SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ALTAI REGION: AMANZHOLOV UNIVERSITY AT A NEW STAGE OF INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC DIALOGUE

The Altai mountain region occupies a special place in the history of the formation of human civilization, serving as a crossroads of ancient cultures and peoples of Eurasia.

In this context, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his congratulatory message to the participants of the II International Scientific and Practical Conference “Altai – the Ancestral Homeland of the Turks. The History of the Formation of Turkic Civilization”, described Altai as the golden cradle of the entire Turkic world since ancient times and emphasized the importance of its in-depth and comprehensive study at the level of global scholarship. The Head of State highlighted the need to expand scientific and humanitarian dialogue around Altai, strengthen cross-border cooperation, and conduct systematic research into the shared historical and cultural heritage of the Turkic peoples.

A logical continuation of this strategic course was the international scientific conference titled “Sustainable Development of the Altai Mountain Region: Issues of History, Language, Culture, Education, Ecology, and Economy”, held on January 14–16, 2026, at the initiative and under the organization of the branch of the Mongolian State University of Education in Bayan-Ölgii Aimag.

The conference brought together 88 scholars from 11 countries, including the United States, Russia, Japan, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, and others. Participants delivered substantial academic presentations in both offline and online formats. The forum became an important international platform for comprehensive research on the Altai region and for scholarly exchange of views.

The Kazakhstani delegation included representatives of Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University: Director of the Research Center “Altai Studies,” Associate Professor of the Department of History of Kazakhstan and Social and Humanitarian Disciplines, PhD Maıra Tarlaubai, as well as second-year doctoral student of the “History” educational program Nazym Amanzholova. Online participants included Azhar Islamova, Nikita Alexandrov, and Anar Mukhamedkarimova, who addressed pressing issues related to the historical and cultural, socio-economic development and environmental condition of the Altai region.

Overall, the conference was attended by four academicians, six doctors of sciences, 29 professors, 38 associate professors, 19 doctoral students, and 21 young researchers. This composition clearly demonstrated the high international scientific standing of the forum.

In line with the conference theme, current issues in the fields of history, language, culture, education, ecology, and economy were comprehensively discussed. As a result of the academic discussions, a special resolution was adopted and submitted to central government bodies, the United Nations and international organizations, local authorities, research institutes and universities, foreign partner organizations, the private sector and civil society institutions, as well as donor organizations.

The recommendations are aimed at preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Greater Altai mountain region, ensuring sustainable use of natural resources, protecting ecological balance, developing tourism and the regional economy, and expanding cross-border cooperation.

In addition, during the conference, a general agreement was reached to hold the international scientific conference “Sustainable Development of the Altai Mountain Region” once every three years, rotating among four countries. The baton as the next host was passed to Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University. This initiative fully aligns with the ideas of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on strengthening scientific and humanitarian cooperation.

As part of the conference, cultural and educational events were organized for participants, along with special excursions to museums and historical and cultural sites of the city of Ölgii. These activities contributed to deeper cultural understanding alongside the development of academic ties.

One of the significant outcomes was the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between Sarsen Amanzholov East Kazakhstan University and the Mongolian State University of Education. This agreement is aimed at elevating partnership in education, scientific research, and academic exchange to a qualitatively new level.