April 12 is celebrated as Science Day in Kazakhstan. At the meeting of the National Council for Science and Technology, the President of Kazakhstan outlined the main problems existing in the country’s scientific sphere and indicated ways to address them.

The President’s speech at the Council meeting

Congratulations on Science Day! Through you, I want to convey the warmest wishes to all scientists of Kazakhstan. Today is truly a significant date — the birthday of the outstanding personality and great scientist Kanysh Satpayev. This day marks the 125th anniversary of the academician. The great Abai is a guiding star of the spiritual life of the Kazakhs. Akhmet Baitursynov is the teacher of the nation. And Kanysh Satpayev can rightfully be called the father of modern Kazakh science.

About Satpayev

Undoubtedly, Kanysh Imantayevich Satpayev is a bright representative of our people. His scientific discoveries continue to serve the good of our state. We need to mark the anniversary of the famous scientist at the highest level.

At my initiative, numerous events will be held, which, on the one hand, are intended to pay tribute to the memory of our academician, and on the other hand, will contribute to the formation of a cult of knowledge in the country. Most importantly, we need to continue the great work started by Kanysh Satpayev.

When we say «science,» we primarily mean the great scientist Kanysh Satpayev. And this is natural. It is no coincidence that the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, having restored its state status, is firmly associated with the name of Kanysh Satpayev, of whom not only our country but the entire global scientific community is proud.

About floods

First of all, I would like to dwell on the current situation in the country. As you know, several regions of the country have been seriously affected by the strongest floods, the likes of which have not been seen in over 80 years. Many settlements are flooded. Overall, the situation is very complex.

Currently, the government is taking all necessary measures promptly. I have given the relevant instructions. The situation with the floods is under control. Other countries are also suffering from natural disasters. Earthquakes, fires, and floods are occurring worldwide. In short, global climate change has led to an increase in the number of natural disasters.

Between 1980 and 1985, about 1,700 disasters were recorded worldwide, while in 2010-2015, their number exceeded 3,700. Thus, in such a short time, the number of natural disasters doubled, and almost half of them are related to water. Undoubtedly, this poses a serious threat to all of humanity. Therefore, the extremely relevant task today is to prevent such emergencies and ensure the safety of the population. One of the mechanisms for implementing this task should be science.

During the current floods, we particularly keenly felt the shortage of qualified specialists and scientists in the country. I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of developing domestic science. It is understandable that this cannot be done in a day or even a year. It will take years of hard and persistent work to achieve this.

Unfortunately, it must be noted that the development of science in our country has not been given due attention for decades. We have lost our previous scientific potential and infrastructure. In the difficult 1990s, 40,000 scientists left science. Of course, many institutes were able to survive, but science suffered significant losses at the systemic level. Today, we are forced to reap the consequences of this. Therefore, it is extremely important to restore the scientific potential of our country.

Returning to the problem of floods, I want to emphasize that we are facing very complex and large-scale tasks. We must provide all necessary support to people affected by the disaster. This work will require significant costs. But we will fully fulfill all our obligations to the people. This is our duty. For me, this is the most important and paramount task.

What has been done for the development of science

Our common task is to make Kazakhstan a prosperous country. We have just heard from a number of scientists. All your initiatives and proposals will be carefully studied and taken into account in further work.

Today, countries that rely on scientific progress have taken the lead in the world. We need to join the ranks of such countries. Therefore, the development of science should be an unconditional priority.

The words of our teacher Akhmet Baitursynov, «Ozgandargha jetu kerek, jetkenderden ozu kerek» (We must strive for the heights, we must rise above ourselves), remain relevant to this day.

In recent years, all conditions have been created for the development of domestic science. The National Academy of Sciences has been granted state status. The National Council for Science and Technology under the President has been established.

Last year, a decision was made to allocate 625 billion tenge for the development of science over three years. In the future, the state will continue to systematically increase the science budget.

To date, scientists’ salaries have doubled. Significant funds are allocated for the formation of modern research infrastructure. The number of educational grants for doctoral programs is increasing.

Great attention is being paid to organizing internships for our scientists in leading scientific centers around the world. Support for young researchers has been strengthened, resulting in a noticeable increase in the proportion of youth in science.

Branches of leading foreign universities are being opened in the regions. However, we should not limit ourselves to these measures. To ensure the continuous progress of the country, it is important to quickly adapt to changes and constantly seek new growth points. This is a strategic task, the implementation of which places a special mission on our scientists, experts, and innovators in the field of economics.

Therefore, we will consistently strengthen the potential of domestic science, create conditions for the widespread implementation of innovations in all spheres of life. To achieve this, a number of urgent tasks need to be addressed.

Priorities for the future

FIRST. It is important to maximize the use of science in predicting man-made and natural disasters, and in combating climate change.

Science cannot exist in isolation from the pressing issues of state development. It must serve society and the country, and therefore should be practical rather than abstract, bringing benefit in everyday life. Life itself confirms that the lack of a scientific approach is fraught with serious negative consequences.

Large-scale floods, forest fires, and earthquakes in Almaty have highlighted the acute need for high-quality scientific forecasts, assessment of the probability, and strength of various emergencies.

It must be acknowledged that over the years, there have been systemic problems in the field of disaster prevention. The lack of qualified personnel and the absence of adequate scientific support are the main issues. The situation requires a fundamental change in approaches to work.

A decision has been made to restore the hydrometeorological institute in Taraz with the corresponding material and technical support. The Institute of Seismology is in a dire state. I have instructed the Government to make specific proposals to enhance the scientific potential of the institute, as well as to develop seismology and tools for monitoring seismic activity.

By my instruction, a special seismological study will be conducted in Almaty. The akimat will allocate funds for three years of research. We also face the tasks of predicting and preventing power outages, epidemics, and droughts. Relevant ministries and akimats should review development programs for industries and regions, taking into account the possible risks of emergencies. Scientific community, experts in hydrology, climatology, geography, engineering, and others should be involved in this work.

Once again, government agencies must rely on high-quality scientific support everywhere. This is an extremely important task. Decisions must be carefully worked out, justified, and only then made. Therefore, scientists and research centers in the country must have all the necessary tools for analyzing and forecasting the situation.

As I have already mentioned, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of natural and man-made disasters worldwide. Climate change caused by industrialization and urbanization plays a direct role in this. According to some estimates, in the next five years, this trend could lead to a loss of about five trillion dollars in the global economy. Therefore, environmental protection issues are of paramount importance to us.

The Regional Glaciological Center, established in Almaty by UNESCO’s decision in 2020, makes a huge contribution to the study of climate change. Our scientists are not only studying glacier melting but also seeking ways to reduce vulnerability to mudflows, glacier lake outbursts.

It is necessary to fully utilize the potential of the Glaciological Center. The task of providing the center with a building by the Government is being solved. Now special attention is required to extend the agreement between the Government of Kazakhstan and UNESCO on the activities of the Glaciological Center, which expires this year.

In 2026, Kazakhstan will host a Regional Climate Summit under the auspices of the UN. This important event will give us a good opportunity to draw the attention of the international community to the problems of glacier melting, river and lake shallowing, desertification, and land degradation. We need to start preparing for the Summit now, which I am sure will contribute to consolidating the efforts of scientists, experts, and policymakers in finding answers to regional and global environmental challenges.

SECOND. Science should contribute to the progressive development of the economy.

Despite the measures taken to industrialize the national economy, its raw character has not significantly changed yet. The government faces the task of building a new economic model, the core of which should be sustainable value chains. There is great potential in this direction in the oilfield services and petrochemical industries (production of plastics, carbon nanotubes, carbon fiber, graphene).

At the first meeting of the Council, I instructed the Government to implement a set of measures to transition to an open applied model of science with a concentration of resources of research institutes and universities. Scientific projects should not only meet academic demands but also consider the country’s strategic development goals and the needs of the economy. To do this, based on the best international practices, clear research priorities should be identified.

Commercialization of scientific developments is of particular importance. For example, researchers’ studies can be used to reduce costs in the housing and communal services sector and to implement resource-saving technologies, as well as in the repair and construction of roads, taking into account the specifics of our climate.

Active development should be given to the «science of simple things.» To achieve this, it is necessary to establish effective mechanisms for interaction between the scientific community and business.

Under the akimats (local executive bodies), it is necessary to form scientific councils that will contribute to solving tasks in this direction. Large enterprises in all regions of the country should be involved in the broad implementation of the results of scientific research.

At today’s exhibition, I familiarized myself with a number of projects that demonstrate the real contribution of our scientists to increasing the level of processing of products. It is necessary to scale such successful experience with the participation of all large production companies. The government should continue to stimulate business by providing tax incentives and investment preferences for science expenditures.

Serious tasks are facing domestic science in light of the need to decarbonize Kazakhstan’s economy. Many developed countries are actively implementing projects on renewable energy sources and already have the corresponding technological potential to transition to carbon-neutral development and create new economic clusters. In order not to lag behind global trends in this area, we need our own scientific developments that take into account our specificity.

At the same time, we must not forget that the wealth of our subsoil remains one of the foundations of the country’s economic growth. Therefore, it is necessary to introduce advanced technologies in the field of natural resource extraction, including hydrocarbons and rare earth metals. It is necessary to increase the effectiveness of exploration and open new deposits. This requires qualitative shifts in the development of geological science.

Overall, all domestic science should be oriented towards the efficient use of our competitive advantages and the wide development of new knowledge-intensive sectors.

THIRD. It is necessary to ensure accelerated development of artificial intelligence.

Technological progress is rapidly changing the face of the global economy and people’s way of life. Technologies that seemed like science fiction just yesterday are becoming a reality today. In these conditions, it is important for us to use all opportunities to strengthen the country’s technological and scientific-innovative sovereignty.

The development of artificial intelligence opens up broad prospects. According to some estimates, by 2030, artificial intelligence will account for 7% of the global GDP. And by 2027, the capitalization of the global artificial intelligence market will significantly exceed 400 billion dollars.

Around the world, artificial intelligence is increasingly replacing human labor, even in such complex areas as medical diagnostics and legal consultations. Not to mention the fact that neural networks are actively creating paintings, music, and poetry.

In our country, artificial intelligence is successfully applied in such areas as security, medicine, banking services, logistics, and education. Strong companies are emerging that are involved in the implementation of these technologies. At the same time, for the successful development of the industry, comprehensive state support is needed. We need to create an ecosystem that provides common access to data and technological infrastructure.

Corresponding institutions are also needed, focusing on the development of artificial intelligence. The government is currently developing a Strategy for the Development of Artificial Intelligence and a Digital Code.

These documents are intended to stimulate research and the practical application of developments in this area, provide businesses and universities with access to technological infrastructure and databases. It is important that the development of artificial intelligence is constructive. Therefore, special attention should be paid to establishing ethical standards, data protection, and preventing cyber threats in this area.

Questions of regulating artificial intelligence are increasingly being discussed at the national and global levels. For example, a relevant law was recently adopted in the European Union (Artificial Intelligence Act).

The digital era has led to the emergence of a new asset — data, which serve as the main raw material for artificial intelligence and machine learning. Therefore, it is necessary to actively integrate the databases of state bodies and various subordinate organizations.

To solve complex scientific problems and implement applied projects, it is also necessary to fully utilize the capabilities of a supercomputer, which will be created and launched in our country soon.

Creating sovereign language models is one of the promising directions in the field of artificial intelligence. Based on a consortium of eight research institutes and higher education institutions, a Kazakh language model is currently being developed. This endeavor is not only of great importance for ensuring our digital sovereignty but will also give a powerful impetus to the development of the state language.

As you know, there is a shortage of specialists in the field of artificial intelligence. This problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Some work in this direction is already underway. Relevant courses from international technological giants Google and Huawei have been introduced in several domestic universities. Agreements have been reached with leading universities in Korea and China on knowledge transfer and joint training of specialists. We need the younger generation to be well-versed in all new digital technologies. To do this, we need to revise the content of secondary school and university educational programs with a focus on a broad study of the possibilities of artificial intelligence.

Overall, the comprehensive development of the artificial intelligence sphere should be a separate priority for the Government. It is advisable to use the potential of the members of the National Council in this work. I instruct to approve the proposed composition of the expert working group at the National Council, which will contribute to solving the current problems of the artificial intelligence industry.

FOURTH. Special attention should be paid to the development of university science and scientific infrastructure.

Successful reforms in the field of science and higher education in recent years have led to a brain drain from the higher education system. Qualified teachers with scientific degrees have started moving to schools and research organizations with higher salaries.

Today, among the professors and teachers of the university, the share of specialists with scientific degrees is just over 40%. These trends cannot but affect the quality of training not only of master’s and doctoral students but also of bachelor’s students. I instruct the relevant ministry to take specific measures.

Overall, the shortage of staff in universities negatively affects the level of scientific research. The citation rate of scientific papers from university scientists is extremely low, not exceeding one point out of a hundred possible.

The systemic problems of university science are also evidenced by low indicators in authoritative international rankings. Urgent comprehensive measures need to be taken to rectify the situation.

The weak point of our universities is the low quality of scientific research. Some educational institutions do not have permanent ties with production enterprises, and there are even universities that have no such ties at all. Most of them apply ineffective and outdated approaches in their work.

Overall, universities and research organizations should become a strategic center contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the country. Therefore, I instruct the Government to develop a special program.

It is necessary to expand the scope of the concept of «grant» in the Budget Code. Funds for the acquisition of equipment necessary for scientific research and the development of its infrastructure should be allocated without hindrance.

The development of higher education in the country is hindered by outdated infrastructure. The buildings of state universities are outdated. Most of them were built over half a century ago, and the newest of them, the Aktobe State University, was built in 1982.

In this regard, at my instruction, new campuses will be built for the Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi and the Eurasian National University named after L. Gumilyov.

It is necessary to modernize the material and technical base of other universities. All outdated laboratories of universities and research centers need to be consistently brought into proper condition.

We have good developments in medical science. A bright example is the unique antitumor drug presented today by our scientist Dos Sarbasov. Such projects need to be actively supported.

I believe that it is necessary to consider the proposal of the scientist Sarbasov to establish a clinical research hub in Kazakhstan. There is a serious regional imbalance in the distribution of universities: most strong universities are located in Astana and Almaty. This leads to skewed internal migration and a shortage of personnel in the regions.

To ensure the comprehensive development of science and higher education, I previously instructed to establish Centers of Academic Excellence based on 15 regional and 5 pedagogical universities. The government needs to develop the research component of universities and gradually implement this project through targeted funding. Similar centers operate successfully in many countries, where scientific innovations and the export of educational services occupy a significant share in the economy.

The experience of developed countries shows that the scientific potential of regional universities can be strengthened by young scientists — they are mobile and open to change. Effective mechanisms are needed to stimulate them to work and conduct research in regional universities. Overall, the Government should take all necessary measures to support and develop scientific centers and institutes throughout the country.

FIFTH. Strengthening the human resource capacity of science is an extremely relevant task.

It is also necessary to strengthen the training of specialists for priority sectors of the economy. Undoubtedly, the painstaking research work of scientists is at the heart of scientific progress. Any success depends primarily on people, on the so-called human capital. Therefore, comprehensive support should be provided to young scientists.

Thirty percent of the projects funded by grants are allocated to young scientists. Of course, the quality of such projects is more important than quantity. It is necessary to increase the annual funding for grants allocated on a competitive basis to young scientists. Now our young scientists can undergo internships at leading research centers worldwide. This is a good trend that needs to be continued.

The «Zhass Galym» program, implemented at my instruction, demonstrates its effectiveness. I believe that the list of its potential participants should be expanded to include young scientists from research institutes and organizations.

Moreover, our scientists should be given the opportunity to undergo internships abroad under postdoctoral programs. It is important that they are provided with a decent stipend and can fully focus on research.

However, only 1.6% of the graduates of the foreign internship program are doctoral students. This is a very low figure. The government needs to work out specific measures to address this imbalance.

The proportion of doctoral students among all students in our universities remains low. Last year, I instructed to increase the enrollment in doctoral programs to 5,000 people annually. The implementation of this task requires new approaches.

PhD training should be conducted by educational institutions with a strong scientific potential capable of conducting in-depth research. The government needs to raise the value of grants for master’s and doctoral programs. A very important issue is the selection, training of qualified personnel, and creating conditions for them to remain in the field of science. By increasing the number of grants and their value, special attention should be paid to this issue.

Last year, only 38% of the more than 1500 doctoral students defended their dissertations. Only about half of them continue to engage in science. These are very low indicators, especially considering the huge funds spent on training doctors of science. I instruct to carefully study this issue and take necessary measures to rectify the situation.

It is necessary to develop and implement a mechanism for training «industrial PhDs» jointly with large industrial companies. Scientific research in conjunction with experimental design work will contribute to the implementation of innovative solutions in production. In general, the leading universities of the country and branches of foreign universities should promptly train scientists and qualified specialists for priority sectors of our economy. For example, there is a growing demand for personnel in the fields of green energy, climate change, and conservation of water resources.

The training of specialists for the domestic industry is of particular relevance. I instruct the Ministry of Science and Higher Education to develop a national model for the training of engineering and technical personnel, taking into account international standards and experience.

At the same time, advanced engineering schools should be established based on regional universities. The educational programs and technological projects of these schools should be oriented towards the needs of priority sectors of industry. The «My Profession — My Future» project, which promotes the synchronization of the education sector and the labor market, has shown good results. Within the project, Profession Atlases are created, the structure of the economy and trends in the development of each region are studied.

In the future, it is necessary to work out the issue of creating a Regional Economy Atlas, reflecting the specialization of each region. All this will allow timely updating of educational programs. The key task is to turn regional universities into centers for advanced training of personnel and applied scientific research.

Today, at the meeting, the opinion was expressed that it is important to bring back to Kazakhstan our scientists who are successfully working in foreign research centers. I support this proposal and invite our compatriots to continue their research in Kazakhstan. From our side, the state will provide targeted support to such scientists in organizational and financial matters.

At the same time, such calls to scientists working abroad are not new. This issue needs to be approached thoughtfully; patriotic fervor is not appropriate here, as science has become global in its scale and nature. Nevertheless, Kazakhstan must engage in global competition for the best minds.

Highly educated people, sought-after scientists often emigrate to other countries in search of good earnings, better research conditions, or simply new experiences. The influx of strong scientists gives impetus to the country’s development and allows for a substantial improvement in the quality of human capital. This is vividly demonstrated by global experience.

It is necessary to thoroughly study international experience and consider all opportunities for attracting qualified foreign specialists and scientists. To this end, it is necessary to create a favorable environment for fruitful activity in our country. Overall, I am convinced that constructive partnership between the state, the scientific community, and business will be the key to the success of domestic science.

The development of science is a strategically important priority for our country. It is especially important to create conditions for talented and capable youth to engage in science.

Creation, innovation, knowledge, and dedication to science are the main qualities needed by a truly advanced country. I specifically addressed this issue at the meeting of the National Council in Atyrau. We must make every effort for the comprehensive promotion of science. Interest in science should be awakened from school. We must direct all our efforts towards promoting knowledge and science. If necessary, a special document should be prepared. I instruct the Minister of Science and Higher Education to address this issue.

Currently, the Parliament is discussing the draft law «On Science and Technological Policy.» I hope that this document will give a powerful impetus to the development of science. Overall, education and science need advanced international experience.

You have experience working in the best scientific centers in the world. It is no coincidence that outstanding representatives of our people were engaged in educational activities.

Now is the time for young scientists. Your projects and inventions should benefit our entire country. In short, scientists like you should be at the forefront of the scientific and technological development of our homeland. Where science is strong, the state will be strong. Without science, the country is doomed. A country with advanced science will be able to overcome any crisis. When science thrives, so does the economy, and the welfare of the people increases.

In the end, thanks to science, we will be able to improve the quality of life of citizens and ensure them a bright future. Only by achieving this goal can we realize the triad «Just Kazakhstan — Responsible Citizen — Progressive Nation» in life. I believe that the state and the scientific community will actively carry out this work.

Power is recognized in adversity

I want to say directly: there are many urgent problems in the country. Today we are facing the consequences of shortcomings that have accumulated in various areas over many years.

However, ahead of us lies only one path — we must solve these problems. This is the demand of the time, this is the demand of the people. I believe that if we work systematically, everything will fall into place. The fruits of the actions we are taking now will be seen by the next generation. Therefore, we have a huge responsibility. We must all work diligently.

Our people have overcome equally difficult times in the past. Everything was overcome thanks to strong unity. At such a crucial moment, the unwavering solidarity of our people is also brightly manifested. We will all overcome this.

As the saying goes, «there is no bad without good.» In such times, the unity of the country and the professionalism of specialists are forged. Right now, thousands of civil servants are working day and night alongside rescuers and volunteers. They are fighting the elements, saving people, and dealing with the consequences of the floods. The true patriotism of every citizen is manifested in real life. Serving the people is a duty. And serving your country faithfully in difficult times is a sacred duty.

As is known, in recent years our country has faced many difficulties. The state apparatus has faced difficulties and accumulated great experience. It has become stronger. The life lessons learned by modern civil servants are no less, and perhaps even surpass, the experience of the 1990s. I express my gratitude to civil servants, rescuers, and volunteers who are fighting the floods.

I am also grateful to our entire people, who maintain unwavering unity, show mutual sympathy, patience, and tolerance in such a difficult situation. We will definitely overcome the current difficulties. The state will take all necessary measures. Every difficulty has a good side.

Eliminating the consequences of the disaster is just one stage of the work. The most important thing is that repair and restoration work will begin in the regions affected by the disaster. This is a very important task. Ahead of us lies a great deal of work.