Dialogue for Health: Erasmus MC and Karaganda Medical University Strengthen Cooperation

The Hague, July 15, 2025 – From July 10 to 15, 2025, a delegation from the "Karaganda Medical University", headed by Acting Rector Viktor Riklef, paid a working visit to the Netherlands, with a primary focus on enhancing direct dialogue with Erasmus Medical Center (Erasmus MC) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.

During productive meetings, the parties discussed expanding academic mobility, training Kazakhstani PhD candidates, participating in educational exchanges and international internships. Both sides expressed interest in integrating Kazakhstani students into the Erasmus MC research environment and creating conditions for their professional and academic development. Notably, several medical professionals from Kazakhstan are currently undergoing internships and working on doctoral dissertations at one of the largest medical centers in Europe.

New prospects for scientific cooperation are emerging in this context. Among the priority areas are joint innovative research based at Karaganda Medical University, participation in international scientific grants, including European Union programs, and organizing joint scientific events of various formats such as symposiums, conferences, and congresses.

A key part of the program was the trilateral meeting on July 14 with the participation of the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, the Erasmus MC leadership, and the Kazakhstani delegation. The meeting highlighted that the current visit of a prominent delegation from a leading medical university of Kazakhstan reflects the deepening academic cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Netherlands in the fields of medicine and education. It is hoped that this promising and dynamic interaction will evolve into strong partnerships and institutional integration. The Ambassador expressed gratitude to the Erasmus MC faculty who visited Kazakhstan in recent years to give lectures and establish initial contacts. The Embassy reaffirmed its commitment to support the implementation of the agreements reached.

As a result of the visit, the parties agreed on the key directions for further cooperation at both strategic and operational levels and began developing a roadmap for joint projects in medical education, science, and innovation.