This summer, 15 young Kazakhstanis will travel to one of the places where climate change can be seen most clearly - the glaciers of the Tien Shan mountains. This will not be a simple study trip, a symbolic visit or an outdoor excursion. It will be a scientific expedition linked directly to Kazakhstan’s water and food security.
The new British-Kazakh youth programme brings together several important goals: scientific research, climate action, youth leadership, international cooperation and one of the most urgent environmental issues facing the country - the rapid retreat of glaciers.
The initiative is being implemented with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. As part of the programme, 15 young citizens of Kazakhstan will take part in a glaciological research expedition in the summer of 2026.
Why this matters for Kazakhstan
The glaciers of the Tien Shan are not just a beautiful mountain landscape. They are one of Kazakhstan’s vital natural sources of water. Rivers, agriculture, ecosystems, communities and the country’s long-term water security all depend on their condition.
Today, however, these glaciers are retreating rapidly. Climate change is accelerating this process, increasing the risks associated with future water shortages and environmental imbalance.
That is why the new programme is especially timely. The young participants will not go to the mountains merely to gain expedition experience. They will take part in real scientific work and contribute to the evidence base needed for future decisions on climate adaptation and water resource management.
The Olzhas Suleimenov Expedition
The British Kazakh Society, or BKS, has launched the BKS / Olzhas Suleimenov Expeditions for young Kazakhstanis. This is a new initiative that combines youth leadership development with important climate research in the Tien Shan mountains.
The programme is named after the prominent Kazakh poet and environmentalist Olzhas Suleimenov, who has personally supported the initiative.
The name carries strong symbolism. Olzhas Suleimenov is associated not only with literature and culture, but also with civic responsibility, environmental awareness and concern for the country’s future. For that reason, the expedition named after him is more than a scientific project. It is a bridge between generations.
On one side are those who have been raising environmental issues for decades. On the other are young Kazakhstanis who will live in an era of climate change and will have to help shape the country’s response to it.
The programme was presented at the UK House of Lords
The programme was officially presented on 22 January 2026 at the House of Lords in the United Kingdom. The initiative was introduced by BKS Chairman Rupert Goodman.
The event was attended by 120 guests, including His Excellency Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Her Excellency Sally Axworthy, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Kazakhstan; and Ruslan Karabulov, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the United Kingdom.
The fact that the programme was presented at such a prestigious venue shows its level of ambition. This is not a one-off youth trip to the mountains. It is a project that connects Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom through education, science, environmental responsibility and the development of a new generation of leaders.
The programme has also received best wishes from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. Expert support is being provided by British explorers Rosie Stancer and John Blashford-Snell, the founder of Operations Drake and Raleigh expeditions.
What the participants will do
The first expedition is scheduled for July-August 2026. Fifteen students from universities across Kazakhstan will be selected to take part.
They will travel to the Tien Shan to study rapidly changing glaciers alongside Kazakh and international experts. The work will be carried out in cooperation with the Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre.
Participants will test sensors for automatic weather stations, conduct basic data analysis and help build the scientific evidence needed to develop measures for climate adaptation and water resource management.
In other words, this will not be a symbolic trip. It will be full-scale fieldwork. The young participants will see how data is collected in difficult natural conditions, how climate monitoring is conducted and why every measurement matters in this type of research.
After the scientific fieldwork, they will face another serious challenge - a demanding 100-kilometre mountain trek in partnership with Kaz Alpine Club.
This format makes the programme scientific, educational and leadership-focused at the same time. Knowledge will matter, but so will endurance, teamwork, responsibility and the ability to make decisions in difficult conditions.
The British Ambassador: the research will support Kazakhstan’s water security
Sally Axworthy, the British Ambassador to Kazakhstan, highlighted the importance of the initiative for science, young people and the climate agenda.
“I highly commend this initiative, which gives young researchers the opportunity to study the vital glaciers of the Tien Shan and strengthen our joint response to climate challenges. Their research will make a meaningful contribution to Kazakhstan’s water security and to our shared understanding of a changing climate.”
This statement captures the core purpose of the programme. The glaciers of the Tien Shan are not important only to scientists. They are directly connected to Kazakhstan’s future - its water, agriculture, cities, economy and regional resilience.
Youth, science and leadership
One of the main features of the programme is its focus on young Kazakhstanis. Participants will be selected from undergraduate and postgraduate students at universities across Kazakhstan. The programme is open to students from all regions and all academic fields.
That point is important. Climate change is no longer an issue only for narrow specialists. The country’s future will depend on how well the next generation understands environmental risks, works with data, thinks internationally and acts as part of a team.
The expedition gives participants exactly that kind of experience. They will gain exposure to field science, international cooperation and real responsibility - not in theory, but in the real conditions of the high mountains.
Preparations are already under way
Commenting on the progress made so far, BKS Director and Expedition Chairman David Hardy said that a detailed reconnaissance trip had been successfully completed and the expedition programme had been fully developed.
Student recruitment is now beginning. An expedition office has also been opened in Almaty, in addition to the office in London.
This means the project is moving from concept and presentation to practical implementation. The next stages include participant selection, preparation, scientific coordination and the expedition itself in the Tien Shan.
How to apply
Undergraduate and postgraduate students from universities across Kazakhstan are invited to apply. The programme is open to students from all regions and all disciplines.
Applicants must submit a short video of up to five minutes in English, Kazakh or Russian. In the video, they should introduce themselves, explain their motivation for taking part and give examples of teamwork or leadership.
They must also submit a CV of no more than two pages.
If an applicant is unable to record a video, a written application may be accepted.
Applications and expressions of interest should be sent to the organisers’ contact details.
Who is behind the programme
The British Kazakh Society promotes cultural, educational and scientific ties between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Society operates in London and Astana.
The BKS / Olzhas Suleimenov Expeditions are designed to develop leadership qualities among young people while contributing to climate research that is vital for Kazakhstan’s future.
The programme focuses on three key goals: youth development, scientific research into climate and the environment, and support for remote communities.
The programme’s partners include the British Embassy in Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nature First Foundation, which provides the administrative base in Kazakhstan, the Category 2 Central Asian Regional Glaciological Centre under the auspices of UNESCO, Kaz Alpine Club and International Education Corporation.
The programme sponsors are Prospekt Medical, Unicase Central Asia, Grata Law, Elmbridge Partners Ltd. and LK Law.
Why this story could become important
This initiative carries several powerful meanings for Kazakhstan.
First, it is a story about water - a resource that may become one of the defining issues for Central Asia in the coming decades.
Second, it is a story about young people. Fifteen students will not simply receive training. They will become part of an international scientific expedition and see climate change with their own eyes.
Third, it is a story about a new dimension of cooperation between Kazakhstan and the United Kingdom. The two countries are developing ties not only through diplomacy and business, but also through education, science and environmental responsibility.
Finally, it is a story about the future. The glaciers of the Tien Shan are retreating, and this process can no longer be ignored. But it can be studied, understood and prepared for.
That is exactly why young Kazakhstanis will head into the mountains in the summer of 2026. They will examine one of the country’s most important climate challenges not from an office or a lecture hall, but from the place where it is happening - beside the glaciers of the high Tien Shan.
