RGU signs MOU with KBTU to launch joint degree

The two institutions already have a successful history of research collaboration, and this new partnership will extend this further, focussing on KBTU students joining RGU’s School of Engineering.

The formal agreement will enable students from KBTU to join RGU’s Engineering Doctorate (EngD), a qualification for practising researchers with the overall aim of building a community of researchers ready to assist the energy industry with future challenges. It will ensure that students from Kazakhstan coming to Aberdeen will add to the diversity of our student body.

The MOU will also aim to support the exchange of students and staff, encourage lecture visits, and establish more joint research projects. The first cohort of students are expected to arrive in Aberdeen in the upcoming 2024-25 academic year.

The KBTU, located in the city of Almaty, is one of the leading research universities in Kazakhstan with all the courses taught in English. It was established by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2001.

Professor Nick Fyfe, Vice Principal for Research and Community Engagement at RGU, said: “This Memorandum of Understanding is an important development and strengthens the relationship between the two institutions.

“To be able to welcome students from KBTU to our University to study with the School of Engineering is an exciting opportunity to collaborate and exchange a multitude of cultures and ideas within research. The students coming to our campus will be immersed in projects alongside companies from the energy industry which will have a great impact on their future careers and the specialist engineering research that they will be involved in.”

Maratbek Gabdullin, Rector of the Kazakh-British Technical University, said: “Practice and gaining experience from the first years of study at the University is an important foundation for future specialists. Our graduates confidently practice and find jobs after graduation because they already have the basics of understanding technical specifics, not only theory.

“Cooperation with RGU is a combination of interests, one common goal for our two universities is to give students the opportunity to immerse into practice. RGU is located in the energy capital of Europe and recognised as a world leader in technologies for the use of reproducible resources. All these facts contributed to our desire to create a common program for obtaining a double degree in PhD, which, we are sure, will bring great interest and amazing results.”

As part of a commitment to grow the quality and impact of the University’s research a new research strategy was launched in March 2023. It has a focus on the themes of Environment, Energy, and Sustainability; Health and well-being; Living in a Digital World; Inclusive and Creative Societies and Pedagogical Research.

Main image: Professor Nick Fyfe, Vice Principal for Research and Community Engagement at RGU and Maratbek Gabdullin, Rector of the Kazakh-British Technical University sign the MOU with delegates from both institutions looking on.