NU President Professor Waqar Ahmad met with a delegation from the International Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Technology Innovation and Cooperation Organization (ICTO), led by its Chairman, Dr. Ma Yongsheng.
The delegation’s visit took place as part of the International CCUS Technology Conference, held in Astana on September 1–2. It was ICTO’s first international conference held outside China. The event was co-organized by Nazarbayev University’s Institute of New Materials and Energy Technologies (INMET).
The parties discussed prospects for joint research and the development of new technological solutions in carbon capture, utilization and storage.
During the meeting, Dr. Ma Yongsheng noted ICTO’s interest in NU’s academic and research expertise. “We would like to hold similar conferences in the future. For this, cooperation and support from the academic community and experts are particularly important to us. We hope to continue close cooperation with NU,” said the ICTO Chairman.
Potential areas of cooperation include the development and testing of new carbon capture and storage technologies, the industrial use of captured carbon dioxide, as well as the integration of these solutions with hydrogen energy and energy storage technologies. The parties also discussed the development of young specialists and researchers through joint master’s and doctoral programmes, young scholar exchanges, and international summer schools.
NU President noted that the proposed areas of cooperation align with the University’s strategic priorities and the current challenges facing Kazakhstan. “These are very important ideas that are in line with the ambitions of our University. They are also highly important for the future of the country. We would like to work with you in all these areas,” said Professor Ahmad.
CCUS technologies enable the capture of carbon dioxide generated, in particular, in the energy and industrial sectors, preventing its release into the atmosphere. Captured CO₂ can either be used in various industrial processes or directed for long-term storage. The development of such technologies is one of the tools for reducing industrial emissions and supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy.
