Both Russian Federation and Kazakhstan are the countries which, on one hand, boast huge territory (1st and 9th largest countries in the world, accordingly), and, on the other hand, had experienced relatively small household waste during Soviet times (due to much smaller household consumption). As a result, the main way to handle waste in both countries was (and remains) the landfills; yet the situation had drastically changed during the past decade, and now the waste per person in these countries is close to the EU level. This lead to the lack of knowledge and competence in waste management, resulting in efficient practices in the field. It influences lower impact that EU initiatives on waste management and circular economy have on the environment.Though Russia and Kazakhstan have a very different score on Environmental Performance Index (52nd place and 101st place, accordingly), in terms of waste management, measured by environmental vitality, they have very similar scores: Russia scores 55.99 points and Kazakhstan – 53.35 points. This indicates systemic problems in creation of waste management infrastructure, including lack of specialists who can deal with the increasing and overwhelming amount of waste using holistic approachThe project aims to develop Waste management master programme that would be implemented in 6 Russian and Kazahkstan universities. The programme is based on learning-by-doing pedagogical techniques, and will be taught in Russian, Kazakh and English.The envisaged impact includes 50-70 master students annually enrolled in Waste management programme, not less, than 30 faculty members for Russian and Kazakhstan universities who had undergone train by trainer sessions by EU partners and internships in EU companies. Not less than 30 students participated in the EU internships.

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.

KUTEL Piloting venture will be aimed at reinforcing the role of Higher Education (HE) in Kazakhstan, strategic vehicle to boost economic growth, employment rate and then quality of life and social well-being of citizens. KUTEL promotes reform and modernization of HE through the introduction of a national Quality Assurance (QA) system for technology - enhanced learning (TeL), new and challenging in EU and in Kazakhstan, implementing accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for QA of TeL courses and study programs at a national/international level. In so doing, KUTEL will contribute to the rise of students’ enrolment numbers despite the difficult conditions of the fluctuant economic growth through widespread use of e-learning methodologies and a high quality training offer. Core results which cope with existing needs and support national/EU priorities are: 1. Accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for QA of TeL study programs development in Kazakhstan HE System according to EU practices; 2. Pilot Training addressed to Key Actors of Public/Private HE System, academic staff and QA HE accreditation bodies to enhance competences/skills to build up TEL QA Framework in study programs;3. Teaching methodologies modernized and reformed through the development of a Quality Assurance (QA) framework in blended learning; 4. EU TEL Roadmap for QA standard, Baseline Kazakhstan TEL QA Framework, Recommendations QA Framework will be further developed for a successful capacity building process. Prospected Impact: direct beneficiaries responsible for modernisation of HE involved in Pilot training min. 85 and those involved in each national exploitation event (about 40/50 participants at 1st and about 80 at 2nd one). 6000 visitors of KUTEL website. 150 attendees at final conference. Valorisation contact database 100/150 per project country. About 50 academic staff and 5 Public Authorities by Kazakh partners involved in the Preparation phase.

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.

NICOPA is aimed to modernize curricula in precision agriculture using new technologies - Geographic Information System/GIS, big data, remote sensing- through analyzing and updating existing curricula according to educational needs; developing new certified curricula according to the new achievements in the area, the labor market demands and the Bologna Process; to test innovated curricula and to disseminate the results. NICOPA consortium consists of 16 partners plus 4 associated partners with the required expertise, educational skills and business connections. The outputs/results and products are: • Review of the current curricula in precision agriculture through analysis, •Agreement on instructional strategy and guidelines for BA/MSc curricula design including the use of new Educational Technologies • A set of new core curricula and transferable modules including innovative teaching facilities •Updated current two cycle curricula and programs in precision agriculture according to the Bologna requirements and the new developments • Developed, implemented and accredited new practice oriented, student- focused core, and transferable curricula including ECTS • Bringing the Higher Education Institutions of DZ closer to labor market. Besides that innovative teaching facilities: a new equipped laboratory PAL, a class VCR, a Precision agriculture using sensing data Service Office PASO. Focus on the content, agreed structure, new instructional strategy and the use of new educational technologies with regard to the European modernization agenda for higher education will as a whole function as the envisaged impact.