On August 28, AlmaU hosted the training seminar “The University as an Environment of Trust: Student Interaction, Support, and Engagement.” The event brought together researchers and higher education practitioners to discuss how trust and social capital are formed within university communities and to explore the practical implications of the study’s findings.
The seminar was held as part of project AP27510281, “Public Trust and Social Capital among Youth in Kazakhstan: Mechanisms of Formation in the University Environment (Interdisciplinary Approach),” supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan through the Young Scientists Grant Competition.
The event was moderated by Kamran Guseinov, PhD in Political Science and Director of the Institute of International Relations at AlmaU. Project lead Azhar Serikkaliyeva, PhD and Research Professor at AlmaU, presented the study’s research design and methodological approach. As part of the project, the research team conducted 9 expert interviews and 11 focus groups with students from national, private, and regional universities across Kazakhstan.
The seminar’s keynote presentation, “Trust and Interaction in the University Environment,” was delivered by sociologist and AlmaU Senior Lecturer Serik Beisembayev. He presented findings from the qualitative phase of the study, drawing on expert interviews and student focus groups, and placed these findings in the context of data from a nationwide youth survey.
The findings indicate that educational institutions are among the three most trusted institutions among Kazakhstanis aged 18-35. The presentation also explored three distinct ways universities tend to build relationships with students: an administrative model, a service-oriented model, and a community-based model.
The discussion brought together representatives of AlmaU and colleagues from universities across Kazakhstan, including administrators, faculty members, and student services professionals. Participants reviewed the research findings and worked together to test practical recommendations for strengthening trust on campus.
Particular attention was given to greater transparency in university procedures, independent mechanisms for reviewing student appeals, and meaningful opportunities for students to participate in university life.
The seminar formed part of the project’s second stage for 2026. The next stage will include the AlmaU Trust Lab educational campaign, which will focus on further developing awareness and practices around trust and constructive interaction within the university community.