Another successful iteration of scholarship holders from Kazakhstan have graduated from King's Forensics Bolashaq bespoke programme in Forensic Science, Law, and Intellectual Property.
The newly graduated cohort were a continuation and expansion from the first set of students that were accepted into King's Forensics and graduated on 19 March 2019. This specialised programme was initiated to assist with Kazakhstan's pursuit of reforming their justice sector. The first round of funding to develop the Bolashaq programme at King's was awarded to the Forensic & Analytical Science group by Dr Nunzianda Frascione at King's in 2018, with the second being granted in 2020.
The second cohort, comprising 21 scholars, were welcomed to King's for their year-long training in early March 2020. However, due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the first semester had to be conducted entirely online until September 2020. Fortunately, its completion was a success thanks to the dedication shown by King's staff and the scholars.
King's is a multicultural university in the heart of London with students from across the world. We are delighted to continue to support the Bolashaq training programme in Forensic Science, Intellectual Property and Law and congratulate the fine graduates of 2022. This programme allows us to grow shared understanding together - keeping King's and Bolashaq students at the forefront of these exciting areas of study.– Professor Nicki Cohen, Dean of Educational Partnerships, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London.
A significant evolution of the 2020 cohort was that the programme included individuals not only from forensic science, but also professionals from law and intellectual property. As King's Forensics continues to foster the maturation of the Bolashaq programme, a key component of this has been to develop a multidisciplinary approach to the education and training provided on this course.
An integral aspect of each scholar's time at King's is the numerous field-specific lectures that are chosen based on the professional's expertise and their individual learning outcomes. In addition, tailored workshops are designed to improve their research and academic communication skills, facilitating their independent research projects. A core component of the programme is to also support and commit to helping students disseminate their research on international academic platforms.
Currently, several research projects are being prepared for publication with the support of staff on the programme. In addition, three of the Bolashaq student research posters were presented at the King's Forensics 2022 symposium. An event that brought together the very best of scientific experts, international researchers, and national practitioners.
The Bolashaq programme at King's is a special one that sees professionals from different backgrounds come under one roof. It is a space for knowledge building and sharing, and often in the end, we learn from them as much as they learn from us.– Dr Nunzianda Frascione, Bolashaq Programme Director, King's Forensics.
In May 2022, the programme welcomed its third cohort of 26 Bolashaq scholars to King's College London. Further expansion was seen again, where for the first time, six academic professionals from leading universities in Kazakhstan were accepted onto the programme.
King's College London continues to make an invaluable contribution to upgrading the skills of our civil servants and professional experts. Our collaboration has evolved and strengthened over the years, and I hope it expands into new areas.– Askar Umbetaliyev, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Justice, Kazakhstan
This programme allowed us to gain practical skills, deepen our understanding of best international practice, and to further our knowledge across a number of areas important to our work.– Yerbol Ospanov, Director, National Institute of Intellectual Property, Kazakhstan, programme participant.
