The Center for Global and Regional Governance (CEGREG) was established in 2024 within the International School of Economics at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Center is dedicated to advancing research in international relations, with a specific focus on global and regional governance. It seeks to integrate the study of international relations with the exploration of governance systems that influence global and regional order, emphasizing perspectives from Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
CEGREG’s mission is twofold: to provide a platform for advancing international relations research and to contribute to global and regional governance debates through regionally grounded analyses. By articulating Central Asian viewpoints, it aims both to address practical governance challenges in the region and to generate generalized and transversal knowledge rooted in Central Asia’s realities and experiences. In doing so, the Center seeks to bridge international academic discourses with those of Central Asia, fostering a more inclusive and nuanced understanding of governance.
The Center serves as a hub for fostering academic collaboration and preparing the next generation of scholars and practitioners. It actively involves Maqsut Narikbayev University students in research projects, offering them hands-on opportunities to engage with pressing global and regional issues. Through this work, CEGREG strives not only to enhance the academic development of its students but also to contribute to positioning Kazakhstan and Central Asia as active voices in international governance discussions.
The Center’s initial research will focus on four interconnected key areas: the dynamics of regionalism in Central Asia, exploring how identity politics and regional integration shape collaboration among nations; the region’s engagement in global governance, examining its role in navigating sanctions, energy transitions, and asserting independent agency in a shifting global order; Central Asia’s involvement in global infrastructure and development initiatives, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the EU’s Global Gateway, with a focus on aligning these efforts with sustainable development goals; and the critical challenges of cybersecurity, digital risks, and the evolving influence of media on politics and governance. These areas reflect the Center’s commitment to addressing both regional and global governance challenges through a multidisciplinary lens.
The Center aspires to establish itself as an internationally recognized research institution and a leading academic engagement platform in the fields of international relations and governance.
Members of the Center
Dr. Ikboljon Qoraboyev is a Professor of International Relations at the International School of Economics at Maqsut Narikbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan, and an Associate Research Fellow at the United Nations University Institute for Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS). With a Ph.D. in Public International Law from the University of Toulouse, France, Dr. Qoraboyev’s expertise spans comparative regionalism, international relations, and public international law, with a particular focus on Eurasia and Central Asia. He held visiting positions at leading academic institutions in the past, including iCourts (Denmark), Pluricourts (Norway), Airlangga University (Indonesia), and UNU-CRIS (Belgium).
Dr. Qoraboyev is the author of over 20 publications in peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes by top publishers such as Cambridge University Press, Edward Elgar, Routledge, and Palgrave Macmillan. His research addresses themes like regionalism in Central Asia, the Belt and Road Initiative, higher education’s impact on development, and transnational judicial dialogue. Notable works include co-editing The Russia–Ukraine War and Its Implications on Central Asia (Lexington Books, 2024) and contributing chapters to volumes such as EU Governance in Central Asia (Routledge, 2025).
Dr. Artur Utebayev is an Assistant Professor and Head of the International Relations Program at the International School of Economics, Maqsut Narikbayev University. He earned his Ph.D. in Political Science and International Relations from Istanbul University, where his doctoral research focused on Kazakhstan-Russian relations following the annexation of Crimea, providing a nuanced understanding of Kazakhstan’s multi-vector foreign policy.
Dr. Utebayev’s teaching portfolio includes courses such as Research Methods in International Relations, Theories of International Relations, and Globalization and International Organizations. His research interests lie at the intersection of qualitative methodologies—including discourse analysis and focus groups—and thematic areas like Eurasian studies, Turkic studies, and political sociology. Dr. Utebayev is a frequent participant in international conferences and workshops and has contributed to scholarly discussions on regional integration and the geopolitical dynamics in Central Asia.
Dr. Assem Kalkamanova is Vice-Dean for Postgraduate Studies, Research & Development at the International School of Economics, Maqsut Narikbayev University. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Szeged University, Hungary, and a Master of Science in Economics from University College London, UK. Dr. Kalkamanova’s research interests include civic activism and contentious politics, particularly in the context of Central Asia’s evolving political landscape.
Dr. Kalkamanova has presented her research at international conferences in Hungary, Portugal, and Kyrgyzstan, contributing to global discussions on political mobilization and civil society dynamics. Her interdisciplinary academic background combines economics and political science, enabling her to address complex governance challenges from multiple perspectives.
Dr. Baurzhan Rakhmetov is an Assistant Professor at the International School of Economics, Maqsut Narikbayev University. He earned his Ph.D. in Politics and International Relations from Cardiff University, UK, where his dissertation focused on the global dynamics of internet censorship, with a special emphasis on the post-Soviet region. Dr. Rakhmetov is also an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), UK.
In addition to his academic role, Dr. Rakhmetov is a contributor to Forbes Kazakhstan and a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Digital Technologies and Law. His expertise in political science and international relations is complemented by practical teaching experience at Cardiff University, where he taught courses in international relations. Dr. Rakhmetov’s research interests include digital governance, media regulation, and the intersection of technology and politics in Central Asia.
Dr. Kamshat Saginbekova is a Teaching Professor at the International School of Economics, Maqsut Narikbayev University. She holds a Ph.D. in Political and Social Sciences from the University of Liege, awarded through a European Union Targeted Initiative. Dr. Saginbekova specializes in strategic trade control, non-proliferation, and sanctions compliance, with extensive experience in both academia and industry.
Her research focuses on the political and economic dimensions of strategic trade, dual-use items, and export control policies in Central Asia. She has delivered presentations at international conferences in Germany, Belgium, the USA, and Slovenia and serves as a short-term expert under the EUP2P Export Control Program on Dual-Use Goods. Dr. Saginbekova’s academic background in economics further enhances her interdisciplinary approach to analyzing trade policies and regional governance.
Dr. Nurzhanat Ametbek is an Assistant Professor at the International School of Economics at Maqsut Narikbayev University. She holds a Ph.D. in International Relations from Ankara University, Turkey, where she specialized in Chinese identity, foreign policy, and the Belt and Road Initiative. Her research explores China’s growing influence in Central Asia, with a particular focus on its relations with Kazakhstan.
Dr. Ametbek has presented her work at numerous international forums, including the Manas Forum 2024 in Istanbul, where she discussed the Belt and Road Initiative’s role in promoting Turkic integration. Her research interests also extend to issues of national identity and decolonization in Central Asia, with her recent presentations addressing Kazakhstan’s interaction with China and Turkey from comparative theoretical perspectives.
Recent publications by members of the Center:
Recent academic conferences and talked delivered by members of the Center:
Visually-impaired version 
