NU, the University of Lorraine and three French companies – Total Energies, Alstom, and Air Liquide – signed a trilateral Official Joint Statement on November 29, 2022, at a business forum in Paris where the Heads of state of Kazakhstan and France participated.
Shigeo Katsu, President of NU, Vassilios Turassis, Vice Provost for Industry Relations, Dean of the School of Engineering and Digital Science, and Aliya Kaimoldinova, Head of the Office of Global Relation took part in the official signing ceremony. From the University of Lorraine side, Karl Tombre, its Vice-President for European and International Strategy, signed the document.
The parties have agreed to establish the Center of Technological Excellence at NU. The trilateral statement also opens up the possibility of an exchange of master’s students. Kazakhstani students will be able to study at the University of Lorraine, one of France’s top universities, have abroad experience, and be introduced to the technological knowledge and expertise of the French university and industry.
Kazakh postgraduate students will be able to have simultaneous industrial and research internships based on the French companies which have operations in Kazakhstan. TotalEnergies is one of the five largest oil and gas companies in the world and has a 16.80% stake in the North Caspian Offshore Project to develop the Kashagan field in Kazakhstan. Alstom built Electrovoz Kurаstyru Zauyty (EKZ) facility to manufacture locomotives in Astana and a joint venture KazElectroPrivod in Almaty. Finally, Air Liquide supplies hydrogen and nitrogen to the largest oil refinery in Kazakstan, Atyrau Oil Refinery.
Internships at the companies aim to provide hands-on experience to the students and pave the way to possible employment opportunities with the companies. Such measures work towards the preparation and localization of human resources in Kazakhstan.
The seventh Kazakh-French forum of higher educational institutions is also planned as part of the state visit of the President of Kazakhstan to France on November 30. Representatives of 13 Kazakhstani universities will discuss with their French counterparts the development of higher education. It is expected to sign several bilateral memorandums between them.
