On November 21–22, the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University hosted an international hackathon on the theme “Tech QyzPU Niğde Hack: AI and Skilled Professions.”
The event was organized in support of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s initiative to elevate the prestige of skilled professions. The hackathon also aimed to contribute to the digitalization and AI development goals outlined in the President’s annual Address.
The project was carried out as part of a bilateral agreement with Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University (Turkey) and the Niğde Technopark.
At the opening of the hackathon, Acting Chair of the Board – Rector Sabit Suatay delivered a speech emphasizing the importance of the event.
“Hackathons are not just competitions, but true celebrations of innovation and creativity. Our university implements significant projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, digital pedagogy, IT, and EdTech. Therefore, this hackathon fully aligns with our strategic goals,” stressed Sabit Kurmanzhanovich.
The main objective of the 24-hour competition was to develop innovative software solutions within a short time through teamwork. This year, twenty-six teams from about ten universities across the country took part. The organizers provided all participants with high-speed internet, workspaces, electricity, as well as free meals and beverages.
“We view this event not only as a competition, but also as a step toward a new stage and new opportunities. That is why we consider every participant a winner. I am confident that thanks to this hackathon, we will see new achievements ahead. Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University is also taking steps to implement joint projects,” noted Dr. Alper Aytekin, Dean of the Faculty of Computer and Information Sciences at Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University.
At the conclusion of the hackathon, teams presented their projects to a jury composed of representatives from QyzPU, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University and Niğde Technopark. Based on the evaluation results, first place was awarded to the “NSA” team from the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University. Second place was shared by two teams — from the Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications named after Gumarbek Daukeev, and from Makhambet Tynyshbayev ALT University. Third place went to teams from M.Kh. Dulati Taraz University, Almaty Technological University, and QyzPU.
A member of the winning team “NSA” from the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University shared her impressions: “Last year, we also participated and took 3rd place. This year we chose the security case, as this topic is very relevant. We divided the tasks among ourselves and worked at full capacity for 24 hours. In the future, we want to further develop our experience in artificial intelligence. We plan to go to Turkey with even more serious preparation. We believe we will make our university proud and achieve great success,” said team member and 4th-year student Nazerke Turganbek.
The winners received cash certificates, and the first-place team was additionally awarded a certificate for participation in the Niğde Technopark acceleration program in Turkey.
