nternational Round Table on Internationalization of Higher Education in Kazakhstan in Astana: Prospects and Challenges

On July 07, 2026, Astana hosted the International Round Table "Problems and Prospects of Internationalization of Higher Education in Kazakhstan", organized by the Department of Regional Studies of the Faculty of International Relations of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. The event is held within the framework of the grant project AP26100283 "Internationalization of higher education in Kazakhstan: challenges and prospects of integration into the global educational space". The format of the round table was in–person, the international conference was held in the conference hall of the Holiday Inn Express Astana – Turan - IHG Hotels & Resorts It was also possible to connect participants online through the TIMS platform. https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/49551081061656?p=X1DeaQMJOPVSoNCR6W . The working languages are Kazakh, Russian, English and Korean.

The international round table was attended by the Korean Association of International Studies (KAIS), one of South Korea's oldest and most respected academic associations in the field of international relations and political science, founded in 1956. Colleagues from South Korea Jeong Han-beom, professor at the Korean National Defense University, President of the Korean Association for International Studies, spoke as a speaker, noting the importance of cooperation between Kazakhstan and South Korea. Choi Yong-seop, Professor at Sangmun University, Director of Research at the Korean Association for International Studies, Byun Hyun-seop, Professor at Kamen University, Chairman of the Central Asia Committee of the Korean Association for International Studies, Yeon Dam-rin, Senior Researcher at the Korean Institute of Defense Studies, Academic Secretary of the Korean Association for International Studies.

The head of the project, PhD, Professor A. N. Ospanova, noted the cooperation between the two countries through the internationalization of higher education, the development of academic mobility of faculty and students. During the event, Kazakhstan's state policy in the field of internationalization, academic mobility, international ratings, joint educational programs, transnational education, digital transformation and the use of artificial intelligence in international higher education were discussed.

Following the results of the round table, practical recommendations were prepared for the executive bodies and the university community.