Ghent University delegation led by Rector Petra De Sutter visits Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for the first time

It was the first foreign mission of Petra De Sutter as Rector and immediately one that illustrates why internationalisation is not just a choice but a necessity for the university. 'Universities need to extend horizons. Figuratively, by exchanging ideas. But sometimes also literally: by discovering new regions and listening to where cooperation is possible. We do that in many regions and now in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,' says Rector Petra De Sutter.

A region with growth potential

For many academics, Central Asia is still unknown territory, but the region is making great strides. There are investments in higher education, researcher, digitisation and AI. Universities explicitly want to position themselves as a bridge between Europe and Asia.

'You can feel the ambition here. The will to move forward. That makes it an interesting region to forge ties with,' our Rector says.

The demographics there are striking: both countries have a young and growing population seeking quality higher education. The combination of growth and openness makes this region, among others, relevant to Ghent University.

This mission was co-organised by the Eureast Platform, one of the university's six regional platforms. They play a central role in supporting academic cooperation in six regions outside Europe.

Professor of International Politics and co-director of the Eureast Platform Fabienne Bossuyt also went along. 'Countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are often overlooked, mostly due to a lack of knowledge about the region. This academic mission showed Ghent University academics that both countries have made a huge leap forward in a short time'. 

Bossuyt stresses that Ghent University's Eureast Platform puts the region more in the spotlight and encourages academic cooperation.

New relations after Russian partnerships ended

Until 2022, Ghent University cooperated with a number of Russian universities, with the then Russia Platform helping to organise and support this cooperation. After the invasion of Ukraine, all institutional ties were severed and the Russia Platform was transformed into the Eureast Platform, with a new focus on Eastern Europe and Central Asia. 'We are rebuilding. This allows us to make conscious choices: who do we work with, where is the quality, where can we strengthen each other,' says De Sutter.

Building bridges between Central Asia and GUGC 

The mission opened up a lot of cooperation opportunities. The region is investing in themes where Ghent University is strong - from exact sciences and biotech to energy and digital technologies - and several universities are showing interest in joint PhDs, for example. 

Thanks to large scholarship programmes such as Bolashaq and El-Yurt Umidi Foundation, talented students from both countries flock to top universities every year, with grants. Ghent University already works with one fund and is exploring cooperation with a second. Moreover, the Ghent University Global Campus in South Korea is also a strong asset attracting Central Asian students. This connection will therefore be expanded further.

'We sense a genuine interest here: some conversations are promising and the opportunities are there,' Rector De Sutter concludes.

'Universities need to extend horizons. Figuratively, by exchanging ideas. But sometimes also literally: by discovering new regions and listening to where cooperation is possible. We do that in many regions and now in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan,' says Rector Petra De Sutter.