Visually-Impaired Version 
Maqsut Narikbayev University held a ceremonial gathering dedicated to Republic Day. The university’s faculty and staff discussed the significance of the national holiday and highlighted the country’s development achievements.
The event provided a platform for a comprehensive discussion of Kazakhstan’s development over the past seven years. Key topics included higher education and science, macroeconomics, industry and employment, tourism and social investment, as well as digital transformation and artificial intelligence. Talgat Narikbayev, Chairman of the MNU Management Board, congratulated the university community on Republic Day and noted that the holiday reminds everyone of the value of the right to determine their country’s destiny independently and the responsibility for its future.
“Over the past seven years, Kazakhstan’s GDP per capita has increased by 52.9%, reaching USD 15,000. The country has attracted USD 155 billion in foreign investment, opened 625 new industrial enterprises and created 3.6 million jobs. Behind these figures lie people’s hard work and new opportunities for the country. As a university, our task is to train specialists who can develop new industries, establish businesses and strengthen Kazakhstan’s economy,” Talgat Narikbayev emphasised.
The event also featured presentations by PhD holders and university professors Saule Kemelbayeva and Marat Akhmadi, as well as tourism and marketing lecturer Leila Shora. The speakers presented reports on key indicators of the country’s development. Professor Marat Akhmadi highlighted the significant attention the state pays to investment in higher education and science.
“The state is the main investor. Over the past year alone, funding for higher education institutions increased by 18%. From 2019 to 2026, science funding also grew 3.6-fold, while KZT 1.5 trillion was allocated for educational grants. This represents substantial support for students. Seven years ago, 82,000 students lacked places in dormitories; today, the shortage has decreased 16-fold. A total of 267 student dormitories have been built across the country, and scholarships have increased 2.5-fold,” Marat Akhmadi said.
The speakers also highlighted the special role of President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in driving reforms aimed at the country’s development. Lecturer Leila Shora spoke about record growth in domestic tourism. Meanwhile, Saule Kemelbayeva, Dean of the International School of Economics, presented her macroeconomic analysis.
“Kazakhstan’s economy continues to demonstrate steady growth despite numerous external shocks. Progress has been made in economic diversification, and the country’s public debt remains low by international standards. Kazakhstan is also a regional leader in terms of foreign direct investment,” Saule Kemelbayeva emphasised.
The event also included a ceremony honouring three university lecturers who earned PhD degrees during the current academic year. Aizhan Sataeva, Stanislav Yugai and Talgat Kutebayev were recognised for earning their doctoral degrees.
