A job fair was held at the university for internship graduates of the Medical Faculty. More than 20 medical institutions from Petropavlovsk and districts of the North Kazakhstan Region were represented. Here, future doctors had the opportunity to meet potential employers and leave their résumés. However, this was not just a meeting, but a platform that opens the door for young specialists to a world of professional opportunities, introduces them to job requirements and working conditions, and provides a chance to build important professional connections. “This year, our faculty has a total of 137 graduates (bachelor’s and internship programs). Last year, there were 195. Of these, 11 entered residency programs in Astana, and 8 were exempt due to pregnancy and childcare leave. Thus, the employment rate reached 100%,” said Assel Keldegulova, Acting Head of the Dual Education and Career Center at Kozybayev University. It is worth noting that our university began training specialists in medical fields in 2018. Today, more than 180 students and interns are studying in the programs “General Medicine” and “Pharmacy.” Classes are taught both by university faculty and practicing physicians. The faculty is equipped with modern equipment and includes educational and research laboratories in anatomy, physiology, histology, 3D medical simulation, and more. In total, medical organizations of the North Kazakhstan Region presented more than 100 vacancies at the event.

The largest technology forum, Digital Qazaqstan 2026, has concluded in Shymkent, becoming a key platform for discussing the future of the IT industry at the regional level. The focus of experts and digital market leaders from the EAEU countries was the concept “Industry 5.0: The Power of Interaction,” centered on integrating advanced technologies into the real sector of the economy. Aigul Nurpeisova, Member of the Management Board for Academic Affairs at Kozybayev University, and Kainizhamal Iklasova, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Digital Technologies, took part in the event, enabling our university to align its educational and research agenda with current industry demands. During the forum’s practical sessions, the innovative platform AlemGPT was presented — a multi-agent system automating public services, demonstrating the direction of AI solutions development for which we prepare our graduates. Of particular interest to the academic community were infrastructure projects such as the “Data Center Valley” by Kazakhtelecom JSC. The creation of powerful data processing centers with capacities of up to 50 MW forms the necessary technical foundation for implementing high-tech projects in machine learning and big data analytics, which are being developed within our university. A key focus of the discussions, involving Vice Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Dinara Shcheglova and leaders of major national companies, was the training of a new generation of specialists capable of implementing artificial intelligence in priority sectors of the economy. For our university, this discussion confirmed the importance of synergy between academia and business: the focus is shifting toward creating educational pathways where students, together with industry partners, develop real technological solutions, contributing to the country’s digital transformation. More than 2,500 students from our university have been enrolled in the second stage of the AI-Sana program. This stage will mark a key transition from basic AI learning to practical application and the development of students’ own projects. Special attention at the forum was given to the advanced experience of the North Kazakhstan Region, which presented the strategic project “Digital Aimaq.” This unique IT ecosystem for rural areas is aimed at eliminating the digital divide between urban and rural communities. It is expected that large-scale digitalization will cover more than 7,800 rural residents, creating new growth points for the economy of the future. As part of the project, 11 IT centers are already successfully operating in the region, including the country’s first district-level creative center “Esil.AI” and the unique digital museum “Ziyatker Myra.” For our university, the implementation of “Digital Aimaq” opens up broad opportunities: from engaging students in developing projects for the agricultural sector to building a talent pool in artificial intelligence and creative industries across the region. The outcomes of the forum in Shymkent confirm that the digital transformation of regions requires strengthening the role of higher education institutions in developing a high-quality talent pool. The experience gained and the analysis of the presented cases will be valuable for updating curricula and improving the university’s scientific and methodological framework in the field of artificial intelligence and digitalization.

Kozybayev University, together with August-Kazakhstan LLP, held two significant events at once - an agricultural olympiad and the opening of a branded classroom. The company’s delegation was led by O.D. Kusainov, General Director of August-Kazakhstan LLP, which highlighted the strategic level and practical importance of this cooperation. Both events are the result of a systematic partnership built over more than 10 years. The cooperation is highly practice-oriented: the educational process is aligned with the needs of the agricultural sector, and students are immersed in the professional environment already during their studies. The agricultural olympiad became a platform for assessing students’ professional competencies. Based on its results, the strongest participants were identified: Renat Balkashev, Oleg Tarasenko, Dauren Manaydar, and Damir Nurikenov (educational programs “Agronomy” and “Plant Science and Technology”). The winners will represent the faculty in the second international round at the Research Center in Chernogolovka, Russia. The opening of the branded classroom strengthens the educational infrastructure of the Faculty of Agrotechnology and creates a modern environment for practice-oriented learning. The effectiveness of cooperation with August-Kazakhstan LLP is reflected in concrete outcomes: — employment of graduates in the профильной industry; — training seminars; — development of competitive specialists. We express our gratitude to August-Kazakhstan LLP for many years of effective cooperation and for its contribution to training highly qualified specialists!

The Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerbol Myrzabossynov, awarded the title “Honored Master of Sports of Kazakhstan” to Paralympic champion and our student, Erbol Khamitov. Erbol demonstrated incredible strength of spirit, perseverance, and athletic talent at the 2026 Winter Paralympic Games, bringing home gold and bronze medals for the country. He also became the first Kazakhstani athlete to win the overall Para Biathlon World Cup standings and claim the Crystal Globe. For their contribution to the athlete’s high achievements, his coaches were also awarded Certificates of Honor from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It is worth noting that two of his coaches, Aslan Tokbayev and Anton Zhdanovich, are graduates of our university. The university community congratulates Erbol Khamitov and his coaching staff on this high honor and wishes them new victories in upcoming competitions!

The Head of State described the performance of Kozybayev University student Erbol Khamitov at the 2026 Paralympic Games as a historic achievement for Kazakhstan’s para sports. The outstanding Kazakhstani athlete brought the national team its first gold medal of the Games by winning the 4.5-kilometer pursuit race in para biathlon. He also became a bronze medalist in the cross-country sprint, opening Kazakhstan’s medal tally. All of this helped the national team secure 18th place in the overall standings. At the ceremonial award presentation in Akorda, for his high sporting achievements at the XIV Winter Paralympic Games in Italy, the President presented Erbol Khamitov with the Order of Barys, III Class. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev noted that the athlete’s success became a significant achievement for the entire country. “Erbol demonstrated to the whole world the resilience, courage, and valor of the Kazakh people. Therefore, first of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you and your coaches. Before your departure to the Paralympic Games, I presented you with our country’s turquoise flag. You fully justified the high trust placed in you and returned to Kazakhstan with victory. An outstanding result was achieved, which brought our country to 18th place in the overall team standings. It is never easy to become the best among the best and win the champion’s title. Undoubtedly, this success is the result of many years of persistent preparation and tireless, dedicated work,” the President emphasized. Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also highlighted the contribution of the coaches and expressed gratitude to all specialists working with para athletes, including doctors and sponsors. It is especially gratifying that two of Erbol’s coaches, Anton Zhdanovich and Aslan Tokbayev, are graduates of M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University. The award ceremony in Akorda became a testament to the recognition of Erbol Khamitov and his team’s contribution to the development of sports in Kazakhstan and to strengthening the country’s international image. Earlier, in recognition of his achievements, Erbol Khamitov received a three-room apartment in Petropavlovsk from the Akimat of North Kazakhstan Region, as well as a grant to study in the master’s program at Kozybayev University.

Kazatomprom is Kazakhstan’s national atomic company and the world leader in natural uranium production. Cooperation with such a global enterprise opens broad prospects for Kozybayev University. Earlier, the university leadership and representatives of our strategic partner, the University of Arizona, visited JSC Kazatomprom and discussed the development of cooperation in science, technology, and personnel training. This visit to Kozybayev University was a return visit. The guests toured the Kozybayev Labs research laboratories: “Agrochemical Analytics,” “Water Quality Assessment,” “Microbiology,” and “Environmental Toxicology and Biodiversity.” Equipment worth 938 million tenge for these laboratories was purchased under a successfully funded targeted program project. It has no equivalent in the region. The delegation also visited the laboratories of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technologies, as well as the production complex of the LLP “Scientific and Technological Water Center” based at our university. During the meeting with the leadership and scientists of Kozybayev University, plans for scientific cooperation were discussed. University of Arizona researcher Shamil Sayev presented joint developments in the use of sulfur polymer adsorbents for the selective extraction of uranium, as well as associated rare and rare-earth metals. These topics may become an important point of scientific collaboration with Kazatomprom. Scientists from Kozybayev University also presented their research areas in water resources, plastics production, and chemical ecology. “We are open to cooperation and propose working in a consortium. At the same time, we are a business, a production company that does not engage in ‘science for the sake of science.’ For us, research is important when it can be implemented and produce both qualitative and economic outcomes. As a national company, our task is to contribute to the national fund, and we pursue science with this goal as well,” said Armanbek Omirgali, Head of the Department of Science and Rare Earth Materials at JSC Kazatomprom. Overall, from 2021 to 2025, the volume of R&D funding at the university increased more than tenfold, while the share of science in gross income rose from 2.8% to 14.5%. In 2025, 12 research projects were implemented with a total budget of 1,310.424 million tenge, and applications were submitted for another 19 projects worth more than 2 billion tenge. In the field of commercialization, together with regional enterprises, applications totaling 1.7 billion tenge were submitted, of which 412 million tenge came from private investment. The main objective is the development of regional clusters in the agro-industrial sector, food security, and water supply. Ahead of us lie joint research projects with JSC Kazatomprom as well. Interaction between universities and industrial partners is shaping a new model of cooperation that unites science, education, and high-tech industry. Such a partnership creates additional opportunities for the development of advanced research, the training of world-class specialists, and the integration of Kazakhstan’s science into the global scientific and technological space.

The university’s psychological service organized a practice-oriented event aimed at preventing and addressing self-destructive behavior among students in the context of new challenges. Specialists from the North Kazakhstan Regional Mental Health Center met with participants and introduced students to new forms and methods of work in the face of emerging threats and modern challenges. On a regular basis, faculty members, staff, and psychologists of the university conduct a wide range of research, educational, and preventive activities aimed at fostering a positive attitude toward life and creating conditions to prevent students’ crisis states. A unified action algorithm has been developed and approved for identifying and responding to the risk of suicidal behavior among students.