Gazi University conferred an honorary doctorate upon Assoc. Prof. Alibek Nurtayev, Rector of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University.

The ceremony, held at the Former Senate Hall of the Rectorate, was attended by our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal; Rector of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University Assoc. Prof. Alibek Nurtayev; our Vice Rectors Prof. Necdet Hayta, Prof. Hasan Tezer, and Prof. Serhat Karyeyen; Vice Rectors of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University; Prof. Barshagul Issabek and Dr. Yerzhan Kerimbekov; our Secretary General Mustafa Afşar; Deputy Secretaries General; Assist. Prof. Sena Aydoğan and Ayhan Selçuk; Rector’s Advisors Prof. Selami Candan, Prof. Serdar Polat, and Dr. Ahmet Bilal Dostbil, as well as members of our University Senate and Administrative Board.

In his address at the ceremony, our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal stated, “We will witness close cooperations between two significant universities of the brotherly Turkic states, which have signed memoranda of understanding and whose foundations are rooted in pedagogy, in line with the decrees signed by our presidents in both Kazakhstan and Türkiye.”

Emphasizing that under the close relationship between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, bilateral relations between the two countries have gained great momentum in the fields of education, culture, technology, and art, Prof. Ünal underlined that the cooperation between our university and Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University plays a significant role in this regard.

Prof. Ünal highlighted that both Gazi University, founded by Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in 1926, and Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University, which began its educational journey in 1937, house the most established faculties of education in their respective countries. Stating that these two universities stand as deep-rooted symbols of knowledge for their nations, he announced that, beginning next year, Gazi University will open a branch in Shymkent — marking the first branch of a Turkish university established outside the borders of the Republic of Türkiye.

On this occasion, Rector Prof. Ünal declared that an honorary doctorate would be conferred upon Assoc. Prof. Alibek Nurtayev, Rector of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University, and concluded his speech by saying, “Welcome to your second home.”

Rector Assoc. Prof. Alibek Nurtayev of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University began his remarks by saying, “I extend greetings from the ancestral land, Kazakhstan. As the Kazakh people, we are proud to visit these beautiful lands where Asia and Europe meet, and to be welcomed so warmly by our Turkish brothers.”

Assoc. Prof. Nurtayev stated that under the guidance of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, they will make every effort to ensure that the branch to be established at their university provides the youth of Kazakhstan with high-quality education meeting international standards.

Following the opening speeches, our Rector Prof. Ünal robed Assoc. Prof. Alibek Nurtayev and presented him with an honorary doctorate diploma in the field of Coaching Education, in recognition of his academic leadership, his contributions to the friendship between the two nations, and his efforts toward the global development of physical education and sports.

After the conferral of the honorary doctorate, certificates of appreciation were presented to Vice Rectors of Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University Prof. Barshagul Issabek and Dr. Yerzhan Kerimbekov for their contributions to the cooperation between the two universities.

The ceremony concluded with a group photo session.

By the decrees of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of Türkiye and President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev of Kazakhstan, and pursuant to Article 39/A of the Higher Education Law No. 2547, it was decided that a branch of Gazi University would be established within Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University. This decision was published in the Official Gazette No. 32971 on July 30, 2025. Subsequently, during the visit of our Rector Prof. Uğur Ünal to Kazakhstan on September 26, 2025, a bilateral memorandum of understanding regulating the activities of the branch was signed between Gazi University and Özbekali Zhanibekov South Kazakhstan Pedagogical University.