Beibitkul Karimova, Chair of the Board and Rector of the Kazakh National Women’s Teacher Training University, participated in the panel session “AI-Sana – A Driver of Higher Education Transformation”, held as part of the international AI & Digital Bridge 2026 forum in Astana. The session brought together international experts in digital technologies and artificial intelligence, researchers, higher education representatives, and business leaders to discuss how AI competencies can be transformed into real-world projects, products, and practical outcomes.
In her speech, the Rector emphasized that it is important not only to integrate artificial intelligence into the educational process, but also to enable students to apply their AI competencies to solving real professional challenges.
Today, 11,547 QyzPU students are covered by AI education under the AI-Sana program. Of these, 2,036 students have completed the six-credit course “Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence”, while 9,511 students have completed certified online AI courses. As a result, 100% of the university’s students are covered by AI education. In addition, AI components have been integrated into all educational programs. The next step is to turn acquired knowledge into tangible outcomes. As part of the “Fundamentals of AI” course, students’ final assessment includes the development of an AI project. The next stage will be to integrate this approach into coursework, practical assignments, graduation projects, research, and the solution of real-world professional challenges.
In this regard, the “AI-PEDAGOG” project will help identify real challenges faced by schools and colleges where university graduates work and use them as a basis for students’ project-based learning. The university also plans to establish the AI Pedagogy Hub — a collaborative environment bringing together students, faculty members, researchers, schools, and business representatives. “The university should become an environment where students not only take exams, but also create real solutions, research, and products that meet the needs of society. This is particularly important for a teacher training university: throughout their professional careers, our graduates who become teachers work with thousands of students. Therefore, by preparing AI-competent future teachers, we are creating agents of change who can contribute to the transformation of the entire education system,” said Beibitkul Karimova.
