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SDG project groups
Our groups are formed together with representatives from both KBTU and international companies and universities. If you want to be a member of our group please contacts us by sending us email.
UN Program Project "Supporting the Economic Empowerment of Afghan Women through Education and Training in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan"
Since 2020, KBTU has been participating in the project “Economic empowerment of Afghan women through education and training in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.” The project on the education of Afghan women in Central Asian countries is being implemented by UNDP in Kazakhstan with financial support from the European Union. This initiative covers several UN SDGs: “4 – Quality Education”, “5 – Gender Equality”, “10 – Reduced Inequalities”, “16 – Peaceful Justice and Strong Institutions”.
Project Description The program, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by UNDP, allows Afghan women to study at universities in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This second Phase of the Project which started in 2022. The first Phase has started in 2020 and it was primarily to organized education for Afghan women in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The first Phase is planned to end in 2025 and Second Phase will last till 2026.
The initiative aims to provide educational opportunities for women from Afghanistan. Overall, within the framework of the program, 50 women will receive education at the universities of Central Asia by 2025.The first group of Afghan women arrived in Almaty in October 2019. In 2020, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan welcomed the new group of winners of the educational scholarship. After completing the language courses, the project participants will receive education at various universities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan under the bachelor's, master's and TVET (Technical and Vocational education and training)programs in agriculture, finance/statistics and mining. 29 women from Afghanistan will be trained at KBTU. To date, 40 Afghan students have received degree and/or certificates at the KBTU and programs of study covered Bachelor's program "Finance/Statistics", MBA in "Finance/Statistics", TVET Mining, and TVET Finance. Currentlty, KBTU is implementing TVET programs in Marketing and Statitics and Bachelor Program in Marketing. The SDG Center and Department of Continuing Education also are preparing a platform for the project participants to have an opportunity for an internship in foreign companies and national companies of the Republic of Kazakhstan to strengthen their knowledge and gain practical skills. Some information from KBTU site can be found here:
Circular Economy
and Artificial Intelligence
This project group consisting of Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI)at Nazarbayev University research staff and KBTU research staff has been working since 2023 on the topic of Circular Economy and main aims of the project are to utilize state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques to develop a novel Circular City Indexing (CCI) method for construction job site management and operation. Creating circularity indexes for cities is a new research area (Muscillo et al., 2021); recent research initiatives evidence its emergence and importance, e.g., ICLEI Europe[1] and OECD[2] have recently funded similar research. CCI typically involves Big Data Analysis (BDA) and provides a concise measurement of the factors extracted from the data related to urban performances supporting local, national, and international green policies. This project focuses on a novel contribution to the built environment part of the circular developments in cities. Thus, it will facilitate developing a CCI for the built environment, focusing on construction activities.
This project consists of four stages that will run sequentially to achieve the identified aims and targets. In the first stage, AI-powered search tools (e.g., Deep Learning-DL) will be used to find new construction sites in several cities at different circularity levels using satellite imagery, and we will create an open, big dataset of construction sites images. There will be multiple entries in the dataset (e.g., layout characteristics, material storage and use, construction stage, onsite construction safety, sustainable site management, and waste management practices) (STAGE 1). Then, we will create an AI classifier (CCI) that uses construction site satellite images to decide whether the image belongs to a high or low circular economy city (STAGE 2). Afterward, it will be possible to utilize explanatory visualization techniques highlighting the regions in an image that contributed to the decision (STAGE 3). In the final stage, experts will look at those regions, infer insights into them, and make lists of actions, layout techniques, and job site management principles for different circularity levels (STAGE 4).
The Principal Investigator (Nazarbayev University), Ferhat Karaca (Ph.D.), has a background in the fields of sustainable development, green buildings, sustainable building and city assessment methods, indoor and outdoor air quality, pollution prevention, source-oriented air quality modeling, pollution exposure analysis, spatial analysis, and environmental risk assessment.
The first Co-PI, Huseyin Atakan Varol (Ph.D.), is the founding director of Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) and full professor of robotics at NU.
The second Co-PI, Zhanna Kapsalyamova (Ph.D.), is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Nazarbayev University.
The national collaborator of this project is the Kazakh-British university. Assel Akzhalova (Ph.D. in Computer Science) is the head project groups and professor of IT faculty at Kazakh-British Technical University.
The Senior researchers (Kazakh-British Technical University) - Assoc.prof.Aleksandr Pak, Assoc.Prof.Iskander Akhmetov.
The young research assistant (Kazakh-British Technical University) is Shakarim Aubakirov who is a student of International School of Economics.
More about the project can be found in the web-site Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University here.
References
[1] https://cityloops.eu/measuring-city-circularity
[2] https://www.oecd.org/regional/cities/circular-economy-cities.htm
KBTU Internal Compliance Policy (ICP) in Strategic Trade Control and Sanctions
This is a draft document briefly mentioning policy outlines on how KBTU will comply with International, foreign, and local Strategic Trade Control and Sanctions (STCS) laws, regimes, and regulations.
1. Introduction
- It is the policy of KBTU to conduct its business and academic activity in an honest and ethical manner consistent with relevant laws and regulations.
- KBTU is committed to comply with the Strategic Trade Control and Sanctions laws, regimes, regulations of the Republic of Kazakhstan (‘STCS of RK’).
- As part of this policy, KBTU has no tolerance for violations of STCS of RK and is committed to acting transparently, professionally, fairly and with integrity in all its academic activity and business dealings and relationships, wherever it operates, and implementing and enforcing adequate internal procedures to prevent and minimize any possible violations of STCS of RK.
2.Purpose
2.1 KBTU will comply with applicable STCS of RK which are relevant to its academic activity and business.
2.2 KBTU is committed to maintaining an effective system of STCS compliance that is designed to avoid violations, detect them promptly if they occur, and provide timely investigations and appropriate remedial actions.
3.Who does this policy apply to?
3.1 This policy applies to all individuals working for, or on behalf of, KBTU at all levels and grades, whether permanent, fixed-term or temporary, and wherever located, including researchers, teaching staff, administrative staff, students, consultants, contractors, and any other person who performs services for or on behalf of KBTU who carry out any activity or are considering carrying out any activity related to STCS of RK (collectively referred to as Staff in this document).
4.What are STCS of RK?
STCS of RK are strategic trade controls, sanctions and other trade restrictions which are administered by the Kazakh Government and other official agencies to protect national security and foreign policy interests of Kazakhstan and they govern how, with whom and where KBTU does business according to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Specific (Strategic) Trade Control of 28 December, 2022. (further - the Law) The fields under STCS are deemed as high risk as they could potentially be misused for military purposes. These areas are usually but not always in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.
5. Responsibilities
5.1 The management and compliance with STCS of RK is the responsibility of all those Staff conducting such applicable business on behalf of KBTU which is subject to STCS of RK.
5.2 All Staff are required to avoid any activity that might lead to a breach of this policy.
6. Consequences for breach of this policy
6.1 Any member of Staff who breaches this policy (which includes a failure to notify) may face disciplinary action, which could result in dismissal for gross misconduct. We reserve our right to terminate our contractual relationship with non-employee Staff if they breach this policy.
7. Monitoring and review
7.1 KBTU Executive management has a responsibility to ensure that internal control systems and procedures are monitored and subject to regular review to provide assurance that they are effective in compliance with the STCS of RK.
7.2 All Staff must be aware that they are responsible for the success of this policy and should ensure they use it to disclose any suspected breaches or wrongdoing
Please read our Concept Note on Internationalization of Education Programs in Strategic Trade Control
Green Energy
and Energy Transition
In 2021, the Kazakh-British Technical University, adhering to the UN SDGs, adopted the Declaration of the Green University Concept, the purpose of which is to create a platform based on the university in alliance with industry and international partner universities for the accumulation of knowledge, the development of new technologies, the organization of innovations, the establishment strong connections with leading experts and government agencies, whose initiatives will lead to the introduction and implementation of environmental culture among students, staff and the dissemination of best practices in Kazakhstan.
Within the framework of the UN SDG in the field of renewable energy sources “7 - Inexpensive and clean energy”, unique developments are being carried out on the basis of the Scientific and Educational Center for Alternative Energy and Nanotechnology: a multi-stage wind turbine (wind generator), double-sided solar panels, a solar tree. KBTU has developed and designed a highly efficient wind power plant, for which a patent of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a patent of the European Union and a US Patent have been received. Currently it operates on the shores of Lake Kapshagai in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Bilateral silicon solar panels with high efficiency (16% on each side) are installed on the roof of the KBTU building. For the 20th anniversary, on the initiative of KBTU students, a Solar Tree was made, which now adorns the facade of the university building. This is a tree with 0.5 kW solar panels. The goal of such projects is to use renewable clean energy sources as primary and secondary sources for daily operations.
In 2021, the Kazakh-British Technical University, adhering to the UN SDGs, adopted the Declaration of the Green University Concept, the purpose of which is to create a platform based on the university in alliance with industry and international partner universities for the accumulation of knowledge, the development of new technologies, the organization of innovations, the establishment strong connections with leading experts and government agencies, whose initiatives will lead to the introduction and implementation of environmental culture among students, staff and the dissemination of best practices in Kazakhstan. In the same 2021, KBTU received a prize in the Republican competition “Coalition for a Green Economy and G-Global Development,” the goal of which was to identify the best representatives of industry, educational institutions and business in the nomination. the best "Green office".
Within the framework of SDG “7-Clean Energy”, Kazenergy, a forum “ENERGY TRANSITION: DIALOGUE OF GENERATIONS” was held on the basis of KBTU (September 29-October 2, 2022, Almaty, Kazakhstan) (www.wpcyouthforum.org). KBTU will continue to strengthen innovative and educational activities to create and implement joint projects in the field of SDGs and is open to partnerships with local and foreign partners.
KBTU has signed Declaration of Green University concept and Commitment to UN principles which also has commitment to save environment.
More news on events held on the topic of Energy Transition can be found in News and event.
Nanotechnology lab in KBTU
Please read our Concept Note on Internationalization of Education Programs in Strategic Trade Control
Virtual-Art gallery
About the Virtual Art Gallery. Our virtual space, developed by KBTU students and faculty, together with the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan, provides an excellent platform to view and evaluate Kazakhstan's growing and dynamic creative industry in support of strengthening the goals of the SDGs.
We firmly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to achieve their dreams and contribute to society.
At Virtual Art Gallery we are committed to supporting students with disabilities and those experiencing financial difficulties through our contribution to the KBTU Charitable Fund.
About the Union of Artists of Kazakhstan
The Union of Artists of Kazakhstan is the first Kazakhstani union representing the works of the most talented and creative artists of Kazakhstan. We strive to showcase the best of the country's art scene, from new talent to established masters. The Union of Artists of the Republic of Kazakhstan is a creative public organization that unites about 1,200 professional artists: sculptors, painters, graphic artists, artists of monumental and decorative arts, masters of folk art and art historians.
The Union has 15 branches in various regions of the country. Branches are part of the structure of the Union and are not independent legal entities. The agricultural sector of the Republic of Kazakhstan is divided into sections.
The Union of Artists of Kazakhstan is an association of professional artists working in different types and genres of fine art. Its goals are to popularize the creativity of artists-members of the Union of Artists in the republican and international arena, provide information, social and legal support, hold exhibitions, publishing and propaganda activities.
According to the Charter, the highest body of the Union is the Congress, which is convened at least once every four years. During the break between congresses, the governing body is the Board of the Union, elected for a term of four years. The operational management of the Union is carried out by the Secretariat, elected from the Board for a period of four years.
The Union of Artists has its own office space, creative workshops and production space, which is currently under reconstruction.
The fine arts of Kazakhstan in its classical academic format are not traditional for Kazakhstan and were actually created within the Union of Artists around the 70s of the twentieth century. Over 86 years of development, the names of Kazakh masters became known throughout the territory of the former USSR. Their works are included in the exhibitions and collections of the State Tretyakov Gallery, the State Museum of Oriental Arts, museums of Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, etc.
We believe that art should be accessible to everyone, and we strive to bring the best works of Kazakhstan to a global audience. Our mission is to advance the SDGs through the art of Kazakhstan, and we invite you to explore our virtual gallery and take part in this journey.
Visit our virtual art gallery here
Your contribution will help provide these individuals with the necessary scholarship support to realize their academic aspirations.
Sustainable Cities
KBTU implements courses and projects in the areas of the “smart city” concept. Within the framework of the UN SDGs “11 – Sustainable cities and settlements”, “9 – Industrialization, innovation and infrastructure”, the Smart City Laboratory has been operating at KBTU since 2022, created jointly with the Digitalization Department of the Almaty Akimat and IGLUS. companies (Switzerland). On the basis of the laboratory, trainings were conducted to improve the qualifications of employees of the Akimat of the city of Almaty, the Department of Urban Planning of the city of Almaty and representatives of other companies and government bodies involved in the creation of the “Smart City” in Almaty. The KBTU Smart City Laboratory plans to annually conduct trainings for representatives of companies interested in gaining practical knowledge on planning smart cities, power grids and other modules.
KBTU signed a memorandum with the Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia) and is actively developing projects on smart cities. To get acquainted with the current funding opportunities for topics between the cities of Tallinn and Almaty, please read the proposals and deadlines on our partners’ website https://finestcentre.eu/innovation-with-cities/smart-city-challenge-2024/
KBTU pays attention to Cybersecurity and Cyberintelligence topics as a part of Sustainable and safe city projects.
KBTU and the University of Salerno (Italy) has signed MoU and agreed to launch a double doctoral degree program in the field of Internet of Things and Cybersecurity.
Associate professor Christian Esposito (University of Salerno, Italy) who visits KBTU as part of cooperation and support of the Erasmus+ program. During the meeting, Christian Esposito shared his experience in implementing joint programs, cooperation with industry, as well as projects in the field of cybersecurity, Digital twins, the implementation of Google projects at the University of Salerno for the assembly of quantum computers.
On June 21, 2024, a master class was held on the topic: Cyber intelligence and cyber security according to the national and European scheme of assessment and certification of cyber security: the possibilities of the laboratories of the Italian company iPS visionary intelligence under the joint organization of the University of Salerno (Italy), the Project Group of KBTU (SDG Center KBTU) and the School of Engineering and Information Technologies. The seminar presented the National and European cyber security assessment and certification scheme, Social networks and cyber-intelligence with open source code, automatic use of social networks, deep and dark networks for profiling targets and identifying trends. Questions about how to detect fake news and propaganda were also considered, real options for use in various areas: from national security to operations of large corporations, with the Medusa platform which is able to detect cyber attacks and predict outbreaks of cyber attacks and organized crime. The speakers also introduced the basics of reverse engineering which is used to detect fraud in financial transactions. At the end of the master class, the participants received a certificate of participation from the organizers.
Artificial general intelligence (AGI) Lab
The mission of AGI Lab of SDG Center KBTU:
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Advance AI research with a focus on decision-making, including Natural Language Processing (NLP), Computer Vision (CV), and Bayesian networks,
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Software solutions for the real-world problems in education, industry, and society.
The leader of the Lab is Alexandr Pak, PhD, Associate Professor and Head of AGI Lab, School of IT & Engineering, Kazakh-British Technical University.
Key Focus Areas of AGI Lab:
• Development of self-correcting language models and reinforcement learning frameworks.
• Creation of AI tools for education, mental health, and sustainable development.
• Designing open-source algorithms for abstractive text summarization and decision-making under uncertainty.
• Promoting AI ethics and transparency, addressing the "black box" problem in government applications.
Internet of Things (IoT) Lab
The mission of IoT Lab of SDG Center KBTU:
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Advance IoT research with a focus on cybersecurity, quantum computing, computer vision, IoT and robotics, and blockchain.
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Software solutions for the real-world problems in education, industry, and society.
The IoT Lab is working with SpaceLab and the leader is Arman Bekembayev.
SpaceLab is a Kazakhstani company in the field of space technology production, specializing in the creation of satellite IoT terminals and the development of the Internet of Very Important Things (IoVIT) ecosystem for the prevention of natural disasters (earthquakes, floods and forest fires) and provides communication for industrial facilities in remote locations.
The company is also engaged in the production of high-temperature 3D printers for industrial applications, capable of printing with engineering plastics such as PEEK and ULTEM.
SpaceLab has contracted, developed and supplied a product device for monitoring the angle of rotation / percentage of opening or closing of a valve in oil and gas production for two of the five largest oil and gas companies in the world.
Among the international achievements of SpaceLab, the company is recognized as one of the top five in the field of space technology in the capital of Silicon Valley, Palo Alto, and entered the top 15 in California.
Today, SpaceLab's clients include the oil and gas sector, Astana International University, Nazarbayev University, and Eurasian University.
Key Focus Areas of IoT Lab SDG Center:
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Development of secure IoT models based on Quantum computing, reinforcement learning, and quantum computing.
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Adopting of IoT for education, space, and sustainable development.
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Designing open-source algorithms and utilizing blockchain.
SDG 7, 9: Sustainable cities
Top researchers, master students and PhD students are working on the Smart City initiatives such as Smart Traffic, Smart Grid, Smart government.
Find it more about the projects here.
SDG 12: Circular Economy and AI
KBTU and partner universities researchers from IT, Constructions and Ecology are working on initiatives of development AI for Circular economy activities. Find it more about the projects here.
SDG 4: Continuing education
Top trainers from Business, Finance and Project Management are conducting professional trainings in various areas. KBTU provides courses in online and offline format and you can find more about them here.
KBTU experts is organizing courses for TVET programs to give professional education for Afghan girls within UNDP project. Find it more about UNDP project here.