A working meeting was held at Abai University with the participation of representatives of the Almaty City Development Centre, the director of the Sorbonne-Kazakhstan Institute and the branch of the University of Lorraine at Abai KazNPU, Sabitova Aliya, as well as the general director of the Escoffier Kazakhstan Institute, Bertrand Guerrier, and the coordinator of dual degree programmes at the French Embassy, Agnès Bousse.
The meeting was held in a constructive and working format and was devoted to issues related to the implementation of a dual degree programme in the field of restaurant and culinary business.
The aim of the initiative is to create a sustainable international educational programme focused on training qualified personnel, combining academic education and practical training in line with European standards, as well as forming a clear career path for graduates.
During the meeting, the parties agreed on the preparation of the next stage of work, including the development of three presentation materials. The first two presentations will be devoted to the step-by-step implementation of the programme: separately for 1st and 2nd year students already studying at Abai University and for future students of the next academic year, taking into account scholarship and grant mechanisms. The presentations will reflect the logic behind the launch of the programme, the stages of training (theory and practice), the roles of each partner, as well as the expected results and entry into the labour market.
A third presentation will be prepared separately by our partner, a culinary school (France), including a business estimate for the programme, a calculation of the cost of training one student, the amount of scholarships requested, and a financial justification for applying to the Almaty City Administration.
The agreement also includes a tour of the training and practical training site located on the grounds of the Technological University College. The purpose of the visit is to assess the conditions for practical training, compliance with educational standards, and to understand the logistics of practical training.
A separate block discussed the organisation of a second joint meeting in a hybrid format (online and offline), at which step-by-step presentations of the programme, financial and economic justification and a detailed explanation of the mechanism for implementing the partnership with the participation of Abai University, French educational institutions and the Almaty City Administration will be presented.
An important part of the further work will be the preparation for the signing of a four-party Memorandum of Intent between the Almaty City Administration, Abai KazNPU, the University of Sergi and the culinary school (France). The signing of the memorandum is planned to take place in person, with the participation of international partners, with prior agreement on the timing, format and responsible parties.
The meeting participants noted that the development of international academic cooperation and the launch of joint educational programmes are in line with the strategic priorities of state policy. As Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev emphasised during a briefing following talks with French President Emmanuel Macron:
‘We pay special attention to the implementation of joint projects in the fields of culture, education and science... These schools and educational centres will provide young people with the opportunity to receive education of the highest standards.’
Paris, 5 November 2024 (Source: akorda.kz)
During the discussion, the need to identify potential employers for programme graduates at this stage and to consider them as strategic partners and customers for personnel was also highlighted. It is planned to involve business representatives in the presentation of the programme and further stages of its implementation.
