Engineering Education in Kazakhstan Gets Boost from IPS

Invensys Process Systems (IPS) will help establish a new academic Chair of Information Technologies at the Kazakh-British Technical University (KBTU) in Almaty as part of its ongoing strategy to develop and improve engineering skills in Kazakhstan. It is an important milestone in IPS' relationship with KBTU. The company has invested more than US$100,000 (or 15 million KZT) since 2007, helping to improve the curriculum and development of 1,000 future engineers.

"The ability to draw on skilled local graduates is crucial to developing our business in Kazakhstan, particularly with our work on the Kashagan EP Project," said Nick Pomeroy, IPS Country Manager, Kazakhstan. "Due in part to our commitment, KBTU's students receive invaluable practical and technical training using the latest technologies within the industrial sector. We look forward to relying on local expertise as we help our clients resolve important industrial issues that have a global impact."

IPS investment in the new Chair represents US$50,000 (or 7.5 million KZT) per year to KBTU, with plans for the next five years already in place. This follows the opening of a fully equipped, IPS-funded training facility at the University in 2008, which features the latest IPS technologies, including its sophisticated Infusion(tm) Enterprise Control Systems technology.

Professor Iskander Beisembetov, Rector of KBTU, explained, "We are very happy to have such a strong collaboration with IPS because we are both interested in creating the next generation of engineers and managers for this country, this region and for the global marketplace. The IPS Professorship assists both organisations in integrating higher education and industry to successfully develop new programmes and training initiatives. KBTU is proud to have this association with IPS."

The University has now adapted the undergraduate program to fully incorporate these advanced IPS technologies. David Lal, KBTU Dean, Masters Programmes, added, "We are indebted to IPS for funding such a facility. This type of cooperation really helps our academic staff to ensure that the next generations of Kazakh engineers are productive from the moment they graduate - it is a real plus to the existing undergraduate programs."