AIU Faculty Member Delivers Presentation at an International Conference at Nazarbayev University

On 16–17 October, Gulzira Tazhigaliyeva, PhD, Acting Associate Professor at the School of Arts and Humanities of Astana International University, participated in the 10th International Conference of the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University.

During the conference, the AIU representative delivered a presentation titled “Formal Coverage and Functional Presence: Measuring Family Policy in Western Kazakhstan” at the session on Demography, Family and Gender Policy.

The presentation proposed distinguishing between two dimensions of family policy. Formal coverage determines the proportion of families in need that receive support, and this indicator is accurately measured in Kazakhstan. Functional accessibility reflects whether government support becomes a resource that families can genuinely rely on in their daily lives. According to the author, none of the current policy effectiveness indicators captures this dimension.

The findings were based on field research conducted between 2022 and 2024 in the Mangystau, Atyrau, Aktobe and West Kazakhstan regions. The study analysed 289 validated questionnaires and 40 in-depth interviews, as well as policy documents and district-level data.

Particular attention was paid to the transition to needs-based benefit allocation from 1 January 2027. The speaker presented four proposals aimed at improving record-keeping and reporting. Three of them do not require additional payments and relate to data already collected by the government.

Following her participation, Gulzira Tazhigaliyeva received a certificate from Professor Riccardo Pelizzo, Dean of the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University, and Dina Sharipova, Associate Professor and Vice Dean for Research.