During the lecture, the Special Representative highlighted the importance of addressing all forms of violence against children within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She emphasised the significance of the Sustainable Development Goal aimed at ending abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against children. The event was also attended by Ombudspersons for Children from Central Asian countries.

“Protecting children from all forms of violence is not only a matter addressed by the Sustainable Development Goals. It is a cross-cutting issue that affects all the Goals, as poverty, discrimination, health and living conditions are interconnected and can increase children’s vulnerability to violence,” Najat Maalla M’jid emphasised.

The lecture was followed by a Q&A session, during which students discussed international approaches to addressing social challenges and current issues related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Najat Maalla M’jid answered students’ questions and shared her professional experience. Participants also had the opportunity to explore MNU’s modern campus facilities.

It is worth noting that the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative arrived in Astana on a working visit. Earlier, she participated in the Second International Forum of Ombudspersons for Children of Central Asian Countries, met with the Vice President and heads of several ministries, and visited a number of educational institutions.

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Dace Rutka shared key insights into Latvia’s history, culture and system of government, as well as the country’s foreign policy priorities and its membership in the European Union and NATO. Particular attention was given to the development of bilateral relations between Kazakhstan and Latvia, including trade and economic cooperation, logistics and educational exchanges. The Ambassador’s lecture was delivered as part of the Applied Diplomacy course.

“I am very pleased to visit MNU. It is extremely important for us to lay a solid foundation for cooperation. It is also essential to share practical experience with future Kazakhstani diplomats,” Dace Rutka emphasised.

MNU actively cooperates with Latvian universities through academic mobility programmes. Latvia is one of Kazakhstan’s key and most active partners in the Baltic region. Next year, the two countries will celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

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The 80-hour course, titled “Modern Approaches to Teaching French: Pedagogy, Methodology, Assessment, Digital Technologies and Francophone Projects,” is delivered in a hybrid format. Of the total hours, 40 are dedicated to in-person sessions led by a specially invited instructor from Sorbonne University in Paris. The training is also being held in Almaty.

“We are committed to strengthening the position of the French language in Kazakhstan, first and foremost to ensure that young people continue to choose it as a language to study. This is an investment in the future. Our cooperation is actively developing in such strategic sectors as energy, artificial intelligence, engineering, environmental protection, agriculture, higher education and science. Teachers play a crucial role in achieving this goal, as they are an essential link in promoting our language and culture throughout Central Asia,” said Sylvain Guéguet, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Kazakhstan.

French is an official language in more than 30 countries worldwide. The courses aim to enhance teachers’ professional competencies and promote modern approaches to French language teaching. MNU Provost Anar Ibrayeva emphasized that the initiative would also help strengthen academic ties between Kazakhstan and France.

“We believe that the quality of education begins with the teacher. That is why the professional development of educators, the exchange of experience and the adoption of modern teaching methods are particularly important. These courses provide an opportunity to explore current approaches to teaching French and exchange experience with French experts. We are confident that initiatives like this create new opportunities for the development of language education and the training of future generations,” said Anar Ibrayeva.

It is worth noting that MNU previously opened the first educational fund of its kind in Central Asia, the Lumières Fund. The fund aims to bring joint initiatives together under a single brand to meet the workforce development needs of French companies operating in Kazakhstan and facilitate the co-financing of scholarships.

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The CSCSE is an organization responsible for maintaining an official register and evaluating and recognizing foreign educational credentials and academic degrees. The Center operates under China’s Ministry of Education. Inclusion in this list is important for graduates planning to pursue further education or work in China.

MNU continues to actively expand its cooperation with Chinese educational institutions. This year, the University launched the AI Law master’s degree programme in partnership with the China University of Political Science and Law and announced plans to establish a dual-degree programme with Beijing Language and Culture University. In addition, the University’s educational programmes have been recognized by ten prestigious international accreditation and rating agencies.

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The enormous flag, unfurled in front of the university building, is a candidate for inclusion in the Kazakhstan Book of Records. It covers an area of 882 square metres and weighs approximately 100 kilograms. The silk flag was produced at the initiative of the university’s students.

“The flag embodies our country’s independence and symbolises the unity of our people. We are proud of our Republic. Kazakhstan is confidently moving forward and implementing large-scale, systematic reforms under the leadership of Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Over the past seven years, we have witnessed economic growth, the launch of new production facilities and the creation of jobs, significant investment in social development, science and youth, greater attention to environmental protection, and the advancement of digitalisation. We congratulate everyone on our national holiday, Republic Day, and wish our homeland continued prosperity,” said Talgat Narikbayev, Chairman of the MNU Management Board.

During the flag-unfurling ceremony, the university’s students and faculty sang the national anthem of Kazakhstan. Previously, the largest flag covered an area of 800 square metres. It was also unfurled annually during the MNU Student Initiation Ceremony.

By unfurling the national flag, the university also expressed its support for the “Menin Elim – Menin Tuyim” (“My Country – My Flag”) campaign launched by the Adilet party.

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Maqsut Narikbayev University congratulates everyone on Republic Day and wishes Kazakhstan well-being and prosperity!

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The event brought together law students from seven cities across Kazakhstan. The competition aimed to promote the use of the Kazakh language in the legal field and develop students’ language skills. The total prize fund amounted to 600,000 tenge.

“The competition was held to mark Republic Day and celebrate seven years of Kazakhstan’s development and progress. Last year, nine universities took part, while this year the number increased to eleven. I am confident that Zañǵar Zańger will become an annual platform bringing together educated and ambitious young people,” said Anar Ibrayeva, Provost of MNU.

During the competition, students worked on practical legal cases, identified errors and inconsistencies in legislative texts in Kazakh, and demonstrated their legal analysis skills. Their performances were evaluated by prominent lawyers and experts in promoting the Kazakh language. The competition partners were Aidar Sovetbekov and Abylai Zhumazhanov, MNU alumni and lawyers with the Astana Bar Association.

“The students who worked on this project have put in a tremendous amount of effort. We decided to support them and become a partner of the competition. There are talented young people who want to demonstrate their abilities, and this competition has given future lawyers an opportunity to showcase their talent,” said Abylai Zhumazhanov.

According to the results, SDU University (Kaskelen) took first place. Second place went to students from Academician Y.A. Buketov Karaganda National Research University (Karaganda), while representatives of M. Auezov South Kazakhstan University (Shymkent) took third place. The participants were also congratulated by Askhat Aimagambetov, a member of the National Kurultai.

“The Zañǵar Zańger competition is very important. Today, we face challenges in improving legal terminology and legislation in the Kazakh language. When drafting laws in the Kurultai, it is essential to ensure that they are written correctly in the state language. We know that Maqsut Narikbayev University is one of the leading universities in the field of law. We also see how the university is implementing the initiatives and priorities set by the Head of State,” emphasized Askhat Aimagambetov.

It is worth noting that MNU students also demonstrated strong results in the competition. As the host university, MNU entered a team that participated outside the official competition.

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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.

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As part of Kazakh Language Week, students took part in an interactive session on the history of writing, debates on literary Kazakh, an intellectual quiz, and presentations of business ideas in the state language. University professors also delivered a lecture explaining the provisions of the new Constitution and conducted a training session on overcoming barriers in negotiations in Kazakh. In addition, students participated in competitions testing their knowledge of Kazakh proverbs and traditional national games.

One of the key events was the second national Zańǵar Zańger competition. The event aims to expand the use of the Kazakh language in the legal field and develop students’ language skills. The intellectual competition brought together student teams from 11 universities across the country.

Republic Day is Kazakhstan’s principal national holiday and is celebrated annually on October 25.

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The event took place at the Paralympic Training Centre in Astana. The doubles tournament brought together more than 40 university alumni. Gani Aitasov and Alima Omar emerged as the winners.

MNU traditionally maintains strong ties with its alumni through joint projects and initiatives. The university’s annual alumni reunion will take place at the end of November this year.

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