basic parts and certifying them increasing the sustainability of the project’s results. The modules will be available on Russian and Kazakh languages. The project will support resolving of the acute problems of Sustainable Waste Management in both partner countries by providing relevant and modern educational materials on the topic for under-graduate students and for continuous training. The online learning modules will offer flexibility and inclusion for the personal learning paths of the students. The increased capacity of the academic staff is expected to have spill-over effects on designing learning materials for other disciplines.

Wider objective is to improve education quality assurance systems through development of efficient internal quality standards leading to better employability of students in Partner Countries Universities. The internal QA system will be based on analysis of needs and capacities in Kazakh and Ukrainian HEIs, experiences and best practices from the successful QA action line of the Bologna ProcessThus main activities of the project are as follows (1) to promote the creation of quality culture at various levels through motivation, trust, responsibility of students, institutional leadership, individual staff members; (2) to elaborate proposals for the design of programs for BSc and MSc with the involvement of all stakeholders; (3) to develop technologies of assessment quality of BSc&MSc programs; designed program should meet the objectives including learning outcomes; (4) to conduct training for the QA specialist&academic staff; (5) to improve affiliate network university-business-State through collaboration with the EU universities; (6) to enhance internal university information systems of quality evaluation; (7) to develop a corporate QA infrastructure based on ICT, on-line, mobile technologies.Expected results of EDUQAS project: I. Created QA units, developed set of standards, guidelines for internal quality assurance in higher education; II. Improved quality of activities (research, education, governance) on the basis of the study of procedures and processes of EU universities; III. Improved quality culture among students, academic staff, management and administration of the University; IV. Developed affiliate network university-business-State through cooperation of QA agencies, professors, researchers, students with EU universities; V. Enhanced internal university information systems of quality evaluation and corporate QA infrastructure.VI. Piloted internal QA policy, guidelines&procedures will serve as a basis for QA national standards by PC QA agencies.