On February 22-23, 2018, the international conference "25th Anniversary of the European Union-Central Asia Relations: from the Past to the Future" organized by the Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan was held in Astana. The event brought together more than 150 participants from the EU and Central Asia, including representatives of the diplomatic corps, the expert community, opinion leaders, civil society, business associations, international organizations and the media. At the conference, Botagoz Rakisheva made a report "Public Perception of the European Union in Central Asia," where she showed the attitude of the population towards the European Union according to the results of opinion polls.

On February 20, 2018, the Public Opinion Research Institute and the Department of Central Asian Studies of Hankuk University (Seoul, South Korea) held a scientific seminar "Kazakh-Korean Relations: An Expert Look" which presented the results of the sociological study "Image of South Korea in Kazakhstan: public opinion", conducted by the Public Opinion Research Institute. The seminar was attended by South Korean and Kazakhstani experts, employees of the Embassy of South Korea in Kazakhstan, doctoral students and undergraduates of L.N. Gumilyov ENU.

Speakers of the seminar:

Gulden Ashkenova, Master of Sociology, Public Opinion Research Institute ("Image of South Korea in Kazakhstan: public opinion"), Kim Sangcheol, Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies ("Cooperation & Exchanges of 21st C. between Kazakhstan & Korea"), Botagoz Rakisheva, candidate of sociological sciences, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute ("Attitude of Central Asian youth towards South Korea"), Youngmin Chu, doctoral student of L.N. Gumilyov ENU, Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies ("Multicultural Society in South Korea and Kazakhsta").

Scientific Workshop Participants: Kim Sangcheol, Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies, Kim Jin Dong, Advisor to the Embassy of South Korea in Kazakhstan, Ibraev Daulet, Embassy of South Korea in Kazakhstan, Svetlana Kozhirova, Professor at the Institute of Diplomacy of Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Ainur Nogai, Associate Professor at L.N. Gumilyov ENU, Kalamkas Yessimova, Public Opinion Research Institute, representative of the magazine "Central Asia and the Caucasus", Aigul Sadvokassova, Doctor of Sociology, Chairman of the Scientific and Expert Council of the Assembly of the People of Kazakhstan, Director of the Center for the Study of the Interethnic and Interfaith Relations of the Presidential Academy of Public Administration, Gulden Ashkenova, Master of Sociology, Public Opinion Research Institute, Youngmin Chu, doctoral student of L.N. Gumilyov ENU, Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk Univ. of Foreign Studies, Assel Aizhanova, Master student of L.N. Gumilyov ENU, Fariza Satmagambetova, Bachelor student of L.N. Gumilyov ENU, trainee at the Public Opinion Research Institute.

On February 16, 2018 Botagoz Rakisheva gave a lecture "Sociology: profession or lifestyle" in front of students and teachers of School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Nazarbayev University, where she talked about the sociologist profession, research projects, and the results of sociological studies conducted among Central Asian youth as part of Project of F. Ebert Foundation "Youth of Central Asia", conducted by the Public Opinion Research Institute.

On January 10-14, 2018, Gulden Ashkenova, Master of Social Sciences, researcher at the Public Opinion Research Institute, took part in the data visualization workshop "Vsyoyasno! 2018" for authors of sociological research and creative professionals from Eastern Europe and Central Asia, which was held in Prague (Czech Republic).