Centre for Sustainable Development in Central Asia
The Centre was established in 2024 through a partnership between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). On the KazNU side, the founding units are the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences (FGES) and the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science (FPPS). On the PolyU side, the founding units are the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) and the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS). The official launch of the Centre and the signing of the agreement took place on 21 November 2024 at Farabi Hub.
Centre for Sustainable Development in Central Asia
The Centre was established in 2024 through a partnership between Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). On the KazNU side, the founding units are the Faculty of Geography and Environmental Sciences (FGES) and the Faculty of Philosophy and Political Science (FPPS). On the PolyU side, the founding units are the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) and the Department of Applied Social Sciences (APSS). The official launch of the Centre and the signing of the agreement took place on 21 November 2024 at Farabi Hub.
The vision of the Centre is to become a globally renowned centre which excels in high impact interdisciplinary research, capacity building, and technology innovation with a view to addressing key global challenges in Central Asia, Belt and Road countries and the world.
Goals and Objectives of the Centre:
To become a globally renowned centre specializing on high impact interdisciplinary research to provide practical innovative solutions to address key societal challenges in Central Asia, Belt and Road countries and the world: To become a global hub for researchers, educators, practitioners from Central Asia, Belt and Road countries, and different parts of the world to congregate and to engage in high impact research that can provide practical, innovative, and contextually appropriate solutions to address key societal challenges.
To become a global and regional centre for capacity building and leadership development: To become a global hub for capacity building and leadership development with a view to developing a critical mass of future leaders to take up the leadership in steering sustainable development in Central Asia and in the world. It is expected that signature leadership development programmes will be organized by the Centre for Government officials, professionals, and student leaders coming from Central Asia and from all parts of the world.
To foster international dialogue and collaboration through high impact forums: To organize high level forums and research conferences on a regular basis in collaboration with international organizations and leading universities to foster regional and international dialogue and to propose practical innovations solutions to address key societal challenges. It is aspired that the Centre will become the leading think tank in Central Asia on global innovation and sustainable development.
To become an innovation and technology hub: To become an innovation and technology hub for enhancing its leadership in innovation and technology development. It is aspired that the Centre will become a leading research centre with an influential role on the development of related policies in the field of innovation and technology for sustainable development.
Key research themes: social work, social development, social policy, sustainable tourism, community tourism, digital transformation for tourism, AI in tourism, tourism education and training, sustainable development, environmental protection.
What does the Centre offer?
Joint research projects and publications
Joint educational programmes
Exchange programmes for students and faculty
Development of policy recommendations for government bodies
International conferences and events
Digital transformation projects in tourism and social services
The Centre serves as an innovation hub that brings together the resources of two leading universities to develop practical solutions in sustainable tourism, social development and digital transformation. It strengthens academic and business ties between research, government and management institutions, and promotes Central Asia as a region committed to sustainable development and international cooperation.
Centre Leadership
The Directorship of the Centre rotates every two years among representatives of the partner universities in the following order:
2024–2026 – Professor KU Hok Bun (APSS, PolyU)
2026–2028 – Professor Aliya AKTYMBAYEVA (FGES, KazNU)
2028–2030 – Professor Honggen XIAO (SHTM, PolyU)
2030–2032 – Associate Professor Bekzhan MEIRBAYEV, PhD (FPPS, KazNU)
While one member of the leadership serves as Director, the others serve as Deputy Directors.
Director: Professor KU Hok Bun (APSS, PolyU)
Deputy Directors:
– Professor Honggen XIAO (SHTM, PolyU)
– Professor Aliya AKTYMBAYEVA (FGES, KazNU)
– Associate Professor Bekzhan MEIRBAYEV, PhD (FPPS, KazNU)
Management Committee
The Director and Deputy Directors are ex officio members of the Management Committee. Other members:
Professor Eric CHUI (APSS, PolyU)
Professor Tony TSE (SHTM, PolyU)
Dr Kan YIP (APSS, PolyU)
Professor Gulmira ABDIRAIYMOVA (FPPS, KazNU)
Yeldar NURULY, PhD Candidate (FGES, KazNU)
Centre Staff
Yeldar NURULY, PhD Candidate – Administrative Assistant (liaison between SHTM and FGES)
Dr Aruzhan SAIMASSAYEVA – Administrative Assistant (liaison between APSS and FPPS)
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