2024, December 11
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19 Scientists Receive State Awards
2024, December 11
Share this articleOn December 11, Nazarbayev University (NU) held its final Town Hall meeting of the year with university staff.
During the event, the outcomes of the year were summarized, and the university's key achievements were highlighted.
The President of NU, Professor Waqar Ahmad, delivered a speech of gratitude and presented a three-year development plan for the university. He shared the ambitious goal of positioning the university among the top 300 universities worldwide according to the Times Higher Education ranking by 2030. Currently, the university ranks in the 501-600 range and is a leader among universities in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
“We will strive to reach the top 300 universities globally, which will require coordinated and extensive efforts. Special attention will be given to improving rankings in teaching and research. We will also apply for inclusion in the Interdisciplinary Science Rankings and explore the possibilities of participating in the Impact Rankings,” noted Waqar Ahmad.
During the event, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, congratulated the university’s faculty and staff on the upcoming holidays and presented distinguished scientists with letters of appreciation, honorary diplomas, and medals for their contributions to the development of science in Kazakhstan – specifically the “Ғылымды дамытуға сіңірген еңбегі үшін” and “Ана тілін дамытуға қосқан үлесі үшін” badges.
The minister emphasized the importance of recognizing the work of scientists, stating: “We recognize that your contributions are often undervalued, and we are committed to changing this. You are the true heroes of science. Today, we have prepared 50 letters and medals, but this is not enough. My promise is that we will provide more recognition, as this is extremely important, especially for our youth.”
The NU President also acknowledged the professionalism and dedication of the university’s staff, presenting them with letters of appreciation.
A special moment of the event was the honorary retirement of the university's Provost, Dr. Ilesanmi Adesida, who had worked at NU for over 8 years. The Minister of Science and Higher Education and the university’s leadership expressed their gratitude for his significant contribution to the development of the university's educational processes and research. In honor of Dr. Adesida, a commemorative plaque was installed at the Nanofabrication Laboratory of the Shared Services Office, a facility he founded where scientific research in his field of specialization continues to be conducted.
