ISTC welcomes its new Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Aibolat Abitbekov

The International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Aibolat Abitbekov as Deputy Executive Director. The year 2025 has been a particularly dynamic one for the organization, marked by renewed energy and the arrival of several new talents joining ISTC’s already experienced teams. It is in this spirit of growth and revitalization that we are pleased to welcome Mr. Abitbekov to our leadership.

Mr. Abitbekov brings extensive experience in science policy and international cooperation. Before joining the ISTC, he held senior leadership positions at Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Science and Higher Education, where he served as Director and later Vice Chairman, overseeing international partnerships and the implementation of national research and innovation strategies.

He also served as Deputy Chairman of the Board at the Center for International Programs, where he managed the prestigious Bolashak international scholarship program. A Bolashak scholar himself, Mr. Abitbekov holds a Master of Public Administration from Cornell University and completed the MIT Sloan Visiting Fellows Program, focusing on applications of artificial intelligence in public governance and education.