Congratulations from the rector of Shakarim University Duman Orynbekov on the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Dear colleagues, faculty, staff, dear students of Shakarim University, students of Shakarim College and Shakarim High School!

December 16 is Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The day of state maturity, responsibility of institutions and people who shape the future of the country through daily work.

The independence of a country is revealed through the quality of education, the level of science, the stability of regions and the ability of educational institutions to work ahead.

Shakarim University meets this day in a phase of sustainable transformation - confirmed by the results.

In recent years, the university has built a holistic development model, covering higher education, college and school as a single educational ecosystem in all areas of academic and research activities.

In infrastructure and management, resources were aimed at modernizing educational buildings and dormitories, updating engineering networks and the educational environment, creating a modern material and technical base for training and research at all levels - from school to PhD.

In the academic direction, today Shakarim’s outline covers: 72 undergraduate programs, 62 master’s programs, 13 PhD programs, 8 Higher and Research schools, 6,500+ university students, a stable level of graduate employment.

Shakarim College and Shakarim High School demonstrate double-digit growth in key indicators compared to 2024 in terms of student population, quality of educational results and involvement in the university environment.

College and school are becoming a full-fledged part of the personnel training vertical, focused on early identification of potential and conscious choice of professional trajectory.

In terms of research concept and international integration, the university is confidently represented in international rankings, including QS.

Research schools and laboratories are developing. International partnerships are expanding, including with universities in China, USA, Europe, and Central Asia.

A stable pool of science professors has been formed, working according to international science standards. However, standards themselves do not create results; they only appear when people stand behind them: teachers, researchers, managers and students who are ready to take responsibility for the results.

Therefore, the key resource for the development of Shakarim University has been and remains the person - his competencies, readiness for change and responsibility for the result, which determine both current achievements and the university’s ability to respond to the challenges of the future.

In this context, we come to the next stage - the horizon of transformation.

For Shakarim University, 2026 will be a year of systemic transformation - updating educational programs, strengthening research priorities, expanding international relations, and deep integration of students into scientific and applied projects.

The state course outlined by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev sets a high bar for science, education and training of a new generation of specialists. In this logic, universities become the supporting points of the country's development - the place where personnel, decisions and meanings are formed, which are then scaled to the economy, science and society.

This is the practical meaning of Independence: the ability of the state, through strong institutions, to ensure sustainable development, intellectual sovereignty and a long-term future.

Every school day, every lecture, every scientific project is a contribution to the future of the country.

Dear colleagues and students!

I congratulate you on the Independence Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Let your professional decisions be accurate, your actions verified, and every day of work and study a contribution to the sustainability and development of the country.

Sincerely, Duman Orynbekov