KazNU Doctoral Student Awarded the Prestigious A*STAR Research Attachment Programme Grant in Singapore

The Faculty of Physics and Technology at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University continues to expand its international research partnerships with leading scientific institutions worldwide. A significant new achievement in this direction is the success of one of the Faculty’s doctoral students, who has been awarded a grant under Singapore’s prestigious A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP).

Shyrai Didarkyzy Anuarbekova, a second-year doctoral student in the 8D07112 Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology programme, has been selected for the A*STAR Research Attachment Programme (ARAP) and will undertake a 12-month research attachment in Singapore.

A*STAR, the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, is Singapore’s leading public-sector research and development agency. It brings together world-class research institutes working across physical and engineering sciences, information and computing technologies, biomedical sciences, and other advanced fields. One of ASTAR’s key priorities is to foster cutting-edge research, technological innovation, talent development, and international scientific collaboration. 

The ARAP programme is designed to strengthen long-term research links between ASTAR and overseas universities. It provides PhD students with an opportunity to conduct a substantial part of their doctoral research at ASTAR research institutes while remaining enrolled at their home university. One of the programme’s defining features is its joint supervision model, under which the researcher is guided by both a supervisor from the home university and a research supervisor from A*STAR. 

At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Shyrai Anuarbekova’s research is supervised by Professor Almashbek Utegenov, while her host supervisor in Singapore is Lim San Hua. Under the awarded grant, she will conduct research at A*STAR for one year.

Participation in ARAP offers a young researcher the opportunity to work in an internationally competitive scientific environment, gain access to advanced research infrastructure and expertise, and acquire new experimental and analytical skills. It also provides a valuable platform for building professional networks that may lead to future joint studies, co-authored publications, and new international research initiatives.

The significance of this achievement goes well beyond the individual academic trajectory of one doctoral student. Participation in programmes of this level contributes to the expansion of KazNU’s international research network, the establishment of direct links between research teams in Kazakhstan and Singapore, and the deeper integration of doctoral students into the global research community.

The joint supervision format is particularly important in this regard, as it creates a direct working relationship between researchers from the two institutions through the implementation of a specific research project. Such collaboration can provide a strong foundation for future joint publications, researcher exchanges, new collaborative projects, and long-term institutional partnerships.

For the Faculty of Physics and Technology, the award also reflects the quality of doctoral training in nanomaterials and nanotechnology and the growing international competitiveness of its early-career researchers. Providing doctoral students with opportunities to work in leading international laboratories is one of the most effective ways to strengthen doctoral education, facilitate the transfer of advanced research competencies, and support the further development of the University’s scientific schools.

The ARAP programme provides comprehensive financial support for participants during their research period in Singapore, including scholarship funding and support for a range of expenses associated with their stay and research activities. 

We warmly congratulate Shyrai Didarkyzy Anuarbekova and her research supervisor on this important international achievement.

We wish her every success in implementing her research programme, achieving strong scientific results, publishing high-quality research, and further advancing her professional development. We are confident that participation in the A*STAR Research Attachment Programme will become an important milestone in her academic career and will also provide new momentum for strengthening research cooperation between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Singapore’s scientific community.