President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev instructed the government to develop and implement an “industrial PhD” mechanism, QazMonitor reports citing the press service of Akorda.
Training specialists: On April 12, the President participated in the National Council for Science and Technology meeting in Astana. One of the agenda issues of the Council meeting was training specialists for priority sectors of the economy and comprehensive support of young scientists.
Grants funding: The President emphasized the necessity to increase the annual grant funding of young specialists allocated on a competitive basis. The “Zhas Galym” grant program for young scientists should be expanded to include research institutes and organizations.
Internship imbalance: Tokayev pointed out the need to eliminate the imbalance in the foreign internship program distribution. Only 1.6% of graduates of such programs are doctoral students.
The President also called attention to the low share of PhD students at universities in Kazakhstan. Tokayev called for finding new approaches to increase PhD enrollment to 5,000 people annually.
Scientific engagement: According to the President, the government must take measures to keep specialists engaged in their work and studies. PhD training should be carried out by educational institutions that have great scientific potential and are capable of conducting in-depth research.
“Last year, only 38% of over 1,500 doctoral students defended their dissertations. Only about half of them continue to engage in science. These are very low figures, especially considering that huge amounts of money were spent on training doctors in science,”
Industrial PhD: The Head of State instructed the government to collaborate with large manufacturing enterprises and implement a mechanism for preparing an “industrial PhD”. According to the President, scientific work with research and development will contribute to the introduction of innovative solutions into the production industry.
“In general, the country’s leading universities and branches of foreign universities must promptly train scientists and qualified specialists for priority sectors of our economy. For example, the need for personnel in the areas of green energy, climate change, and water conservation is rapidly growing,”
