News

A five-week practical marathon titled “AI Tuesdays” has begun at our university as part of the “Academic Leadership” programme. The initiative aims to enhance the digital competencies of faculty deans, deputy deans, heads of departments and academic advisers.

The practical marathon was organised by the Commercialisation Office within the framework of the YASAWI STARTUP incubation programme.

The primary objective of the programme is to foster a culture of academic leadership, improve management practices, strengthen trust and collaboration within teams, and develop skills for effectively using artificial intelligence in management and education.

Every Tuesday, professional development and team-building sessions for deans, department heads, directors of research institutes, deputy deans, heads of academic departments and academic advisers will be held in a corporate breakfast format at the Library Coworking Centre.

Opening the event, Rector Zhanar Temirbekova said:

“The President has declared 2026 the Year of Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence, prioritising the development of artificial intelligence technologies, the widespread adoption of digital solutions and support for innovative projects throughout the country.

Today’s meeting aims to strengthen ties among faculty academic advisers and facilitate the exchange of experience. It will also provide an opportunity to acquire new knowledge and skills in artificial intelligence and apply them in everyday life and the educational process. Over the next five weeks, you will explore a variety of topics and participate in team competitions through interactive games. I am confident that the programme will benefit everyone,” she said.

The “AI Tuesdays” marathon combines academic leadership with modern digital skills, contributing to the development of innovative approaches in university management and creating opportunities for participants to share professional experience.

The first week focused on the theme “Optical Illusions and the Imagination Challenge.” The training session was conducted by Abylaikhan Tastanbekov, Coordinator of the Research Commercialisation Sector.

During the practical session, participants completed team-based tasks involving distinguishing AI-generated photographs and videos from authentic content and learning how to create effective prompts.

As part of the programme, participants were tasked with describing a complex image in words within a limited time and then using artificial intelligence to produce a version resembling the original as closely as possible. The capabilities and risks associated with deepfake technologies were also discussed.

Held in the format of a team competition, the session not only enhanced the participants’ technological literacy but also enabled them to exchange experience and apply modern digital tools in practice.

The upcoming stages of the “AI Tuesdays” marathon will cover the development of media products aimed at improving the technological literacy of faculties, the automation of administrative processes, the search for scholarly information and the creation of AI-powered digital assistants.