Science Without Borders: International Summer School on Applied Chemistry Held at KazNU

From June 9 to 14, 2025, the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University hosted the International Summer School “Farabi Summer School on Applied Chemistry.” This unique scientific forum brought together students, PhD candidates, and young researchers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Romania, the USA, and other countries, offering a rich program of lectures, hands-on workshops, and field activities.

Over six days, participants immersed themselves in applied chemistry, covering a wide range of current topics. The School's program included lectures and practical sessions on the following key areas:

• Analytical and environmental chemistry,

• Applied colloid chemistry,

• Modern electrochemical technologies and analytical methods,

• Processing of plant raw materials using supercritical fluid technologies.

Lecture topics ranged from the physical chemistry of food systems and air pollution monitoring to nanotechnology, battery recycling, and electrochemical analysis methods. Practical skills were a central focus: participants assembled battery prototypes, analyzed food systems and atmospheric air, extracted essential oils, and conducted spectroscopic studies.

A highlight of the School was a team field session at the Qalalyq farm, held in a friendly and informal setting.

The program’s practical orientation became its distinguishing feature, with daily lab sessions, training in advanced analytical techniques, electrochemical cell assembly, ecological data processing in Python, and the development of sorbents from biomass.

Special attention was given to sustainable development issues such as air quality, waste management, renewable energy, and the rational use of natural resources. These areas align directly with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 3 “Good Health and Well-being,” SDG 7 “Affordable and Clean Energy,” SDG 12 “Responsible Consumption and Production,” and SDG 13 “Climate Action.”

The Summer School format successfully combined fundamental knowledge with real-world sustainability and environmental challenges, fostering exchange between young researchers and established chemistry experts.

The Summer School at KazNU proved that chemistry is not only the science of substances but also a powerful tool for international scientific cooperation aimed at addressing the global challenges of our time.