At the initiative of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev: the “Kazakhstan – Academic Education Area” Forum and the modernization of higher education

The “Kazakhstan – Academic Education Area” Forum has become a key turning point toward renewing higher education and expanding academic freedom. At the event, the Head of State outlined the place of Kazakhstan’s science and universities in the global education space and set out the core conditions for competitiveness: systematic quality enhancement, stronger university autonomy, and aligning research outputs with the needs of the real economy. In recent years, the integration of domestic universities into regional and global research networks, along with broader partnerships and academic mobility, has turned the “Academic Education Area” concept into a strategic foundation. Participation by leaders of top universities and representatives of international ranking and accreditation agencies strengthened an open platform for knowledge exchange; since 2019, funding has tripled, while autonomy and research portfolios have expanded — clear evidence of systemic change.

In addition, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming central to education: the AI Sana platform has trained hundreds of thousands of students, and AI has been introduced as a mandatory course in schools and universities. The country is preparing to open a University of Artificial Intelligence, while international cooperation is expanding to deploy OpenAI-based learning tools. These steps reinforce data-driven governance, enable personalized learning, systematize academic integrity and assessment, and reduce administrative workload for faculty. In research, big-data analytics and rapid prototyping boost efficiency, while broader digital access narrows regional gaps and supports lifelong learning. The active engagement of experts, the academic community, faculty, and youth organizations is accelerating the sector’s renewal.

Department of Botany and Agroecology