The Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) at Nazarbayev University held an online meeting on April 10, 2026, with representatives of New Uzbekistan University to explore opportunities for collaboration in artificial intelligence and related fields.
During the discussion, ISSAI presented its ongoing research and institutional expertise in AI and robotics. The ISSAI delegation included Huseyin Atakan Varol, Founding Director of ISSAI; Yerbol Absalyamov, Executive Director; Alaidar Amirseiit, Government Relations Manager; Aigerim Sarsenova, Senior External Affairs Manager; and Yernazar Abdikamalov, Associate Professor at NU SEDS.
The New Uzbekistan University delegation was represented by Bahodir Ahmedov, First Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs; Abdurahmon Omarov, Vice-Rector for Innovation and Research; and Asadullo Ganiev, Head of IDROCK, The AI Excellence Center at New Uzbekistan University. The delegation shared insights into their ongoing initiatives to develop AI clusters across universities in Uzbekistan and strengthen national capacity in artificial intelligence research and innovation.
A presentation delivered by Alaidar Amirseiit highlighted ISSAI’s key research areas, including robotics and the development of AI models such as Oylan, MangiSoz, and TilSync. ISSAI also demonstrated MangiSoz’s text-to-speech and translation capabilities for the Uzbek language, as well as its diarization and OCR functionalities, noting that the model currently supports 11 languages, including Uzbek.
Representatives of New Uzbekistan University expressed strong interest in learning from ISSAI’s experience in building AI research infrastructure and implementing advanced projects. Both sides discussed potential joint projects and emphasized the importance of regional collaboration in advancing AI development in Central Asia. The NUU delegation also conveyed their interest in visiting Nazarbayev University and ISSAI to gain deeper insight into ongoing work and to further strengthen cooperation.
The meeting marked an important step toward fostering strategic partnerships between leading academic institutions in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, with a shared vision of advancing artificial intelligence research and innovation in the region.