The Second Forum of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Affairs Specialists: "Pressing Issues in Training Future Diplomats: Synergy of Traditional and Innovative Approaches"

On December 19, 2024, the Second Forum of Foreign Affairs Specialists: "Pressing Issues in Training Future Diplomats: Synergy of Traditional and Innovative Approaches" was held at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The forum was organized in support of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University’s initiative to hold an annual Forum of Kazakhstan’s International Affairs Specialists.

The purpose of the forum was to discuss and constructively analyze the key aspects of Kazakhstan's multi-vector foreign policy and diplomatic practices, its strategic role in international politics, as well as prospects for developing international relations amid modern global challenges.

The forum featured presentations by prominent experts in international relations, regional studies, Oriental studies, Turkology, political science, representatives of international organizations and foreign affairs departments, researchers from scientific institutions and centers, and faculty from universities. The participants included: Tuleutai Suleimenov – Professor at the Institute of Diplomacy of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Independent Kazakhstan, Yerzhan Mukash – Managing Director of the Otandastar Foundation, Pierre Chabal – Professor at the University of Le Havre (France), Saltanat Amirzhanova – Representative of the CICA Secretariat, Aidar Kurmashev – Head of the Department of Asian Studies at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of Kazakhstan, Fatima Turarovna Kukeeva – Professor of the Faculty of International Relations at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Syrym Maratovich Parpiev – Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of International Relations at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Olzhas Beisenbayev – Deputy Chairman of the Board of JSC "Kazakhstan Institute of Public Development," Ardak Melsovna Esdauletova – Professor of the Department of International Relations at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University.

The forum addressed pressing issues such as current trends in international relations and their impact on Kazakhstan's foreign policy, analysis of Kazakhstan’s diplomatic initiatives and its role in international organizations, evaluation of Kazakhstan’s role as a mediator in resolving international conflicts and maintaining peace in Central Asia, and the exploration of new directions in foreign policy, including economic, environmental, and digital diplomacy.

The need for scientific reflection and constructive solutions to issues such as the modernization and improvement of existing educational programs was also highlighted, aiming to enhance the competitiveness of Kazakhstan’s education in the global educational market in fields such as International Relations, Regional Studies, Political Science, Turkology, and Oriental Studies.

It is important to note that the Forum of Kazakhstan’s Foreign Affairs Specialists provides a unique platform for fostering collaboration between professional diplomats, analysts, practitioners in international relations, diplomacy, and foreign policy, as well as academic and teaching staff of higher education institutions.