Balkhash STEAM Serpini, Kazakhstan

In 2024, the Kounrad Foundation first launched the Balkhash STEAM Serpini project, in partnership with the Eurasia Foundation of Central Asia (EFCA), to build a sustainable STEAM curriculum in local schools.

Following a comprehensive needs assessment, seven schools received classroom equipment grants; five accredited STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programmes were developed; and 17 new courses were introduced. In total, 281 students completed over 500 hours of practical training, with 113 teachers involved in the project.

The impact of the programme extended beyond the classroom: Nine teachers authored their own programmes, 14 academic articles were published and educators participated in 27 competitions, including winning a ‘teacher of the year’ award. 

Students in the programme developed 38 projects and took part in 34 competitions with 134 participants. A STEAM Festival was held in May 2025, with 536 students, teachers and parents, marking institutional recognition as courses were formally approved and graduates received certificates across the STEAM disciplines.

Building on this momentum, the second year of the programme took place in 2026 and focused on sustainability and career guidance, supporting student-led mini-projects and deeper integration of best practices in teaching.

In February 2026, the ‘Balkhash Science Day’ festival celebrated the start of the second year and gathered more than 700 participants, where five outstanding student teams were awarded further grants.

Balkhash STEAM Serpini aims to develop local teachers and students, embedding modern skills, practical learning and long-term opportunities into the local education system.