Following the successful completion of the ISSAI Summer Research Program 2026 (SRP), which received more than 1,200 applications, 77 talented school and university students were selected to join the program. Over six weeks, participants worked alongside ISSAI mentors, gained hands-on experience in AI and robotics, developed their own projects, and successfully completed the program, earning ISSAI certificates and recommendation letters.
After the successful completion of SRP, we continued to receive interest and requests from participants and parents for an additional program during the academic year. Many were looking for an opportunity to further immerse themselves in AI, reinforce the knowledge and skills gained during the summer, and explore topics and technologies beyond what could be covered within the six-week program.
Building on this experience, we are excited to announce the ISSAI Fall Research Program 2026 (FRP) — an intensive 8-day, hands-on program for school students, taking place during the autumn break from 24–31 October 2026. Participants will learn from ISSAI mentors, work with advanced AI technologies, and develop their own real-world project through one of three tracks: Computer Vision, AI Engineering, or Robotics.
The program is designed around learning by building: starting with essential foundations, participants spend the majority of the program working hands-on on their projects, with the final day dedicated to presentations and demonstrations.
Participants will also gain practical experience working with powerful computing infrastructure — the same tools ISSAI researchers use for real AI work, not classroom simulations.
Participants can choose one track for the research program:
Participants explore how computers can see and understand the world through images and video. They are introduced to key computer vision concepts such as image classification and object detection, while gaining hands-on experience working with real visual data and AI models. Throughout the week, participants put their knowledge into practice by developing a practical computer vision project and presenting their work at the end of the program.
Students learn how modern AI models actually work: from theoretical research infrastructure and practical tools like GitHub, Hugging Face, Weights and Biases, and Gradio, to model training, fine-tuning, and inference. Participants apply these skills to open models and real data, and finish the program by presenting their own independent project.
Students will engage in hands-on, hardware-centered projects focused on designing, building, and controlling real physical systems. The track covers foundational to intermediate robotics concepts and is tailored for both beginners and experienced participants. Students will work with soft robotic platforms such as adaptive soft grippers and tendon-driven flexible mechanisms, as well as autonomous drone systems — gaining practical experience in mechanical assembly, CAD modeling, embedded electronics, onboard sensing, simulation, and flight or motion control.
Everything you leave the program with — beyond the experience itself.
An official ISSAI Certificate of Successful Completion, plus a recommendation letter for your academic portfolio.
Leave with a working AI or robotics project you built yourself — not a tutorial, a real deliverable.
A GitHub code repository documenting your work — ready to show universities and employers.
Practical experience with the same powerful computing infrastructure ISSAI researchers use.
FRP gives you hands-on research experience and a tangible project to strengthen your portfolio when applying to universities abroad.
Fee-paying participation.
Fees do not cover travel costs and accommodation — discounted rates may be available at the hotel located on campus. No split payments are available.
Before registering for the Fall Research Program, please review the Terms of Participation in the Research Program and Personal Data Processing, which outline the participation process, the rights and responsibilities of the Participant and the Institution, payment terms, and the collection and processing of personal data.
To complete the registration, parents are required to review this document, as well as complete and sign the form sent to you by email.
You may be eligible for a special participation rate if you belong to one of the following categories. Please note that discounts cannot be combined.
| Type of category | Deadline of payment | Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Participants with special needs | Before 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT |
| After 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT | |
| NU and NU's organizations' children and close relatives | Before 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT |
| After 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT | |
| SRP 2025 and SRP 2026 participants | Before 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT |
| After 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT | |
| All other applicants | Before 30.09.26 | 340,000 KZT |
| After 30.09.26 | 400,000 KZT |
Hear directly from students who went through the program.
Still have questions? Reach out at srp_issai@nu.edu.kz · +7 (7172) 70-6143 · +7 (7172) 70-9029
