Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Great Britain Conducted a Working Trip to Edinburgh

Edinburgh, 19 September 2024 – In order to strengthen interregional cooperation, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to the UK, Magzhan Ilyassov, visited Scotland. As part of the visit, the Ambassador met with representatives of the Scottish Government and Parliament, as well as with the leadership of Heriot-Watt University.

In the course of negotiations with Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Constitution and Culture of the Scottish Government, the parties discussed a high level of co-operation in the spheres of education, agriculture and oil and gas industry. In particular, Ambassador informed about the launch in 2023 of a partnership programme between Heriot-Watt University and Aktobe Regional University named after K. Zhubanov to develop three English-language bachelor’s degree programmes in technical specialties (oil and gas, electric power and computer engineering).

It was noted the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2024 to further expand the multi-year partnership between Robert Gordon University and the Kazakh-British Technical University, which will create joint study programmes, exchange students and launch a number of joint research projects. Special attention was paid to the significant potential for co-operation in the fields of mining, renewable and green energy sources, as well as common interests in the development of cultural and humanitarian ties.

During the meeting with Provost of Heriot-Watt University Steve McLaughlin and Vice-Provost Mark Biggs, the parties noted the dynamic development of Kazakh-British co-operation in the field of education, including with Scottish universities. One of the main points of discussion was the successful partnership of Heriot-Watt University with Aktobe Regional University named after K. Zhubanov. The Kazakh diplomat emphasised that the presence of British universities in Kazakhstan contributes to the strengthening of bilateral relations and ties between our countries. In turn, the leadership of the university highly appreciated the results of joint work, emphasising the interest to further increase the level of cooperation.

Ambassador Ilyassov also visited the Scottish Parliament, where he took part in a roundtable discussion organised by the Cross Party Group on Nuclear Disarmament on the eve of the International Day of Peace (21 September) and the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons (26 September). In his speech, the Kazakh diplomat shared Kazakhstan’s unique experience in the field of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation and informed the participants of the event about our country’s active efforts in the international arena. The Kazakh Ambassador separately informed about the initiative of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on the establishment of the International Agency for Biological Safety, put forward within the framework of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly.

The participants of the event, including members of the Scottish Parliament and representatives of international NGOs, highly appreciated Kazakhstan’s significant contribution to international security and nuclear disarmament.