Congratulations on the inclusion of the peer-reviewed scientific journal “Bulletin of Manash Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University” in the List of Scientific Publications recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This has become a significant scientific achievement for the university. Our journal has been included in the List of scientific publications of the third level (List 3) recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education for publishing the main results of scientific research in the field of Information and Communication Technologies. This recognition confirms the high scientific level of the journal’s publications and highlights the contribution of authors, reviewers, and members of the editorial board to the development of the Bulletin of M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University. Inclusion in the List opens additional opportunities for scientists and researchers to present and disseminate the results of their studies in the field of information and communication technologies within the scientific community of Kazakhstan and abroad. Systematic work will continue in all areas of the journal to further improve the quality of scientific publications and expand international academic communication with the involvement of researchers from Turkey, Russia, Malaysia, Canada, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, and the United States. We express our gratitude to the university leadership, the staff of the Department of Information and Communication Technologies, the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Alexander Valentinovich Demyanenko, the Executive Secretary for the field Valentina Petrovna Kulikova, the journal’s editorial team, the publishing and printing department, as well as all authors, reviewers, and partners for their trust and fruitful cooperation.

The 35th Ambassadors’ Ball was held in Phoenix (USA), where Kazakhstan was represented as the guest of honor. The annual diplomatic charity ball brings together representatives of the diplomatic corps, business community, academia, and public organizations. The event is aimed at strengthening international ties as well as supporting educational and cultural initiatives. This year, the platform gained special significance in the context of the development of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and the University of Arizona. Participation in the event confirmed the high level and steady progress of bilateral cooperation in higher education and science. The event was attended by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the United States, Magzhan Ilyassov. In his speech, he emphasized the special role of cultural diplomacy in strengthening interstate relations, noting that humanitarian and educational cooperation forms a solid foundation for long-term and mutually beneficial partnership. President of the University of Arizona Suresh Garimella publicly confirmed the high status of the joint project being implemented in Kazakhstan. According to him, the university’s micro-campus in Petropavlovsk has become not only a successful educational initiative but also an example of deep international integration. He noted that the university is proud to be the first foreign institution with which Kazakhstan has built a strategic partnership of this scale, and that today this cooperation has reached the level of mature, multidisciplinary collaboration. Behind these achievements stands systematic work aimed at establishing a modern academic and research center in the northern region of Kazakhstan. Currently, 360 students are studying under dual-degree programs. The campus attracts not only Kazakhstani youth but also students from the United States, China, Mongolia, and Russia. In the near future, the launch of a new educational program in Business Administration is planned, as well as the graduation of the first cohort of students, which will mark an important milestone in the development of the project. The partnership has gone beyond academic exchange and has become a platform for large-scale scientific research. Joint projects cover strategically important areas such as agriculture and water resource management, genomics and breeding, and deep processing of raw materials with the creation of high value-added products. One notable example is the joint project on sulfur polymerization. In addition, the cooperation includes research in the fields of inclusive education, sustainable tourism, and ecology. An important milestone was the training of the first 29 Kazakhstani students at the university’s main campus in Tucson (USA) within the framework of dual-degree programs. Faculty members also undergo professional development in the United States through international programs such as the Bolashak scholarship and the Fulbright Program, which contributes to strengthening academic ties and the transfer of advanced educational practices. The micro-campus project in Petropavlovsk is a clear example of the consistent implementation of the instructions of the Head of State on the internationalization of higher education. It demonstrates how the strategic course toward international integration is being transformed into practical results—from training a new generation of specialists to launching joint scientific developments capable of significantly influencing the country’s economic and technological development.

A delegation from the University of Arizona - the strategic partner of Kozybayev University - has arrived at the university for a working visit. The delegation includes Ricky Salazar, Senior Director of Educational Partnerships; Minh Zhou, Assistant Director of Educational Partnerships; and Sarah Young, Lecturer at the College of Information Science. The cooperation between the two universities has been ongoing for three years and has reached a qualitatively new level. As part of the implementation of the Head of State’s поручение (instruction), the first dual-degree programs in the country were launched. The project is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan and local executive authorities. Currently, five dual-degree and eleven joint educational programs are operating between the universities. More than 1,200 students from various regions of Kazakhstan and abroad are enrolled in these programs. During the current visit, the parties are discussing further expansion of academic cooperation, the launch of new research initiatives, the development of faculty mobility, and new opportunities for students. Over two weeks of work in Petropavlovsk, representatives of the University of Arizona will: review the university’s laboratory facilities and research potential to identify promising areas for joint research; refine the mechanisms for implementing the dual-degree program in Business and Management; conduct classes for students on cultural studies, ethics in the digital society, Data Science technologies, communication, discourse, and new media; deliver a lecture for faculty members on cybersecurity issues in higher education; discuss the development of research internships, including under the Bolashak program; participate in an open meeting at the SKO Hub focused on digital responsibility, cybersecurity, and ethics in educational technologies; visit districts of the North Kazakhstan Region together with the university’s career guidance specialists and meet with school students as part of Open Days; give interviews to regional media outlets about the prospects for further development of the partnership. The development of cooperation with the University of Arizona contributes to improving the quality of specialist training, strengthening research capacity, and fostering a modern, internationally oriented educational environment in the North Kazakhstan Region.

Kozybayev University and Soilephone have signed a cooperation agreement. As part of this partnership, the university will develop an AI-based legal consultant for convicted individuals. The goal of the project is to ensure equal, secure, and controlled access to up-to-date legal information for inmates in correctional institutions. Previously, Soilephone specialists designed and implemented a secure communication platform - video payphones. The ban on mobile devices in the penitentiary system increases social isolation. Video payphones are intended to address this issue by reducing tension and safeguarding inmates’ rights. Thanks to the joint development with Kozybayev University, convicted individuals will also gain additional access - via video payphones - to legal information and explanations of legislative norms in an adapted and accessible format. This initiative is expected to reduce legal illiteracy and minimize conflict situations related to misunderstanding of rights and responsibilities. The AI Consultant will: 1. Provide reference information on: criminal law; penal enforcement law; civil law; administrative law. It will also offer application templates (without providing legal representation). 2. Explain procedures related to: filing complaints and petitions; parole; transfer to different detention conditions; obtaining visits and receiving parcels. “This is a socially significant project, which is why it attracted our interest. I hope it will help people. This year, we have submitted around seven projects for commercialization, including joint initiatives with regional enterprises. They have realized that with our support, they can enhance their production capacity and implement scientific ideas,” said Chairman of the Executive Board – Rector Yerbol Issakayev. During the project implementation, a regulatory framework analysis will be conducted, the system architecture will be designed, an MVP will be developed, and a pilot project will be launched in one of the correctional institutions.

A dialogue platform was organized at our university with the participation of representatives of the North Kazakhstan branch of the Nationwide Coalition “For the People’s Constitution of a Just and Progressive Kazakhstan,” student youth, and university activists. The meeting was dedicated to discussing the upcoming constitutional reforms. The adoption of the updated Constitution is not merely a legal act, but a strategic step that determines the country’s development trajectory for decades to come. The significance of these changes is especially great for young people. It is the younger generation that will become the main bearer of new values - responsibility, initiative, respect for the law, and readiness to contribute to the development of the state. “We are living in a period of significant transformations in the country - a large-scale constitutional reform is underway. First and foremost, it is aimed at building a Just Kazakhstan. The preamble of the new Constitution states that science, education, and innovation are regarded by the state as strategic priorities. The key message is that human resources and human capital are recognized as the fundamental resource for the country’s development,” noted Chairman of the Executive Board – Rector Yerbol Issakayev. Thanks to the new Constitution, young people gain not only more rights but also more opportunities for self-realization. The new model of the state is oriented toward an active citizen - one who does not remain an observer, but participates in public life, decision-making, and the development of the country. Zhadira Zholkenova, a representative of the North Kazakhstan branch of the Nationwide Coalition, emphasized that sustainable development of society requires careful attention to the opinions and initiatives of students. “Today we place great hopes on the younger generation. First and foremost, it is important that students clearly know and understand their rights. The updated Constitution is aimed at shaping active, responsible, and conscious citizens. That is why the younger generation must respect the law and be ready to contribute to the development of the state,” she stressed.

The internationalization of higher education and the attraction of foreign professors are currently strategic priorities in the development of the university. In the context of globalization, the digital economy, and international competition for knowledge, openness to the world has become a key factor in academic success. Kozybayev University regularly engages international specialists for teaching and academic collaboration. This time, the university hosted a meeting with a lecturer from Turkey, Göktürk Cebecioğlu. He teaches Turkish at the Department of Germanic and Romance Philology of the Institute of Language and Literature. Göktürk Cebecioğlu arrived under the intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in education between the Governments of Kazakhstan and Turkey. The foreign specialist has extensive teaching experience of over 20 years. He holds a Master’s degree and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Philology. At Kozybayev University, Göktürk Cebecioğlu will teach for two years. The possibility of organizing language courses not only for students but also for the university’s academic staff is currently under consideration.

A film lecture dedicated to the Day of Gratitude was held at Kozybayev University, featuring the historical feature films Zheruyik, Angels in Tyubeteikas, and Ordered to Forget. The event was organized by the Department of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Secondary School No. 17 of Petropavl, and the Methodological Center of the Education Department of the North Kazakhstan Region. More than 350 students from all faculties of the university took part in the event. The audience was presented with a video address - a fragment from the podcast Club of Interesting People - посвящённый deportation of Koreans to Kazakhstan. During the program, the moderator of the event, Head of the Department of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Lyudmila Grivennaya, introduced the historical drama Zheruyik. Special attention from the audience was drawn to the heartfelt speech by student Viktoriya Kim, a descendant of a deported Korean family, who spoke about the importance of preserving the memory of deportations for younger generations. The topic of the deportation of Germans to Kazakhstan was presented by N.P. Kavun, Head of National Departments at Secondary School No. 17. The discussion was accompanied by excerpts from Angels in Tyubeteikas. Student Daniel Brukh also delivered a speech, sharing his family’s deportation story. A significant part of the program focused on the deportation of Chechens and Ingush. A video from the Khalyqtanu Lecture Series by Professor Zh.A. Yermekbayev was shown. The segment concluded with an excerpt from Ordered to Forget and a speech by student Deniel Edilov, who shared the history of his family. Following the main program, participants and speakers engaged in an open discussion, giving students the opportunity to ask questions and reflect on historical events in a live dialogue format. The event concluded with an award ceremony for school students - winners of the essay contest “Caravan of Kindness and Mercy.” The event became an important contribution to preserving historical memory and strengthening interethnic harmony.

A knight’s move toward new knowledge. In cooperation with the Kazakhstan Chess Federation, Kozybayev University has opened a specialized classroom titled “Chess in Primary Education.” The classroom is equipped with all the necessary materials and equipment to conduct both theoretical and practical lessons. Future primary school teachers now have the opportunity to enroll in the educational minor “Chess Teacher.” This is a specialized additional professional training program offered at universities, enabling students to obtain the qualification required to teach chess in schools. The program combines chess theory with pedagogy, psychology, and teaching methodologies for children. Upon graduation, students will receive diplomas with a corresponding note in the transcript, as well as a coaching certificate. “Today we are opening not just a classroom, but a new direction in teacher training. We thank the Kazakhstan Chess Federation for such a meaningful gift to our students. Chess is not just a game - it develops logical and strategic thinking, memory, and concentration. We also express our gratitude to our partners at Freedom Bank, who provided 12 chess sets. They will be placed in academic buildings and dormitories to ensure access for everyone interested in this intellectual game. The opening of such locations aimed at developing our children and our future resonates strongly with the positive changes our country is approaching. The adoption of the new Constitution will strengthen the priority of education, science, and innovation in national development,” noted Chairman of the Executive Board - Rector Yerbol Issakayev. In addition, the Kazakhstan Chess Federation provided specialized training free of charge for two faculty members. They studied modern chess teaching technologies, methods for developing logical thinking in primary school students, and international practices of integrating chess into the educational process. Upon completion, they received the appropriate certificates and will now teach students in the new classroom at Kozybayev University. “We approached many universities with this initiative. However, your university responded immediately and allowed us to integrate our program into the academic process. Our goal is to form an intellectual nation by integrating chess into the lives of schoolchildren not only in cities but also in remote villages. That is why we introduced chess into the school curriculum. Now it is important to train specialists within universities,” said Akzhunis Artykbay, University Relations Coordinator at the Kazakhstan Chess Federation. This year, 55 students will begin training in the “Chess Teacher” educational minor. The program will last for two semesters. In the future, all students in педагогical programs will be offered a micro-qualification aimed at preparing chess teachers.  

Today, the university welcomed senior students from schools in Petropavl. About 170 students visited the new academic and laboratory building, explored modern laboratories, sat at desks in lecture rooms, spoke with current students, and learned firsthand about vibrant student life. Prospective applicants were informed about the opportunities available at our university: educational programs, academic mobility, studying under leading professors from Kazakhstan and abroad, participation in creative projects, and the opportunity to earn a dual degree from Kozybayev University and the University of Arizona. Faculties and departments, student organizations, and creative associations of the university delivered their presentations. However, Open House Days are not only about providing information. The interactive part, which is especially popular among school students, gave participants the chance to compete in a dance battle and music contests. Winners and prize holders received gifts from the event sponsors. “Graduating school students are now facing an important choice - selecting a university, a major, and therefore their professional future. Our task is to guide them and demonstrate the opportunities available to our future students: in-demand educational programs, including dual-degree programs with the University of Arizona, academic mobility, extracurricular creative and sports activities, and practice-oriented learning. Today, students from six schools in Petropavl visited us. They were able to feel like university students and see the university from the inside,” said Gulmira Ospanova, Head of the Admissions and Recruitment Office. School students also received detailed консультации on admission requirements, dormitory accommodation, benefits, scholarships, and grants. The Open House Days will continue next week.