2025, September 5
Share this articleOn September 5, 2025, Nazarbayev University hosted the Republican Conference “Қазақ тілі – the Language of Science and Technology.”
The event was attended by Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education; and Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry. The event was dedicated to the Day of Languages of the People of Kazakhstan and to the birthday of the prominent educator Akhmet Baitursynuly.
The conference was organized by the International Society “Қазақ тілі.” Leading scholars and experts took part in the forum, including Uli Schamiloglu, Head of the Department of Kazakh Language and Turkic Studies at Nazarbayev University. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of mastering academic Kazakh for the advancement of science in the state language. At NU, every student is required to take at least two Kazakh language courses, and certain programs also mandate passing a high-level proficiency exam.
“Unfortunately, despite national standards, we see that some school graduates do not have sufficient command of Kazakh. Every year, out of approximately 800 applicants, about 130 students face difficulties. Therefore, we introduced the course ‘Basic Kazakh’ to help them progress to more advanced levels,” noted Professor Schamiloglu.
The conference addressed pressing issues in the fields of science, education, technology, language policy, and digitalization, with a particular focus on the role and prospects of the Kazakh language in the modern scientific and digital space.
The highlight of the event was the “National Dictation” project. About 200 participants—including ministers, members of Parliament, as well as representatives of educational and public organizations—took part in writing the dictation in the state language. The initiative aimed to promote a culture of written communication, improve literacy skills, and strengthen national identity through language. The dictation was read aloud by renowned TV presenter Kymbat Doszhan, and the text was selected from the works of classic Kazakh literature.
