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91��ý Kazakh National University has joined a prestigious international consortium and become an official partner of the major research project “FILTER” (Filtering Governance of Mobility, Connectivity, and Regulation in EU-Central Asia Relations) of the European Commission under the Horizon Europe program (MSCA Staff Exchanges). The project aims to conduct comprehensive, interdisciplinary research on cross-border mobility, infrastructure corridors (such as the TMTM/Middle Corridor), and regulatory regimes in relations between the EU and Central Asia.

The project is coordinated by Lund University (Sweden) – one of Europe’s leading universities (ranked in the top 100 by the QS WUR 2026). The consortium brings together 27 partner organizations, including leading European research centers (Charles University, the Universities of Helsinki, Madrid, and Zurich) and key academic institutions in Central Asia and Japan.

KazNU’s inclusion in the consortium was the result of the successful international integration of the university’s researchers. The partnership was initiated by Dinara Rakhmatullayeva, PhD, an associate professor and researcher in the Department of Economics at the High School of Economics and Business of KazNU, who carried out preparatory work with her Swedish colleagues during an internship at Lund University. The university’s well-developed research infrastructure, unique green campus, and strategic location in Almaty at the crossroads of Eurasia’s transcontinental routes also proved to be key advantages for its European partners. With its robust analytical capabilities, KazNU serves as the main regional hub, attracting European scholars to conduct joint field research in Central Asia.

Participation in the Horizon Europe program is a recognition of the potential of our academic institution and an important step toward integrating Kazakhstani science into the global research landscape. For our researchers and PhD candidates in the social sciences and humanities, this opens access to cutting-edge methodologies, collaborative research, and the exchange of expertise with the world’s leading scholars. At this stage, consortium members are finalizing the signing of the official agreement, and the active phase of research exchanges and joint fieldwork will begin in 2027.

Department of Research and Innovation