Reviewer of research proposals for Kazakhstan’s Science and Technology Centre

For the second year running, I was invited by Kazakhstan’s National Center of Science and Technology Evaluation (NCSTE) to review research proposals submitted as part of the call for grant funding 2015-2017. The Center, created in 2011, is responsible for organizing and conducting the evaluation of research proposals by Kazakhstani academics. I reviewed proposals in the areas of tourism and events.

I found the exercise a good learning experience about Kazakhstan and the research projects being developed in the country in the areas of tourism and events. I have visited the Central Asian region before (Turkmenistan) and I am fascinated by how quickly the region is changing and developing.  There is a vibrant research environment in Kazakhstan after the President decided to allocate 3% of the budget to science. The latest call attracted 5000 proposals on all areas, with tourism and events ones increasing significantly when compared to the previous call.