The International Education Services team in Wider Europe would like to present you with the latest Covid-19 developments in the respective countries. 

In this update we will give you an overview of the situation with Covid-19 in the Wider Europe countries, the pandemic effect on education system, economy and other key areas of countries' development. 

Here are the changes at a glance: 

Kazakhstan – back in “lockdown”, matriculation exam results announced, admissions started, education plans for the 2020/21 AY

Russia - post-lockdown revival, Unified State Exams held, widespread blended learning by 2024, new educational programme is launched

Uzbekistan - risk of Covid-19 “second wave” remains, lockdown/quarantine measures until 1 August, suspension of most educational activities

Kazakhstan

Update 13 July 2020

Kazakhstan declared a state of emergency to curb the spread of the Covid-19 infection on 16 March through 11 May after the World Health Organization defined the spread of the coronavirus as a pandemic.

The state of emergency in Kazakhstan was lifted on 11 May 2020 with the quarantine regime persisting in nearly all regions. The decision to soften or completely take down the current restrictive measures will be laid upon city/regional administrations.

After reopening, the number of Covid-19 cases in the country has sharply risen which led the Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to respond to the situation by instructing the Ministry of Public Healthcare and other relevant governmental offices to develop a new state plan to fight the virus spread. Following the order, the Ministry of Public Healthcare proposed a new plan that is supposed to put the country under a fortnight lockdown starting 5 July.

As said before, according to the new lockdown regime, which harshens the current quarantine measures, there are restrictions to:

• organise mass events;
• run businesses associated with leisure, beauty and fitness services in enclosed spaces;
• move around if aged 65 or over;
• operate large department stores, shopping malls and other trade facilities.

To recap, Kazakhstan is locked down again and is facing challenging times because there is a severe shortage of medical supplies and there aren’t enough hospital beds to accommodate and treat new incoming Covid-19 patients.

Covid-19 effect on schools and universities

By the end of quarantine regime, educational institutions remained closed. Kazakhstan students at all stages of their education finished the 2019/20 academic year online.

Mass gatherings are still prohibited, and the events of awarding the certificate of compulsory education and diplomas were banned following this restriction. 

Kazakh schools have started receiving applications for youngsters to enter their first year of education since 1 July and the application window will be open up till 1 August. All applications are being submitted and processed through a governmental portal.

It is expected that compulsory education institutions will be operating in the “normal” traditional way with face-to-face teaching starting this September, yet there is a room for contingency plans and methods of training delivery. This being said, schools are currently exploring the possibility of delivering their curricula online and remotely as well.

TVET institutions are also going ahead with enrolments. Applications for TVET programmes are accepted within the 20 June – 25 August window.

Local HEIs have opened their admissions (UG/PG programmes) and are now actively recruiting prospective students. Kazakhstani universities are vastly ready to deliver in-person training, but the work on developing and improving online and distance learning platforms as an alternative way of studies is also being carried out.

Medical check-ups, which are compulsory for students to apply to an education institution, is being abolished till the situation with local medical facilities come back to normal.

Examinations

Kazakhstan’s state matriculation test, which is called Unified National Testing (UNT), was held between 21 June till 1 July 2020 where over 111,000 school graduates were examined. Of all test takers, over 82,000 students passed the testing and are now eligible to apply for UG programmes. Those who were unsuccessful at UNT will be able to retake the test in January 2021.

Students applying for master’s programmes will be able to express their interests of taking the compulsory test (master’s matriculation test) between 15 June till 15 July. The exams will be held within 1-15 August.

The requirement to present English language certificates for students applying for master’s programmes has been simplified. The Ministry of Education and Science ordered local HEIs to accept IELTS Indicator and Duolingo English Test.

The British Council in Kazakhstan has had to postpone all IELTS exams till the end 27 July 2020 to respond to the current upraise in the number of Covid-19 cases. 

Student financial support

Bolashaq Presidential Scholarship Progrmme is continuing its work and aims to fund around 550 students who are going to study abroad in 2020/21. The application process for potential scholars is to commence later this month (around 20 July) since the scholarship body is now anticipating the Ministry of Education and Science’s (MES) approval of the new list of recommended institutions. Once the list is approved by the various governmental offices including MES, Bolashaq will be getting busy with the new application process about which you can learn more from our previous update or on their official website.

There is little known about the new list of approved institutions, but our internal sources say that it will not change dramatically comparing to its previous edition.

The International Education Services team is currently monitoring the developments in the scheme and will be reporting on the changes to the UK sector as soon as they are made public.

Competitors

Competing markets have stopped running face-to-face activities and are cancelling their autumn recruitment fairs.

Talking generally, competing markets are currently exploring all digital opportunities and trying to digitalise their offer through webinars, workshops and other virtual activities.

Given the current economic situation and how different countries are tackling the situation with Covid-19, majority of students are thinking of switching to study destinations that would allow them to save costs, i.e. Europe (Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Germany, etc.) and East Asia (China, South Korea, etc.) or are thinking of enrolling onto partnered education programmes offered at local well-known and quality education institutions.

General advice to the UK sector would be to actively engage with the student sector and to carefully think of their internationalisation strategy of finding a local partner to deliver their courses through various types of TNE partnerships.

Economic situation

In the period of state of emergency, Kazakhstan has injected a total of 6 trillion tenge (£11.7 billion) to support its citizens, businesses and SMEs.

Kazakhstan set up a special committee, which will include a number of prominent civil servants and representatives of semi-state agencies and organisations, to recover its economy from the Covid-19 sufferings effective 27 May 2020.

According to the Ministry of National Economy, by the end of 2020 Kazakhstan’s economy is to reach its bottom levels in development with -0.9% underperformance caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and continued restrictive measures in and outside the country.

The country is trying to bring its economy back to revival following the consequences of the fallen oil prices, closed businesses and other Covid-19 related restrictive measures.

Contact

For more information and insights about the Covid-19 situation in Kazakhstan, please contact Zhanaidar Duzgenbay, International Education Services Coordinator, Kazakhstan at Zhanaidar.Duzgenbay@britishcouncil.org.

Russia

Update 13 July 2020

The lockdown is now over in Russia, restrictions are being lifted in stages with the final phase in some regions. Overall, the majority of restrictions all over the country have been lifted, overall all businesses have been resumed. Internal travel is operating. Decisions are made on a regional level, although overall museums are now re-opening for the public. Cinemas are theatres will re-open on 1st of August with the restrictions in number of visitors. Citizens continue to be required to wear face masks, which will be necessary for several months. IELTS centres have reopened.

UK visa centres are now open all over Russia, although international flights have not resumed yet. There were some plans for international flights to be resumed by 1st of August, but it is not confirmed yet.

International flights are also available for medical purposes or for those who are travelling to work or study abroad with an ability to cross the border once only.

Covid-19 effect on schools and universities

Higher education institutions and schools are currently teaching via online platforms with academic and student mobility put on hold. Summer programmes were cancelled as a result of the pandemic. Despite this, education agents have reported no more than 15 per cent cancellations of academic programmes for the 2020-21 academic year, and UK remains the first choice for students. An increased demand for education abroad is also predicted for 2021-22.  

Schools:

The academic year is now over. The Basic State Exam for 9th graders, OGE, was cancelled, while Unified State Exam (EGE) for students planning to enter higher education institutions are held face-to-face between 3 and 23 July 2020, with additional dates also available in August. Face-to-face teaching will resume when safe in September, however digital platforms will be developed further. Mass events are prohibited at schools until 2021.

Higher Education:

Deadline for applications to universities in Russia has been prolonged till 17 August. Moscow State University and St Petersburg University will hold their exams in August 2020. Universities hope to commence the 2020-21 academic year with face-to-face learning, implementing safety measures for Covid-19. If this is not possible, universities will move to a blended method, with lectures held online and seminars and lab work conducted face-to-face in small groups. Late start is also a possible option.

Blended learning development:

Online education is planned to be delivered all over Russia by 2024. Distance education in Russia implemented due to Covid-19 has been called one of the most effective in the world (along with Singapore). Russia has managed to create a unique multi-media platform that unites traditional school-books, digital education and educational TV project and thus has no analogues in the world.

Blended learning has proved to be a new trend in education that should be embedded in a new education strategy. Many universities are planning to continue blended learning, exploring replacing face-to-face lectures with online courses when further developed in five years. Russian MOOC platforms will also be developed further. 

Many leading universities are planning to increase independent online course production, with the intention of making them partly open to the public free of charge.

New educational programme:

“Strategic academic leadership programme” is a new Russian reform in education that will replace Project 5-100 starting from 2020. It is based on the importance of science and higher education for achieving national development goals, which includes becoming a top five world economy by developing innovative businesses. The reform will involve over 100 leading universities in over 50 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. Thus it creates opportunities for joint research as well as TNE. Another fundamental aim of the reform is for Russian leading universities to achieve high standings in established educational rankings (THE, QS etc.).

Economy:

Russia’s GDP expanded by 1.3 per cent in 2019 and 1.8 per cent in Q1 of 2020, showing more or less stable numbers during the last three years. The lockdown period halted Russia’s economy, driving the government to introduce economic support, such as lowering mortgage rates and providing additional payments for non-working citizens and families with children. The measures taken by the government is estimated to amount to over 2 trillion Russian rubles (£22.8 billion). Covid-19 has however weakened the Russian economy, Central Bank predicts a drop of 4.2 – 4.5 per cent in GDP, mainly due to the significant reduction of exports. Stabilisation of the economy is predicted due to large national projects and trade recovery.

Contact

For more information and insights about the Covid-19 situation in Russia, please feel free to contact Daria Lavrentieva lavrentieva@ecmcentre.com and Elizaveta Utolina Elizaveta.Utolina@britishcouncil.org.

Uzbekistan

Updated 6 July 2020

Summary

• There is no sign of any flattening of the infection curve and across the country the number of reported cases continues to rise. The risk of a “second wave”, overwhelming medical services, remains. 
• Lockdown/quarantine measures remain in place until 1 August. These include the suspension of most educational activities (schools, colleges, universities etc.)
• In addition to the nationwide lockdown measures, the country is divided into red, yellow, and green zones, with different levels of restrictions in each.

Covid-19 effect on schools and universities

2019/2020 Academic year

School students’ final exams have been moved to online testing and completed by June 1, 2020.

University and TVET final exams were be held remotely until 1 July:

• Bachelor graduates took state exams in the form of online tests.
• State certification for graduate masters are also organized in the form of online presentations.

2020/2021 Academic Year

• Currently State Testing Center is working on University Entrance exams for 2020/21 academic year and plan is to hold exams in the first 2 weeks of August.
• It is expected that this year over one million students will apply for HE in Uzbekistan.
• New Decree of President dated 13 June 2020 introducing unified school graduation and University entrance exams from 2021/2022
• Earlier this year, the STC published for discussion a draft presidential decree that provides for the introduction of a system of admission to universities based on the results of school graduation tests, without conducting additional exams.
• According to the project, it is proposed to introduce a unified exam from the academic year 2021/2022. Testing is planned in April-May 2021.

General situation in country and policy level developments

Economy

• The Central Bank of Uzbekistan expects GDP growth to decline to 1.5 to 2.5% in 2020 (against 5.2 to 5.5% projected earlier). According to the regulator’s forecasts, the most significant slowdown in growth is forecast in tourism, hotel industry and international transport. The Central Bank also forecasts a reduction in the amount of remittances to Uzbekistan by 30 to 35 % in 2020, which may hold back private consumption growth. Exports will likely weaken amid supply side disruptions, although higher gold and uranium prices should soften the downturn.
• In the June issue of the WB World Economic Outlook report, data on world GDP growth for 2020-2021 were announced. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is projected to lead to a 1.7% decline in the Central Asian economy.
• It is notable that among the 24 states in the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Uzbekistan according to WB will become the only country where economic growth of 1.5% is currently expected in 2020. WB expects 6.6% increase in Uzbekistan’s economy in 2021. http://pubdocs.worldbank.org/en/344691588788182868/Global-Economic-Prospects-June-2020-Regional-Overview-ECA.pdf
• Unemployment in Uzbekistan now stands at nearly 2 million. In the first quarter of the year, the unemployment level had stood at 1.35 million. The government anticipates unemployment to triple. According to government figures 45,000 businesses in retail and wholesale, 13,000 cafes and restaurants, 19,000 service companies, and 7,000 transport companies have been closed as a result of C19
• A significant proportion of the population will be immediately impacted by a decline in remittances as a result of the economic shocks in Russia (due to oil price and C19) and Kazakhstan. Already, 140,000 migrant workers have returned to Uzbekistan and the Central Bank has noted that remittances were down 50% in April year on year. Remittances were worth approximately US$ 4.25 billion to the Uzbek economy in 2019 and constitute a critical source of income for families in provincial areas. 

Reforms: scale, focus, impact 

• Uzbekistan - a young and fast-growing population. Around 38 percent (13m people) of a 34m population are under 19. The population has doubled since 1980 (https://www.stat.uz/ru/2-uncategorised/5222-o-zbekiston-aholisi-ru).
• National development strategy 2017-2021: prioritises economic development and strong focus on capacity development and education
• New 2030 HE and Public Education development concepts published in 2019: relevance of education to meet country’s ambition, internationalisation and standards ( PISA)
• TNE and internationalization of HE is prioritized to widen access and ensure quality (dedicated Decrees being issued to offer preferential terms, 35 new HEIs set up with 18 being international universities affiliates)
• 2020 - the Year of Science, Education and Digital - widespread adoption of digital technologies at all stages of the education system, raising the level of digital knowledge necessary for the modern economy, improving the education infrastructure, and opening, by 2022, digital knowledge training centres in all regions of the republic as part of the Five Initiatives project

 Investments: GoU, international agencies, private 

• El Yurt Umidi Foundation under the Agency for the Development of Public service under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan - professional development of academic staff, 90 scholarships to UK last year
• Public Education/Presidential schools development funding: Presidential schools being set up /Cambridge International – paid by GoU
• Public Education ministry/private investors – setting up International University for Education
• Private businesses have set up first private entrepreneurship university (TEAM) with LSBU (London South Bank), outcome of Creative Spark project in Uzbekistan
• WB, UNESCO, Swiss, KFW/GIZ considering Covid-response funds which may include education, e.g. (the World Bank approved $200 million in additional development policy financing to support Uzbekistan’s ongoing health, social, and economic policy responses to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic - http://projects.worldbank.org/P173948?lang=en).

 Opportunities

• Main area to highlight is GoU efforts to support education and welcome international HE’s
• Uzbekistan is a growing market for UK English language programmes, over the last two years the number of language centers and courses and foundation programmes with UK partners increased, short-term summer courses, foundation courses, and ELT online courses are all popular in the market.
• National Higher Education Reform Decree dated July 2017 requires all universities to teach at least one programme in English by 2020 thus creating demand for content and TNE partnership.
• TNE, products and services (WIUT, International University of Education, TEAM; Teaching materials - Macmillan, OUP, Pearson. System to System knowledge sharing and consultancies -e.g. Quality Assurance)
• In 2020, over a one million school leavers are expected to apply for 143,000 places available in HE sector (https://www.gov.uz/ru/news/view?id=27669). Thus only 14% of young people can get domestic HE. The GoU is gradullay increasing the annual intake to 25%, however there is still a big demand for HE. Thus 164,306 (15,4%) school leavers expressed their interest in TNE in 2019.

Contact

For more information and insights about the COVID-19 situation in Uzbekistan, please contact Shukhrat Amanov, Country Projects Manager, British Council Uzbekistan at Shukhrat.amanov@britishcouncil.org

Please take a look at our previous update