Today, Abai University hosted the opening of an international scientific and practical conference entitled “Interdisciplinary Science for Sustainable Development: Education, Research and Digital Transformation.” The two-day event brings together experts to discuss pressing issues related to sustainable development, including environmental protection, improving the education system, and integrating digital technologies into scientific research. The conference is dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Professor Kulash Duisenbaiqyzy Kaimuldinova, Doctor of Geographical Sciences.

Climate change has now reached a level that is causing growing concern worldwide. Scientists have long warned that these changes may lead to serious environmental consequences. Therefore, the coordination and development of interdisciplinary research are of particular importance, as they help strengthen environmental security and improve the quality of education.

The main objective of the conference is to examine current sustainable development challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective and exchange effective practices in education, scientific research, and digital transformation. Particular emphasis will also be placed on international scientific cooperation and the development of innovative solutions.

The plenary session was opened by Banu Narbekova, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, who delivered welcoming remarks to the participants. At the end of her speech, she presented the jubilarian with a letter of congratulations from Bolat Tilep, Chairman of the Board and Rector of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University.

In addition to professors and researchers from Kazakhstan, the conference brought together international scholars. The invited researchers delivered presentations addressing global environmental challenges.

For instance, Ali Torabi Haghighi, a professor at the University of Oulu in Finland, discussed the transformation of the Aral Sea basin and the complexities of socioeconomic tensions in Central Asia. Hiroki Fujii, a professor at Okayama University in Japan, shared international and regional perspectives on the future of education for sustainable development. Meanwhile, Salih Çepni, a professor at Bursa Uludağ University in Türkiye, analysed the perspectives of successful researchers working in environments where an established academic culture is lacking.

Among the presentations, Ali Torabi Haghighi’s research on the Aral Sea attracted considerable attention and sparked lively discussion. The desiccation of the Aral Sea is one of the largest environmental disasters in Central Asia. Excessive use of water from the Amu Darya and Syr Darya rivers for agricultural purposes has caused a dramatic decline in the sea’s volume, disrupting the region’s ecological balance. As a result, salt-laden dust has spread over vast areas, turning the problem into one of international concern. Soil fertility has declined, adversely affecting public health and the development of local economies.

During the conference, Dinara Tuyakova, a representative of UNESCO’s Regional Office in Almaty, highlighted the role of education in achieving sustainable development. Professor Ordenbek Mazbayev spoke about ways to address geographical challenges through digital technologies. Professor Zheksenbek Toktarbay also presented his research entitled “Development of Highly Superhydrophobic Nanostructured Materials for Environmental, Protective and Functional Applications.”

Throughout the event, participants discussed new research approaches, technologies, and practices, while exploring ways to combine the potential of different scientific disciplines. Alongside the plenary presentations, parallel thematic sessions, specialised masterclasses and training sessions, poster presentations, and workshops were organised. The conference concluded with the adoption of a joint resolution.

As part of the event, scholars and representatives of scientific organisations also delivered congratulatory messages in honour of the jubilarian. Representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Geography and Water Security JSC, the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and other scientific and educational institutions extended their warm wishes to Professor Kaimuldinova.

It is worth noting that the jubilarian, Kulash Duisenbaiqyzy Kaimuldinova, graduated from Abai University in 1988. Her principal research interests focus on the physical and geographical foundations of Kazakhstani toponymy. In 1998, she became the first scholar to defend a candidate’s dissertation in geography in the state language. In 2010, she successfully defended her doctoral dissertation. Over the course of her 30-year professional career, she has supervised three Candidates of Sciences and nearly 30 master’s graduates. She is a recipient of the state grant “Best University Teacher.” In addition, she is a distinguished scholar who has published more than 200 scientific and educational-methodological works.

The two-day international scientific and practical conference will continue tomorrow.

«Abai University» Media Centre