Foreign media on Kazakhstan: education reforms, Kazakhstan’s rise as middle power, Gennady Golovkin’s appointment
From Kazakh Higher Education and Science Minister Sayasat Nurbek’s take on multi-vector policy in education, Kazakhstan as a middle power to the recent appointment of Gennady Golovkin, the nation’s prominent boxer, as the head of the National Olympic Committee, Kazinform News Agency presents a review of foreign media coverage about Kazakhstan this week.
Asia Society: Kazakhstan’s Emergence as a Middle Power: Implications for Western Relations
Asia Society Policy Institute published an article on February 29 discussing Kazakhstan’s emergence as the so-called middle power and the nation’s multi-vector foreign policy.
The author notes there are three main reasons “why Kazakhstan’s star is rising.”
“Firstly, Kazakhstan is now a middle power and an international player. Its ‘multi-vector foreign policy’ described by the country’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, has enabled it to manage and maintain relations with major powers, including China, Russia, the European Union, and the United States. This has helped position Kazakhstan as a key bridge between the East and the West,” reads the piece.
Kazakhstan has embraced an open economic policy, actively seeking investments from various sources.
“Kazakhstan has become a major transit route due in part to its participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the EU’s Global Gateway, and the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TITR). Recent estimates suggest that over 80 percent of goods from China and Central Asia currently exported to Europe pass through Kazakhstan, making it a key trade route,” writes the author.
Times of Central Asia: Nurturing Global Partnerships – Opinion by the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek
Times of Central Asia, a Bishkek-based news agency, published an opinion piece on February 29, written by Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek. There, he delves into the nation’s multi-vector policy in education and how the education system navigates the complexities of current realities to nurture a “technologically adept workforce poised to thrive in the digital economy.”
“Over the past year alone, Kazakhstan has witnessed the opening of eight foreign branches, bringing the total to twelve. The first foreign university to establish its branch is British De Montfort University. This university opened its doors to its students in 2021, offering educational programs for more than 500 students in such fields as finance, design and business. This branch attracted $16 million from foreign investors,” writes Nurbek.
Akipress: Population of Kazakhstan grows by 20,100 people in January
Kyrgyzstan’s Akipress news agency published an article on March 1 about the population growth of 20,100 people, reaching 20,053,700 people in January in Kazakhstan, the agency cites the Bureau of National Statistics.
“The population grew only in nine regions of Kazakhstan, including three megacities. The population decreased in another nine regions and remained unchanged in two regions. The reason was active migration, which was negative for all regions of Kazakhstan, and positive only for cities with a million population,” reads the article.
Astana experienced a growth rate of 0.53 percent, followed by Shymkent at 0.36 percent and Almaty at 0.29 percent. In comparison, the overall population growth rate across Kazakhstan was 0.1 percent.
The Straits Times: Kazakhstan to unify time zones across 1,900 miles
Malaysia’s The Straits Times reported on February 29 that Kazakhstan switched to a single time zone starting March 1.
“In order to unify time across the country the size of Western Europe, most of Kazakhstan's regions will move their clocks back by one hour at midnight on Thursday, putting the whole country in the UTC+5 time zone. Until now, only the country's western provinces were in that time zone, while others, including main cities Astana and Almaty, were an hour ahead. Kazakhstan, which borders Russia and China, stretches 3,000 kilometers (about 1,900 miles) from east to west,” reads the article.
Boxing Scene: Golovkin Elected to Kazakhstan NOC Presidency
Boxing Scene, the world’s leading media outlet about boxing, published an article on February 26 about the appointment of Kazakhstan’s legendary boxer Gennady Golovkin as the President of the National Olympic Committee.
“Golovkin, who has not fought since his loss to Canelo Alvarez in September 2022, has been out of the limelight since, with intrigue surrounding his future as he approaches his 42nd birthday. Golovkin’s new position within Kazakhstan's sporting authorities means he could be all but set to retire from the sport and focus on the boardroom instead,” reads the article.
