First coordination meeting and monitoring at S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University February 29-March 2, 2016

Within the framework of the EU ERASMUS +/KA2/CBHE SARUD project "Sustainable agriculture and rural development", the first coordination meeting with partner universities from Kazakhstan and the main coordinator of the project from Hohenheim University (Germany) was held on February 29 – March 2, 2016 at the S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University (Astana). Kokshetau State University named after Sh. Ualikhanov was represented by Bermaganbetova Lyazzat-local coordinator, Nurmukhanbetova Nurgul-training coordinator and Anuarbek Kakabayev-SARUD project expert.

On the first day of the meeting, Anna Voitenko, Chief Coordinator from Hohenheim University, spoke in detail about the goals and plans of the workshop and gave a full overview of the activities of the EU ERASMUS +/KA2/CBHE SARUD project. Then each of the partner universities presented their local working group, project-related competencies, types of project work, and examples of the educational program. Country coordinator Nadezhda Meleshenko spoke about the development of educational standards in Kazakhstan. Also during the meeting, Anna Voitenko together with partner universities discussed the introduction and further actions on the project. During the discussions, it was discussed that the project will be aimed at updating the master's degree program in the areas of "Economics" and "Agronomy" within the framework of sustainable agriculture and rural development.

The second day of the coordination meeting was attended by the coordinator of the National Office of the Erasmus + program in Kazakhstan, Shaizada Tasbulatova. Chief Coordinator Anna Voitenko summarized the first day of SARUD project activity review and educational program description. After that, Alexander Merzlov from the Timiryazev Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Agricultural Academy conducted a Skype review of the proposed content of the SARUD Master's degree program. In the afternoon, Michal Loshtak, Czech University of Natural Sciences, also held a Skype seminar on analyzing the situation and determining the requirements of employers. Further, each of the partner universities presented presentations on the analysis of the situation in the region where the universities are located. At the end of the meeting, the partner universities, together with the chief coordinator, summed up the results of the meeting and outlined the tasks that need to be completed before the first project meeting, which will be held in Omsk, Russia.

According to the decision of the coordinator of the National Office of the Erasmus + program in Kazakhstan, Shaizada Tasbulatova, chief coordinator from Hohenheim University Anna Voitenko and partner universities (S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University, Sh. Ualikhanov Kokshetau State University)., Kostanay State University named after A. Baitursynov) on March 2, 2016, it was proposed to monitor the SARUD project. During the monitoring, issues related to the relevance and quality of the project design, implementation efficiency, current performance were highlighted, and the project's sustainable development potential was identified. Each of the participants from universities presented their results to the coordinator and justified their role in the project. Following the results of the monitoring, the coordinator of the National Office of the Erasmus + program, Shaizada Umurzakovna, expressed her comments and comments, which were taken into account by all participants of the monitoring, and told about her expectations regarding the development of the project.