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On October 30-31, 2025, a meeting of the Scientific Council at the Institute of Botany of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the right to award academic degrees was held in Tashkent. Anar Bazarovna Myrzagalieva, doctor of biological sciences, professor, first vice-president of the International University of Astana, took part in the session of the Academic Council.

During the session, the doctoral dissertation of Abdurayimov Ozodbek Sultankulovich entitled “Wild Relatives of Cultivated Plants in the Flora of Uzbekistan: Distribution, Population Status, and Natural Resources” was considered for the degree of Doctor of Biological Sciences in the specialty 03.00.05 – Botany.

Anar Bazarovna Myrzagaliyeva was approved as an official opponent for this dissertation and presented a comprehensive official review, providing a thorough assessment of the relevance of the topic, the degree of scientific novelty, and the theoretical and practical significance of the obtained results.

The participation of A.B. Myrzagaliyeva in the meeting of the Scientific Council contributed to further strengthening of scientific ties and development of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, as well as to the exchange of experience in the study and conservation of plant diversity in Central Asia.

On October 30, 2025, in accordance with the development plan of the educational program “Biology” of the Pedagogical Institute of Astana International University, a master class titled “Assessment of Learning. Assessment for Learning” was held. The event aimed to develop the professional competencies of senior students preparing for their teaching practice.

          The master teacher of School-Gymnasium No. 70 in Astana, Serikkaysha Kabylgazynovna Sagatbekova, shared her knowledge and practical experience in designing short-term lesson plans using tools of formative and summative assessment. She is the recipient of the “Best Teacher – 2016” title and the Y. Altynsarin Medal.

          Future teachers learned about the specifics of the 10-point formative assessment scale, completed various tasks, and, through tools of self- and peer-assessment based on criteria and descriptors, provided feedback to each other—sharpening their skills in assessing students’ achievements and developing short-term lesson plans. Participants also demonstrated strong reflective analysis of their own assessment practices.

          The event contributed to enhancing the pedagogical mastery of our students, as evidenced by the collaborative environment skillfully created by the master teacher and the excellent feedback from all participants.

          We express our sincere gratitude to Serikkaysha Kabylgazynovna and look forward to further fruitful cooperation!

On November 1, 2025, Duan Peng, President of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU), visited the university branch opened at Astana International University (AIU).

The event was attended by AIU leadership, BLCU representatives in Kazakhstan, faculty, and students.

Astana International University President Serik Irsaliev introduced the guest to the classrooms, discussed the university's activities, and outlined plans for further infrastructure development and comfortable conditions for students.

During the visit, President Duan Peng met with the faculty and students of the BLCU branch. The parties discussed prospects for strengthening cooperation between the universities in education and training Chinese language specialists. The partnership between AIU and BLCU opens new opportunities for students to receive a high-quality education and improve their language skills. The successful implementation of joint educational programs is expected to be an important step in strengthening cultural and educational ties, and will also contribute to the expansion of cooperation between Kazakhstan and China in the academic, political, and economic spheres.

The forum brought together heads of leading international universities and representatives of international ranking and accreditation agencies. Among them were Beijing Language and Culture University, Cardiff University, Woosong University, MEPhI, Minerva University, and other leading universities.

Astana International University actively participated in the forum, and Margarita Baklaga, a third-year student in the International Business dual degree program with UIBE, was also active.

During the forum, the President freely interacted with students from foreign countries studying in Kazakhstan, listened to their experiences, and wished them success in their chosen path.

Currently, more than 31,000 international students are studying in Kazakhstan. The head of state set the goal of increasing this figure to 100,000 by 2029. This initiative will provide new impetus for transforming our country into an international educational hub.

On October 30, 2025, a meeting was held between Astana International University (AIU) and Inspur Group, an international technology company and a leader in cloud computing and big data.

For reference: Inspur Group comprises three publicly traded companies and implements cutting-edge projects in cloud technologies, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. The company has successfully implemented large-scale digital initiatives in China, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Brazil, and Europe, serving over 350 million users.

During the meeting, the Chinese company presented an initiative to expand cooperation with universities in Central Asia. The parties discussed the prospects for developing a comprehensive artificial intelligence ecosystem in Kazakhstan, focused on training highly qualified specialists, advancing scientific research, and implementing innovative technological solutions.

The following key areas of cooperation were identified:

• launching joint educational programs in artificial intelligence;

• establishing laboratories and research centers at AIU;

• implementation of research projects in the fields of NLP, computer vision, large-scale models, etc.;

• noted the need to integrate AI solutions into the AIU campus infrastructure to create a technology demonstration platform.

 

The herbarium of the NatureLaB research laboratory at Astana International University (AIU) has been officially included in the international Index Herbariorum registry and registered under the unique acronym AIU. The corresponding information is published in the global database of botanical collections maintained by the New York Botanical Garden.

The assignment of the acronym demonstrates the recognition of the AIU herbarium as an independent scientific repository of plant specimens that meets international standards for the classification, collection, and cataloging of flora.

The NatureLaB AIU laboratory focuses on the study of Kazakhstan's flora, biodiversity conservation, and the development of fundamental and applied research in plant biology.

The laboratory's key areas of work include:

• conducting fundamental and applied research in plant biology with the participation of domestic and international scientists;

• participating in the training of highly qualified specialists at the undergraduate, graduate, and PhD levels, and developing the research skills of students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty;

• expanding scientific ties with relevant organizations and research centers;

• organizing international conferences, forums, and roundtables to discuss and validate scientific results;

• conducting scientific research and collecting plant materials commissioned by external organizations.

The registration of the AIU herbarium in Index Herbariorum strengthens the university's position in the international scientific community and promotes collaboration in botany, ecology, and natural heritage conservation. By being included in the global catalog, the collection will be accessible to researchers worldwide, strengthening academic exchange and supporting global initiatives in the study of flora.

Astana International University will continue to expand its herbarium collection, implement innovative research methods, and popularize knowledge about Kazakhstan's plant biodiversity.

From October 22 to 25, the Republican Symposium “ÖzJerim: Urban Nomads” was held at the ÓzgeEpic Creative Hub, organized by the Akimat of Astana and the Union of Artists. The event was attended by 2nd-year students of Graphic Design, WEB Design, Translation Studies, and 1st-year master’s students of Design at Astana International University.

The symposium featured creative sessions, lectures, and workshops by twenty artists from eight regions of Kazakhstan, exploring the themes of urbanism, identity, and environmental transformation.

Students and postgraduates also visited the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where they attended a guided tour of the exhibition by Yerbolat Tolepbay, Honored Artist of Kazakhstan and State Prize Laureate. The tour was led by renowned art historian Kamilla Vitalievna Li, Honored Worker of Kazakhstan.

The symposium concluded with a final exhibition featuring 40 artworks and a large collaborative experimental canvas created by participants.
Additionally, students of WEB Design and Architectural Design independently visited ÓzgeEpic Creative Hub to explore new trends in contemporary Kazakhstani art. Assoc. Prof. T.A. Kiseleva, Docent G.N. Povalyashko

As part of the research project IRN AR19678852 “Formation of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Competencies among Students and Graduates of the ‘Pedagogical Sciences’ Program in the Context of University Academic Independence,” funded by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2023–2025, a Workshop Forum was held at North Kazakhstan University named after M. Kozybayev.

Faculty members of Astana International University - Professor G.D. Baubekova and N.V. Vlasova - took an active part in the event.

The forum focused on key areas of developing competencies for future teachers, mechanisms for continuous professional growth, self-development, and academic independence in modern educational environments.

The participation of AIU representatives contributed to shaping scientific and practical approaches to enhancing pedagogical potential, sharing experiences, and strengthening inter-university cooperation within the framework of the project.

From October 20 to November 22, 2025, doctoral students of the Higher School of Economics, Maria Bataі (Educational Program 8D04104 “Management”) and Ardak Mukanova (Educational Program 8D04101 “Industrial Economics”), are undertaking a research internship at Tomsk State University (Tomsk, Russia).

The purpose of the internship is to deepen scientific competencies, broaden academic horizons, and enhance research skills. During the internship, the doctoral students are working on their dissertation research, exchanging experience with scholars, and mastering modern methods of scientific analysis and data processing. Another important goal is to strengthen academic collaboration between universities and improve the quality of doctoral training.

            Throughout the internship, the doctoral students participate in scientific seminars and consultations with leading professors of the partner university. The knowledge and results gained during the research internship will be applied to improve their dissertation research

Today, Astana International University hosted an awards ceremony, chaired by University President Serik Aztayevich Irsaliev, timed to coincide with Republic Day, October 25.

In accordance with the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, presented departmental awards—the "Best Cultural Worker" badge—to Ella Daumenova, Deputy Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Humanities, and Tatyana Kiseleva, PhD in Architecture and Associate Professor.

Astana International University sincerely congratulates the laureates! Your professionalism and hard work make a significant contribution to the development of culture and education in the country. We wish you continued creative success, academic achievements, new heights, and victories!

On October 21–22, 2025, the practical conference “From Sample to Sequence: Discover the Power of Oxford Nanopore Technologies” was held at the Kazakh Research Institute of Animal Husbandry and Feed Production in Almaty. The event was organized by TechPrime in collaboration with Oxford Nanopore Technologies.

Dr. Aydyn Orazov Yergaliuly, PhD, Associate Professor at the Astana International University, took part in the conference.

Participants became acquainted with the latest nanopore sequencing technologies, the adaptive sampling method, and approaches to studying the genomes of plants, animals, and microbial communities. Particular attention was given to practical workshops on working with PromethION series devices and data analysis in EPI2ME (Bioinformatics).

In addition, representatives from GenDx, Omixon, and Asuragen presented their solutions for HLA typing and genetic testing of hereditary diseases.

The event served as an excellent platform for exchanging experiences and discussing the prospects of applying nanopore technologies in biological and agricultural research.

Dr. Aydyn Orazov Yergaliuly expressed his gratitude to TechPrime for the invitation and the high level of organization of the event.