ARCHAEOLOGISTS FROM THE FACULTY OF HISTORY AT AN INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE IN CAMBRIDGE

From September 30 to October 2, 2026, the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge (UK) is hosting an international scientific conference titled "New Directions in Understanding Ancient Interactions across Eurasia: Nomadic and Sedentary Worlds." The official program encompasses four main scientific sessions dedicated to the Bronze Age, the Early Iron Age, the Middle Ages, and the nomadic world.

The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests who delivered welcoming addresses: Alibek Bakayev, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; Maria Cleminson, Mayor of Cambridge; and Professor Cyprian Broodbank, Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge.

A scientific delegation of scholars and early-career researchers led by Dosbol Baigunakov, Dean of the Faculty of History at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU), is taking part in the conference. The university's researchers are presenting their latest findings on the history and archaeology of Kazakhstan and Eurasia—spanning from the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age to the Middle Ages—to the international academic community.

A key highlight of the conference is the direct involvement of Al-Farabi KazNU in its organization. One of the co-organizers of this international scientific gathering is Rinat Zhumatayev, Head of the Department of Archaeology, Ethnology, and Museology at Al-Farabi KazNU. This initiative represents a tangible outcome of the established academic ties with colleagues at the University of Cambridge and the broader institutional cooperation between the two universities.

The conference serves as a vital academic platform aimed at presenting the latest achievements in Kazakh archaeology to the global scientific community, broadening international scientific networks, and elevating the partnership between Al-Farabi KazNU and the University of Cambridge to a new level.

The prominent representation of Kazakhstani archaeology at Cambridge marks a significant step toward the systematic integration of domestic science into the international research sphere.

Another milestone worth noting is that, for the first time, academic presentations at the conference are being delivered in the Kazakh language and translated into English for the international audience. This is a crucial step toward expanding the reach and presence of the Kazakh language within the global academic domain.

At present, foreign academic advisors from the University of Cambridge are already mentoring six PhD candidates in archaeology at Al-Farabi KazNU.