Over 800 academic leaders join QS World Wide Conference
This year the conference was held for the fourth time, for the first time in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia. The global event was attended by over 800 academic leaders - presidents and rectors of universities, scientists and experts from more than 60 countries. Among them were the representatives of the UN, UNESCO and other international organizations, world-famous companies such as Microsoft, the Air Force, Elsevier, Springer Nature, YODAK, AKSON; heads of universities included in the top 800 «World University Rankings»; members of SUN, USRN, the international organization and university ranking association IREG Observatory; experts of the European accreditation network for engineering education ENAEE. The participants discussed the issues of increasing recognition of universities, role of universities in the formation of global human capital.
Speaking at the event Aliya Ospanova, Elsevier’s Regional Director for Central Asia, noted that the Al-Farabi KazNU had achieved certain results. Among 7,000 universities included in the world rankings KazNU stands the 20th, and the 2nd among the CIS universities, after the Moscow State Lomonosov University.
According to Galymkair Mutanov, Rector of the Al-Farabi KazNU, several significant world-class events took place at the university as part of the global event including the QS World Wide Conference and Exhibition; meeting of the General Assembly of the Silk-Road Universities Network (SUN) which unites more than 130 universities across the world; workshop of the University Social Responsibility Network (USRN) which includes leading universities from different continents.
In turn, Ben Sowter, Senior Vice President of QS Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd, noted that delegates from different countries were very pleased with the content of the conference. He outlined that the conference was dynamic, helpful to all the guests. «We do ratings that identify the best universities. Such events are important for the exchange of experience and help find new friends. We want all the universities to be actively involved in the relational life of society. University students are engaged in art, music, volunteering. I noticed that there were many talented university volunteers here at the conference. Universities should also do research. They should investigate the problem that now exists in society; they must solve such issues as cleaning the ocean of debris, plastic, reduction of carbon dioxide content in the air, etc.», said Ben Sowter.