Students of the Department of the Far East Participated in the International Olympiad in Korean Studies.

ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN, November 10-11, 2026 – The Inaugural General Meeting of the Central Eurasian Association for Korean Studies (CEAKS) and the 8th Korean Studies Week were held at Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages. This large-scale event was organized by the Center for Korean Studies at Kazakh Ablai Khan University, with support from the Korea Foundation (KF) and the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Almaty. A total of 107 delegates from 8 cities and 16 universities attended the event, including the teaching professors and students of the Korean Studies Department of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

The key highlights and events of the program included the Korean Studies Week, which featured the 16th Central Asian Korean Studies Olympiad and the 11th CIS Academic Conference on Korean Studies for undergraduate and graduate students. The inaugural meeting of CEAKS marked the proclamation of the association's vision statement, the election of its president, and the unveiling of the official CI and platform. During the "KF Global e-School Best Practices Presentation" session, Akerke Abagan, Head of the Far East Department at the Faculty of Oriental Studies of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, delivered a presentation. In addition, leading professors from universities in Turkey and Norway gave special lectures. The forum also featured extensive discussions on building a joint network and collaboration strategies for Korean Studies research and education in Central Eurasia. Furthermore, at the international olympiad held at Kazakh Ablai Khan University, 4th-year student Amina Yerlikbay won the 'Best Presentation' nomination. We express our special gratitude to her supervisor, Professor Son Yoo-jeong.

The two-day event concluded with participant presentations, an awards ceremony for the winners, and a closing ceremony.