Since December 3 till December 12, 2019, the Winter School „Methods of soil quality analyses“  took place in the Saken Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical University.
The Winter School aimed at establishing new methods of soil properties analyses in the Kazakh-German Soil Laboratory of European Standards. The laboratory was equipped in the frame oft he ReKKS project and supported by the Client II program of BMBF.
The Winter School started with the opening ceremony, where the Charman of the KATU Board A.K. Kurishbayev, the Vice-Rector for Science, Innovation Activity and International Affairs I.T. Tokbergenov, and the Dean of the Agronomy Faculty G. Zh. Stybayev. Professors of the Soil Science and Agrochemistry Department discussed with ReKKS team members, represented by Dr. Olga Shibistova, Anne Herwig and Roger-Michale Klatt from the Institute of Soil Science of Leibniz Universität Hannover important problems of agriculture in Kazakhstan and perspectives of innovative development of the agricultural science and practice by using novel approaches and opprtunities given by the Kazakh-German Soil Laboratory.
Thereafter, the ReKKS team conducted practical classes to introduce the facilities of the new equipment and methods of soil analyses (e.g., soil texture, electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, avaliable nutrients, mineral nitrogen).

During the  Winter School, also theoretical courses for MSc students were given, with emphasize on the diversity of soil functions, and the role of soil organic carbon in geochemical and biological processes in biosphere.