SUMMARY OF THE INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE ON CENTRAL ASIA’S SOCIO-POLITICAL PROCESSES

      On April 17, 2025, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University hosted an international scientific conference titled "Socio-Political Processes in Central Asia", organized by the Department of Political Science of the Faculty of International Relations. The event was held in a hybrid format, bringing together representatives of the academic community, government and civil society institutions, faculty members, experts, young researchers, PhD students, and master's students.

The primary goal of the conference was to discuss current transformations in the socio-political life of Central Asian countries and to develop scholarly and practical recommendations for ensuring the region’s sustainable development.

The conference addressed key topics such as political transformation in Central Asian states, social changes and migration processes, geopolitical challenges and foreign policy, the impact of globalization and digitalization on political institutions, economic reforms, and their social consequences. Participants included representatives from leading universities and research institutions from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, as well as scholars and practitioners from Russia.    

The plenary session was opened with welcoming remarks by Zhanna Dulatovna Kurmangalieva, Member of the Board and Vice-Rector for Science, Commercialization and Internationalization at L.N. Gumilyov ENU, and Miras Makhmedunovich Kosybaev, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations. The session was moderated by Alua Serikovna Zholdybalina, PhD, Deputy Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Over 50 research papers were submitted to the conference, of which 15 were presented during the plenary session. Notable presentations included:Dr. in Political Science F.F. Tolipov (Uzbekistan), "The Paradox of Central Asia: Integration or Cooperation?"; Assoc. Prof. N.Sh. Doronshoeva (Tajikistan), "The Role of CSTO in Addressing Water Resource Issues in the Region"; Dr. in Political Science R.A. Nurtazina (Kazakhstan), "The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Kazakhstan’s Socio-Political Processes"; Assoc. Prof. D.A. Lanko (Russia), "The Regional Approach in U.S. Policy toward Central Asia"; PhD N.S. Pusyrmanov (Kazakhstan), "Rethinking Political Education and Political Science in the Context of Paradigm Shifts"; Assoc. Prof. B.B. Bulegenova (Kazakhstan), "Youth Labor Market in the Digitalization Era (Cases of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)", among others.

   The participants agreed that Central Asia is undergoing profound socio-political changes driven by both internal reforms and global influences.

The conference resolution outlined the following key recommendations:

1. Strengthen mechanisms for regional cooperation to ensure security and sustainable development.
2. Promote regional integration. Participants emphasized the need to intensify collaboration in areas such as security, water resources, energy, migration, digitalization, and artificial intelligence. The importance of platforms like C5+1 and other multilateral formats was noted as vital for building trust. External actors should respect the regional context and contribute to sustainable development based on equality, non-interference, and support for local initiatives.
3. Support academic and expert collaboration. The creation of regional research platforms and knowledge-sharing networks will enable deeper understanding of internal processes and the development of effective, context-based solutions.
4. Increase the role of educational and scientific institutions in shaping the new regional elite. It is recommended that academic institutions incorporate interdisciplinary courses on comparative politics, regional studies, and international relations focused on Central Asia.
5. Develop joint scientific projects aimed at studying migration flows, ethnic relations, and cross-border challenges.
6. Recommend four selected conference presentations for publication in scientific journals accredited by the Committee for Quality Assurance in the Sphere of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The conference demonstrated the high level of interest among the scholarly community in Central Asian issues and served as an effective platform for exchanging knowledge, experience, and ideas. Following the event, a collection of scientific papers is planned for publication, as well as the development of inter-university cooperation programs.

PROCEEDINGS of the international scientific and practical conference «Socio-political processes in Central Asia»