Gulnara Salmen
Expert in educational programs and education management. Founder and CEO of Teach for Qazaqstan, co- founder of the Caucasus and Central Asia Association of IB World Schools, international expert in the IB and CIS.
General Partner
Time left until the forum starts:
This is a meeting place for initiatives that are transforming education in Kazakhstan. The forum brings together the educational community, helps find partners, and opens up opportunities for project implementation through grants. The Tamyr Education Forum 2026 is dedicated to the topic of educational inequality and is organized with the support of Narxoz Business School and Teach for Qazaqstan.
Expert in educational programs and education management. Founder and CEO of Teach for Qazaqstan, co- founder of the Caucasus and Central Asia Association of IB World Schools, international expert in the IB and CIS.
Teacher-trainer and consultant in education and organizational development. Founder of ustart.academy, he develops educational products, professional communities, and corporate training programs.
Independent expert in educational content, author of school textbooks, and developer of curriculum, educational programs. Previously, he served as Vice President of the National Academy of Education named after Ybyrai Altynsarin.
Social-emotional learning (SEL) expert with over 10 years of experience supporting children, families, and vulnerable groups. Co- founder of the Bridges and Feelings platform, conducts trainings for teachers and parents, and has experience as a teacher and social worker in a rural school.
Participant registration, coffee break
Opening ceremony. Objectives and goals of the day
Forum Partners:
Teach for Qazaqstan, Narxoz Business School
Aidar Buribayev, Director of EA Charity Fund
Welcome speech from the Forum Organizer
Gulnara Salmen, Director of Teach for Qazaqstan
«Mainstreaming the issues: an honest look at educational inequality in Kazakhstan»
Panel session rules and topics, introduction of session moderators, dividing participants into rooms
Coffee Break
Practical session: panel sessions
Room 1
Topic: «One program – different opportunities: adapting the curriculum and creating a supportive school environment»
Moderator:
Eskendir Bestay
Room 2
Topic: «Numbers and people: how to adapt common standards for different educational environments»
Moderator:
Ruslan Karatabanov
Room 3
Topic: Practical partnerships: developing educational initiatives based on schools’ real needs»
Moderator:
Kuralai Zharqymbayeva
Lunch
Summary of panel sessions in the main hall
Networking session: useful materials and contacts
Coffee break
Aidar Buribayev, Director of EA Charity Fund
Award ceremony for educational projects and open call winners
Closing remarks and forum summary
Closing ceremony and open mic
To apply for a grant, you must fill out the application form on the Tamyr Platform website. The open call will last from July 30 to August 31. The results will be announced on September 10.
All applications will be reviewed by the EA Charity fund's Expert Council. The final decision to issue a grant is made after the second stage of selection which is the interview.
Winners will be selected based on their commitment to improving the educational environment in Kazakhstan and the potential impact of their proposed initiatives to address educational inequality.
The awards ceremony will take place during the Tamyr Education Forum at Narxoz Business School in Almaty. The exact date will be announced later.
The Tamyr Education Forum 2026 is a platform for discussing educational inequality in Kazakhstan and exploring practical solutions for school and higher education.
The forum brings together representatives of educational initiatives, NGOs, the expert community, businesses, and partner organizations. In 2026, the forum will also serve as the final stage of the Tamyr Platform open call. The grant award ceremony will take place as part of the forum, with the exact date to be announced later.
The Tamyr Education Forum 2026 features panel discussions, presentations of successful educational initiatives, networking sessions, and the award ceremony for the winners of the Tamyr Platform open call.
In 2026, partners of the Tamyr Education Forum will be Narxoz Business School, the business education center, and the Teach for Qazaqstan Foundation.
Individuals, teams, organizations, NGOs, educational centers, projects in the fields of supplementary, vocational, career guidance, and inclusive education, as well as startups working to reduce educational inequality in Kazakhstan, are eligible to apply.
Projects that have an MVP, a working model, or are in the scaling stage are eligible for participation.
The open call is open to projects aimed at equal access to quality education, assistance to schools in small towns, support for teachers, and the development of inclusion in the educational environment. Projects can focus on both school and higher education, and their ultimate beneficiaries can be schoolchildren, students, teachers, and parents.
Applications are accepted in Kazakh and Russian. We are looking for initiatives and young leaders ready to propose relevant solutions for the development of education in Kazakhstan.
The project must meet the following criteria:
Geography
The project is implemented in Kazakhstan.
Applicant’s Age
Applicants must be 21 years of age or older to participate.
Project Stage
Projects that are already in the implementation phase or ready for scaling are eligible for participation. Priority is given to initiatives that have demonstrated initial results and potential for further development.
Project Focus Areas
Access to quality education:
— improving students’ basic academic skills;
— career guidance and additional training;
— eliminating educational gaps.
Technologies and innovations in education:
— implementation of modern learning tools;
— improving the digital literacy of teachers and students;
— technical equipment for schools, universities, and educational centers.
Support for teachers and mentors:
— programs to improve the professional and digital skills of teachers and mentors (teachers, parents);
— mentoring and professional communities;
— tools for working in educational organizations.
Creating a nurturing educational environment:
— bullying prevention;
— psychological support for teachers and students;
— developing a culture of experience sharing and mutual support;
— supporting teachers’ educational initiatives.
Expanding equal educational opportunities and promoting inclusion:
— supporting students from vulnerable groups;
— developing an inclusive environment and initiatives;
— ensuring equal access to education.
Alignment with the EA Charity fund Mission
The project must align with the EA Charity fund’s mission of strengthening communities that serve as the foundation for a strong, responsible, and prosperous society.
Participation in the Tamyr Education Forum 2026 is free of charge, but capacity is limited. To attend, participants must register in advance through the website.
Registration will open on September 1, 2026, following the close of the grant application period. Additional information about the forum program, speakers, participants, and attendance details will be published on the Tamyr Platform website closer to the event.
