Regional Scientific School titled “Constructive Intercultural Dialogue in the Youth Environment”

As part of the annual Science Week organized by D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, on April 15–16 the Regional Scientific School titled “Constructive Intercultural Dialogue in the Youth Environment” was held. The event was organized by the International Research Center “Digital Social Research.” This year, it focused on a pressing topic: “Youth and the City: The Potential for Self-Realization.”

A welcoming address to the participants of the Regional Scientific School was delivered by Ravily Aleksandrovich Yunusov, Head of the Municipal State Institution “House of Friendship – Center for Public Accord” of the Department of Internal Policy of East Kazakhstan Region.

Over the course of two days, students were introduced to new and important information on the following topics:

• Formation of a multicultural urban environment;
• Opportunities and challenges faced by young families in Kazakhstani cities. Socialization within the family from the perspective of the younger generation;
• Public spaces for youth in urban areas.

The main formats of work were interactive, including trainings, discussions, and simulated surveys.

Participants included university students from Ust-Kamenogorsk and Semey, as well as college students of EKTU. Sessions were conducted by researchers from the International Research Center “Digital Social Research”: Aleksandr Alekseenko, Zhanna Aubakirova, Nelli Krasnobaeva, Eleonora Stolyarova. Invited lecturers included: Polina Mikhnova, Candidate of Architecture, lecturer at the St. Petersburg Academy of Urban Environment Management, Urban Planning and Printing (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation); Nadira Makhmetova, PhD, Shakarim University of Semey (Semey, Republic of Kazakhstan); Aigerim Kassenova, Deputy Head of the Municipal State Institution “House of Friendship – Center for Public Accord” of the Department of Internal Policy of East Kazakhstan Region.

The second day of the event took place at the House of Friendship – Center for Public Accord. Participants were presented with an overview of youth public spaces in various cities around the world.

The final stage of the program featured presentations of projects developed by the teams. It is worth noting the steady improvement in both the quality and relevance of the topics each year, including issues such as youth unemployment and the “brain drain” of qualified specialists, the development of environmental culture and sustainable practices, and the challenges of adapting for non-local students.

All participants of the Regional Scientific School emphasized the importance and usefulness of such meetings, their unique format, the value of new connections, and the expansion of perspectives on social space.

International Research Center “DSR”