On October 24, 2022, NU launched the International Youth Forum of the Asian Universities Alliance on the theme: “Building a Meta Silk Road: Integration of Asian Cultures in the Real and Virtual Universe”. As part of the Forum, NU hosts international students from eight Alliance member universities for an opportunity to share knowledge and immerse themselves in the cultural environment of NU and the country.
About 40 participants, including NU students and 27 international students from University of Tokyo, Chula University, IIT Bombay, UAEU, HKUST, Seoul National University, University Malaya, and University of Colombo are participating. Together they will attend scientific workshops and seminars, visit the Burabay resort area and take in the capital city’s sights.
The Forum opened with welcoming remarks by NU President Shigeo Katsu and Provost Ilesanmi Adesida. Ms. Loretta O’Donnell, NU Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, will speak on “Heritage and Silk Road,” and Ms. Aliya Kaimoldinova, Head of the Office of Global Relations, will speak on “Internationalization.”
NU President Shigeo Katsu, noting the increasing role of digital technologies and the historical connection between Silk Road countries, emphasized the importance of communication between people and the value of cultural exchange.
“The big underlining theme is that humankind is at an inflection point where we may risk. We have developed so much, good and bad. The good side is we have been able to build technology, better health, and life expectancy going to prosperity and the negative side is that we also developed all the tools to destroy ourselves. And the best example is what is happening right now in front of us. For example, global warming is one of the most unpleasant results of human activity. This generation of late 2010 and yearly 2020 will find a solution, live with it, and change the world, but they can do it only together. Hopefully, they will be able to build our world’s foundations,” said Mr Katsu.
The AUA Youth Forum focuses on a particular theme that corresponds to the concept of the AUA year. Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, Asian Civilisations, and Future Habitats are at the centre of discussion this year.
“We are happy to host students from our sister institutions in the AUA family as participants in the Forum on Meta Silk Road. Artificial Intelligence and Smart Systems have become the infrastructure of life; this Forum will examine their intersection with the areas of business, finance, and environment and their impact on culture in the heart of the Ancient Silk Road,” said NU Provost Ilesanmi Adesida.
Today, students have a chance to learn about Kazakh cultural heritage during workshop organized by Cultural Center “Rukhani Zhangyru.” They all danced the Kara Zhorga, listened to dombrists and played national games. Tomorrow they will go to the Burabay resort area.
A student from the Indian Institute of Technology, Sachar Baksheesh, majoring in public policy, shares his thoughts on Forum’s theme. “I am looking forward to knowing more about Meta silk road integration and how virtual and real worlds can meet. The location of Kazakhstan is very strategic to the idea of the Silk road and how it can integrate the entire issue culture to its different needs,” said he.
The Youth Forum program includes master classes by NU professors on topics such as research in AI, AR/XR/VR, data science, cyber security, blockchain, and Silk roads heritage.
NU is the only CA region’s university in the Asian Universities Alliance, which was established at the initiative of Tsinghua University in 2017. The Alliance has 15 universities in Asia. AUA’s mission is to jointly address regional and global challenges, especially those related to higher education and economic, scientific and technological development, by strengthening cooperation between partner universities.
