The Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX; https://www.atm.helsinki.fi/peex) collaboration meeting between the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU; https://farabi.university) and University of Helsinki (UHEL; https://www.helsinki.fi/en), Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR; https://www.helsinki.fi/en/inar) took place on 19 August 2024 in Helsinki, Finland. Representatives from both KazNU and UHEL jointly met to introduce their teams, to overview research and educational activities, and to sign the PEEX Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

Prof. Tuukka Petäjä (Vice-Director of INAR) talked about structure; research and educational activities realised by the UHEL INAR; ongoing and completed projects (linked to observations at the SMEAR stations – Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations – and other types of stations and locations; and modelling at various scales from global-to-local), recent results obtained, and achievements reached, etc.

Assoc. Prof. Aliya Aktymbayeva (Dean of the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences at KazNU) talked about scientific-innovative and educational activities in the field of Earth and Environmental sciences, structure (departments) of the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences; research and innovation activities; ongoing research projects and their outcomes/ results; laboratories of research center on “Sustainable development and environment” with their aims, development plans and tasks, and infrastructure; international cooperation; integration in the world educational space; educational programs for BSc, MSc, PhD students; etc.

Dr. Hanna K. Lappalainen (Coordinator of the PEEX programme) talked about global grand challenges, PEEX programme structure and key science questions; PEEX dissemination channels & MoU recently signed; selected results/ outcomes obtained within PEEX framework collaboration in various research (linked to research infrastructures, observations and modelling activities) and educational (such as CLUVEX – https://www.atm.helsinki.fi/cluvex; UnaVEx – https://www.atm.helsinki.fi/unavex; Climate University – https://climateuniversity.fi) projects; etc.

These presentations followed by official procedure of signing the PEEX MoU, and discussions about possibilities of collaboration with mutual benefits on research and education topics. In particular, the following topics were discussed: air quality monitoring; global and regional climate change; natural hazards connected with climate change; academic mobilities of PhD and MSc students and young researchers between universities (in particular, short-term visits and attending SMEAR schools/ trainings in Finland); joint co-supervision of KazNU students; inviting the KazNU students to participate in Virtual Exchange Week trainings and selected courses of the Climate University (as part of the CLUVEX project); involvement into joint research and education related proposals in suitable Calls (with funding from Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, COST, etc.); and others.

UHEL INAR overview presentation
KazNU overview presentation
PEEX overview presentation

See also news at KazNU web-site: https://farabi.university/news/89481?lang=ru

Text by: Hanna K. Lappalainen, Tuukka Petäjä, Alexander Mahura (University of Helsinki, INAR)