Kazakhstan Assumes Chairmanship of the Turkic Academy Scientific Council

The 8th meeting of the Scientific Council of the Turkic Academy was held in the city of Turkestan. The event was attended by the heads of state bodies overseeing the spheres of education and science of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States, representatives of international organizations, heads of higher education institutions, and research institutions.

The meeting was opened by the President of the Turkic Academy, Shahin Mustafayev, who noted the role of the Academy in the development of scientific and academic cooperation in the Turkic world. He emphasized the importance of the Academy's activities in studying the shared historical and cultural heritage, strengthening scientific ties, and implementing joint research projects.

During the meeting, the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek, delivered a speech emphasizing the strategic importance of expanding scientific and educational cooperation between the Turkic states. The Minister noted that the current meeting provides an opportunity not only to summarize the results of the Academy's activities but also to re-evaluate the path initiated by Kazakhstan's proposal put forward at the Summit of Turkic States in Nakhchivan in 2009.

"The Turkic Academy acts as the intellectual and scientific pillar of the Organization of Turkic States, transforming our shared historical, linguistic, and cultural heritage into concrete projects aimed at the development of academic cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the expansion of cultural and economic ties. Today, the Academy has become a unique platform uniting the intellectual potential of leading researchers, experts, and scientific organizations of the Turkic world around common goals and priorities," Sayasat Nurbek noted.

The head of the ministry reported that over the past six years, the volume of science funding in Kazakhstan has increased sixfold, and the annual amount of funds allocated to science today exceeds 250 billion tenge. In addition, special attention in the country is paid to the development of international scientific cooperation, the improvement of research infrastructure, and the opening of branches of foreign universities.

During the meeting, the results of the chairmanship of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the

Scientific Council were summarized, after which the chairmanship was transferred to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh side declared its readiness to ensure the continuity of work to further strengthen scientific and academic interaction between the Turkic states, as well as to enhance the role of the Turkic Academy as a key platform for knowledge exchange and the development of scientific cooperation.

The meeting of the Scientific Council was attended by the Minister of National Education of the Republic of Türkiye Yusuf Tekin, Deputy Minister of Science, Higher Education and Innovation of the Kyrgyz Republic Durus Kozuev, Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Kubanychbek Omuraliev, President of the Council of Higher Education of the Republic of Türkiye Erol Özvar, as well as the First Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Radjabov.

In accordance with the agenda, the results of the activities of the Turkic Academy for 2024–2025, the work plan for 2026, anniversary dates, and priority directions of scientific research were reviewed. The members of the Council discussed the presented documents and determined the key tasks for the upcoming period.

Following the results of the meeting, the Protocol of the VIII meeting of the Scientific Council of the Turkic Academy was signed. It was also decided to hold the IX meeting of the Scientific Council in the Kyrgyz Republic.

As part of the event, members of the Scientific Council and foreign delegations visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, and familiarized themselves with this outstanding historical and cultural monument. The participants noted the special significance of the city of Turkestan as the spiritual center of the Turkic world.

The meeting of the Scientific Council of the Turkic Academy became an important platform for the further development of scientific ties between the Turkic states, the implementation of joint research initiatives, and the strengthening of integration processes in the field of education and science.