A delegation from Almaty Management University (AlmaU), consisting of Vice-Rector for Global Partnerships Sholpan Tazabek, Dean of the School of Digital Technologies and Economics Arman Komekbayev, Director of the Center for Sustainable Development Zhaniya Khaibullina, and Research Assistant Professor Meruert Seidumanova, conducted a productive working visit to the United States from February 16 to 22, 2026. Covering New York, Washington, D.C., and Bethlehem (Pennsylvania), the visit aimed to strengthen existing partnerships and establish new connections with leading academic and policy institutions.
A key highlight of the trip was the visit to Lehigh University (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania), where the delegation met with university leadership to advance strategic collaboration. The central focus of the discussions was AlmaU’s new integrative academic initiative – the Global Impact Collaboratory (GIC).
Inspired by Lehigh’s “learning by doing” philosophy and its Impact Fellowships programs, the GIC is envisioned as a unifying platform to integrate academic courses, applied research, and community engagement across Central Asia. During the meetings, the parties exchanged a memorandum on tuition-free academic exchange and outlined next steps for developing the Collaboratory.
Particular attention was given to hands-on collaboration. The AlmaU delegation met with Lehigh student teams working on projects in Kazakhstan within the framework of the Global Social Impact Fellowship program. Among them, the Swello team presented their developments in wearable healthcare technologies, highlighting the importance of collaboration with AlmaU to adapt solutions to the local context. The delegation also visited Lehigh’s innovation spaces – Wilbur Powerhouse and Mountaintop Campus – exploring best practices in organizing interdisciplinary laboratories (makerspaces) for potential implementation at AlmaU.
The visit also included an intensive program in New York. The delegation held meetings with representatives of Columbia University, the UN SDSN program, and the PRME / UN Global Compact initiative. Agreements were reached on integrating sustainability principles into AlmaU’s academic programs and enabling student participation in international projects. The delegation also visited Parsons School of Design to explore creative spaces and project-based learning approaches.
In Washington, D.C., the AlmaU delegation participated in the AIEA 2026 annual conference and held meetings with several leading universities, including George Washington University, Indiana University, and Babson College. Discussions focused on opportunities for joint research, academic exchanges, and the launch of new educational programs. Preliminary agreements on future cooperation were reached with a number of institutions.
This visit significantly expanded AlmaU’s network of international partners and laid a strong foundation for new initiatives that will elevate the university’s integration of education, research, and real-world societal impact.