Information about the National academy of sciences of the

Republic of Kazakhstan

 

     National academy of sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan (NAS RK) is a republican private association, which includes the most advanced part of the scientists of Kazakhstan - full members (academicians) and corresponding members of the Academy. NAS RK brings together 222 members (148 academicians and 74 corresponding members), 17 foreign and 110 honorary members, 41 society members and 23 professors of NAS RK.

     Academy of sciences of the KazSSR was established on 1th of June, 1946 and became the main science headquarter of the republic, coordinator of scientific research works in Kazakhstan. From the first years of its establishment, National academy of sciences of the republic launched a broad study on the development of rich natural resources, has made a significant contribution to the development of the productive forces of the country in solving the most important problems of an economic, social and spiritual development of Kazakhstan's society.

     Kanysh Imantayevich Satpayev, academician of the USSR Academy of sciences and the KazSSR Academy of sciences, was elected as the first president of the Academy of sciences (1946-1952, 1955-1964) - a prominent statesman and public figure, a renowned scholar, founder of Kazakh school of geologists, laureate of Lenin, USSR and KazSSR State Awards. Science day of Kazakhstan is timed for K.I. Satpayev’s birthday – the 12th of April.

     In subsequent years, the presidents of the Academy of sciences were elected: mining scientist, academician D.A. Kunayev; energy scientist, academician Sh.Ch. Chokin; geologist, academician, winner of the Lenin Prize Sh.Ye. Yesenov; scientist-metallurgist, academician of the USSR and the KazSSR AS, USSR and KazSSR State Prize winner A.M. Kunayev; biologist, winner of the Lenin Prize, M.A. Aitkhozhin; mathematician, laureate of the State Prize of the USSR and the Kazakh SSR U.M. Sultangazin; scientist-economist, academician K.A. Sagadiyev; nuclear scientist, prof. V.S. Shkolnik; biologist, academician N.A. Aitkhozhina; geologist, academician S.Zh. Daukeyev; chemist, academician, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan M.Zh. Zhurinov.

     In 2003, in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, NAS RK was given the status of the Republican private association "National academy of sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan".  On 30th of October, 2003 M. Zhurinov, Dr. chem. sciences, prof., academician of NAS RK, laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was elected as a president of NAS RK on an alternative basis for the competition. Then he was three times re-elected to this position by competition (2008, 2013, 2018). On June 29, 2015 the International Turkic academy held the first inaugural session of the Union in Astana, during which the document was signed on the establishment of the Union of National Academies of Sciences of the Turkic world, in accordance with the decision of the Heads of States of the Turkic world. The first elected president of the Union - president of NAS RK, academician M. Zhurinov. In addition, in 2018 in Beijing (China), the Alliance of National Academies of Science and Scientific Organizations (ANSO) was created on the basis of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. M. Zhurinov became a member of the ANSO Governing Council, which shows the high prestige and the respect of foreign scholars to him personally and Kazakhstani science. President of NAS RK is a member of the MES RK College and a member of the SSTC under the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, from 2011 to 2013, he was a freelance advisor on Science of the Prime Minister.

     National academy of sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan takes part in the definition of priority directions of science development in the republic, prepares for submission to the Head of State the annual National report on science, promotes scientific advances through the issuance of academic journals and others publications, participates in the conduction of symposia, exhibitions and competitions on state awards in the field of science and technology, assists in the development of international scientific cooperation and innovation, is involved in the conducting of scientific expertise on fundamental and applied research.

     By the order of the Minister of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in pursuance of the Commission of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev, an Ethics Council under the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established to act on the ethical review of scientific and educational activities and the results of competitions for the implementation of scientific, scientific and technical programs and the implementation of scientific work in practice.   

     In 2004, on the basis of major national universities the following Science Departments of NAS RK again were organized:

     Department of Earth sciences – on the basis of Kazakh national technical research university named after K.I. Satpayev, NJSC (KazNRTU);

     Department of Physics, Mathematics and Informatics – on the basis of Al-Farabi Kazakh national university (KazNU);

     Department of Chemical-technological sciences – on the basis of the Institute of fuel, catalysis and electrochemistry named after D.V.Sokolskiy (part of KBTU and KazNRTU);

     Department of Biological and Medical sciences – on the basis of the National scientific center of Surgery named after A.N. Syzganov;

     Department of Social sciences and Humanities – at Abay Kazakh national pedagogical university (KazNPU);

     Department of Agrarian sciences – on the basis of Kazakh national agrarian university (KazNAU).

     In order to promote the development of science in the republic's regions, it was established the Central Kazakhstan (in Astana), South Kazakhstan (in Shymkent), East Kazakhstan (in Ust-Kamenogorsk) and Karaganda regional branches of NAS RK and representatives of NAS RK in the following regional centers: Taldykurgan, Kokshetau, Taraz, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda and others.

     Among the members of NAS RK - rectors of national and other major universities in Kazakhstan, directors of SRIs, research centers, heads of laboratories and departments of leading universities. It is encouraging to note that, despite the difficulties of the "transition" period, the country has managed to preserve many leading scientific schools. Having a solid intellectual potential, Kazakhstani science can completely independently provide for the creation of breakthrough, high-end technologies.

     NAS RK members working supervisors of institutes, laboratories and departments, make worthy contributions to the further development of basic and applied researches in the field of mathematics, physics, geology, metallurgy, chemistry, petrochemistry, biology, medicine, agricultural science, history, culture, language and literature, social and philosophical thought of Kazakh society and the training of highly qualified scientific and pedagogical staff.

     In accordance with Charter of our Academy, which develops according to the scheme of independent Western European model, Academy can now receive the so-called collective members, ie research organizations and universities. There are already admitted to NAS RK about 40 collective members - they are academic institutions, national and large regional universities of the country. With major academies of neighbouring countries and beyond NAS RK has concluded cooperation agreements that contribute to the development of international relations and open the way for domestic scientists to participate in competitions of international scientific funds of ISTC, NATO, INTAS and other major research centers.

     The entry of Kazakhstan into the global community as a sovereign state leads to the integration of Kazakhstani science into a single international scientific space. National academy of sciences of RK is a recognized member of several international scientific organizations, such as IAP (InterAcademy Panel on international scientific affairs), IAAS (International Association of Academies of Science), TWAS (Third World Academies of Sciences), AASSA (Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia) AAS of OIC (Association of Academies of Sciences of the OIC countries - where M. Zhurinov was elected as a vice-president).

     NAS RK has close international links with research institutions and firms of foreign countries in Asia, Europe and the United States. Scientists of NAS RK working in research institutes and universities of the country carry out joint research, international conferences and meetings, consultations, exchange of experience and training. Significant progress has been made in the field of "green" energy, scientists have created effective units to transform solar energy into electricity, there are original designs for the use of wind power and other forms of alternative energy. They will be presented at the ongoing in Kazakhstan international exhibition EXPO-2017.

     Achievements of NAS RK members in science are reflected in the annual National report on science, prepared by NAS RK. Many members of this central, classic Academy are awarded major international prizes and RK State Prize on science and education. By the decision of the State Commission all State Prizes of the republic in recent years are given to members of NAS RK for works performed in the academic institutes.

     Since NAS RK has become the republican private association, it financed for the preparation and publication of the annual National report on science and for the publication of the eight top-rated academic journals, which are published since 1946 and distributed to the National library of 73 countries. Since 2016, the journals of NAS RK are in the largest international databases such as Elsevier Scopus, since 2018 - in the Clarivate Analytics (formerly Thomson Reuters) and they are the most highly rated scientific journals in Central Asia. In addition, NAS RK on a contractual basis carries out an expertise of research projects and programs on demand by major holdings of our country.

     The executive office of the Presidium contains 14 people who are engaged in the preparation and publication of the annual National report on science and 8 academic journals: "Reports of NAS RK", "Bulletin of NAS RK", "News of NAS RK" in 6-series - "Physics, Mathematics, Computer science"; "Chemistry and Technology", "Geology and technical sciences", "Biology and Medicine", "Social sciences and Humanities", "Agricultural science". They are published 6 times a year, i.e., a total of 48 issues per year, and distributed to all the major libraries of Kazakhstan and the national libraries of 73 countries near and far abroad - the US, UK, Germany, Japan, China and others.