On May 13–15, Astana IT University hosted the official launch of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section as part of the international conference 2026 IEEE Smart Information Systems and Technologies (IEEE SIST 2026). The IEEE Kazakhstan Section is the national division of IEEE, the world’s largest professional organization in the field of engineering and technology.

During a ceremony attended by the leadership of IEEE Region 8, the establishment of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section was officially announced, and a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the IEEE Kazakhstan Section and the IEEE Ukraine Section. IEEE Region 8 Director, Professor Dusanka Boskovic, recognized the contributions of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Sayasat Nurbek, and the Chair of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section, Astana IT University Professor Didar Yedilkhan, for their efforts in advancing innovation and the technological community in Kazakhstan.

The launch of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section reflects a broader transformation taking place in the country. Kazakhstan is steadily building a new engineering and research ecosystem. Over the past six years, funding for science in Kazakhstan has increased sixfold, exceeding KZT 250 billion, while the number of research and development specialists has been growing by approximately 8% annually since 2021.

Against this backdrop, the professional engineering community is also expanding. The IEEE Kazakhstan Subsection was established in 2017. At that time, it included 28 professional members and 35 student members. In January 2026, official approval was granted for the creation of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section, and according to current data, the number of active IEEE members in Kazakhstan has increased nearly fivefold, reaching more than 350 members.

The IEEE Kazakhstan Section currently includes three joint technical chapters, two affinity groups — Women in Engineering (WIE) and Young Professionals (YP) — as well as student branches at Astana IT University, Nazarbayev University, and SDU University. Its key areas of activity include artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, communication technologies, signal processing, sensor technologies, photonics, and smart systems.

Through IEEE, Kazakhstani researchers and young engineers gain access to a global professional community of more than 500,000 members across over 190 countries worldwide. IEEE supports and sponsors more than 2,000 international conferences annually, develops over 1,000 standards and engineering projects worldwide, publishes more than 200 scientific journals, and provides access to IEEE Xplore — one of the world’s largest digital libraries of scientific publications, containing more than 6 million documents.

IEEE Region 8 Director Dusanka Boskovic also highlighted another important aspect of the international engineering community — the opportunity for personal interaction and professional networking. According to her, one of the most valuable resources is people themselves: meetings with researchers, leaders of technology companies, and world-class engineers can not only expand professional connections but also create new perspectives and inspire the next generation of researchers.

“The establishment of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section provides Kazakhstani engineers and researchers with direct access to IEEE’s global expertise, international professional communities, and advanced technological practices. Our goal is to create a sustainable platform for the development of engineering talent, scientific collaboration, and innovation, and Astana IT University will serve as one of the driving forces of this ecosystem,” noted Didar Yedilkhan, Chair of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section and Professor at Astana IT University.

For Kazakhstan, the launch of the IEEE Kazakhstan Section represents more than just the creation of a new international platform. The university is gradually becoming part of a broader engineering and research ecosystem where young scientists, master’s students, and engineers have the opportunity not only to study technologies but also to participate in the development of new solutions and innovations. For experienced researchers, master’s students, PhD candidates, and young engineers, this means access to educational platforms, mentoring programs, international research communities, and career development resources. Researchers and engineers gain not only a new organizational unit but also an additional environment where they can strengthen their expertise, build professional networks, and engage in international engineering projects.