KazNU and the University of Tsukuba Strengthen Cooperation on SDGs: KazNU staff invited to sustainability internship in Japan

Staff members of the Department of Recreational Geography and Tourism of the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences at al-Farabi Kazakh National University have been officially invited to participate in an academic internship at the University of Tsukuba (Japan) from 1 to 7 December 2025. The invitation was extended by the Japanese side within the Campus-in-Campus framework and ongoing cooperation in the field of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Participants of the internship:

• Y. Nuruly - PhD candidate, Senior Lecturer;

• A.Z. Sapiyeva - PhD, Senior Lecturer;

• D. Nurkyzy - Master’s student, Specialist;

• A.B. Kaliyeva - PhD student, Lecturer.

The internship program is aimed at exchanging expertise between researchers of both universities in addressing sustainability challenges and includes studying Japanese approaches to implementing all 17 Sustainable Development Goals - from environmental monitoring and natural resource management to sustainable tourism, ecological urban planning, water and land resource governance, education for sustainable development (ESD), as well as building resilient social, economic, and ecological systems.

The program places particular emphasis on the application of geospatial technologies (GIS), digital analytical methods, and interdisciplinary research in the context of SDGs:

• SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities,

• SDG 13 - Climate action,

• SDG 14 and 15 - Conservation of marine and terrestrial ecosystems,

• SDG 12 - Responsible consumption and production,

• SDG 8 - Sustainable economic growth and employment,

• SDG 4 - Quality education and development of future-oriented competencies.

During the internship, KazNU representatives will participate in thematic meetings with Japanese scientists and doctoral students, studying their methodologies for implementing SDGs at the level of research institutes and university ecosystems, and will also present their own research cases related to smart tourism and territorial sustainability.

This internship will become a significant stage in the transfer of knowledge and technologies between Kazakhstan and Japan, allowing KazNU researchers to adopt advanced Japanese practices in integrating SDGs into science and education, and will substantially strengthen KazNU’s international cooperation in sustainability, climate responsibility, digital solutions, and interdisciplinary research.

Link to the invitations and program: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1g2Mpqhxh-8pDlUuiHcP3cYV2t2lkHANN?usp=sharing