Taldau Talks Podcast: Topical Issues in Science and Higher Education Discussed

The new episode of the Taldau Talks podcast is now online. This time, experts discussed issues related to the state and prospects of science, as well as higher education in the country, ongoing reforms and challenges in the industry. Experts expressed their views on the impact of domestic science on the development of the country, the effective use of the potential of scientists, financing mechanisms and the formation of an innovative ecosystem.

The podcast, moderated by the Speaker of the Senate of the Parliament Maulen Ashimbayev , was attended by the Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek , the Dean of Narxoz Business School Gulnara Kurenkeeva and Professor of Nazarbayev University Durvudkhan Suragan .

Maulen Ashimbayev noted that the development of science and higher education was defined by the Head of State as one of the strategic priorities of the state. According to him, the initiatives of the President of the country are based on improving the quality of science through systemic reforms, strengthening the potential of universities and the results of scientific research for real economic growth.

«On behalf of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich Tokayev, systematic work has been carried out in the field of science and higher education in recent years. The National Council for Science and Technology under the President of the country has been established. The status of the National Academy of Sciences has been strengthened. Significant changes have been made to the legislation on science and a new law "On Science and Technology Policy" has been adopted. Additional mechanisms for supporting scientists have been formed, and the amount of funding for the industry has been increased. We hope that such concrete steps will contribute to increasing the competitiveness and efficiency of Kazakhstan's science and higher education», - Maulen Ashimbayev said.

In addition, the podcast participants noted the importance of efficient spending of allocated funds, commercialization of scientific results and strengthening applied research. Particular attention was paid to the impact of artificial intelligence on the system of science and higher education, its introduction into the research and teaching process, and the transformation of universities into innovation centers. In this direction, as Maulen Ashimbayev noted, human capital is of particular importance.

«We live in an era of technological breakthrough. In order to effectively use artificial intelligence and new technologies, we must, first of all, train strong personnel who will have critical and systematic thinking. Science should work not only in the academic environment, but also contribute to the development of the real sector of the economy. As the Head of State emphasized, the scientific potential should be focused on a real result that will serve for the benefit of the country's development», - the Chairman of the Senate said.

The experts paid special attention to improving the educational model, strengthening academic independence and building effective interaction between the scientific community and business, as well as the prospects for exchanging experience with international partners.

Recall that Taldau Talks is a podcast platform for open dialogue. Topical issues of the country's development and practical steps to implement the tasks set by the Head of State are discussed here.

You can watch the full podcast on the official Taldau Talks YouTube channel at the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSoLiGKjy-g

(Press Office of the Senate, 74-72-27. Photo by: N.Baibullin)