Astana in March, the ice and snow are beginning to melt. In the conference room of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, a cross Eurasian educational cooperation is quietly changing the future of water resources in the largest Central Asian country. On March 2, 2026, Lazard Zhusipova, Director of the Science and Innovation Technology Department of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, confirmed to the outside world that China and Kazakhstan are actively promoting the construction of a professional technical college in the field of water conservancy. This cooperation, funded by China, will cultivate local technical backbone for water resource management in Kazakhstan.

Build a front-line vanguard in water affairs

This upcoming joint college has been planned with a distinct pragmatic color since its inception. It breaks away from the traditional theoretical teaching framework and focuses precisely on the most urgently needed workers and intermediate professional technicians in the water resources industry.

In the blueprint jointly formulated by both parties, the college will closely integrate the actual pain points of water resource management in Kazakhstan and prioritize the development of education and training programs in key professional directions. This means that future graduates are not just theoretical theorists who can talk on paper, but practical talents who can enter the workforce right out of school. From the daily maintenance of irrigation systems to the operation and management of complex water conservancy facilities, from groundwater resource exploration to surface water use planning, every professional direction is closely related to the actual needs of agricultural irrigation, urban water supply, and hydropower development in Kazakhstan.

Both parties will jointly establish the organizational legal model of the college, ensuring that this educational institution can integrate into the current education system in Kazakhstan and flexibly introduce the successful experience of Chinese vocational education.

Deeply embedded in the entire teaching chain

This is not just an educational aid, but also a systematic output of China's technical standards and management models. From the formulation of teaching plans to laboratory construction, from teacher training to curriculum development, Chinese partners will participate in all aspects.

The project is funded and implemented by China, introducing a dual system teaching model that originated in Germany but has been innovatively developed in China. During their school years, students spend part of their time learning theoretical knowledge and the other part directly entering the production line. More noteworthy is that students will have the opportunity to intern at water conservancy facilities operated by Chinese partners in Kazakhstan, and master practical skills in a real industrial environment.

Lazat Zhuxipova, Director of the Science and Innovation Technology Department of the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation of Kazakhstan, stated that China will also participate in the construction of high standard laboratories, provide advanced training conditions for students, and jointly develop professional skill enhancement training programs for in-service personnel, building a complete talent training chain covering pre employment education and post employment training.

Power China paves the way and builds bridges

Before the official completion of the college, talent cultivation has quietly begun. China Power Construction Group has become a leading enterprise force in action, and will sponsor 200 Kazakhstani students to study in China in 2026. In the just passed year of 2025, 125 Kazakhstani water professionals have completed advanced courses in China.

These pioneers not only brought back professional skills, but also an understanding and recognition of Chinese technical standards. In the future, the college will organize more students to engage in academic exchanges, short-term internships, and modular learning. More profoundly, both sides are actively studying the mutual recognition of graduates' educational qualifications and exploring employment placement mechanisms in the field of water resources, truly achieving seamless integration from talent cultivation to industrial demand.

For Chinese companies expanding their market in Kazakhstan, this cooperation sends a clear positive signal. The United College will become a cradle for local talents familiar with Chinese technical standards, effectively solving the localization employment problems faced by overseas enterprises. From water conservancy engineering construction to agricultural irrigation equipment supply, from hydropower development to urban water operation, local technical talents who master Chinese standards and understand Chinese equipment will pave the way for infrastructure cooperation between China and Kazakhstan. Keywords: international, water conservancy

Water conservancy is the lifeline of agriculture, the foundation of industry, and the guarantee of urban development. When China and Kazakhstan write a new chapter of cooperation on cross-border rivers such as the Ili River and the Ertix River, batches of technical talents emerging from the joint college will become the most solid foundation to support these magnificent projects. Their skills are not only related to the sustainable use of water resources in Kazakhstan, but also to the more fruitful results of the the Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia.Editor/Gao Xue