Partners’ Meeting 2020: FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND PARTNERSHIP WITH NAZARBAYEV UNIVERSITY

Since 2011, Nazarbayev University annually gathers its strategic partners to reflect on the latest cooperation developments, share perspectives and experiences on the trends in higher education, and discuss implications for further partnership.

Affected by the COVID-19, this year Partners’ Meeting is being held online on November 12-13 and covers the following topic: “Future of Higher Education and Partnership with Nazarbayev University”. Among 10 strategic partners, corresponding to NU Schools and research institutes, 9 have taken part this year (in alphabetical order): Colorado School of Mines, Fuqua School of Business (Duke University), Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (the National University of Singapore), the Oak Ridge Associated Universities, the University of Cambridge, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Day 1 focused on the pandemic and its impact on higher education. Participants discussed the challenges HEIs will be facing in the near future as well as major areas that are undergoing dramatic transformation, such as student enrollment, teaching and learning, international academic mobility,  research, revolution in medicine and medical education, and beyond.

Today, Day 2 aims to explore the future of the partnerships. Over the past ten years, the strategic partners have given NU substantial support and all sides have found the relationships rewarding.  During this time, NU has experienced significant achievements and growth, and now is looking at developing a pathway for future cooperation.

Grounded on solid partnership, NU and strategic partners share confidence in redesigning and reshaping current relationships amidst new realities and future challenges. 

Recapping 2 days, the discussion has brought new energy to joint efforts to move the cooperation with strategic partners to the next level of collaboration, as Nazarbayev University is well past the initial stages of its development.