SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2023 - KAZAKHSTAN INDEPENDANCE DAY

 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2023 - KAZAKHSTAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

KAZAKHSTAN INDEPENDENCE DAY - DECEMBER 16

HUH?   Karen - you have finally lost it!! I don’t even know where Kazakhstan is (and even with spell check, I have trouble spelling it!!)  So, why are you highlighting it today?

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As an ABET evaluator, I did two * international accreditation visits to Information Systems Programs. One visit was to Kazakhstan, and the other (maybe not quite an international visit) was to Puerto Rico.

From the National Today information about Kazakhstan Independence Day, we get the following:

“Kazakhstan’s biggest national holiday since 1991 has naturally been its Independence Day, celebrated on December 16. What makes it even bigger is the fact that it is often celebrated across two days — December 16 and 17. Not just that, if December 16 falls on a weekend, the following Monday is considered a holiday. The Kazakhs set up yurts, indulge in delicacies, and dance the night away to folk music! They also dress up in traditional fashion for the ceremony at Ak Orda Presidential Palace. 

Situated on the Eurasian Steppe, Kazakhstan is the biggest country in the region. As a result, it has been a melting pot of cultures, peoples, empires, and more. Neanderthals and their ancestors were also present in central Kazakhstan hundreds of thousands of years ago. After centuries of changes in weather, terrain, and rulers, Kazakhstan has become the beautiful country we know today. It’s a shame that it was only a couple of decades ago that the nation gained independence.

Kazakhstan was the last of the Soviet states to declare its independence, even though the Soviet Union collapsed rather swiftly. Soon after this, the Alma-Ata Protocol was established to form the Commonwealth of Independent States. 

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So, why did I go to Kazakhstan for an ABET accreditation visit? 

The “Kazak British Technical University” wanted an international team to accredit their programs - to give the university an international focus. 

The accreditation team consisted of four members - the others were more involved with computer science, and I got the information systems program. Kazakhstan has oil, natural gas, and other resources - so bringing an American team to evaluate was okay.

Getting there and back was fantastic!! ABET requires the institution to pay for “Business Class” seating for international accreditation visits. I flew Lufthansa to Frankford, Germany, and met with my ABET teammates for the flight to Almaty, Kazakhstan. Before takeoff, we had wine and hot towels. During the flights, we had snacks and good food. Returning, I used their Lufthansa lounge (food and drink).  

The university took us to the incredible mountains (I almost didn’t make it back as I rode with students. The driver had one of his car wheels over the edge of a step embankment, and we could have gone head-over-tail down to our deaths. We had a picnic with the students and staff.

The program was well done (with some minor issues). Students were getting fantastic jobs - and employers were pleased with the quality of the students. There were some concerns as most of the courses were taught in English, but some were taught in Russian and some in the Kazakhstan language.  

And, the evening we left, they took the four of us to a live performance of Swan Lake (which was awesome). They had done their homework and knew I was a classical musician and knew I would enjoy the performance.  

So, my only visit to Asia - and I didn’t spend a dime (there).

Returning, I was looking for a Fullbright exchange in Germany or Austria, and I took a train from Frankfurt to Innsbruck, Austria. On that trek, I met up with a band and would have joined them if I got the Fulbright. (I didn’t and got a Fulbright experience in Belarus). 

In terms of international travel, this was a highlight of my academic career!!!

So, kudos to the Kazakhstan Republic and their celebration of independence. May they live in peace!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, DECEMBER 16, 2023