On 30 October, I attended the ALMAU – TOLYQ ADAM 2026 International Conference at Almaty Management University.The conference explored the theme “The University of the Future as an Environment for Developing the Whole Person: The Heritage of the Great Steppe and Contemporary Solutions.”

The official opening ceremony was moderated by Timur Buldybayev, Rector of Almaty Management University. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Assylbek Kozhakhmetov, Founder and President of AlmaU, and Akerke Abylaikhan, Deputy Chair of the Committee for Higher and Postgraduate Education of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In her presentation, Akerke Abylaikhan discussed humanism rooted in national values as an important foundation for students’ social development in Kazakhstan. Her presentation drew on Abai’s humanistic principle: “Love all humankind as your own kin.” The session included a video featuring the Head of State, which highlighted Abai’s concept of Tolyq Adam – the whole person, founded on the harmony of reason, will and heart. Particular attention was given to its relevance to contemporary education and personal development. The presentation emphasised that integrating national values and humanistic principles into education helps students develop ethical awareness, civic responsibility and a commitment to serving society alongside their professional competencies. According to the figures presented, Kazakhstan has 132 higher education institutions with a total enrolment of 806,367 students, including 713,819 bachelor’s students, 49,982 master’s students and 11,215 doctoral students. International student enrolment stands at 40,910. These figures illustrate the reach of the country’s higher education system and the scale of universities’ responsibility for students’ academic and personal development.

A central question guided the conference: What kind of person should the university of the future help develop? The discussions explored how universities can combine professional preparation with independent thinking, lifelong learning, ethical judgement and responsible participation in society. The keynote address was delivered by Joo-Yup Lee of the University of Toronto, who examined the idea of the whole person in Turkic and Kazakh nomadic societies. His presentation explored the relevance of personal qualities cultivated in the societies of the Great Steppe to the education of present and future generations. The first panel, “The Great Steppe: From Heritage to the Person of the Future,” featured presentations by Marie Favereau, Peter Finke, Zira Nauryzbai, Mark Ingham, Catherine Poujol and Ainash Mustoyapova. Their contributions addressed historical heritage, social relationships, music and cultural codes, nomadic pedagogy, national identity and personal values. The discussion “What Can the Great Steppe Teach the Person of the Future?” explored historical and cultural heritage as a spiritual and intellectual resource for fostering responsibility, adaptability, social cohesion and cultural openness. My main takeaway was that the university of the future should nurture not only highly qualified professionals, but also whole persons who bring together reason, will and heart, respect national values and recognise their responsibility to society.