The team of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) took part in the coordination meeting of the international Erasmus+ LESLIE project, “Land Management, Environment & Solid-Waste: inside education and business in Central Asia”, held on 4–5 December 2025 in Almaty at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.
The event brought together representatives of leading universities from Europe and Central Asia, scientific institutions, and government bodies. The project is implemented by a consortium of 14 partners from Spain, Italy, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, with the support of the relevant ministries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The meeting was opened by Yessbol Omirzhanov, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, who emphasized that the university views the LESLIE project as an important international platform for integrating best practices and shaping a modern educational environment in the fields of ecology, land management, and waste management. The involvement of leading universities and expert organizations in the region will help prepare a new generation of specialists capable of addressing complex environmental challenges. The LESLIE project contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4, SDG 7, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, and SDG 15.
During the plenary session, Lyazzat Paluanova, Coordinator of the Erasmus+ National Office in Kazakhstan, noted that the project is one of the most successful initiatives for strengthening cooperation between the European Union and the Central Asian countries. Project Coordinator Javier Rodrigo-Illarri highlighted the importance of systematic partner collaboration and the synchronization of key implementation processes.
The working sessions focused on the concept and practical aspects of introducing micro-qualifications in Kazakhstan, presented by Serik Omirbayev, First Vice-Rector of Astana IT University. Participants reviewed the project’s key work packages, including management, quality assurance, development of educational modules, creation of online tools, and dissemination mechanisms.
A separate part of the programme was dedicated to teamwork, during which university representatives developed criteria for designing micro-qualifications and the structure of the LESLIE catalogue. The discussions concluded with a review of interim results and the identification of priority activities for 2026.
Participants reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation and to advancing educational practices in sustainable natural resource management and environmental protection.
Within the project, the CAREC team will be responsible for disseminating the developed training course among relevant organizations across the region. This will ensure the transfer of materials to interested institutions, expand access to the outputs of the LESLIE project, and support their practical application in Central Asian countries.
Source of information: https://farabi.university/news/100691?lang=ru