Doctoral training through mobility exchange of Individuals

Doctoral education is increasingly conducted within an international research training environment and both the University of Brighton and the Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan are seeking to extend links with international partners for best delivery of and training in Doctoral programme activities. The University of Brighton established a Doctoral College in 2011 to provide a consistency of process in provision of postgraduate education and within that to augment researcher training activities. Nazarbayev University, a flagship of higher education and research in Kazakhstan since its inauguration in 2010, launched a PhD programme in Science and Engineering in 2014 and is developing a doctoral framework for PhD studies. The mobility programme will allow a collaborative approach to establishment of Doctoral College activities at Nazarbayev University through exchange visits of academic and administrative staff and research student visits to the University of Brighton.

Image of Doctoral College team in Kazakhstan

University of Brighton Doctoral College staff Professor John Smart, Sarah Longstaff, Professor Neil Ravenscroft and Miles Willey outside Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan.

Project timeframe

The project runs from February 2016 to July 2017. It is funded by an EU Erasmus Plus Key Action 1 mobility grant.

Project aims

The aim of the project is to exchange best practice in the provision of doctoral studies and to pursue further opportunities for joint researcher teaching and training opportunities. Within the project academic, research and managerial staff from Nazarbayev University will visit the University of Brighton to gain experience and training in areas related to University of Brighton Doctoral College provision. This will include areas such as PhD supervision, researcher development programme provision for PhD students, and quality assurance processes, sharing teaching experience and best practice between academic staff of both universities. University of Brighton research and academic staff will additionally undertake teaching and training opportunities at Nazarbayev University.

PhD students from Nazarbayev University will spend time at the University of Brighton pursuing researcher development opportunities, hosted by the Biomaterials research group within the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences. PhD students will have the opportunity to access research training facilities not available at Nazarbayev University.

Project findings and impact

Full details to follow on completion of the project.

Research team

Dr Susan Sandeman (University of Brighton)
Professor Sergey Mikhalovsky (University of Brighton)
Professor Raymond Whitby (Nazarbayev University)
Dr Theo Tsifitsis (Nazarbayev University)

Output

Full details to follow on completion of the project.

Partners

Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan

Participants

University of Brighton

Professor Neil Ravenscroft
Professor John Smart
Professor Paul Gard
Mr Miles Willey
Miss Sarah Longstaff
Dr Yishan Zheng
Dr Oyuna Rybdylova
Dr Dmitriy Berillo

Nazarbayev University

Dr Abid Nadeem
Ms Aida Ismailova
Ms Ainur Baizhanova
Ms Alimbayeva Zhanna
Ms Aliya Suleimenova
Ms Gulnaz Bulebayeva
Dr Luca Vangelista
Dr Mehdi Torkmahalleh
Professor Raymond Whitby
Mr Alzhan Baimenov (PhD student)
Mr Bolat Sultankulov (PhD student)
Mr Zhandos Tauanov (PhD student)
Mr Dastan Abdildin (Undergraduate student)