A postdoctoral researcher at the Graduate School of Education of Nazarbayev University, Assel Sharimova, has been named a laureate of the prestigious international Michael Fullan Emerging Scholar in Professional Capital and Community Award. She is the first recipient not only from Kazakhstan, but also from across the entire post-Soviet region to receive this honor. In 2026, only two researchers worldwide were awarded the prize.
Assel Sharimova has been serving as a postdoctoral researcher at the Graduate School of Education of Nazarbayev University for the past five years. She holds a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge. Prior to this, she worked within the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools system, where she focused on programme development and international collaboration.
“My research examined how teachers develop and mobilise professional capital through virtual professional communities, with a focus on Kazakhstan. Building on my earlier experience in teacher professional development, I became interested in how collaborative learning can extend beyond formal training. I explored how social media supports informal learning, particularly in reform contexts with varying access to professional support. I also integrate these ideas into my teaching and work with educators and researchers to support collaborative professional communities,” noted Assel Sharimova.
The Michael Fullan Emerging Scholar Award is an international education prize awarded by the Journal of Professional Capital and Community for research in the field of professional capital and educational communities. Selection criteria include scholarly contribution, practical relevance, and potential impact on the development of education systems. Laureates receive a monetary prize and international recognition within the academic community.
“These outstanding researchers represent cutting-edge scholarship in professional capital across diverse contexts. Collectively, their work advances understanding of the concept of professional capital in both theoretical and applied dimensions. The future of research in professional capital and professional communities is in capable hands,” the Journal of Professional Capital and Community stated.
