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Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Photo courtesy of ucoz.ruIn 2014, the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University launches an unprecedented research-innovative project Аl-Farabi university - smart city, which will be the foundation for the university's development up to 2020, inform.kz reports citing the KazNU's press service.
The university's development concept was presented by its rector Galym Mutanov. In his "Kazakhstan - 2050" Strategy", the President spelt out the country's main objective - to create a welfare society in a strong state with developed economy and universal labor opportunities. The head of state focused on the promotion of knowledge-based economy. Kazakhstani universities are intended to play a major role in this process. KazNU, aware of its important mission, has started working in this direction.
The new model of the university's development - Аl-Farabi university - smart city - is based on great thinker Al-Farabi's teaching of an ideal city. In his treatises, Al-Farabi described a fair and humanistic society, which he called a righteous city with universal spiritual values and cooperation in seeking a better life. This is where a parallel is drawn between the righteous city and modern universities, which condition is determined not only by their infrastructure, financial and material resources, but also by a high level of spiritual and moral development.
G.Mutanov believes that KazNU has reached a new level of development, which is internationally called "smart". The project Al-Farabi university - smart city is a new quality of the university, which avails it of new effects - social, economic, scientific, cultural. "Smart universities are a precondition for the creation of an intellectual nation, enhancement of the country's human capital", - the rector underscored. Smart universities will eventually make the groundwork for smart Kazakhstan.