KazNU - leader of the Ai-Sana program

Al-Farabi Kazakh National University has a special place in the implementation of the AI-Sana program in Kazakhstan. Kaznu is not only one of the largest scientific and educational centers in the country, but also one of the leading universities that are actively working on the development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. This is also evidenced by the University's participation in the AI-Sana program. Kaznu took the first place among higher educational institutions in terms of the number of students who entered the second stage of the program. This result shows not only the high interest of university students in modern technologies, but also the fact that kaznu pays special attention to digital and innovative education. This year, during the period when special priority is given to the development of artificial intelligence in Kazakhstan, KazNU's leadership in this direction also echoes the strategic direction of development of the University. Today, in 95 universities of the country, AI disciplines are included in educational programs, and thousands of students learn new competencies in artificial intelligence.

FACULTY OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-CENTER FOR AI COMPETENCIES

Speaking about the success of KazNU in the AI-Sana program, it is worth highlighting the contribution of the Faculty of Information Technology and artificial intelligence. The faculty provides training of modern IT specialists, specialists in the field of artificial intelligence, information security and digital technologies. The rapid development of artificial intelligence also poses new challenges for the information security industry. AI technologies are widely used in many processes, such as detecting cyber attacks, analyzing network traffic, recognizing malware, detecting phishing attacks, and monitoring anomalies in Information Systems. Therefore, today the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity is of particular importance.

DEPARTMENT OF CYBERSECURITY AND CRYPTOLOGY: 130 STUDENTS-ONE GOAL

One of the results of the AI-Sana program at kaznu is the active participation of students of the Department of cybersecurity and cryptology of the Faculty of Information Technology and artificial intelligence. At both stages of the program, students of the department took an active part in improving their knowledge of artificial intelligence. In particular, at the undergraduate level, 130 students of the Department passed the AI-Sana program. Undergraduates of the department also took part in the program. This is a clear indicator of the students ' interest in modern technologies and their desire for professional development. The AI-Sana program is of particular importance for students studying cybersecurity and cryptology. Because the future cybersecurity specialist needs not only to know the methods of protecting information systems, but also to master the technologies for detecting and preventing threats based on artificial intelligence. Today, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are not areas that develop separately from each other. On the contrary, their interconnection opens the door to the emergence of new scientific research and innovative projects. From this point of view, the active participation of students of the department in the AI-Sana program is an important investment in their future professional activities.

Today, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence are not areas that develop separately from each other. On the contrary, their interconnection opens the door to the emergence of new scientific research and innovative projects. From this point of view, students of the Department  Active participation in the AI-Sana program is a significant investment in their future professional activities.
 

AI-SANA-NOT JUST KNOWLEDGE, BUT A STEP INTO THE FUTURE

The main value of the AI-Sana program lies not only in providing the student with ready – made knowledge, but also in encouraging him to independently explore, apply new technologies and create new products. As a result of the program, the student receives: knowledge → forms practical skills → identifies a specific problem → offers an AI solution → creates a project → steps into a startup. This model is very important for the modern labor market. After all, the specialist of the future should be not just a user of technology, but a specialist who can create new technological solutions. The formation of the AI ecosystem in higher education institutions of Kazakhstan is also the result of this trend. Today, along with the introduction of artificial intelligence in education and science, universities are developing applied projects for specific areas. For example, at the 2026 digital Qazaqstan forum, University AI projects such as KazNU's AI startup Incubator project were presented.

Conclusion

AI – Sana is an important state initiative that strengthens Kazakhstan's readiness for the era of artificial intelligence. Through the program, hundreds of thousands of students have the opportunity to master basic AI knowledge and develop their practical skills at the next stage. And for universities, AI-Sana is becoming an important tool for creating a huge ecosystem that connects new technologies with education, science and entrepreneurship. Al-Farabi Kazakh National University occupies a leading position in this process. The active participation of kaznu in the AI-Sana program determines the potential of the University in the field of digital transformation and artificial intelligence. And the participation of 130 undergraduate and graduate students from the Department of cybersecurity and cryptology of the Faculty of Information Technology and artificial intelligence in the program is one of the real results of this large initiative at the department level. AI-Sana offers students not only new knowledge, but also a new way of thinking, new professional opportunities and a way to turn their idea into a technology project. Today's student is tomorrow's specialist. And in the age of artificial intelligence, it is not enough to master technology to become a competitive specialist. It is important to be able to apply it correctly, to be able to propose a new solution and to be able to turn that solution into the good of society. Therefore, AI – Sana is a program not only for today's student, but also for the technological future of Kazakhstan.

Zhanerke ELDOSOVNA, Deputy head for educational, methodological and educational work of the Department of cybersecurity and cryptology