A delegation from Nazarbayev University (NU) participated in the Asian Universities Alliance (AUA) Summit 2025, held at the University of Tokyo from April 16–20, 2025. Representing NU were President Prof. Waqar Ahmad, (General Director of the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence – ISSAIProf. Atakan Varol, and Prof. Prashant Jamwal (Director of the Center for Energy and Materials Research and Robotics – CEMRR).
The summit brought together university leaders and representatives from across Asia to discuss collaborative strategies under key themes, including financial sustainability, membership and observer admissions to AUA, the integration of artificial intelligence in higher education, and the role of universities in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Throughout a series of working group meetings and the AUA Presidents Forum, the NU delegation made meaningful contributions. Discussions focused on future pathways for associate membership, sustainable financial models for the Alliance, and innovation-driven academic collaboration. President Waqar Ahmad delivered insightful remarks during board and plenary sessions, articulating NU’s strategic vision for internationalization, research excellence, and its expanding leadership role in regional higher education.
Prof. Atakan Varol and Prof. Prashant Jamwal actively engaged in various thematic sessions, especially those focusing on AUA membership frameworks. Outside of formal proceedings, both professors held productive discussions with leaders from fellow AUA institutions. Their proposals for collaboration were met with enthusiasm and highlighted NU’s strengths in interdisciplinary research, innovation, and academic partnership.
In his remarks, President Ahmad reflected on NU’s achievements on its 15th anniversary and outlined the university’s recent advancements in generative AI. He showcased NU’s development of KazLLM, a large language model designed for the multilingual needs of Kazakhstani society, and its extension into Oylan2, a multimodal model integrating language, vision, and audio capabilities. He emphasized the ethical and responsible use of AI and the importance of cultural and societal adaptation in technological development. President Ahmad also called on AUA members to deepen cooperation in research, teaching, and innovation—particularly in AI and emerging technologies.
The AUA Summit 2025 underscored NU’s rising academic profile in Asia and beyond. The university’s articulate representation, collaborative spirit, and strategic contributions were widely recognized, with several peer institutions expressing strong interest in new research and mobility initiatives with NU.