The grand opening of the state-of-the-art STEM center at M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University was held on December 2, 2021, marking a momentous occasion for the institution and the wider academic community. The ceremony was timed to coincide with STEM Day and was organized as part of the prestigious “Integrated Approach to STEM Teacher Training” project (#598367-EPP-1-2018-1-SE-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP) under the ERASMUS+ KA2 program. The event was a culmination of months of planning, fundraising, and construction to create a center that would foster innovative approaches to learning and encourage students to pursue STEM-related fields.
The opening ceremony was attended by prominent figures, including the university leadership, teachers from the Physics and Informatics departments, schoolchildren, students, and master students. The event was a testament to the university's commitment to providing an inclusive and stimulating learning environment that nurtures and develops the skills of future leaders and innovators.
The STEM center was outfitted with cutting-edge equipment that was purchased through funding from the Integrated Approach to STEM Teacher Training project of the Erasmus+ program. The center will offer a range of resources and facilities to support STEM learning, including specialized labs, advanced computing facilities, and research-grade equipment. These resources will be available to students, teachers, and researchers from the university and the wider community, providing them with access to the latest technological advancements and promoting interdisciplinary research.
During the opening ceremony, Iskakova Aigul Toleutayevna, the Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and Internationalization, cut the red ribbon, symbolizing the official opening of the center. She emphasized the importance of the STEM approach in modern education, which integrates natural sciences and engineering disciplines into a single system to train specialists with engineering thinking, management, and flexible skills. She expressed her confidence that the open STEM center will make an invaluable contribution to the development of STEM education in Kazakhstan and ensure the sustainability of the project's results.
In the classroom, equipped with the necessary equipment for young researchers, project coordinator Gaukhar Omashova shared that the STEM center would offer students the opportunity to learn various STEM-related skills, such as writing programs, creating websites and applications, designing robots, and mastering new technologies. Trainers trained under the project will also conduct refresher courses for teachers, ensuring that they remain up-to-date with the latest teaching techniques and methodologies.
Further, in accordance with the program of the day, the students presented their projects developed during the project implementation period. The projects showcased the creativity and innovation that the STEM center aims to cultivate among its students. The grand opening of the STEM center represents a significant milestone for M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University and the Kazakhstani education system, as it marks a new era of STEM learning and research in the country.
Photos of the event
