Between March 20 and 27, 2025, a delegation from Almaty Management University (AlmaU) visited Norway for a series of strategic meetings with representatives of the country’s top sports and educational institutions. The visit centered around exploring Norway’s best practices in nurturing young athletes, integrating physical education into the learning process, and advancing research in health and sports management.
The visit of AlmaU marked an important step toward strengthening international cooperation and exchanging best practices between Kazakhstan and Norway. Thanks to the active support of Vladimir Smirnov, the renowned Soviet and Kazakhstani skier, Olympic champion, and multiple Olympic medalist, as well as Inge Andersen, a distinguished sports official and consultant, high-level meetings were organized in Oslo and Lillehammer. The Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Norway also played a crucial role, with valuable assistance provided by His Excellency Ambassador Adil Tursunov and Third Secretary Olzhas Amantai.
The AlmaU delegation included:
- Assylbek Kozhakhmetov, Founder and President,
- Maral Kozhakhmetova, Deputy Director of the Infrastructure Department,
- Meruyert Kazbekova, Advisor to the President on Government Relations, Member of the 5th and 6th convocations of the Mazhilis of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairwoman of the Union of Women Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan,
- Nurlybek Syzdykov, Director of the Sports Management Center at the School of Management,
- Aliya Akpayeva, Director of the International Development Department.
The visit covered two Norwegian cities – Oslo and Lillehammer – where the AlmaU team met with key organizations that play a leading role in shaping the country’s sports policy and educational standards:
Oslo (March 21–24):
NTG Bærum (Norges Toppidrettsgymnas Bærum) — an elite secondary sports school. Norges Toppidrettsgymnas (NTG) is a non-profit foundation managing a network of private upper secondary schools (NTG) and lower secondary schools (NTG-U). The NTG system includes 7 upper secondary schools (ages 16–19) and 7 lower secondary schools (ages 13–16). Today, NTG offers specialization in more than 30 different sports disciplines, serving around 1,800 students with the support of approximately 400 teachers and coaches.
- NIH (Norwegian School of Sport Sciences) — NIH ranks 2nd in the world among sports science schools and departments according to the ARWU ranking and is Norway’s leading institution in scientific research publications in the field.
- Kristiania University of Applied Sciences — one of the largest private universities in Norway, offering a wide range of academic programs with a strong focus on practice-oriented education.
- Attendance at the BMW IBU World Cup— as spectators at the Holmenkollen Biathlon World Cup event.
Lillehammer (March 25–27):
NTG – Norges Toppidrettsgymnas Lillehammer — an elite secondary sports school specializing in the training of young athletes across multiple disciplines.
- Olympiaparken (Olympic Park) — a sports complex built for the 1994 Winter Olympics, now serving as a center for sports, recreation, and major events.
- University of Inland Norway (main campus in Lillehammer and campus in Blæstad) — a public university established in 2017 as Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences. The university operates six campuses, with the largest located in Lillehammer, home to the broadcast center originally built for the 1994 Winter Olympics.
During the visit, the AlmaU delegation had a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insights into Norway’s systematic approach to the development of youth sports and the integration of science into athlete training. Engagement with some of the country’s leading educational and research institutions laid the foundation for new connections and opened a dialogue on future cooperation.
AlmaU, which already has experience in implementing its own sports initiatives (including the annual «Musin–Ivanov Ski Race»), is committed to developing professional talent for Kazakhstan’s sports sector. Through collaboration with Norwegian colleagues, the university plans to promote and popularize winter sports through its «Zeynep» College as a platform to support talented youth in the northern regions of Kazakhstan, as well as to further develop educational programs for the country’s sports industry.
Thus, this visit by AlmaU representatives opened new horizons for cooperation between Kazakhstan and Norway in the areas of youth sports development, scientific research, exchange programs, and the training of future leaders for the sports ecosystem.