On June 9, the Almaty City Development Center hosted the public defense of graduation projects presented by graduates of the Institute of Urban Studies at AlmaU. The event brought together students, faculty members, experts, and representatives of urban organizations.
During the defense, graduates presented the results of their research and practice-oriented projects focused on the development of local initiatives, improvement of the urban environment, sustainable territorial development, and enhancing the quality of life for city residents. The public format enabled participants not only to showcase the outcomes of their academic and research activities throughout their studies but also to receive professional feedback from leading industry experts.
An important part of the program was a presentation by exchange student Dominik Rusak from Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. During the year, Dominik studied at AlmaU alongside the graduating class and completed an internship at ONAY!. In his presentation, he shared his experience of integrating into Kazakhstan’s educational and professional environment and offered an international student’s perspective on urban mobility and infrastructure development.
The graduation projects were evaluated by the State Attestation Commission, which included leading specialists in public administration, sociology, architecture, and urban development.
Chair of the Commission:
Madina Junussova – PhD in Public Policy, University of Central Asia.
Commission Members:
• Natalia Volkova – MA in Sociology, BISAM Central Asia;
• Kristina Bekmurzayeva – Master of Arts, Deputy of the Almaty City Maslikhat;
• Ainur Zhubanova – MSc in Architecture, Almaty Management University.
A significant outcome of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Almaty City Development Center and AlmaU.
The document formalized the parties’ commitment to developing joint research, educational, and practical initiatives aimed at the sustainable development of the urban environment.