On 13 August 2026, the Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development (KIPD) hosted a roundtable discussion titled «Youth, Family and Demographic Development in Kazakhstan». The event was organized as part of the activities of the Consortium of Research Organizations in the Field of Family, Gender and Demographic Policy under the National Commission for Women’s Affairs and Family and Demographic Policy under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The roundtable featured a presentation of the UNFPA Demographic Futures Survey 2026, one of the largest international studies exploring the life plans and aspirations of younger generations. The survey covered more than 108,000 internet users aged 18–39 across 73 countries. The event also featured findings from studies conducted by the Youth Research Center and the Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development. Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Institute and Candidate of Sociological Sciences, and Kalamkas Yessimova, Chief Research Fellow of the Institute and Master of Anthropology and Ethnology, took part in the roundtable discussion.
Read more:
https://www.facebook.com/reel/28261169496842596
https://www.facebook.com/KIPD.KZ
On 23 July 2026, the Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development, in cooperation with the «Public Opinion» Research Institute, held a sociological meeting on the topic «The Contemporary French School of Sociology».
The speakers were Elliot Barrow, a Master’s student at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (France), and Amira Amerkulova, a Bachelor’s student in Sociology at Paris Nanterre University. The sociologists are currently undertaking internships at the «Public Opinion» Research Institute in Astana.
The meeting was moderated by Elmira Otar, PhD in Sociology and Director of the Center for Family and Gender Policy Research at the Kazakhstan Institute for Public Development, and Aruzhan Komirtay, Master of Sociology and Research Fellow at the «Public Opinion» Research Institute.
The event brought together sociologists representing government and non-governmental research organizations, as well as universities.
On 22 July 2026, representatives of government authorities, development partners, diplomatic missions, United Nations agencies, academia, and civil society organizations gathered in Astana for a seminar organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Kazakhstan to disseminate the findings of the study «From Analysis to Action: Applying Mobility Tracking Matrix (MTM) Findings in Programme Planning». The seminar presented the findings of IOM’s MTM, which measures migration processes and labour mobility trends and helps identify emerging migration patterns. As part of the research, 2,600 interviews with international migrant workers and more than 7,600 interviews with key informants were conducted. In addition, preliminary findings from more than 5,100 interviews with citizens of Kazakhstan travelling abroad for work and education were presented. The research collected data on key mobility patterns, including countries of origin of migrant workers, employment sectors, destination choices, and emerging vulnerability factors. The seminar was attended by Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Institute and Candidate of Sociological Sciences; Aruzhan Komirtay, Research Fellow; and Elliot Barrow, Research Intern and Master’s student at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (France).
Read more:
On 17 July 2026, the Kazakhstan Institute of Public Development held a meeting of the Sarap Expert Club in Astana on the topic «Electoral Landscape 2026: Public Expectations and Electoral Trends».
The event brought together representatives of the expert and academic community, heads of research institutes and analytical organizations, as well as doctoral and master's students from leading universities.
During the meeting, the Institute presented the findings of two sociological studies: «The Socio-Political Situation in the Second Quarter of 2026» (2,400 respondents) and «Political Orientations of Kazakhstanis» (1,200 respondents).
Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute, participated in the meeting and contributed to the expert discussion.
More information: https://ru.kipd.kz/article/869-gradgdan-doveryayut-prezidentu-strany-rezultaty-sotsiologicheskikh-issledovaniy-1784281723
On 16 July 2026, the Youth Research Center, with the support of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, held an expert discussion entitled «Kazakhstan's Youth in the Era of Digital Transformation» at Coventry University Kazakhstan.
The participants were welcomed by Guliskhan Nakhbayeva, Director of the Youth Research Center and moderator of the discussion, who highlighted the key priorities of Kazakhstan's state youth policy in the context of digital transformation.
The findings of the sociological study «Youth of Kazakhstan» were presented by Sabina Shaimerdenova, Head of the Department of Sociological Research and Forecasting at the Youth Research Center.
Aigul Zabirova, Chief Research Fellow at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, delivered an expert assessment of contemporary social processes affecting young people and presented an analytical perspective on the transformation of youth values and public attitudes.
Aknur Imankul, Head of the Family Policy Department at the Kazakhstan Institute of Public Development, discussed the impact of the digital environment on the institution of the family, youth socialization, the formation of value orientations, and the gender dimensions of young people's behaviour.
The expert discussion was also attended by Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute, research interns Elliot Barrow, a master's student at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (France), and Amira Amerkulova, a Bachelor's student in Sociology at Paris Nanterre University.
More information: https://eljastary.kz/?p=3098&lang=ru
On 10 July 2026, the «Josparlaý» Expert Dialogue Club held a meeting in Astana on the topic «From Challenges to Resilience: The Demographic Situation in Kazakhstan». The event was organized by the Agency for Strategic Planning and Reforms of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The meeting was attended by Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute. During the meeting, experts discussed the concept of the National Report on the Assessment of the Demographic Situation, the methodology of the Regional Demographic Sustainability Index, and contemporary approaches to analyzing demographic processes.
Read more: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/aspr/press/news/details/1256621?lang=kk
On July 8, 2026. Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Institute, participated in the expert platform «Elections to the Kurultai: Constitutional Foundations and Political Transformation», organized by the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Institute of Public Policy.
For more informationhttps://kisi.kz/ru/vybory-v-kurultaj-stanut-pervym-prakticheskim-etapom-realizachii-novoj-konstituchii-eksperty/
On July 8, 2026, Botagoz Rakisheva, Director of the Institute, took part in the first meeting of the Expert Council chaired by Askarbek Yertayev, Minister of Labor and Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Kazakhstan. During the meeting, the methodology of the Digital Family Map was presented.
For more information: https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/enbek/press/news/details/1254936?lang=en
From June 16–19, 2026, the regional conference of the Central Eurasian Studies Society (CESS) was held at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan. The conference was opened by CESS President, Associate Professor, and Vice Dean for Research Dina Sharipova, along with Professor of the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University, Riccardo Pelizzo.
The keynote lecture, titled “Quiet Power, Strategic Silence, Decolonial Diplomacy, and Transformative Resilience in Central Asia” was delivered by Dr. Timur Dadabaev. Dr. Dadabaev serves as Professor of International Relations and Director of the Special Program for Japanese and Eurasian Studies at University of Tsukuba. He is also a Visiting Professor under the Swedish Research Council at Lund University, as well as Professor of International Relations and Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
Throughout the conference, attendees enjoyed a book exhibition and the Living Cultural Heritage Exhibition, curated by Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Nazarbayev University, Snezhana Atanova. Some of the exhibits came from her personal collection.
The evening banquet featured a musical concert with performances by Dr. Merey Otan (Eurasian Studies, Nazarbayev University) and the Nazarbayev University Orchestra.
Around 400 participants from different countries attended the conference. More than 100 panels, roundtables, and book presentations were held. We thank the organizers for the excellent arrangement of the conference and the participants for their insightful presentations.
The conference was attended by researchers from the Institute: Botagoz Rakisheva – Director; Kalamkas Yesimova – Chief Researcher; Aruzhan Komirtaу – Junior Researcher; and Eliott Barrois – Research Intern at the Institute and Master’s student at the Graduate School of Social Sciences (France).
As part of the conference, the Research Institute Public Opinion organized a panel titled: «Кazakh/Кazakhstani diaspora: adaptation strategies, identity, and new trends». Among the panel participants was renowned researcher of the Kazakh diaspora, Professor Peter Finke (Switzerland).
Moderator: Botagoz Rakisheva, Research Institute Public Opinion (Astana, Kazakhstan). Discussant: Sanchel Kim, Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, South Korea). Panel Speakers: Gulnash Askhat and Lyazzat Aitimbet (Turan University). Presentation: The Kazakh Diaspora in the United States: Risks of Losing National Identity. Anar Somonzhoglu (Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey). Presentation: Turkish Diaspora Policy and Kazakhs in Europe. Kalamkas Yesimova (Astana IT University, Public Opinion Research Institute), Ainur Ibraeva, and Aruzhan Komirtaу (Public Opinion Research Institute). Presentation: New Trends in the Formation of the Kazakh/Kazakhstani Diaspora. Beibitgul Khaumen (Mongolia). Presentation: Being Kazakh in Mongolia: Everyday Nationalism and the Politics of Belonging.
More details: https://opinions.kz/ru/merop/the-central-eurasian-studies-society
On June 13, 2026, the Second Central Asian Forum on China Studies was held at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) under the theme «Central Asia and China at the Crossroads of Heritage and Future».
The Forum was organized by the Institute for Advanced International Studies at the University of World Economy and Diplomacy, in cooperation with the World Center for Sinology and the Belt and Road Research and Education Center (Kazakhstan), with the support of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Tashkent. The event continued the regional expert dialogue initiated in Almaty in May 2025 and aimed to strengthen academic, analytical, and cultural-humanitarian cooperation between Central Asian countries and China. Kalamkas Yessimova, Chief Researcher at the Research Institute Public Opinion took part in the Forum.
More details: https://www.uwed.uz/ru/news/1610