Central Asian Research Center (CARC)

CENTRAL ASIAN RESEARCH CENTER (CARC)

About

Established in 2019, the SDU Central Asian Research Center (CARC) is a scholarly institution dedicated to deepening knowledge and understanding in the fields of law, media, and international relations within the Central Asian region.

Our dedicated team of researchers actively contributes to SDU University’s research efforts, with a particular focus on current issues in law, international relations, media, and journalism.

Aims and objectives

The center’s main goal is to produce valuable analyses and recommendations that can drive the region’s development.

By collaborating with active researchers and research centers in related fields, the center aims to expand its academic network and deepen the understanding of Central Asia. Additionally, by presenting the region’s culture, art, and traditions to the global academic community, the center promotes academic dialogue and scholarly culture across diverse perspectives.

To this end, the center organizes the International Conference on Law and Social Sciences (ICLSS) every two years, focusing on emerging topics relevant to the region. Furthermore, starting in 2025, we plan to launch two academic journals: the SDU Journal of Media Studies for researchers in journalism and media, and the SDU Law Journal for legal professionals and scholars.

Team

Islam Supyaldiyarov

Director of Research Center

Islam Supyaldiyarov is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences, SDU University, and a PhD candidate at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. His academic expertise covers Central Asian geopolitics, great power competition, and the political economy of the region, with a particular research focus on China–Russia rivalry in Central Asia. He has research and policy experience with leading academic and analytical institutions, including a research internship at the Institute for Demographic Research of the Russian Academy of Sciences and applied research work with the Central Asia Barometer. He has participated in advanced international training programs and summer schools at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and the University of Warsaw, focusing on geopolitics, security, and regional power dynamics. His research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, and he is the recipient of the V. Rajamanickam Research Prize awarded by the Praghna Indian Research Foundation. He currently leads interdisciplinary research initiatives and international academic collaborations at the Central Asian Research Center.

Raj Kumar Sharma

Senior research fellow

Dr Raj Kumar Sharma is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University, Almaty. He received his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, where he studied the relationship between food security, conflict, and political stability in Tajikistan. His professional experience spans the media, think tanks, and higher education in India. His research focuses on security and geopolitics in Eurasia, Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Arctic, the SCO, BRICS, and the Indo-Pacific. Dr Sharma has authored and co-edited several books, including Food Security and Political Stability in Tajikistan and India-Russia and the Emerging Global (Dis)order: A Relationship in Flux. He has more than 100 academic and policy publications and contributes to RT India and Nikkei Asia. He serves on the Governing Body of the India Central Asia Foundation and the Advisory Committee of the MERI Centre for International Studies. He is also an expert at CENJOWS, a Visiting Fellow at The Indian Futures, and a foreign PhD supervisor at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. He received the Taiwan Fellowship in 2025 and a Visiting Expert Fellowship in Kazakhstan in 2026.

Aizada Nuriddenova

Senior research fellow

Aizada Nuriddenova is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, SDU University in Kazakhstan. She holds a PhD in International Relations, specializing in Chinese foreign policy, from Jilin University in China. During the 2023-2024 academic year she was a visiting scholar at the Central Asia Program (CAP), Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at George Washington University. Her research interests are centered on Chinese foreign policy and regionalism in Central Asia.

Aigerim Aibassova

Senior research fellow

Aigerim Aibassova is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Sciences at the School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University, Kazakhstan. She holds a PhD in Eurasian Studies from Nazarbayev University in Astana. She also earned a master’s degree in Political Science and International Relations and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the same university.

Durdona Yussupova

Research fellow

Durdona Yussupova is a Senior Lecturer at SDU University and a PhD candidate in Public Administration at Narxoz University. She holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the International University of Japan. Her research interests include inclusive education policy, public administration, diversity and human rights, as well as regional studies, postcolonial and decolonial approaches to policy and knowledge production. Her research focuses on inclusive education governance in Kazakhstan, and her work has been published in national and international journals and conference proceedings. She has presented her research at international academic conferences and completed a research internship at Uppsala University (Sweden). Alongside her research activities, she teaches courses in international relations and global governance.

Aliya Anipina

Senior research fellow

Aliya Anipina is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University. She holds a PhD in Foreign Philology, awarded in 2024 by Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. Her research interests focus on Oriental philology (Chinese language), translation studies, lexicology, and linguoculturology. She is the author of three textbooks, five dictionaries, and phrasebooks. In 2016, she contributed to the development of the Kazakh–Chinese / Chinese–Kazakh phrasebook in cooperation with the National Bank of Kazakhstan. In recognition of her contributions to science and education, she was awarded the “For Distinguished Service” medal in 2024.

Sergey Golunov

Senior research fellow

Sergey Golunov holds a Doctor of Political Science degree from Nizhny Novgorod State University. His previous career includes positions as a Professor at Almaty Management University, MGIMO University (Russia), Kyushu University (Japan), and Volgograd State University. Dr. Golunov has also worked as a Lead Researcher at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations under the Russian Academy of Sciences, a Research Fellow at the University of Tartu (Estonia), and a Marie Curie Research Fellow at Durham University (UK). Dr. Golunov is the author of around 200 academic works, including several monographs, such as EU-Russian Border Security: Challenges and Responses (Routledge, 2012), Elephant in the Room: Corruption and Cheating in Russian Universities (Ibidem 2014), and Russia-Kazakhstan Border: Security and International Cooperation Issues (Volgograd State University, 2005). His research interests encompass border studies, particularly cross-border cooperation, as well as non-traditional security topics such as energy, water, and food security. Throughout his career, Dr. Golunov has contributed to numerous international research projects and received prestigious grants, including the EU’s Marie Curie Fellowship, Fulbright Scholarship, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, and the Russian Science Foundation, Marie Curie Fellowship, and others.

Galym Zhussipbek

Senior research fellow

Galym Zhussipbek is an Associate Professor at the Department of Social Sciences, SDU University in Kazakhstan. He holds a PhD from Ankara University’s Faculty of Political Science. His PhD dissertation focused on critical theories/Neogramscian approach, European and Eurasian security, and orientalism. Dr7 Zhussipbek’s research interests include critical theories, Critical Realism, theoretical foundations of human rights, inclusive development, ideational trends in ‘Muslim world’, women’s rights, children’s rights, and decolonial approach.

Yessengul Kap

Senior research fellow

Yessengul Kap is the head of the “Minber” Center for journalism excellence and an Assistant professor at SDU University. She holds candidate of philology sciences degree from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan, as well as an MA in International and Multimedia Journalism from Newcastle University (UK). With nearly 20 years of experience, Yessengul Kap has worked for various print media outlets including Shalkar (1994-1998), Kazakh Yeli (1998-1999), and Turkistan (1999-2014). Additionally, she freelanced for BBC’s Kazakh service (2004-2006) and Radio Free/Radio Liberty’s Kazakh service (2008-2012). Yessengul Kap was the pioneer of the first Kazakh online news website, www.tarlan.kz (2002-2004), and has since managed two news websites: turkystan.kz (2009-2014) and minber.kz (since 2009). She continues to oversee the “Minber” Center for journalism excellence, organizing approximately 50 workshops to enhance the professionalism of Kazakh journalists. Her research interests encompass media ethics, media law, media literacy, and critical discourse analysis.

Assylzat Karabayeva

Adjunct research fellow

Assylzat Karabayeva holds a PhD in International Relations from the International University of Japan. Her research focuses mainly on the role of norms (ideas, identity, and culture) in the constraining and strengthening of region-building processes in Eurasia. She has working experience at the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where she also dealt with the negotiation process between the Kazakh government and other foreign governments and international institutions (WTO, ITC, UNCTAD, WIPO, ASEAN and Eurasian Economic Commission). She has been a visiting scholar at George Washington University’s Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, and has lectured at SDU University and KIMEP University (Almaty), as well as the International University of Japan in Niigata prefecture.

Samat Uralbayev

Research fellow

Samat Uralbayev is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University. He is a PhD candidate in International Relations at Wuhan University (China) and Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages. He holds BA and MA degrees in International Relations from Ablai Khan University, where he previously served as Senior Lecturer, Vice-Dean, and Head of Department (2020–2025). In 2023–2024, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (USA) within the Bolashak International Scholarship program. His research interests include China–Central Asia cooperation, regional affairs of Central Asia, geopolitics and geoeconomics, international organizations, cultural studies, and the internationalization of higher education.

Madiyar Saudbayev

Senior Research Fellow

Madiyar Saudbayev is an Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, SDU University. He holds a PhD in Journalism and Mass Communication from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, complemented by international experience at Istanbul University. His research focuses on mass communication, digital media, and the integration of innovative pedagogical approaches in education. Currently serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences at SDU University, Dr. Saudbayev has a proven track record of fostering academic excellence, spearheading interdisciplinary research, and implementing strategic initiatives that drive institutional growth.

Katira Karymsakova

Research Fellow

Katira Karymsakova is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University (Kazakhstan). She is a PhD candidate at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University (Kazakhstan) and INALCO – National Institute of Oriental Languages and Civilizations (France). She holds a Master’s degree from the Sorbonne–Kazakhstan Institute and the University of International Relations and World Languages. Her academic and teaching activities focus on French language instruction in the field of international relations. Her research interests include the history and civilization of modern and contemporary Central Asia, political processes, intercultural interactions, Islam from the colonial period to post-independence, social perceptions of radicalization, and the integration of innovative pedagogical approaches in Central Asian education.

Aikerim Alimzhanova

Senior Research Fellow

Aikerim Alimzhanova has been an Assistant Professor, PhD, at SDU University since 2024 and currently serves as the Head of the Department of Social Sciences. Prior to joining SDU University, she worked for nearly twenty years at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, where she built extensive academic and administrative experience.Her academic and teaching activities focus on media communication, with particular emphasis on media literacy and intercultural communication. In 2022, she completed a one-year professional and academic fellowship at the New York Film Academy (USA) under the international Bolashak Scholarship Program. She actively participates in UNESCO-supported media education projects and regularly serves as a trainer and speaker at annual media schools. In addition, she has undertaken research fellowships and participated in international conferences at universities in Turkey, the United States, China, Hungary, Poland, and Italy. Aikerim Alimzhanova has published scholarly works in peer-reviewed academic journals and is the author of a monograph on multimedia journalism, as well as several textbooks and teaching manuals. She is a recipient of the State Scholarship for Talented Young Scholars awarded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. She also serves as an expert in Journalism for the Central Asian Association for Accreditation of Education (CAAAE).

Sultan Jienbaev

Assistant Coordinator

Sultan Jienbaev is a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the Department of Social Sciences, School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University. His academic focus includes Central Asian and Middle Eastern politics, regionalism, and state-building processes. He has experience in organizing academic conferences and designing courses aimed at developing critical thinking skills. His research interests cover political culture, historical narratives, and Kazakhstan’s foreign policy. He is also engaged in advanced language studies to further strengthen his expertise in regional affairs.

Yessirkepova Madina

Research Fellow

Yessirkepova Madina is an Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Research at the School of Social Sciences, Business and Law, SDU University. She is also an international researcher at the Austrian Academy of Sciences. She holds a PhD in Law and a master’s degree in International Law from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Her research interests include international labour law, human rights, gender equality and non-discrimination, gender-based and domestic violence, legislative reform, policy development, and access to justice. She teaches Labour Law, International Labour Law, Civil Law, and Human Rights. She has extensive academic and administrative experience. She previously served as Dean of the School of Politics and Law at Almaty Management University and held academic and research positions at Astana IT University, Astana International University, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and South Ural State University. She has participated in international research and academic mobility programs at the University of Graz, Michigan State University, the University of Aveiro, and FH Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences. From 2025 to 2026, she worked as a Visiting Researcher at the University of Graz under a grant from the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Her academic portfolio includes more than 50 publications, Scopus-indexed articles, monographs, and teaching materials. She also contributes to expert and legislative work on gender equality, non-discrimination, women’s rights, and the implementation of international human rights standards in Kazakhstan.

Workplan

Planned Activity	Timeline
Preparation for the Central Asia Policy Brief Bootcamp	September–October 2026
Organization of the three-day Central Asia Policy Brief Bootcamp on policy analysis and evidence-based writing, including practical drafting sessions, group feedback and mentoring by external experts	November 2026
Preparation of policy brief drafts by participants under the supervision of CARC researchers, SDU faculty members and external experts	December 2026–February 2027
Peer review, professional editing, design and publication of 5–8 policy briefs as part of the CARC Policy Brief Series	February–April 2027
Organization of the Public Policy Brief Showcase, where participants present their research to SDU faculty members, students, experts and invited practitioners	April–June 2027
Evaluation of the Central Asia Policy Brief Bootcamp, preparation of the final project report for the SDU Research Council and development of materials for future Bootcamp programs	July–August 2027

Activities

Book launch and panel discussion “New Media and Political Participation in Russia and Kazakhstan: Exploring the Lived Experiences of Young People in Eurasia”

Publications

Partners

LSS Student Conference-2024

Read full information

Central Asian Research Center (CARC) at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences invites graduate (master), undergraduate (bachelor) students from SDU University, and young SDU staff (under 25) with strong interest in research to develop a research project, present their work, and exchange feedback. The conference will be held on November 21, 2024 in person at the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences.

The aim of this conference is to provide a platform for young researchers to elaborate a research project, present their research ideas, and discuss their findings with peers and faculty. Participants are highly encouraged to work with a supervisor among the faculty members to ensure research originality, rigor, and significance.

Conference sessions

Law
International Law
Journalism and Media Studies
International Relations and Political Science

Conference themes

Public law
Private law
International law
Connectivity, trade, investments, digitalization, effects of AI
Migration and cross-border interactions
Climate change, environmental challenges, renewable energy
Gender perspectives, youth empowerment, social and demographic issues
Regional cooperation, international organizations, global governance, foreign policy, foreign policy and domestic politics nexus, public perception of other nations
Disinformation, propaganda, media literacy, data protection, data journalism, data diplomacy
Central Asian media climate

General information

Participants are encouraged to submit abstracts on above themes (but not limited only to these themes)
The language of the conference: English, Kazakh, and Russian
All applications should be submitted via the application form
Application deadline: November 8, 2024
Successful applicants will be notified by November 15, 2024
Late submissions will not be considered
At the time of application, presenters should submit an abstract of their research
Participants may submit joint research projects consisting of no more than two students

Why participate?

Share research ideas and findings
Network with peers, faculty, and practitioners
Develop scholarly communication skills
Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd, 3rd places from each session
Certificate of participation will be given to each presenter
Selected projects will be published in online conference proceedings and displayed during the international conference of the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences (ICLSS-2025) in April 2025 in the form of poster presentations

Abstract submission guidelines

Abstracts should be no more than 250 words and contain no tables or figures
Abstracts should be prepared using the template here
For all abbreviations other than units, the word or words to be abbreviated should be written in full on the first mention followed by the abbreviation in parentheses

Publication and paper guidelines

Selected papers will be published in an online conference proceedings
Final article manuscripts should be submitted to iclss@sdu.edu.kz by December 20, 2024
The paper should be between 3000-4000 words including references
Empirical articles must contain an abstract (150 words), introduction, purpose, research question(s), central argument, literature review, method(s), results, discussion, and conclusion. Conceptual articles must contain introduction, purpose, research question(s), central argument, literature review, discussion, and conclusion.
Referencing should follow APA style. Examples can be found here
In-text citations should be done in author-date format
Text must be in single line spacing range, with justified alignment, Times New Roman, font size 14.
Title of the paper should be centered and typed in bold
The author’s name, affiliation, and email should be centered below the title in regular font
Paper margins are right margin 10 mm, upper margin 20 mm, left margin 30mm and bottom margin 25mm. Certain concepts and important ideas are allowed to be in bold or italics.
A new paragraph must have 12-15 mm indentation from left
Tables and figures must be easy to read and understand. They cannot be blurry.
Each table or figure must be numerated with a short title and a source

General coordinator: Aizada Nuriddenova

Assistant coordinator: Diana Abdussattar

Please contact the coordinators by sending an email to iclass@sdu.edu.kz if you have any questions.

Contacts

SDU Central Asian Research Center

Director
Islam Supyaldiyarov
Email: islam.supyaldiyarov@sdu.edu.kz

Republic of Kazakhstan, Kaskelen, 1/1 Abylai Khan Street