On June 10, the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences hosted the VIII graduation ceremony. The solemn ceremony of farewell to the graduates traditionally began with an academic procession. After that, a minute of silence was announced in memory of professors and students who passed away this academic year.
The ceremony continued with a congratulatory speech by the dean of the school, Vassilios Tourassis. The dean wished the graduates success in their future endeavors, and also urged them to remember and be proud of their Alma mater.
«I encourage you to follow your passions and wish you all good luck in fulfilling your dreams.
But no matter what the future brings, you should not forget your roots. In many ways, your alma mater will define the way many people perceive you for the rest of your life. You will always have a sentimental bond with Nazarbayev University, and you should take as much pride in its accomplishments as we will take pride in yours» the dean said in his speech.
Expressions of farewell to the graduates were also said by Askar Zhambakin, Vice Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of the Republic of Kazakhstan, who was invited as a guest of honor. He encouraged graduates to invest their skills and knowledge in the development of the country.
«Engineering thought made it possible to make the breakthrough that we have today. Now our country is facing a new stage of its development. During the years of independence, a lot of work has been done, as a result of which Kazakhstan ranks 29th in the UN rating for the development of e-government. But in order to maintain a leadership position and enter the global market, we need you, young, creative, capable personnel. I hope that your breakthrough ideas will become a growth driver and you will make a significant contribution to development» the Vice Minister said.
The ceremony continued with welcoming words of the best graduates, where they shared their memories and thanked the faculty for their hard work.
«Dear SEDS School team, thanks to your hard work and dedication, we have reached this level. Every scientist, inventor, entrepreneur, athlete, master is a graduate of this school. I am sure that the DNA of our university will be found in each of these graduates» said Bakdauren Narbaev. Bakdauren, Bachelor of Science in Computer Science. Awarded silver and bronze medals of international Mathematics Competition (American University in Bulgaria, University College London). He was also awarded the silver medal of Al-Khorezmi International Mathematical Olympiad (Urgench State University, October 2018).
In his speech Askar Zhanaliev addressed graduates and faculty, thanking them for their support. «University life was not only about what we learned from the books and lectures. It is about what we learned from the people around us. I truly believe that it is a blessing that we have so many bright, hard-working and talented people at Nazarbayev University, which pushes all of us to do better. It was a wonderful journey and I would like to thank all faculty members» said Askar Zhanaliev. Askar graduated with a Master’s of Management Engineering with the highest GPA. Participated in several case championships Idea Sprint Challenge 2021, Accenture Case Championship 2021, Top Talents 2020, Procter & Gamble CEO Challenge 2021, «High Quality» award at JTI Make it Bright 2021. Was selected as an inbound exchange student at the University of Stavanger in Norway.
Note that, the farewell ceremony with graduates was interrupted for a couple years due to the coronavirus pandemic. In accordance with the tradition of the university, the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences awarded diplomas to a total of 514 graduates this year. 344 of them received a bachelor’s degree, 162 master’s degrees and 8 Ph.D.