
Environment Research Association
Professor Vivienne Westbrook
dr.v.westbrook@kimep.kz
The Environmental Research Association in CHE is open to researchers who wish to contribute to our understanding of the relationship between human society and the planet with the aim of increasing awareness of, and changing, practices that negatively impact on natural resources. In this group there is a special focus on oceans, seas and shorelines across history, culture, law, science and industry.
The seventy per-cent of our planet that is blue has often been represented as endlessly self-replenishing but as more research emerges it is becoming clear that it is under severe pressure from climate change and over-exploitation.
This Research Association uses collaborative cross-disciplinary research to contribute to international debates that spotlight the issues affecting the oceans, seas and shorelines and their representations across cultural media.
The major areas of work in this Environmental Research Association are:
1. Book project: Individual/Collaborative
2. Chapter or article project: Individual/Collaborative
3. Seminars with invited speakers
4. Workshop to support each other with work-in-progress by offering some feedback in meetings
5. Discussion group regarding current developments in the field
6. Conference panel organization and co-ordination: Local/International
7. Expansion to include international collaborators
8. Development of a research funding strategy
9. Course development
10. Web promotion

Language Research Association
Dr. Kara Fleming
kfleming@kimep.kz
The Language Research Association operates within the CHE to promote and support research related to language, linguistics, and language teaching.
The association includes scholars working in sociolinguistics, theoretical linguistics, and applied linguistics. We are especially interested in developing research within the following areas, related to a variety of international contexts but with a particular view toward developing research on Central Asia:
- Language policy
- Linguistic minorities
- Language ideologies
- Language acquisition and teaching (in collaboration with the Educational Research Association)
- Syntax
We host a series of seminars on language and linguistics, and we also involve KIMEP students in research and promotion of linguistics and language studies. We welcome collaboration with researchers working on similar topics; for more information, please contact Dr.Kara Fleming, at kfleming@kimep.kz.

Educational Research Association
Dr. Askat Tleuov
a.tleuov@kimep.kz
The Educational Research Association aims to design and undertake empirical, conceptual and policy research in education in a wide range of national and international contexts.
Education is defined broadly to encompass all the relevant settings and fields from kindergarten to higher education and from classroom to system-wide policy research. We welcome collaboration of scholars across disciplines to produce high-quality research outputs with national and international significance.
We are interested in pursuing these broad research areas:
- Teacher education and professional development
- Language education
- Assessment practices in education
- Curriculum development
- Inclusive education
-Internationalization of education and research
- Educational leadership, management and governance
- Academic practice and research culture
- Policies and education
- Quality assurance in education

Cultural Research Association
Dr. Amanda Al-Raba’a
aalrabaa@kimep.kz
The Cultural Research Association (CRA) seeks researchers who are interested in pursuing research in all aspects of cultural production and theory.
The CRA takes a broad, interdisciplinary approach to cultural studies. Members’ interests include (but are not limited to) literary studies, intercultural communication, marketing, social sciences, and international relations.
Whether you are seeking to publish academic works, or simply to contribute to international discourse on culture, we would encourage you to join this Association.
The group will meet three times per semester to provide a supportive, interdisciplinary research environment for colleagues with similar creative and research interests.
In addition to fostering an environment for researchers to receive feedback on independent projects, the Association will facilitate opportunities for its members to collaborate on conference panels and publications.