The project is implemented by CLEANTECH LATVIA who works with BIOs in Kazakhstan, Latvia and Uzbekistan.
Project overview
Launched at the end of 2019 and set to run until 2023, the project “Capacity building of industry associations serving engineering companies in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan” aims to improve services offered by industry associations to engineering companies in both countries – Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. It further plans to introduce certification for engineers to assure high quality standards in investment project implementation and develop MSME’s presence in new areas. The project focuses on sharing European knowledge and demonstrating the experience of international experts in the field of civil engineering in order to promote European and Central Asian co-operation through facilitation and transfer of European high quality standards.
Actions include:
- Share and communicate European experience to representatives of associations in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
- Develop content of training courses and certification programme to improve MSME’s competitiveness
- Pilot training courses and certification programme on MSMEs representatives from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan
- Evaluate results of piloting projects, adjust programmes and introduce new services on regular basis of BIO’s.
Implementers
The project is implemented by Latvian cluster organization CLEANTECH LATVIA and two partners – The Association of Consulting Engineers of Uzbekistan (UZACE) and Association of Water Supply and Sanitation Companies of Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan Su Arnasy) in close cooperation with local engineers and industry micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
- CLEANTECH LATVIA is a cluster organization offering wide competencies and technologies for sustainable and environmentally friendly businesses. The geography of company projects covers Baltic countries, Northern Europe and Central Asia. Since 2012 CLEANTECH LATVIA works in Kazakhstan and since 2014 in Uzbekistan, corresponding to increasing interest on environment protection, resource saving and climate change issues.
- Co-applicant – UZACE, Uzbekistan: Non-governmental and non-profit organization (NGO) UZACE voluntarily unites legal entities and individuals, who are professionally involved in the implementation of design, engineering, as well as consulting services in the field of construction in the Republic of Uzbekistan and assists through coordination of cooperation and professional development of its members in the implementation of design and engineering works, providing consulting services in Uzbekistan.
- Co-applicant – Kazakhstan Su Arnasay (KSA), Kazakhstan: KSA was established on March 28, 2002 with the participation of the Construction Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Trade of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The association is an open non-profit organization with the main goal to represent and protect the rights and legitimate interests of water supply and sanitation enterprises in all state bodies, public and other organizations in Kazakhstan and beyond.
Results and events in 2020
Throughout 2020, an online cycle of seminars was organized to share the experience of individual engineers on certification and professional development. Project partners UZACE and KSA were introduced with several professional associations of Latvia. They showcased their approach on collaborating with industry and engineers to demonstrate possible approaches for further growth of associations. Seminars were highly recognized by the participants and attracted important engineering companies and BIOs of target countries. The year resulted in the following figures and events:
- 9 online seminars of knowledge and experience sharing
- 13 experts participated in experience sharing activities
- Participants provided an evaluation average mark of 4,5 out of 5
- 38 MSMEs joined events in 2020
- 9 capacity building online workshops on strategic management
- Collaboration with four international organizations working on similar activities in the water field an MSMEs support in CA
With the purpose of identifying the appropriate target audience for project activities and defining MSME’s challenges and barriers for further growth during this difficult period, two market researches were conducted in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
Considering the complexity of implementation of project activities related to international experience sharing, we focus on capacity building activities for project partners, trainings on project management, familiarizing them with role of strategic planning and supporting them to design their 5-year strategy and action plan for 2021.
News and events in 2021
In year 2021 the project implementers and partners focused on implementation of the action plan developed in 2020 in order to build the administrative, management and technical capacity of the project partners and BIO’s in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
UZACE project team underwent major changes resulting in new management and team members. Due to COVID-19 restrictions almost all activities in 2021 were conducted in on-line mode, resulting in 97 working discussions on the ZOOM platform during the project.
In 2021 a significant step was taken in the field of certification system development for construction industry specialists in Uzbekistan. The visit of Latvian experts to Tashkent from December 6 – 10, 2021 was organized by the Ministry of Construction (MoC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan in collaboration with the Association of Uzbekistan Engineers and Consultants (UZACE), Union of Architects of Uzbekistan.
The purpose of the visit of Latvian experts represented by the managers of the certification bodies under the Union of Latvian Civil Engineers and Latvian Union of Architects visit was to give support to the MoC, as well as other interested persons in the development of qualification assessment system or civil engineers and architects.
The market research carried out in 2020 showed that top and medium level managers of water services companies in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan need to strengthen their administrative and technical capacity, thus, year 2021 become a benchmark for development of two specialized training programs and their implementation.
Therefore, CLEANTECH LATVIA together with project ENGINE partners the “Association of Engineers Consultants in Uzbekistan” and “Kazakhstan Su Arnasy” successfully developed the and piloted a 30-hours training course “Building Information Modelling Technologies” and a 32-hours pilot training course “Increasing Efficiency in Water Supply and Wastewater Systems Companies”. The topics of the training courses aroused interest among the water management industry specialists and become a story of success under the project ENGINE resulting in the following key figures:
- 12 industry professionals are involved in development and running of the courses, of which,
- 7 international experts from Latvia and Russia,
- 5 local experts in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
- 151 participants improved their qualification in training, of which:
- 40 participants in BIM technology training,
- 111 participants in training in increasing the efficiency of water supply and wastewater management companies, of which,
- 64 from the largest water management company in Uzbekistan “UZSUVTAMINOT”
- 82 large, medium and small companies joined the training events.
In 2021 a significant step was taken in the field of certification system development for construction industry specialists in Uzbekistan. The visit of Latvian experts to Tashkent from December 6 – 10, 2021 was organized by the Ministry of Construction (MoC) of the Republic of Uzbekistan in collaboration with the Association of Uzbekistan Engineers and Consultants (UZACE), Union of Architects of Uzbekistan.
The purpose of the visit of Latvian experts represented by the managers of the certification bodies under the Union of Latvian Civil Engineers and Latvian Union of Architects visit was to give support to the MoC, as well as other interested persons in the development of qualification assessment system or civil engineers and architects.
During 3 days of the visit the working group resulted in the following outcomes:
- 20 representatives participated in the development of the certification system, of which:
- 4 Latvian experts were involved in this activity
- Working discussions of 22 hours
- 2 documents developed – the first version of the certification process scheme and the first version of the implementation plan.
ENGINE Telegram channel : https://t.me/ENGINE_EU
More information on the project itself and activities planned or implemented can be found on the CLEANTECH LATVIA website , UZACE website or Kazakhstan Su Arnasy website.
Contact person: Evija Pudane, CleanTech Latvia, E-mail: evija@cleantechlatvia.com