2024, June 24
Share this articleThe former university students shared their success stories.
Under the shanyraq of the digital yurt at NU, alumni from various years gathered for a reunion. This year, NU, ranked in the top 30% of the world's best research universities, celebrated its tenth cohort of graduates. Former students shared their successful projects, which now hold significant social value and contribute to the country's economic development.
The meeting was opened by Acting President of NU, Dr. Ilesanmi Adesida, who highlighted a distinctive trait of NU graduates: "When we ask employers what sets NU graduates apart from those of other universities, they tell us that our graduates don't just identify problems – they solve them. This demonstrates leadership, the ability to identify issues and find solutions. This is crucial," noted Ilesanmi Adesida.
The development of leadership at the university is supported by the principles of Abai's philosophy of "Tolyq adam", implemented at the university to foster patriotic youth. It was no coincidence that the meeting took place in the digital yurt, symbolizing NU's values of innovation and cultural heritage.
Vice President for Student Affairs and International Cooperation, Kadisha Dairova, shared that the university's leadership initially had a single ambitious mission: to create a dream university in Kazakhstan. An international research university where people of the 21st century – Tolyq adam would study and work.
"You can proudly list NU on your resume, as it ranks among the top 30% of the world's best universities today. This didn't happen overnight; a large team worked on this: students, faculty, university administration, and all other stakeholders. We have always adhered to two principles: meritocracy and cooperation with strategic partners," said Kadisha Dairova.
She also recalled how in 2009, she proposed a partnership to Harvard when the university was still under construction. Former Vice Provost for International Affairs, Jorge Dominguez, listened to what seemed like a futuristic tale about the future university in the heart of Central Asia and asked her to return later with the proposal. This year, a delegation from Harvard University visited Kazakhstan to propose cooperation with NU.
Director of the Center for National Culture, established at the university to nurture patriotic youth, Gultas Kurmanbay, elaborated on the implementation of the "Tolyq adam" concept: "The head of state emphasized that the concept of 'Tolyq adam' should become the foundation of every sphere of our life, from the system of government and education to business and the institution of family. A true 'Tolyq adam,' who holds purity in mind and heart, can be a good engineer, a good doctor, and a good president," she said.
Graduate of 2017, Dauken Seitkali, shared his achievements after graduating from his alma mater. Co-founder of Arlan Biotech was named one of Forbes Kazakhstan's "30 under 30" this year. He focuses on developing products based on synthetic nanotubes for diagnosing human and animal diseases. His project also involves using artificial intelligence to create nanotubes targeted against specific protein antigens, which can be used in drug development, including against oncological diseases.
"Often I heard the opinion that Kazakhstan cannot achieve anything significant, especially in the field of technology, which is believed to develop elsewhere. I decided to change this narrative. Starting my journey, I noticed that people in our country had little interest in artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, my scientific work earned me first place in Japan, becoming a key milestone in my career. It was largely thanks to my university, NU, which taught me how to conduct research and publish scientific papers," Dauken shared. Earlier this year, Arlan Biotech was accepted into the global accelerator StartX.
Executive Director of NU Alumni Association, Yrymgul Ybraimova, graduated from the university in 2020 with a degree in Politics and International Relations. She shared that the university provided her immense opportunities and good friends: "I always felt like I had access to the whole world. Our education was of a high standard. I was very comfortable in this environment. I'm happy to see other graduates, sincerely rejoice in their successes, and learn about their achievements. It kind of gives you motivation that you can do even more, even better. I think the most important thing is to support each other," former NU student shared.
Similar alumni meetings are traditionally held to integrate graduates into university life and collaborate with them.
