Budapest, 25 June 2025 – The I-st academic conference organized by the Organization of Turkic states is taking place in Hungary. The scientific-academic event aims on strengthening the cooperation between member-states of OTS and Hungary, and developing new horizons of collaboration in this field.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Minister of Culture and Innovation of Hungary, Balázs Hankó, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, Director of the OTS office in Budapest, accredited ambassadors of Turkic states in Budapest, rectors of the universities from OTS member states and representatives of academic groups. On the behalf of Kazakh universities, delegates from D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan technical university, rector – Saule Rakhmetullina and Member of the boar-Vice Rector for Strategic Development – Ulan Nesipkaliev, as well as Rector of KazNUVHI, Kamshat Tussupova, participated at the conference.

In his speech at the conference, the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Hungary, Abzal Saparbekuly, emphasized the importance of long-standing cooperation between the two countries in the field of higher education. He noted that the Agreement on Cooperation in the Field of Education and Science, signed in 2013, became the foundation of this cooperation.

The Kazakh diplomat also recalled that during the most recent official visit of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to Kazakhstan in 2023, a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of higher education was signed. Within the framework of the Stipendium Hungaricum program, 250 scholarships are annually allocated to Kazakh youth. Saparbekuly continued his speech by outlining Kazakhstan’s strategic steps as a regional academic hub: currently, representatives of 23 foreign universities operate in the country, and by 2029, this number is expected to grow to 39. He added that Kazakhstan is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for international students: in 2024, the country admitted 31,500 foreign students, and by 2029, the plan is to 150,000 students.

In his remarks, the ambassador emphasized the strategic value of education in the modern world and called for further strengthening of cooperation in science and education among OTS member states by the establishment of systemic integration, and the creation of OTS universities network. He also highlighted opportunities for implementing double-degree programs, establishing joint scientific consortia, advancing digitalization, and promoting academic mobility of professors and students.

In addition, the conference addressed the potential for scientific cooperation among Turkic states and the role of the OTS in supporting such partnerships. Topics discussed included the establishment of a Turkic States Research Fund, enhancement of young researchers’ qualifications, the possibilities of excellence scholarships, and opportunities of academic mobility for students and scholars.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-budapest/press/news/details/1025263?lang=kk