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Switzerland and Kazakhstan have signed a joint declaration to promote scientific collaboration.

Mauro Dell¡¯Ambrogio, Swiss state secretary for education, research and innovation, was in Astana, Kazakhstan on an official visit to the first world exhibition to be held in a central Asian city.

He took part in a roundtable event in the Swiss Pavilion on innovation in the energy sector and had meetings with the rectors of Nazarbayev University and the Eurasian National University, along with representatives from the National Agency for Technology and Development.

Mr Dell¡¯Ambrogio?also held talks with Yerlan Sagadiyev, Kazakh minister for education and science, which led to a joint declaration stating their desire to facilitate deeper contact between the two scientific communities. Although collaboration has already been taking place, it has hitherto been at a relatively modest level, with limited numbers of Kazakh researchers benefitting from Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships.

matthew.reisz@timeshighereducation.com