About the Institute
The Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KazISS) is a state forecasting and analytical institution established in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan on June 16, 1993.
According to the World Think Tank Index-Rating 2020 (Global Go To Think Tank Index Report, University of Pennsylvania), KazISS leads the top three think tanks in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and South Asia (out of 58 centers), and is also among the top think tanks in the world in the category “Best Policy and Institutional Response to Covid-19. This nomination included 83 think tanks from around the world, among which KazISS was the only structure from Central Asia.
THE INSTITUTE’S MAIN FUNCTION is analytical, research and expert support of the activities of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the strategic directions of domestic and foreign policy of the state.
AREAS OF KazISS RESEARCH
- Department of Political Studies:
- analysis of the current socio-political situation in Kazakhstan;
- a comprehensive study of the issues of political modernization;
- forecasting and modeling of socio-political processes;
- analysis of the state of political institutions, interethnic and inter-confessional relations;
- study of current media processes and information trends.
- Department of International and Geoeconomic Research:
- analysis of contemporary international processes, geopolitical trends and foreign policy strategies of regional and global players;
- monitoring of domestic political and socio-economic development of neighboring countries;
- study of international and regional security issues;
- analysis of the bilateral relations of Kazakhstan with Russia, China, the United States, Germany, France, Poland, Turkey, the countries of Central Asia, the CIS and a number of other leading Asian and European states;
- study of trends in the global economy, integration processes and their impact on the economy of Kazakhstan.
- Department of Sociological Research:
- analysis of social well-being and socio-political attitudes;
- sociological support of electoral processes;
- Methodological support of sociological research of state bodies of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
- Department of Media Projects:
- holding expert meetings of the KazISS discussion club, press conferences, briefings, master classes, and presentations of the Institute’s publication materials and sociological research;
- providing information and content for the KazISS’s official website, YouTube channel, and Telegram, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages;
- ensuring constant and effective two-way communication between KazISS and journalists, media representatives;
- preparation and implementation of PR materials (media plans, press clipping, content plans, promotional plans, press releases) to promote the activities of the Institute;
- publication of scientific and analytical journals, books, monographs, collections of materials, and methodological manuals of KazISS.
- As part of the implementation of its activities, the KazISS:
- cooperates with domestic and foreign research and analytical structures, carries out international research projects on topical problems of development of Kazakhstan and Central Asia;
- conducts regional and international scientific and practical events in the Institute’s areas of work;
- participates in the development of state development programs and conceptual documents in the field of the domestic and foreign policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
- maintains cooperation with the diplomatic corps and representative offices of international organizations accredited in Kazakhstan;
- participates in the training of researchers-analysts in the areas of research activities of KazISS through internships, seminars, and summer schools.
YERKІN TUKUMOV
Director of KazISS
Candidate of Political Sciences
Education, specialty (qualification), licenses:
- Institute of International Relations, Warsaw University (Republic of Poland) (1992–1997), specialist in international relations.
- Harvard University School of Government (USA) (2015–2016), Master of Public Administration.
Scientific degree: Institute of Philosophy and Political Science of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2004), candidate of political sciences.
Diplomatic rank: Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Envoy of II class of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2022)
Work experience:
- Senior Research Fellow, Head of the Foreign Policy Research Department of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KISS) (1997–2005).
- Director General of the Central Asian Fund for the Development of Democracy (10.2005–10.2007).
- Head of the sector of strategic analysis of the Information and Analytical Center, head of the sector of the Center for Strategic Development and Analysis of the Administration of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (11.2007–05.2008).
- Deputy Director, Director of the Central Asia Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan (06.2008–01.2010).
- Head of the Analytical Department of the Security Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan (01.2010–01.2018).
- Consul General of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Kazan (01.2018 -04.2019).
- Minister Counselor of the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Russia (04.2019–01.2022).
- Since January 2022, Director of the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Language skills: Kazakh, Russian, English, Polish.
State and international awards, prizes, honorary titles: Order “Kurmet” (2017), medal “Eren Yenbegi ushin” (2011), anniversary medal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Kazakhstan Respublikasynyn tauelsizdigine 20 zhyl” (2011), letter of thanks from the President of Kazakhstan (2010) , letter of thanks from the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2008, 2019).
