On October 12, 2026, the Institute of Smart Systems and Artificial Intelligence (ISSAI) and the School of Computing and Artificial Intelligence (SCAI) at Nazarbayev University welcomed a delegation from Ghent University and Howest University of Applied Sciences, members of the Ghent University Association (AUGent), Belgium.
The Belgian delegation included Dr. Erik Mannens, Professor of Semantic Intelligence at Ghent University, and Professor of Sustainable AI at the University of Antwerp; Dr. De Geyter Lode, Chair of the Supervisory Board of Howest University; and Dr. Ronald Bastiaens, Dean of Study Programmes at Howest Kortrijk.
The meeting brought together representatives from ISSAI and SCAI, including Dr. Huseyin Atakan Varol, General Director of ISSAI and Dean of SCAI; Yerbol Absalyamov, Executive Director of ISSAI; Amina Baikenova, Acting Deputy Director of Product and External Affairs at ISSAI; Dr. Azamat Yeshmukhametov, Head of the ARMS Lab at ISSAI; Dr. Durvudkhan Suragan, Vice Dean of Research of SCAI; Altynay Kazhkenova, Director for Academic and Student Affairs at SCAI; Dr. Matteo Rubagotti, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs of SCIA; Dr. Ainur Zhaikhan and Dr. Gourav Devappa Moger, Postdoctoral Researchers at ISSAI; and Ulzhan Alibek, External Affairs Manager at ISSAI.
The participants discussed potential areas of collaboration, including student exchange opportunities and joint research projects in artificial intelligence, physical AI, humanoid robotics, and other related fields. The meeting provided an opportunity to explore possibilities for long-term academic and scientific cooperation between the institutions.
The visit marked another step towards strengthening international research partnerships and fostering collaboration between Kazakhstan and Belgium in AI and emerging technologies.