The capital is currently hosting ALEM TECH FEST 2026, the largest robotics and STEM festival in Central Asia. The event is organized by the USTEM Foundation and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Daryn”), with support from the National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna. The centerpiece of the festival is the Central Asia FIRST Championship, where around 5,000 participants from seven countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Estonia, Vietnam, and Hong Kong — are competing, DKNews.kz reports.
Kazakhstan’s delegation is not limited to schools from major cities. Teams from remote rural areas have also arrived to take part in the championship. For many of these students, their journey into advanced robotics became possible thanks to targeted educational initiatives.
A vivid example of such support is the charitable project “Zhasampaz Urpaq,” launched by the USTEM Foundation in the Abai region. The project’s general sponsors are the public foundation “Kazakhstan Khalkyna” and the “Batyr Bolamyn” Foundation.
The project aims to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural communities. Its mission is to create a modern educational environment in places where advanced technologies once seemed out of reach. As part of this initiative, eight teams — around 50 young engineers — traveled to Astana to participate in the international festival.
The key areas of training include:
- Robotics and programming: from the basics of algorithms to designing autonomous machines.
- 3D modeling: working with professional industrial software to create complex objects.
- Art & Media Skills: developing creative thinking and digital communication skills.
Today, the initiative covers the Ayagoz, Beskaragai, Makanchi, and Zhanasemei districts, opening doors to the world of technology for teenagers aged 7 to 17.
Festival participants emphasize that the program has already had a noticeable impact on their level of preparation and has increased interest in technical disciplines among their peers. Ayala Aitkalieva from Ayagoz highlights the systemic changes taking place in her hometown:
“Thanks to the program, EV3 and Spike kits were delivered to Ayagoz, and new clubs began to open. It gave a powerful boost — our team has nearly doubled since last year. There are seven of us now, and we’re presenting an innovative project: an archaeological robot designed to clean ancient irrigation canals. Working on it has changed me significantly — I’ve become more responsible, my memory has improved, and even my way of thinking has evolved. It’s inspiring to see more and more kids in our town joining the Young Technicians Station.”
Arsen Ospanov from the Makanchi district shared his thoughts on entering engineering and the spirit of competition:
“When you represent your region at such a large-scale championship, you feel enormous responsibility — as if everything depends on you. I believe robotics should be developed everywhere, because the future belongs to AI and automation. The ‘Zhasampaz Urpaq’ project is important precisely because it gives opportunities to students from districts and villages, not just megacities. Yes, the gap in experience with urban teams is noticeable now, but modern equipment combined with strong motivation will reduce that gap. I believe that in a few years we’ll be able to win and represent Kazakhstan at the FIRST Championship finals in the United States.”
The “Zhasampaz Urpaq” project is more than just extracurricular clubs. It is the creation of a unique environment where children learn to work with the technologies of the future, think like engineers, and see themselves as full participants in the global technological landscape.
