VZCZCXRO2705
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW
RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHROV
RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTA #2263/01 3221128
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 171128Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY ASTANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3847
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE 0815
RUCNCLS/SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0214
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0924
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0116
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2049
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 2382
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF EDUCATION WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFAAA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC 0379
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC 0296
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 002263 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARMENT FOR SCA/CEN, SCA/PPD, EEB/ESC, ECA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON SCUL SOCI KPAO KZ
SUBJECT:  KAZAKHSTAN: BOLASHAK PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR CLAIMS INTEREST 
IN U.S. STUDY WANING, DESPITE CONTRARY DATA 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Not for public Internet. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  On November 13, CAO met with Aida Sagintayeva, 
president of the Center for International Programs, which is 
responsible for administering Kazakhstan's "Bolashak" program, 
through which the government funds up to 3,000 students to study 
abroad at any one time.  Sagintayeva reported that Bolashak is 
looking to reduce its number of U.S partners and will soon implement 
a number of other changes, including approving programs instead of 
universities, emphasizing programs in science and medicine, and 
focusing on graduate students.  She also claimed that interest in 
studying in the United States in waning.  Sagintayeva stressed that 
Bolashak is pleased with the cooperation it receives from the U.S. 
Embassy, but she asked for Embassy assistance in resolving some 
TOFEL issues.  END SUMMARY. 
 
U.S. UNIVERSITIES EXPRESS UPRECEDENTED INTEREST IN KAZAKHSTAN 
 
¶3.  (SBU) CAO presented Sagintayeva with a list of 19 American 
universities that had recently traveled to Kazakhstan to participate 
in an international education fair and noted that these universities 
were very interested in recruiting Kazakhstani students. Sagintayeva 
barely glanced at the list before pushing it away and announcing 
that that Bolashak was "not interested" in relationships with any of 
these universities.  (NOTE:  The education fair, which was organized 
by the Bilim Educational Advising Center, took place at the State 
Museum in Almaty on November 7.  It was the first fair to bring 
large numbers of U.S. universities to Kazakhstan.  More than 1,600 
students visited booths hosted by representatives of Arizona State 
University, Emporia State University, Florida Institute of 
Technology, Foothill & DeAnza Community Colleges, George Mason 
University, Johnson & Wales University, University of Miami, Ohio 
State University, Roger Williams University, University of 
Bridgeport, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of 
Colorado at Denver, University of Central Missouri, University of 
Evansville, University of Hartford, University of Iowa, West 
Virginia University, and Youngstown State University.  END NOTE.) 
 
DECREASE QUANTITY, INCREASE QUALITY OF UNIVERSITY PARTNERS 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Sagintayeva explained that Bolashak is planning to 
decrease the number of universities with which it works in order to 
increase the quality of its university partnerships.  The program 
currently works with 630 universities in 32 countries but plans to 
scale back to 150 universities in 22 countries.  Sagintayeva stated 
that only 30-40 U.S. universities would remain on the list and that 
only the "best" programs of each of these universities would host 
Bolashak scholars.  When pressed, Sagintayeva said that Bolashak 
makes its decisions about the "best" programs based on the New York 
Times Education Supplement and the Shanghai Jiao University 
rankings.   She also said that starting in 2010, the Bolashak 
program would focus on funding graduate and Ph.D.-level study in the 
sciences and medicine.  (NOTE:  In the past, Bolashak approved 
specific universities but not specific programs of study.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Sagintayeva also said that Bolashak wants to work with 
U.S. universities in a new way.  She indicated that Bolashak would 
like to receive commissions for placing students at specific 
universities in the same way that they do for placing students at 
specific English-language programs.  In addition, she thought that 
Bolashak students should be able to receive tuition discounts -- for 
example, in-state tuition at U.S. public universities rather 
out-of-state rates. 
 
CONCERNS ABOUT U.S PARTNERS AND PROGRAMS 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Sagintayeva also complained about some of the 
relationships that Bolashak has with U.S. partner institutions.  In 
particular, she raised the partnership with Texas A&M.  In 
2007-2008, Texas A&M University hosted 47 Bolashak students. 
However, Sagintayeva said all students had transferred with the 
 
ASTANA 00002263  002 OF 003 
 
 
exception of the Master's degree students who will graduate this 
year.  She complained that Texas A&M has poor accommodations, 
"disgusting" cafeteria food, provides no information to students 
about how to register for classes, and has a history of being late 
with payments.  (NOTE:  The Bolashak program funds a special 
Bolashak student adviser at 
Texas A&M.  Other universities, such as Indiana, George Washington, 
and University of Texas at Austin, also reportedly have special 
American advisers for Kazakhstani students.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Sagintayeva also upbraided CAO about the FLEX program, 
through which approximately 100 Kazakhstani high-school students 
spend a year in the United States living with American host families 
and attending American high-schools.  While acknowledging that FLEX 
alumni make excellent Bolashak candidates, Sagintayeva complained 
about the living conditions for Kazakhstani students.  She said she 
had met students who were not adequately fed, were pressured to take 
after school jobs, and were forced to sleep in the same room with 
their host siblings and their host siblings' girlfriends and 
boyfriends.  CAO explained that host families undergo a substantial 
selection process and asked whether any of these students had ever 
raised their concerns with American Councils or the State 
Department.  Sagintayeva replied that Kazakhstani students would 
never complain, that this is "not part of the Kazakhstani 
mentality." 
 
FEWER BOLASHAK STUDENTS IN THE UNITED STATES 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Sagintayeva said that Bolashak has seen a "marked 
decrease" in Kazakhstani students interested in studying in America 
and claimed that they prefer to go to the United Kingdom or China. 
When asked why this might be, Sagintayeva said that this was a 
"matter for the State Department to think about."  (NOTE:  Although 
official Bolashak statistics show a 5.5 percent decrease in the 
number of Bolashak scholars going to the United States, the 2008 
Open Doors report documents a 20.1 percent increase in the overall 
number of Kazakhstani students studying in the United States during 
the 2007-08 academic year.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In general, Sagintayeva said that Bolashak enjoyed good 
relations with the U.S. Embassy, including the Consular Section. 
She did, however, inquire whether it would be possible for the TOFEL 
test to be offered more frequently, at more locations, and at a 
discounted rate for Bolashak students.  CAO promised to raise this 
with American Councils, who administers the TOFEL exam in 
Kazakhstan.  (NOTE:  The TOFEL exam is currently offered only in 
Almaty.  END NOTE.) 
 
¶10.  (SBU) COMMENT:  The year 2008 marks the 15th year of the 
Bolashak program, but the first large group of students -- 
approximately 640 strong -- will return from the United States only 
next year.  Per Bolashak regulations, students that have received 
funding from the Kazakhstani government must return to Kazakhstan 
for at least five years.  (NOTE:  according to government 
statistics, only 29 out of 4,500 students sent abroad have thus far 
failed to return.  END NOTE.)  How and where this large number of 
U.S. graduates will be employed is an open question.  Sagintayeva 
admitted that it will be a "headache" to find employment for these 
returning students, particularly since neither Bolashak, nor any 
other arm of the Kazakhstani government, is tasked with job 
placement.  END COMMENT. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) BIO NOTE:  Aida Sagintayeva is a U.S. exchange program 
alumna and studied at George Washington University under the 
auspices of the Junior Faculty Development Program.  Upon her 
return, she joined the Center for International Programs as a 
mid-level employee but was elevated overnight to become president of 
an organization with more than 100 employees and an annual budget of 
more than $125,000,000 (2008 figure).  Some speculate that this move 
was the result of connections -- Sagintayeva's uncle is the current 
head of the Prime Minister's Chancery.  END BIO NOTE. 
 
 
ASTANA 00002263  003 OF 003 
 
 
HOAGLAND