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A working meeting of representatives from leading universities of Kazakhstan was held as part of the preparations for the upcoming “Education and Business” Forum. The meeting aimed to discuss current challenges in aligning higher education with labor market demands and to develop proposals for improving graduate training in accordance with employers’ expectations.

Representatives from KIMEP University, Satbayev University, the International Information Technology University (IITU), Korkyt Ata Kyzylorda University, Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications (AUPET), Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, ALMAU University, and 91��ý Kazakh National University participated in the meeting.

The discussion was structured around four thematic blocks. The first block focused on identifying gaps between graduates’ competencies and labor market requirements, as well as examining key signals and trends observed by universities from employers.

The second block was devoted to analyzing current processes for developing and updating educational programs. Participants exchanged experiences in collaborating with employers, discussed sources of demand for new competencies, reviewed program approval procedures, and identified barriers that hinder the timely modernization of curricula.

Particular attention was paid to the vision of an effective model of cooperation between higher education institutions and businesses. Participants shared their perspectives on a system capable of rapidly responding to labor market changes, ensuring active employer involvement in educational processes, and supporting the continuous professional development of academic staff.

The final block focused on developing a preliminary data map for the forum. Participants identified key indicators, data sources, and responsible stakeholders needed to test hypotheses related to university-business collaboration and workforce development.

The meeting became an important step in the preparation for the “Education and Business” Forum, contributing to stronger cooperation among universities and fostering joint efforts to improve the quality of graduate training and strengthen partnerships between higher education institutions and employers.