UA Ruhr opens branch office in Almaty and strengthens cooperation in Central Asia

The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) is further expanding its activities in Central Asia. With a new branch office in Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, the Liaison Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia is strengthening the regional presence of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen. The branch office has already started its work; the official opening is planned for October 2026.

The office is located at the State Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan and is part of a trilateral cooperation between the UA Ruhr, the Academy and the German-Kazakh University (DKU). The aim of the cooperation is to expand scientific partnerships with universities and research institutions in Central Asia in the long term and to anchor them institutionally.

"With the opening of the office, our UA Ruhr liaison office will receive local support in Kazakhstan. This means that the strategically important and geographically extensive region of Eastern Europe/Central Asia can be supported even more intensively in future," says Elena Resch, Director of the UA Ruhr's Liaison Office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia. At the same time, the existing commitment of the Liaison Office in the entire Eastern European region will be continued from Bochum.

Cooperation with partner institutions in Central Asia is becoming increasingly important. The focus is on topics that are strategically relevant for both Germany and the countries of Central Asia. These include, among others:

• Energy and sustainability
• Raw materials and resource management
• Climate protection and environmental research
• Digitalization and artificial intelligence
• Water and environmental management
• Health research
• Mobility and infrastructure
• Education and university development

The University of Duisburg-Essen is also intensifying its activities in the region. A particular focus is on water research, as water scarcity and usage conflicts in Central Asia are among the key challenges of the coming years. UDE contributes expertise in membrane processes, water modeling and monitoring as well as hydraulics and morphology. At the same time, the local partner institutions have extensive experience in the field of transboundary water governance.

Initial contacts with the German-Kazakh University in Almaty and the East Kazakhstan Technical University in Öskemen, where water research centers are planned, were already established in 2025. Cooperation is now to be further intensified - including through joint STEM camps for students in June 2026 and the kick-off conference "Water" in October 2026.

To further intensify cooperation, the UA Ruhr is also planning an online event with leading universities in Central Asia in September 2026. The aim is to initiate new collaborations and further expand existing partnerships.

The cooperation will receive an additional boost from the inclusion of Ruhr-Universität Bochum in the state funding program "Bolashak" of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The first scholarship holders are expected to arrive at RUB in the winter semester 2026/2027. The renowned funding program enables highly qualified students and academics to study and research at leading international universities and is fully funded by the Kazakh state.

"For Ruhr-Universität Bochum, participation opens up new opportunities for attracting international talent, intensifying scientific cooperation and strengthening its international visibility," explains Prof. Dr. Kornelia Freitag, Vice-President for Teaching at RUB.

Contact for queries

Elena Resch
Director of the Liaison Office Eastern Europe and Central Asia of the UA Ruhr
Phone: +49 234 32 27374
E-mail: elena.resch@ruhr-uni-bochum.de