INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC AND PRACTICAL CONFERENCE

“CROSS-CULTURAL PROJECTS IN PRESCHOOL EDUCATION: EXCHANGE OF EXPERIENCE

On October 24, 2025, Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, in collaboration with the Department of Education of Almaty City, held an International Scientific and Practical Conference titled “Cross-Cultural Projects in Preschool Education: Exchange of Experience Between Countries.” The goal of the event was to establish a professional dialogue among educators, scholars, and both international and national experts to exchange best practices for the effective development of the preschool education system through the implementation of international and cross-cultural projects. The conference brought together representatives of the Akimat of Almaty City, the Department of Education of Almaty, the Department of Preschool Education of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Institute of Early Childhood Development, domestic and international scholars, representatives of educational departments from 13 regions of Kazakhstan, the City Preschool Resource Center, “TEACHERS LAB” LLP, heads and educators of public and private preschool organizations, as well as doctoral students, master’s students, and undergraduates. The plenary session was opened by Sairan Saifedenov, Head of the Department of Education of Almaty City, who congratulated the participants on the Republic Day and expressed gratitude to all attendees, including international scholars from Singapore, Turkey, Belarus, Poland, Germany, and Uzbekistan, for engaging in constructive dialogue on current issues in modern preschool education. With a welcoming speech, Bolat Tilep, Chairman of the Board and Rector of Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University, emphasized the importance of modernizing the preschool education system. He noted that its key focus is the integration of advanced international practices into the national preschool education framework and expressed confidence that the conference would become an innovative platform for the exchange of ideas and achievements. The conference featured contributions from Manara Adamova, Director of the Department of Preschool Education of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Maria Ermanova, Director of the “Institute of Early Childhood Development”; Professor Yücel Gelişli from Gazi University (Turkey); Marina Melnikova, Head of the Department of Preschool Education Methods at the Belarusian State Pedagogical University named after M. Tank (Belarus); Ms. Evelyn (Siok Tin) Ang, Managing Director of the Mosaic Preschool (Singapore) and Master of Science in ECCE; Tatiana Sorokovik, Director of the Center for International Educational Technologies (Prague) and founder of the online education platform SKLAD; Dorota Zanevskaya, Expert in International Education and Pedagogical Consultant at Fröbel Education; Sofia Lüttich, Initiator of the Institute of Forest Kindergartens and Coordinator for Development and International Cooperation; and Musurmon Imomov, Dean of the Faculty of Education of the Shahrisabz State Pedagogical Institute (Uzbekistan). At the plenary session, the following speakers presented their reports: * Ulbosyn Kiyakbayeva, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of the Department of Preschool Education and Social Pedagogy – “Project-Based Learning as a Means of Improving the Quality of Preschool Education: The Experience of Almaty City.” * Zhanar Turalina, Methodologist at the City Preschool Resource Center, Certified Project Manager – “Almaty: The Synthesis of Asia and Europe.” * Natalia Karasyova, Head of the City Preschool Resource Center – “The Project as a Tool for Developing Creativity, Communication, and Cognitive Skills in Preschoolers.” The practical section of the conference took place in 12 project studios organized on the basis of Almaty’s preschools, featuring workshops on project-based learning. Participants included representatives of the Ministry of Education’s Department of Preschool Education, the Institute of Early Childhood Development, national and international scholars, and preschool educators from across Kazakhstan. In her closing remarks, Bibigul Malgazhdarova, Deputy Head of the Department of Education of Almaty, emphasized that the outcomes of the conference highlight the importance of international cooperation in enhancing the quality of preschool education. Faculty members, professors, students, master’s, and doctoral students of Abai University actively participated in the conference. The plenary session was moderated by Associate Professor Gulbanu Abitova from the Department of Preschool Education and Social Pedagogy and Yerkebaeva Saule. The international conference concluded with the presentation of awards and letters of appreciation to guests and representatives of regional education departments.