On July 8, 2026, the IQOSTANAY SMART Center hosted the scientific conference “The New Constitution: A Comprehensive Framework for the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The conference focused on the role and practical implementation of the provisions of the new 2026 Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan as a strategic document for the country. The conference brought together leading scholars, experts in constitutional and digital law, members of the Constitutional Commission, members of Parliament, representatives of government agencies, the judiciary, universities, and youth organizations.
Our university was represented at the conference by Advisor to the President, Doctor of Physics and Mathematics, Professor K.K. Dzhamanbalin; Vice-Rector for Science and International Relations, Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences G.U. Urazambetova; Doctor of Law, Professor Sh.Sh. Shayakhmetov; and Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, Associate Professor Zh.K. Aubakirov.
The conference was opened by Akim (Mayor) of Kostanay Region Kumar Aksakalov.
The main topics of the presentations and discussions included:
— Constitutional reforms: a keynote presentation was given by Unzila Shapak, a member of the Constitutional Commission and Doctor of Law.
Madi Myrzagarayev, a member of the Constitutional Commission and Chairman of the Republican Bar Association, explained the content of the new Constitution in simple and understandable language, illustrating the significance of each change for society with specific examples.
— Protection of rights in the digital environment: Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva, an expert in digital law and a member of the Majilis of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, focused on the provisions on personal data protection introduced into the Constitution for the first time. It was noted that the new Digital Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, fully aligned with the Basic Law on matters of artificial intelligence regulation, will come into force on July 12, 2026.

Institutional Changes: Shakir Shayakhmetov, Professor of the Law Department at Zulkharnay Aldamzhar Kazakh Technical University, emphasized that the updated document shifts the focus from the organization of power to real guarantees of human rights. The speaker noted that the new Constitution marks a transition to a fundamentally different model of state-citizen relations, centered on real guarantees of human rights and freedoms. According to him, the updated Basic Law not only enshrines modern legal mechanisms for protecting individuals but also consistently implements the principle of self-restraint of state power, strengthening the independence of key institutions and the rule of law: “If the 1995 Constitution was a document establishing Kazakhstan’s statehood, then the 2026 Constitution is a document of its legal maturity. Its difference from its predecessor lies not in the number of rewritten articles, but in the shift in focus: from the organization of power to human guarantees,” Shakir Shayakhmetov emphasized.

— The Role of the Regions: Participants examined the economic impact of the reform, including decentralization, increased investment, and expanded local powers.
During the conference, an awards ceremony was held for the winners of the national youth initiative competition “Tәuelsіzdіk ұрпақтары.” The competition consisted of six categories, with a total prize fund of 6 million tenge.