Toronto, May 22, 2026 – A roundtable discussion titled “Kazakhstan-Canada Dialogue on Higher Education and Workforce Development” was held at the University of Toronto, organized by the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Canada.

The event brought together representatives from leading academic and research institutions, including the University of Toronto, Ontario Tech University, Toronto Metropolitan University, York University, Queen's University, Humber Polytechnic, George Brown College, Cambrian College, MITACS and others, as well as representatives of the Government of Ontario and members of the expert community.

Opening the event, Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to Canada, Dauletbek Kussainov, noted that Kazakhstan continues to strengthen its position as a regional academic and research hub in Eurasia by actively developing international partnerships, joint educational programs, and scientific cooperation. The Ambassador placed particular emphasis on workforce training for strategically important sectors of the economy, including mining, energy, agriculture, and artificial intelligence.

The keynote presentation was delivered by Muslim Khassenov, Associate Professor at Maqsut Narikbayev University and Visiting Scholar at Harvard University. He provided an overview of ongoing reforms in Kazakhstan’s higher education and science sectors, highlighting the development of international academic partnerships and new approaches to the internationalization of higher education.

During the discussions, Michelle Beaton, Director of International Relations at the University of Toronto, noted the steady progress in academic ties between Kazakhstan and Canada, including the implementation of joint educational initiatives, research collaboration, and the participation of Canadian faculty members in educational programs at Kazakhstani universities.

Shauna Garrett, Director of International Education at Ontario Tech University, emphasized the strong potential for cooperation in training specialists for high-tech industries, particularly in engineering, digital technologies, and nuclear energy, taking into account Kazakhstan’s plans to build a nuclear power plants.

Overall, the event demonstrated the mutual interest of Kazakhstan and Canada in expanding cooperation in higher education and workforce development for the economy of the future.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-ottawa/press/news/details/1226998?lang=ru