Astana — April 25. The Research Institute of the New Land-Sea Transport Corridor (NLSTC RI), established by the "Beles" Center for Analysis and Strategy, organized the international roundtable "Bridge to the Future: Education and Logistics within the 'Belt and Road' Initiative".

The event took place within the framework of the "AIU-2025" conference and became a platform for a deep expert dialogue between Kazakhstani economists and our strategic partners from Jiangsu Ocean University (JOU, Lianyungang city).

The main insight of the event was the reports of the Chinese co-directors of our Institute. Executive Director of the RI from the Chinese side, Dean Sun Jun, presented a strategic report on the role of Lianyungang Port.

"We propose using the Lianyungang platform not just as a transit hub, but as an entry point for Kazakhstani companies into the production chains of Japan and South Korea. We need to transition from a simple 'transport corridor' to a full-fledged 'value chain'," stated Professor Sun Jun.

His colleague, Associate Professor Dong Shaozeng, raised geoeconomics issues in his speech, noting that Central Asia is transforming from a periphery into a key node of global digital civilization and logistics.

The discussion moderator, Scientific Supervisor of the NLSTC RI, Professor Meiram Kazhyken, presented his vision for the development of the "Middle Corridor" (TITR). The expert emphasized that Kazakhstan's adaptive economy requires synchronization of educational programs with the real needs of the logistics market.

Within the framework of the roundtable, the presentation of the collective work "MIDDLE CORRIDOR in the Focus of Interests of Kazakhstan and China", which resulted from the Institute's year-long research work, took place.

Understanding that logistics is impossible without personnel, the participants discussed the integration of education. Director of the BLCU Branch Saule Koshanova and Dean of the AIU HSE Zubirash Smagulova presented dual degree education models that will allow training specialists who understand the specifics of Kazakhstan and China.

The roundtable showed the effectiveness of the model built by the "Beles" Center: we created an Institute that works as an "intellectual bridge". We not only transport cargo but also import knowledge, technology, and strategic vision from leading experts in China's maritime logistics.