The School was established at the German-Kazakh University (DKU) to encourage young people to develop environmentally sustainable business projects and stimulate the generation of innovative ideas for green business and start-ups. The EU-funded project “European Union – Central Asia: Water, Environment and Climate Change Cooperation” (WECOOP) has been supporting the School for 3 consecutive years sharing the EU experience and providing expertise in green business development.

Under the European Green Deal, the EU prioritises integration of environment into all sectors of economy with an increased emphasis on the transition to circular economy and pays particular attention to the engagement with the private sector. The EU member-states demonstrate outstanding results in achieving circular economy targets and helping businesses and consumers in transition to sustainable production and consumption with minimal waste and maximum economic efficiency. Promoting the social and environmental entrepreneurship among the youth is one of the most effective ways to achieve environmental goals since the young generation initiates the largest number of innovative ecologically sound ideas. In this regard, by encouraging to pursue own business, the School is also instrumental in providing opportunities for young people’s employment and economic independence.

This year, the School received 81 applications from individual entrepreneurs and teams from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Applicants representing 28 most promising projects on circular economy, waste management, sustainable fashion, water saving, sustainable urban development, and renewable energy have been admitted to participate in the training. This training is conducted by the European and regional experts and covers the basics of circular economy, sustainable consumption and production, project management, budgeting, attracting investments, marketing and communication.

Following a successful completion of the training, the applicants whose projects will have been shortlisted by the School jury will be invited to Almaty, Kazakhstan, for the final round of the competition. The winners will then be invited to participate in a week-long study tour to Europe in the autumn of 2022. The EU will provide financial and logistical support to the study tour participants through the WECOOP project. 

The EU-funded project “European Union – Central Asia Water, Environment and Climate Change Cooperation” (WECOOP) (third phase from October 2019 to April 2023) aims to enhance environment, climate change and water policies at national levels in Central Asia through approximation to EU standards and to promote investments in relevant sectors with the aim of contributing to measurable reductions in man-made pollution, including CO2 emission. The project activities include support to the EU–CA Platform for Environment and Water Cooperation and its Working Group on Environment and Climate Change, as well as implementation of the EU Green Deal’s international dimension in Central Asia to advance climate action.