On January 27, 2026, the Public Opinion Research Institute (Astana, Kazakhstan) and the Institute of Central Asian Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, Republic of Korea) held a joint scientific seminar titled “Contemporary Youth: Characteristics, Values, and Interests.”

During the seminar, researchers from Kazakhstan, the Republic of Korea, and Turkey discussed contemporary youth in their countries, as well as the life values and priorities, interests, and goals of different generations. What values and orientations shape young people today? What matters most to youth? What are their interests? How do generations differ from one another? What are their visions of the future? Who are they—the people of the future?

The seminar featured the following presentations: Sancheol Kim, PhD, Professor and Research Fellow at the Institute of Central Asian Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (Seoul, Republic of Korea), with a presentation titled “Characteristics of the Millennial Generation in the Republic of Korea and Central Asian Countries (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan)”,

Shaimerdenova Sabina Anuarbekkyzy, MA in Sociology, Head of the Department of Sociological Research and Forecasting at the Research Center “Youth” (Astana, Kazakhstan), with a presentation “Youth of Kazakhstan: Profile, Values, Future”,

Anar Somuncuoglu, PhD, Associate Professor, Hacettepe University (Ankara, Turkey), with a presentation “Contemporary Youth in Turkey”,

Kalamkas Yesimova, MA in Anthropology and Ethnology, Public Opinion Research Institute, Astana IT University (Astana, Kazakhstan), with a presentation “Sociological Research on Youth in China.”

Representatives of various organizations took part in the seminar, including the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Applied Ethnopolitical Studies, the Otandastar Foundation (NAO), Astana IT University, the Astana Hub of Civil Service, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Association of China Studies Researchers.

Moderator of the scientific seminar: Botagoz Islyamovna Rakisheva, Director of the Public Opinion Research Institute, Candidate of Sociological Sciences, and Acting Associate Professor at the National School of Public Policy, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

For more information: https://opinions.kz/ru/merop/nauchnye-seminary