Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstan's government is developing a concept for establishing science cities ("naukograds"), focusing on regions with a high concentration of research institutes and innovative industrial enterprises.
At a government meeting, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov tasked officials with drafting the plan, which was later commented on by the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek.
"Science cities have proven highly effective worldwide. When scientific universities are concentrated in one area, a unique environment and ecosystem emerge," Nurbek said at a government briefing.
He referenced the film Oppenheimer as an example, noting that the scientists in the movie also created a kind of science city.
The minister identified two regions in Kazakhstan that are strong candidates for hosting such hubs.
"We already have at least two established high-tech regions. The first is Kurchatov, which has outstanding infrastructure, particle accelerators, and a tokamak—it’s hard to believe this exists in Kazakhstan. The second is the Alatau settlement near Almaty, where a 120-hectare site houses the Institute of Nuclear Physics, a water-cooled reactor, and particle accelerators. We are currently developing a dedicated cluster for radiomedicine there," Nurbek explained.
Previously, the minister spoke about research into the impact of Kazakhstan's time zone change.