On April 15, 2025, the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, in collaboration with Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, organized an international seminar focused on current topics in the field of social sciences.
The seminar featured professors from the European University at St. Petersburg: Candidate of Economic Sciences Ksenia Tenisheva and Candidate of Social Sciences, Associate Professor Yulia Vymyatnina.
Yulia Vymyatnina delivered a presentation titled “New Data and Methods in the Applied Macroeconomist’s Toolkit,” highlighting the types of data available for macroeconomic analysis, their applicable contexts, and the importance of data verification and correction. She also explained how forecasting approaches are evolving with the development of machine learning and large language models.
Ksenia Tenisheva gave a talk on “From Hypothesis to Fact: The Power of Data in Studying Society,” describing how traditional methods and new technologies are being combined in social research. She focused on how data collected from social networks and sensors is used to study human behavior and shared modern approaches that help better understand society.
Professor Lyazzat Seitkazykyzy Spankulova of Al-Farabi KazNU, Doctor of Economic Sciences, also spoke at the seminar, presenting her research in the field of health economics. According to her, Big Data and computational approaches are closely linked to the social sciences and make it possible to better understand complex socio-economic fields, including space technologies.
At the end of the seminar, a lively discussion ensued. Participants asked questions and received insightful answers from the speakers. They expressed gratitude to the organizers and presenters, noting that the event strengthened the connection between science and practice.
