On September 6-8, 2023 within the walls of NAO "Medical University of Astana" (hereinafter - MUA) was held the International Summit " Academia of the ХХІ Century: Standing at the Vanguard of Medical Education, Sciense and Practice", organized by MUA together with the Ariel University of Israel, with the support of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The International Summit made it possible to bring together academic leaders and leading scientists from Kazakhstan and foreign universities to discuss global problems and challenges facing academic structures in the 21st century and to develop the best solutions to overcome them.

The summit addressed a variety of issues such as the identity of the modern academy, ways for universities to respond to 21st-century challenges, 21st-century challenges in teaching and research, bringing medical technologies to global markets, internationalization of the modern academy, personalized and preventive medicine, academic startups in medicine, improving the quality of clinical training, and more.

More than 2,000 participants in all attended the summit, including more than 100 speakers: from countries such as Israel, the Republic of Lithuania, Uzbekistan, the Czech Republic, the People's Republic of China, the Czech Republic, Japan. Speakers presented 94 reports within the framework of 10-panel sessions. Keynote speakers at the Summit included academic leaders and leading scientists from Ariel University, Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute of Uzbekistan, Jan Evangelist Purkine University of the Czech Republic, Lithuanian Republican Shiaul Hospital, Abu Ali ibn Sino Bukhara State Medical Institute, BGI Genomics of China, Asan Medical Center of South Korea, and Nagasaki University of Japan. Representatives of all major medical universities of the country, as well as representatives of the Senate of the Parliament, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science and Higher Education, JSC "National Agency for Development of Innovations "QazInnovations", Science Foundation and other organizations joined us and made reports from among Kazakhstani organizations.

According to summarized data analytics, more than 300 participants from 12 countries were attending the summit's online platform. The largest number of participants were users from India (6%), Russia (1.4%), Tajikistan (1.4%), Uzbekistan (0.7%), Japan (0.7%), China (0.4%), Pakistan (0.4%), and Singapore (0.4%). The summit was transmitted in Kazakh, Russian and English on the Zoom and YouTube platforms. The number of views on the YouTube channel has exceeded 2000 in three days. The richness of our program is confirmed by the fact that more than 3000 photos were taken by our photographer.

On the first day as part of the opening ceremony, Akmaral Alnazarova, Deputy of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Mr. Edwin Nathan Yabo Glusman, Ambassador of Israel to the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Kyrgyz Republic, Nadezhda Petukhova, Vice-President of the Eurasian Medical Association, Sanat Zholdykhanovich Akhanov, Chairman of the Board of the National Agency for Development of Innovations "QazInnovations", Rectors of Astana Medical University, Ariel University, Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute made welcoming speeches to the participants of the Summit. Rector of Ariel University Albert Pinkhasov and Rector of Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute Kamal Saydakbarovich Rizayev were awarded honorary professors' mantles of Astana Medical University for their contribution to the development of medical education and science and collaboration with AMU.

Within the framework of the Rectors' Forum "How Should Universities Respond to 21^st Century Challenges?" academic leaders of Astana Medical University, Ariel University of Israel, Nazarbayev University Medical School, S.D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Karaganda Medical University, Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute, Narkhoz University (Kazakhstan) presented their vision of solving problems of university development. The main themes that were considered within the Forum included global trends and challenges to the medical education system, the strategy of contemporary university identity, the responsibility of universities to society, the role of universities as drivers of innovative development, etc.

During the Deans' Forum "Challenges of the 21st Century in Teaching and Research for University Schools " the leaders of schools of Nazarbayev University, Ariel University of Israel, Kazakh National Medical University named after S.D. Asfendiyarov, Medical University of Karaganda, Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University were speakers. The main topics covered by the forum included research in medical programs, goals and future perspectives of natural sciences in the 21st century, modular programs in continuing medical education, and others.

As part of the MedTech panel session, Doron Ben Ami, CEO of Israel's ShizimXL Innovation Center, highlighted the issue of successfully bringing medical technologies to global markets. Also, within the framework of the session, representatives of the National Agency for Development of Innovations "QazInnovations", Alliance of Professionals for Commercialization of Technologies, Jan Evangelista Purkine University in Usti nad Labem of the Czech Republic, JSC "Science Foundation", BGI Genomics (PRC) presented cases of successful commercialization of projects in the field of medicine.

The first day of the Summit was closed by the meeting of young scientists of the Department of Life and Health Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan "Жаңа толқын - жаңа көзқарас", which was moderated by Vice-President of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Lyazzat Tasbulatovna Yeralieva. Also, on this day there was an off-site meeting of the educational-methodological association in the direction of training " Healthcare ".

The second day of the Summit, September 7, began with a Panel Session on "21st Century Academy Identity," which featured a number of insightful speaker presentations. Albert Pinkhasov, Rector of Ariel University (Israel) presented the experience of Ariel University in bridging the gap from a small college to a research university, Nadezhda Yermakova, Director of Strategic Projects Development of Ariel University, revealed the issue of the identity of the international academy, Vitaly V. Koikov, Vice-Rector for Research and Strategic Development of Astana Medical University, highlighted the challenges, problems and solutions in the development of medical universities on the model of a research university, and Vitaly V. Koykov, Vice-Rector for Research and Strategic Development of Astana Medical University, highlighted the challenges, problems and solutions in the development of medical universities on the model of a research university.

During the Panel Session "Internationalization of Modern Academy" Fatima Nadyrovna Zhakypova, Advisor to the Minister of Science and Higher Education outlined the global aspects of increasing the competitiveness of higher education institutions, Victor Riklefs, Vice-Rector for Strategic Development and International Cooperation of the Medical University of Karaganda outlined various strategies of internationalization of medical education, Azuolas Bagdonas, Advisor to the Director of the Republican Hospital of Šauliai, Lithuania, presented the benefits of introducing artificial limbs in medical education.

The panel session "Modern Medicine and Health Sciences" contained a number of presentations by Ariel University representatives: Ofira Enstein, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, Abdallah Bowirrat, Professor in the School of Medicine, Orna Reges, Professor in the Department of Health Systems Management, Sylvie Frankel Toledo, Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy, Noa Ben Ami, Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Daniel Jakubowicz, Director of the Neonatal Observation Clinic, Department of Neonatology and Orit Segev-Jakubowski, Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. The Summit participants were also presented reports of speakers from Japan and South Korea. Of particular interest was the report of Almaz Sharman, President of the Public Association "National Center for Healthy Nutrition", President of the Academy of Preventive Medicine of Kazakhstan, dedicated to modern methods of treatment of obesity disease as an example of constructive medicine.

The panel session "Improving the Quality of Clinical Component in the XXI Century Academy" included reports of national experts, among which were representatives of medical universities and health care organizations of the country.

The third day of the international summit, September 8, 2023 was marked by activities involving young scientists. Thus, within the framework of the youth forum "Young Leaders in Academia of the 21st Century" young scientists (students, masters, doctoral students, post-doctoral students and young teachers and researchers under 40 years of age) of Astana Medical University, Nazarbayev University Medical School, Ariel University of Israel, S.D. Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Semey Medical University, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy presented their reports.

The MedTech pitch session of startup projects of young scientists began with a welcoming speech by Abdilda Atamuratovich Shamenov, Chairman of the Board of the JSC "Science Foundation". The event was attended by representatives of the business community ready to support promising projects and innovations. A total of 6 startup projects were presented during the pitch session related to forecasting infectious diseases using neural networks, production of eyeglass frames from recycled plastic using 3D printing, manufacturing of environmentally friendly products based on an improved recipe for the Kazakh national dish Zhent, improving the quality of medical care and making it more accessible to people. A number of projects showcased mobile applications, including educational apps for sex education for teenage girls, Medcheck - a smart diary of chronic disease indicators.

The panel session of the Medical-Pharmaceutical Cluster was devoted to the problems and challenges of the pharmaceutical industry development, topical issues of providing access to the market for innovative medicines". Nurlan Zaikeshevich Iskakov, Chairman of the Committee for Medical and Pharmaceutical Control, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Yerkhat Serikovich Iskaliev, Chairman of the Board of SK-Pharmacy LLP, Gary Gellerman, Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Ariel University, Guldaria Dzhumakhanovna Manakbayeva, Executive Director of "PharmMedIndustry of Kazakhstan" Association of Manufacturers of Pharmaceutical and Medical Products of Kazakhstan, as well as leading experts of the National Center for Pharmaceutical and Medical Products of Kazakhstan, presented their views on these issues.

The closing ceremony was carried out in the conference hall of the main building of Astana Medical University and was accompanied by closing speeches of the rectors of Astana Medical University and Ariel University. Also, during the ceremony, young scientists who presented the best papers at the Youth Forum of the Summit were honored:

- winner diplomas for the 3rd place and valuable prizes in the form of a tablet were awarded to Zhansep Bekniyazova, a resident of Astana Medical University, Alima Murtazina, PhD student of Kazakh National Medical University named after Asfendiyarov, and Kuralay Atageldieva, associate professor of Nazarbayev University;

- the winner's diploma for the 2nd place and a certificate for 150 thousand tenge were awarded to Perizat Karabayeva, PhD student of Astana Medical University, Moran Kohavi, Master student of Ariel University;

- the winner's diploma for the 1st place and a certificate for 300 thousand tenge were awarded to Dinara Galieva, Associate Professor of Nazarbayev University.

Incentive gifts were awarded to all participants of the Youth Forum and MedTech Pitch Session of startup projects of young scientists.

A number of agreements were signed between the IUA and its academic partners during the Summit, including the Agreement on the implementation of a two-diploma joint bachelor's degree program "Pharmacy" between NJSC "Astana Medical University" and Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute and the Memorandum of Understanding between Astana Medical University and the Republic Hospital of Siauliai in Lithuania.

At the end of the Summit, all participants expressed a general opinion that such high-level international events have a positive impact on the development of science and education in the medical field and should be continued in the form of specific projects and collaborations in the future.

On September 9 the Round Table "Astana Medical University - Ariel University: a year of cooperation. Results and Plans” was carried out. During the roundtable, the organizers of the international summit - Astana Medical University - Ariel University - discussed the prospects for further cooperation between the two universities, including the opening of a branch of Ariel University on the basis of AMU, the creation of a Kazakh-Israeli innovation hub and a forum for young scientists, the launch of joint educational programs and joint research projects.