On December 10, 2025, D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University (EKTU) hosted the CDIO Student Engineering Project Fair, where the most proactive young EKTU engineers presented their developments. The event format combined the principles of the international CDIO concept-from idea and design to a real prototype and implementation-with the agenda of the AI Sana program, a national initiative to develop an acceleration ecosystem for AI-based projects. The students demonstrated how engineering solutions, technological entrepreneurship, and principles of sustainable development can work together for the benefit of the university campus.
One of the most significant projects was the "PrintUp" startup by Ulan Qalymbek, a second-year student of the School of Digital Technologies and Artificial Intelligence, enrolled in the "Computer Engineering and Software" degree program. Under the academic supervision of Dr. Indira Uvaliyeva, PhD, Associate Professor, he developed a next-generation self-service terminal-a smart solution for the EKTU campus focused on a modern paper-light / paper-free approach to working with learning materials.
The core idea behind "PrintUp" is maximum automation and a "seamless" user experience. All the user needs to do is send a file via a Telegram bot, approach the terminal, and log in. The device automatically "recognizes" the job, displays the parameters on the touch screen, and prompts the user to confirm generation of a local offline version of the materials in the required format. As a result, students and faculty work only with the volume of information that is genuinely needed, avoiding unnecessary copies and extra steps.
This service model helps optimize everyday processes on campus: it reduces the load on traditional document service points, decreases the number of redundantly produced copies, and improves the comfort and accessibility of digital solutions for all participants in the educational process. "PrintUp" integrates seamlessly into EKTU's digital infrastructure as a next-generation smart terminal and reinforces the university's strategic focus on developing smart services within the AI Sana program.
An important impact of the project is its contribution to the principles of the green economy and sustainable development. "PrintUp" supports the transition to more environmentally friendly models of working with materials: it fosters a culture of minimal paper use, reduces resource consumption, and lowers the campus's environmental footprint.
"PrintUp" illustrates how student initiatives based on modern digital technologies can address real university challenges, increase process efficiency, and at the same time foster a culture of engineering creativity, startup thinking, and an environmentally oriented innovation economy. EKTU will continue to support such projects and to expand its smart campus ecosystem.
