The IV ICESCO International CanSat Satellite Modeling Seminar Held at KazNU

From September 6 to 11, 2025, the IV International Training Seminar and Aerospace Symposium on Satellite Modeling was launched at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The event was organized in collaboration with the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO).

The seminar was supported by the Department of Mechanics and Mathematical & Computer Modeling of the Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics at KazNU. It brought together international experts, young scientists and professionals from ICESCO member states, as well as KazNU professors and students.

At the opening ceremony, Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Advisor on Science and Technology at ICESCO, delivered a welcoming speech in which he highlighted the importance of the event and wished the participants success in their work.

As part of the program, participants assembled and tested miniature CanSat-format satellites. These hands-on exercises not only helped students enhance their scientific and technical skills but also fostered their innovative thinking and opened up opportunities for international experience exchange.

The international seminar was held with the participation of ICESCO Director-General Dr. Salim M. AlMalik, Scientific Advisor Dr. Wissam Chehade, and Program Coordinator Asmaa Alami. The seminar brought together prominent scientists and experts from various countries. Among the participants were Professor Dr. Alim Rustem Aslan, Professor Dr. Shinichi Nakasuka (University of Tokyo), Professor Barnabas Nawangwe (Makerere University, Uganda), as well as Professor Dr. Ameenah Gurib, who served as the President of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018.

In addition to ICESCO representatives, the organizing committee also included scientists and engineers from Kazakhstan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, and other countries.

Active participation was taken by Yesbol Toktarbayevich Omirzhanov, Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Internationalization at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, and Amanat Umbetbayev, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of JSC 'Kazakhstan Gharysh Sapary'.

ICESCO is a specialized organization focused on the development of education, science, culture, and communication in Muslim countries. Its primary mission is to strengthen cooperation among member states and promote the humanitarian values of Islam.

This project aligns with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4 – Quality Education: increasing youth interest in science and teaching modern skills. SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: contributing to the development of space technologies. SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: strengthening cooperation between international organizations and educational institutions.

According to the organizers, such seminars play a vital role in training the next generation of specialists, enhancing Kazakhstan’s potential in the field of space technologies, and providing fresh momentum for the country’s innovation-driven development and international scientific collaboration.

Dulatova Nurilya Zhunisbekkyzy

Dean’s Office Specialist