The Rector of S. Toraighyrov PSU, Aryn Orsariyev, attended the International Symposium on the New Silk Road, The Belt of Sustainable Development and Common Prosperity, which brought together prominent scholars from universities of the Silk Road countries, representatives of leading international organizations, diplomatic missions, experts and businessmen.

The event was organized by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and the Consulate General of China in Almaty with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The Rector of Al-Farabi KazNU, Galym Mutanov, noted in his opening speech that the idea behind the economic belt of the Silk Road has a lot in common with Kazakhstan's strategy “Nurly Zhol, the Way to the Future” aimed at ensuring prosperity of the state and the people. Participants of the symposium discussed the issues of further development of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries — Kazakhstan and China. “Kazakhstan and China intend to become important partners in the formation of the economic belt of the Silk Road and strengthen cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, manufacturing, infrastructure, finance, science and technology,” said Galym Mutanov.

The delegation of Pavlodar State University learned about the structure and activities of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, one of the leading universities of Kazakhstan's higher education system. Leaders of the two universities signed a memorandum of cooperation in the field of joint research projects, academic mobility, staff's professional development, internships for undergraduate and postgraduate students.

According to Aryn Orsariyev, PSU is interested in learning the experience of a complex structural modernization conducted by KazNU. Faculties and enlarged departments were formed based on the cluster approach. A result-oriented management system and a ranking system for evaluation of academic staff's performance were introduced. “It's very important for us to establish cooperation with the largest university in Kazakhstan and learn its best practices,” he said.