In order to extend collaboration networks with the Belt and Road Initiative countries, Professor Fei Bin visited several universities and organisations in Kazakhstan in August 2024, together with a delegation from the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) led by Professor Hu Yuan.
Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world and generates 60% of the gross domestic product (GDP) of Central Asia. As a significant member nation along the Silk Road, Kazakhstan has an abundance of oil, gas and mineral resources but a somewhat modest population of around 20 million people. On 2 July, President Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, attended the 24th Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan.
The delegation composed of Professors Fei Bin, Hu Yuan, Wang Zhengzhou, Zhu Jixin, and Wang Xin arrived at the Zhubanov Aktobe Regional State University (ARSU, 阿克托别州朱巴诺夫国立大学). This University is ranked the 4th most comprehensive university and the largest university in the western region of Kazakhstan. Its Vice President, Professor Rakhym Beknazarov, provided an introduction on their academic programmes, research achievements, and international collaborations. He also expressed a keen interest to develop joint education programmes with universities in Hong Kong and Mainland China. ARSU has over 15,000 students and holds a joint undergraduate programme with the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland. Prof. Hu provided an introduction on the history and achievements of the USTC and State Key Laboratory of Fire Science, while Professor Fei outlined the recent achievements of PolyU and SFT in teaching, research and industrial partnerships. After a discussion, they agreed to further explore collaborations in research, academic exchange, and partnership workshops. In the days that followed, the team members gave lectures to the local academics and students.