News
of the Academy

On the official website of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve, the results of the third stage of selection, “Situational Task Solving”, held on August 16, 2025, have been published.

As part of this stage, each candidate was assigned a unique identification number to anonymize the data. The evaluation of the tasks was carried out by three sectoral experts representing public service, business, and academia. Each candidate’s final score was formed as the average of the assessments given by the three experts.

According to the approved selection procedure, 300 candidates with the highest results are admitted to the next stage:

up to 42 candidates in Economic and Financial Policy;
up to 48 candidates in Foreign Policy and Investment and Infrastructure Development, Industry, and Trade Policy (each);
up to 54 candidates in Agro-industrial Complex and Environmental Protection, Social Policy and Civil Society, and Digitalization (each).

In cases where several participants achieved equal results, the number of admitted candidates could be increased.

Thus, out of 679 candidates who took part in the “Situational Task Solving” stage, 309 candidates were admitted to the first competency assessment block, “Assessment Center.” The full list of candidates who advanced to the next stage is published on the official project website pkrezerv.gov.kz.

The passing scores by sectoral direction were:

Agro-industrial complex and environmental protection – 3.58 points
Foreign policy and investment – 3.75 points
Infrastructure development, industry, and trade policy – 3.92 points
Social policy and civil society – 3.75 points
Digitalization – 3.67 points
Economic and financial policy – 3.92 points

The first competency assessment block, “Assessment Center”, will take place from August 22 to 26, 2025, in Astana, at the Academy of Public Administration under the President. This stage is aimed at identifying and evaluating specific competencies of candidates through a set of behavioral indicators.

All candidates admitted to the first competency assessment block must select the date and time of participation in their personal account by 23:59 on August 21, 2025 (Astana time).

On the official website of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve, the list of candidates admitted to the third stage – “Situational Task Solving” – has been published.

In the second testing block, “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Numerical Information”, held on August 9–10, 2025, 2,597 admitted applicants participated.

According to the approved selection procedure, no more than 600 candidates (including no more than 100 in each sectoral direction) with the highest scores may advance to the third stage. In cases where several candidates achieved equal results, a larger number of applicants may be admitted to the next stage.

Thus, 683 candidates who achieved the best results have been admitted to the next stage, “Situational Task Solving.”

The passing scores by sectoral direction were:

Agro-industrial complex and environmental protection – 13 points

Foreign policy and investment – 16 points

Infrastructure development, industry, and trade policy – 20 points

Social policy, civil society – 18 points

Digitalization – 18 points

Economic and financial policy – 18 points

The full list of candidates admitted to the next stage is available on the official project website pkrezerv.gov.kz.

The “Situational Task Solving” stage will take place on August 16, 2025. This stage is aimed at assessing candidates’ ability to make managerial decisions by completing practical cases typical of public service.

All candidates admitted to the third stage must register in their personal account by 23:59 on August 15, 2025 (Astana time).

We remind participants that, in order to ensure transparency and fairness of the stage, a proctoring system is used. Non-compliance with the established requirements—including assistance from third parties, the use of remote access programs (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, DWService, etc.), disabling the camera and/or microphone, using smartphones, headphones, or other electronic transmitting/receiving devices, as well as copying tasks in any way—will result in annulment of the results.

More detailed requirements can be found in the instructions for completing the “Situational Task Solving” stage, available in the candidate’s personal account.

On the official website of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve, the list of candidates admitted to the next testing block, “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Numerical Information”, has been published.

In the first testing block, “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Textual Information”, which took place on August 2–3, 2025, 4,876 admitted applicants participated. The candidates were tested on their ability to analyze textual information.

The full list of those who advanced to the next stage is available on the official project website pkrezerv.gov.kz.

According to the selection procedure, 50% of the applicants from the total number of participants in the “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Textual Information” are admitted to the next testing block. In cases where several candidates achieved equal results, a larger number of participants may be admitted to the next block.

Thus, 2,677 candidates who achieved the best results have been admitted to the second testing block, “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Numerical Information.”

The passing scores by sector were:

Agro-industrial complex and environmental protection – 14 points

Foreign policy and investment – 17 points

Infrastructure development, industry, and trade policy – 16 points

Social policy, civil society – 14 points

Digitalization – 15 points

Economic and financial policy – 15 points

The second testing block will take place on August 9 of this year. It consists of 25 test questions designed to assess the candidate’s ability to work with numerical information presented in tables, charts, and graphs.

All candidates admitted to the “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Numerical Information” must select their testing time in their personal account by 23:59 on August 8 (Astana time).

We remind participants that, in order to ensure transparency and fairness of the testing procedure, a proctoring system is used. Non-compliance with established requirements—including assistance from third parties, use of remote access programs (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, DWService, etc.), disabling the camera and/or microphone, using smartphones, headphones, or other electronic transmitting/receiving devices, as well as copying test assignments in any way—will result in annulment of the results.

More detailed requirements are available in the instructions for taking the “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Numerical Information”, posted in the candidate’s personal account.

On July 18, the IV Meeting of Heads of State Bodies Responsible for Human Resource Development of the member states of the Organization of Turkic States took place at the state residence in the city of Cholpon-Ata. Vice-Rector of the Academy, Ulan Bekish, participated in the event. The meeting served as an international platform to strengthen cooperation among Turkic-speaking countries, discuss human resource policy strategies, and exchange best practices in public HR management. The event was organized by the State Agency for Civil Service and Local Government under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic.

During the meeting, the following key topics were discussed in detail:

• Development and reform of the public personnel system in Turkic-speaking countries;
• Advantages and new models of modern human resource policy;
• Integration of digital technologies into public administration and HR systems;
• Training, retraining, and continuous development of civil servants;
• Exchange of experience and best practices.

It was noted that, following the meeting, the participants agreed to strengthen cooperation among Turkic states, with a focus on building and developing a talent pool, as well as implementing joint educational programs and initiatives.

A meeting was held at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan with a delegation led by His Excellency Mr. Nico Schermers, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Kazakhstan, and Mr. Ron Ton, Director of the Clingendael Academy.

During the meeting, the parties became acquainted and discussed the current state of bilateral cooperation, as well as opportunities for its further development. One of the main topics of discussion was the training and professional development of diplomatic personnel, including programs focused on negotiation, mediation, and strategic thinking.

The Clingendael Academy is one of Europe’s leading centers in the field of international relations and diplomacy. It is widely recognized for its training programs for diplomats, civil servants, and international professionals.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed their interest in strengthening cooperation through concrete joint projects and in exchanging best practices in the field of diplomacy.

From June 23 to July 4 the Academy hosted a training program for members of the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve.

The goal of the program was to develop professional competencies and practical skills necessary for effective work in the public administration system.

Participants studied international HR standards (such as ST RK ISO 30400-2018), received practical recommendations on preparation for certification, learned methods of scenario planning and foresight, as well as developed leadership skills based on proactivity and team culture.

The training helped participants deepen their professional knowledge, gain valuable insights from leaders, and discuss real-world management cases.

Do not miss the opportunity to become part of our team, join the academic community and contribute to the development of public administration in Kazakhstan!
Applications will be accepted from July 3 to July 17, 2025.

You can send your documents with the subject line “Faculty Competition” to the email address hr@apa.kz, or delivered in person (from 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM) to the following address:010000, Astana, Abay Avenue, 33a, Office 705.

Full information about the competition can be found in the section “Vacancies” on our website or by phone: 8 (7172) 75-32-95, 8-775-952-50-84.

The fourth selection for the Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve, which began on June 1 of this year, demonstrates strong interest from young professionals across the country.

Within a month, 31,859 people registered on the official project website pkrezerv.gov.kz, of which 7,436 candidates were admitted to further participation in the selection.

Candidate Profile

The average age of the candidates is 31 years, with an average work experience of 8.9 years. At the same time, 34.2% of the candidates have managerial experience.

The geography of participants covers all regions of the country. The largest number of applications came from Astana (1,840 or 24.8%), Turkestan region (553 or 7.4%), Almaty (490 or 6.6%), as well as Kyzylorda (420 or 5.7%) and Zhambyl (402 or 5.4%) regions.

Candidates represent various professional fields, including public service (4,147 or 55.8%) and other industries (3,289 or 44.2%).

Among the candidates, 4,741 have a bachelor’s degree, 2,550 hold a master’s degree, and 145 have a doctoral degree.

There are also graduates of foreign universities (863), recipients of the Bolashak scholarship (306), and graduates of the Academy of Public Administration under the President (238).

Candidates admitted to further participation in the selection must register for the next stage – the test “Assessment of the Ability to Work with Textual Information” – no later than 23:59 on July 15, 2025.

Registration opens upon receipt of a notification confirming acceptance of the application.

Participants will need to select the time for taking the test from the available options in their personal account on the official project website pkrezerv.gov.kz.

A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Academy of Public Administration and the National Academy of Governance under the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Mongolia. The document is aimed at implementing joint research and educational projects, as well as providing mutual support in the training of professionals.

The bilateral agreement was signed during the “Mongolia’s Civil Service and International Cooperation: Experience” forum held in Ulaanbaatar. The forum was dedicated to Mongolia’s Civil Service Day and the 30th anniversary of the Civil Service Council of Mongolia

In his speech at the event, Rector of the Academy Azamat Zholmanov highlighted the high level of cooperation between Kazakhstan and Mongolia, noting that the two countries share common goals and priorities in the field of public administration.

On June 27, the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan held a solemn graduation ceremony. In the 2024–2025 academic year, 109 master’s students and 4 doctoral students successfully completed their studies at the Academy.

The Chairman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Darkhan Zhazykbay, delivered a welcome speech at the ceremony, wishing graduates success on their professional path. He highlighted the ongoing reforms in the civil service system as part of the instructions of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In particular, he emphasized that graduates of the Academy of Public Administration, who graduated with honors, have the right to apply for managerial positions in the regions without competition.

The Rector of the Academy, Azamat Zholmanov, also congratulated the graduates and wished them new achievements.

Among the honorary guests of the ceremony were Alibek Bakayev, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, and Askhan Darbayev, Vice Minister of National Economy.

Graduate Aisana Rakhimova, who completed her master’s degree in “Public Policy,” plans to continue her service in the public administration system in her home region.

“Today is a special and joyful day for us. I sincerely thank the leadership and faculty of the Academy for the opportunity to receive a high-quality education. Now I return to the Pavlodar region to continue working in public service,” shared Aisana Rakhimova.

Please note: Applications for the Academy’s master’s and doctoral programs for the 2025–2026 academic year closed on June 25. A total of 132 government grants have been allocated for the new academic year — 120 for master’s programs and 12 for doctoral programs.

On June 20, 2025, under the auspices of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, the international GovHR Forum was held, dedicated to key issues of human resource management in the civil service system.  The event was held at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and became a unique platform for sharing best practices and developing joint solutions for the transformation of public administration in the era of global challenges.

In order to share experience, the Forum brought together representatives from the UN and heads of authorized agencies from partner countries: Acting Director General of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureauin the State of Qatar – Saif bin Ali Al Kaabi, Chairwoman of the Civil Service Council of Mongolia – Tsedvsuren Lkhagva, Director General of the Human Resource Management Office of Sierra Leone – Ansu Tucker, Director of the Civil Service Agency under the President of the Republic of Tajikistan – Ilyos Idriszoda, as well as leading specialists in human resource management from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, UAE, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, the USA, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and South Korea.

Chairman of the Agency for Civil Service Affairs, Darkhan Zhazykbay, opened the forum by reading a congratulatory message from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The message emphasized that the modernization of the civil service system has always been based on the fundamental principle: “The state exists for the people, not the people for the state.”

Darkhan Zhazykbay stressed that the main theme of the forum was the development of an effective, human-centered human resource management system in the public sector. The discussions focused on four key areas: building a strategic HR system, digitalization and AI integration into HR policies, support for young professionals, and the transformation of leadership roles in government bodies.

During the forum, Kazakhstan was particularly interested in the successful practices of partners, such as Qatar’s systems Kawader – a recruitment platform for the public and private sectors, and Ada’a  – a performance management system enabling goal setting, monitoring, and evaluation of SMART goals for over 85,000 civil servants. In Mongolia, appointment and personnel registry processes are automated through a specialized portal, and a pilot AI module has been launched to analyze resumes and conduct preliminary candidate screening.

Special attention at the forum was given to international cooperation with key global organizations. In a video address to forum participants, Chair of the UN International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and UN Assistant Secretary-General Larbi Djacta noted that Kazakhstan demonstrates a progressive approach to HR policy and could become a model for other countries.

Following the discussions, panels, and foresight sessions, the GovHR resolution was adopted, containing key recommendations and benchmarks for the development of civil service and human resource management systems. It specifically recommends phased integration of AI, Big Data, cloud solutions, and blockchain technologies to increase public administration efficiency and improve citizen services. The importance of unified data management, reducing bureaucratic barriers, enhancing cybersecurity, and actively applying People Analytics in HR decision-making was highlighted.

Additionally, foresight session participants proposed the development of new HR models, including a “2030 Competency Map,” “Data Policy,” and “HR Archetypes 2035.” The need to transition to individualized, practice-oriented training with an emphasis on digital skills was also noted.

According to participants, the forum became not only a platform for knowledge exchange but also an important step toward building a professional community in civil service capable of implementing cutting-edge solutions that meet contemporary challenges.

On June 9, 2025, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Diplomatic Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Memorandum is aimed at developing cooperation in the following areas: diplomatic education and advanced training of foreign policy personnel, strengthening academic ties between the two institutions, implementation of joint educational and scientific projects, exchange of teachers and experts, holding lectures, trainings and scientific conferences.

The parties expressed interest in long-term collaboration and the development of international academic dialogue.

Documents will be accepted from June 1 to June 30 of this year on the website pkrezerv.gov.kz.

The Presidential Youth Personnel Reserve is a project aimed at creating a transparent and effective social elevator for young people.

Requirements:

• Citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan aged no older than 35;
• Higher education;
• Proficiency in the state language at level B1 or higher;
• At least 5 years of work experience.

The selection will be conducted in the following areas:

• Social policy and civil society;
• Infrastructure development, industry, and trade policy;
• Economic and financial policy;
• Digitalization;
• Agro-industrial complex and environmental protection;
• Foreign policy and investments.

As a result, 50 individuals will be enrolled in the Reserve. Each sectoral direction will have a designated quota for enrollment.

GovHR Forum is a premier platform for the exchange of best practices, exploration of cutting-edge technologies, and development of forward-looking approaches to human resource management in the public sector.

Bringing together public sector leaders, IT professionals, HR practitioners, and digital transformation experts, the Forum creates a space for meaningful dialogue on how emerging technologies and innovative services are reshaping government HR processes.

Date and time: 06/20/2025 at 9:00

Venue: Astana, Abay Ave. 33A, Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Registration link https://govhrforum.apa.kz/en/registration

To Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Viet Nam, who is on a state visit in Kazakhstan, delivered a guest lecture at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan.

Mr. To Lam spoke to civil servants about the significance of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and Viet Nam. He also highlighted Viet Nam’s transport and logistics potential, external trade turnover, socio-economic development, and achievements in education and science.

Concluding his speech, the General Secretary expressed confidence that bilateral relations would further expand, and that Kazakhstan’s Academy of Public Administration would establish collaborative partnerships with leading Vietnamese universities. Notably, next month marks the 33rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The guest lecture was attended by an official Vietnamese delegation, including ministers and senior officials of Viet Nam, Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan Yermek Kosherbayev, representatives of mass media, as well as master’s and doctoral students and staff of the Academy.