Karaganda Medical University is a member of SDSN Kazakhstan, which was officially launched on June 8, 2022 in Kazakhstan and today includes 25 members. Within the framework of this membership, on May 30, 2023, the 1st SDSN Kazakhstan Conference on “Sustainable Development Goals in Central Asia” was held at the Higher School of Public Policy of Nazarbayev University.

The conference consisted of six panel sessions, where 19 speakers spoke. Karaganda Medical University was represented by PhD, Associate Professor of the School of Public Health Alua Omarova with an oral presentation on the topic “Assessment of satisfaction of patients and staff with the current access to and the quality of water supply, sanitation and hygiene in rural health-care facilities”. The total number of registered participants of the conference panels was 356 (225 full-time and 131 online), which indicates a genuine public interest in the conference topics.

The topics of the panel sessions were developed in accordance with the three priority areas of research of SDSN Kazakhstan:

1) Land, Water and Communities (SDG 1, 2, 6, 11, 14, 15);

2) Energy and Climate (SDG 7, 13); and

3) Education and Partnership (SDG 4, 10, 17).

The conference also included a round table with the participation of representatives of international organizations, industry, public organizations and universities. In his closing speech, President of Nazarbayev University Shigeo Katsu stressed the importance of such venues as the SDSN Kazakhstan conference for a permanent and constructive dialogue between interested parties. The conference ended with a positive message that such a dialogue between stakeholders will lead to the development of practical solutions for sustainable development in Kazakhstan.