Project “Establishment of training and research Centers and Courses development on Intelligent BigData Analysis in CA”, ELBA is aimed in improving academic capacity of professionals through developing and implementing multidisciplinary package of module based courses for bachelor, master students and professionals of engineering on Intelligent Big Data Analysis (IBDA) in Central Asia countries via collaboration with the industry.During project multidisciplinary package of the module based courses on IBDA for bachelor and master programs in 10 universities and industry companies in Central Asia will be developed. IBDA Centres in each of the partner countries’ Higher Educational Institutes and academic and professional network of IBDA specialists of Central Asian partner Higher Education Institutes will be established as well.Consortium of the project consists of partners from 3 EU and 10 CA countries’ universities and 11 nonacademic partners from the industry and education.

KUTEL Piloting venture will be aimed at reinforcing the role of Higher Education (HE) in Kazakhstan, strategic vehicle to boost economic growth, employment rate and then quality of life and social well-being of citizens. KUTEL promotes reform and modernization of HE through the introduction of a national Quality Assurance (QA) system for technology - enhanced learning (TeL), new and challenging in EU and in Kazakhstan, implementing accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for QA of TeL courses and study programs at a national/international level. In so doing, KUTEL will contribute to the rise of students’ enrolment numbers despite the difficult conditions of the fluctuant economic growth through widespread use of e-learning methodologies and a high quality training offer. Core results which cope with existing needs and support national/EU priorities are: 1. Accreditation standards, guidelines and procedures for QA of TeL study programs development in Kazakhstan HE System according to EU practices; 2. Pilot Training addressed to Key Actors of Public/Private HE System, academic staff and QA HE accreditation bodies to enhance competences/skills to build up TEL QA Framework in study programs;3. Teaching methodologies modernized and reformed through the development of a Quality Assurance (QA) framework in blended learning; 4. EU TEL Roadmap for QA standard, Baseline Kazakhstan TEL QA Framework, Recommendations QA Framework will be further developed for a successful capacity building process. Prospected Impact: direct beneficiaries responsible for modernisation of HE involved in Pilot training min. 85 and those involved in each national exploitation event (about 40/50 participants at 1st and about 80 at 2nd one). 6000 visitors of KUTEL website. 150 attendees at final conference. Valorisation contact database 100/150 per project country. About 50 academic staff and 5 Public Authorities by Kazakh partners involved in the Preparation phase.

The reason for the project is the multiple challenges faced by Russian and Kazakhstan university staff teaching vocational education. These include a lack of competencies and skills in TUNING Educational system and modern pedagogical teaching practices, the need to acquire key principles in vocational language teaching as well as the need to be an “integrated teacher” capable of combining both theoretical education and practical training, understanding quality assurance processes and mechanisms in vocational education, to secure opportunities to develop and retain practical skills of existing university vocational teacher staff. The main result after a Kick Off meeting with needs analysis, planning and QA training will be an initial EU training (after preparation) in English for Specific Purposes (terminology, soft skills, key writing) and general vocational pedagogical training with ECTS/ Tuning modular system inputs. Programme Countries then create a 10 module Pedagogical ECTS/ Tuning modular system which will be developed, piloted and integrated into existing university pedagogical vocational teacher training in each university. National Awareness Days explaining the objectives and status of the project will take place twice in each PC and promote dissemination and sustainability. Action Group will develop a ALLVET Strategic Plan ensuring post-project dissemination and sustainability. All modules will be downloadable on an online platform designed as not only a hub for academic activity but additionally for administration. We envisage very strong impacts as the Programme Country universities were selected for their interest in this project and based on EU partner experience a project like this will initiate key change.

The motivation behind the Project is to bring together European HEIs which possess and supply cutting-edge developments, innovative learning practices and extensive international experience and HEIs from Partner countries in Central Asia/CA/ which need and demand the same developments, practices and experience. The specific problems of Region 7 would be solved by assuring Accessibility and Harmonization of HE in CA through curriculum modernization and development. ACADEMICA Project intends to promote the voluntary convergence with the EU expertise in Engineering Studies. The innovative character is expressed by:1. Innovative methodology: ACADEMICA training path integrates methodology and content that would equip lecturers with transversal and key competences and skills necessary for their active inclusion in the global digital teaching and learning space.2. ICT-based educational opportunities: Provision of a more flexible accessibility to training opportunities thanks to ICT-based approaches;3. Modernised University curricula in Engineering Sciences where the contemporary technology-based approaches and contents are integrated.4. Establishment of a transnational co-operation system among Universities and business organizations in order to improve the capacity of HEIs in Region 7 thus achieving excellence by linking education, innovation and business.The Project is expected to create short- and long-term benefits for HE, business and society generating European Added Value through:- the acknowledgment of European educational standards beyond the EU borders;- fostering the link: education-business-society;- enhancement of the inter-cultural dialog among the participating countries;- inspiring the supply of open accessible and free of cost educational resources. - provision of a common framework stimulating the exchange and synthesis of experiences and best practices gained through collaboration of experts from different sectors of EU and CA.