L.N. Gumilyov ENU Hosted the 1st International Scientific and Practical Conference “Kazakhstan – China: Digital Economy and the Belt and Road Initiative – 2026”

On May 23, 2026, the Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, in cooperation with Nankai University (PRC), held the 1^st International Scientific and Practical Conference “Kazakhstan – China: Digital Economy and the Belt and Road Initiative – 2026”.

The conference served as an important international platform for discussing current issues related to the development of the digital economy, the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, the modernization of the education system, and the expansion of scientific and educational cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the People’s Republic of China.

The event brought together leading scholars and experts from Kazakhstan and China, representatives of government agencies, members of the academic community, and faculty representatives from higher education institutions. Distinguished speakers and participants included Yerlan Satybaldiyevich Zholdybayev, representative of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Professor Larisa Vladimirovna Lapidus of Lomonosov Moscow State University; Professor Sun Jingyu of Nankai University; and Professor Zubirash Kalybekovna Smagulova of Astana International University.

Faculty members of Kazakhstani universities, young researchers, master’s students, and doctoral candidates also took an active part in the conference. During the plenary and sectional sessions, participants discussed contemporary trends in the development of the digital economy, prospects for the implementation of artificial intelligence technologies, the transformation of the labor market, and mechanisms for strengthening international scientific cooperation.

Special attention was devoted to the further development of strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and China within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, as well as to the expansion of joint scientific and educational projects.

One of the key outcomes of the conference was the establishment of the “ENU–Nankai International Joint Research Center” at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The Center will serve as an institutional platform for advancing bilateral scientific and educational cooperation, implementing joint educational programs between the Department of Economics and Entrepreneurship and Nankai University, and enhancing collaborative research activities.

The conference reaffirmed the high level of international academic cooperation at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its commitment to strengthening global partnerships in the fields of digital economy and innovation.