JOINT SMART AGRICULTURE LABORATORY OPENS AT KazNARU
On October 2, President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Chairman of the Management Board – Rector of KazNARU Akhylbek Kurishbayev met with a delegation from Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT), led by President Xu Kun. Representatives of China Unicom International also took part in the visit. The meeting brought together the leadership and representatives of relevant structural units from both universities. The parties discussed strategic partnership, the integration of digital technologies into agricultural science and education, and prospects for joint projects.
As a continuation of the agreements reached, a working meeting with the BUPT delegation was held at KazNARU. During the meeting, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of KazNARU, Doctor of Veterinary Sciences and Professor Primkul Ibragimov highlighted the importance of integrating agricultural science with digital technologies. The participants discussed academic mobility and exchanges, as well as joint educational and research projects. They also addressed artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, data analytics, digital agronomy and Smart Agriculture technologies.
Following the negotiations, KazNARU and BUPT signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The document provides for a joint digital agronomy platform. It also includes grant support for promising master’s student projects. Other areas include joint research and applied projects, a permanent cooperation platform and the joint development of the Smart University model.
A key outcome of the visit was the opening of the BUPT–KazNARU Joint Smart Agriculture Laboratory. The laboratory will serve as a practical platform for developing and testing digital solutions for the agricultural sector. Its main areas of work will include artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, data analytics and modern information and communication technologies in agriculture.
During the visit, the BUPT delegation familiarized itself with KazNARU’s research and educational infrastructure and research facilities. The university’s technological capabilities were also presented. Discussions with China Unicom International focused on potential cooperation in telecommunications, digital infrastructure, cloud technologies and data centers.
The laboratory will support the implementation of research developments in production, strengthen practical training and expand academic exchanges. The initiative will combine KazNARU’s expertise in agricultural science with BUPT’s capabilities in digital technologies. This will strengthen cooperation between science, education and industry and support the digital transformation of the agricultural sector.
