Today, an event defining the trajectory of Kazakh linguistics for years to come took place at Shakarim University. Shakarim University and the A. Baytursynov Institute of Linguistics—a leading scientific center in the field of Kazakh linguistics—signed a memorandum on strategic cooperation.

This alliance is a well-thought-out, long-term step toward intellectual, scientific, and educational renewal in the field of philological research and language policy.

Within the framework of the agreement, the parties confirmed their intention to implement:

• Joint scientific projects in the areas of Kazakh phonetics, orthoepy, lexicography, and language digitization;
• Development of new educational courses and modules that respond to the challenges of the 21st century;
• Preparation of highly qualified scientific and pedagogical personnel;
• Promotion of national linguistic research on the international stage.

The memorandum was signed by the director of the Institute, Candidate of Philological Sciences, and one of the key figures in contemporary Kazakh linguistics, Anar Fazylzhan, and the rector of Shakarim University, Duman Orynbekov.

Anar Fazylzhan is a well-known name to anyone working in the fields of language, science, and state language policy. She is listed among the 25 most influential women in Kazakhstan according to Forbes, and not without reason: her contribution to the development of speech culture, orthoepy, the transition to the Latin alphabet, and the formation of the National Corpus of the Kazakh Language is unprecedented.

During a meeting with the faculty and students, the director of the Institute shared her perspective on the key tasks facing the Kazakh language in the digital age. The main theme: Language is not merely a system of signs. It is a way of thinking, a bearer of historical memory and identity. Therefore, its study is an urgent necessity for the future.

Particular attention was paid to the role of universities in shaping a new language policy: Shakarim University emerged as a space where language is viewed not only as an object of study but also as a tool for renewal, thinking, and cultural transformation.

Significance of the Cooperation

Shakarim University, located on the land of Abai and Shakarim—in the very heart of Kazakhstan's intellectual history—has become a bridge between classical humanitarian knowledge and the digital challenges of the new era.

The signed memorandum will serve as a foundation for:

• The creation of research laboratories on modern linguistic directions;
• The implementation of practice-oriented programs for training a new generation of philologists;
• The organization of international symposiums and forums on language policy, digitalization, and language ecology.

“Today's agreement represents a step in which science, culture, and national dignity are intertwined. It is an example of how local initiatives can shape global meanings when science becomes part of the national strategy, and words remain an inseparable part of the future,” emphasized the rector of Shakarim University, Duman Orynbekov.