inVision U - Forum 2026

September 23, 2026 09:30
 Free, open to everyone
Satbayev University, Almaty

AI can already do the work. Someone still has to decide what it's for.

On September 23, Almaty hosts inVision U Forum for the first time: one day, one room, and the people who will spend the next decade answering that question. Practicing business leaders from Central Asia. Professors from Kellogg and MBZUAI. Government institutions. Students who started last year, and students who haven't applied yet.

It's also the day the first inVision U undergraduate class officially begins.

Three reasons this one is worth your Wednesday

  • It's a start line, not a conference. September 23 is the public launch of the inVision U undergraduate program. Whoever is in that room is in the first photograph. If you enroll here, you were there on day one.
  • The room itself is the rare part. Professors, founders, government representatives, current students, and people still deciding whether to apply, all in the same space for one day. In Central Asia, that combination almost never happens by accident.
  • Students are on the stage, not in the back row. Three Foundation Year students take panel seats next to the invited speakers. Same questions, same microphone, same forty minutes.

What we're actually going to argue about: 

  • What Kind of Leaders Are Needed for the mid-21st century
  • How is AI changing the world of work and what does it mean for universities?  
  • How to Find Future Leaders?  Does AI Change Anything about Finding and Developing Leaders?
  • How To Integrate Leadership Education into Academic and Extra-curricular Programs/Leadership and Values
  • Post-graduation support for emerging leaders

Who's speaking

Professors from leading universities, entrepreneurs who changed the markets they entered, specialists in artificial intelligence and ethics, and students at the very beginning of the journey who are already ready to take the same questions.

Registration
  • Sayasat Nurbek
    Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

  • Zhuldyz Dosbergenovna Suleimenova
    Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan

  • Umut Bolatkhanovna Shayakhmetova
    Chairperson of the Management Board, Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan

  • Brian Uzzi
    Professor of Leadership, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (USA).

  • Arsen Tomski. Portrait of a middle-aged man with short black and gray hair wearing a black shirt in front of leafy green plants.

    Arsen Tomsky
    Founder of inVision U, founder and CEO of inDrive.

  • Maulen Sagatkhanovich Ashimbaev
    Public figure

  • Ulan Usenov
    Popular chemistry teacher

  • Bagdat Batyrbekovich Musin
    Chairman of the Management Board, Kazakhtelecom JSC

  • Erzat Dulat
    CEO Higsfield

  • Vera Solomatina
    SVP People and Culture, inDrive

  • Nurlan Erkebulanovich Smagulov
    Owner of the Astana Group holding and the Founder of the Almaty Museum of Arts

  • Armanzhan Baitasov
    Publisher of Forbes Kazakhstan magazine

  • Stephan De Spiegeleire
    Principal Scientist at The Hague Center for Strategic Studies

  • Aliya Asanbekova
    Head of IT program, inVision U

  • Wadia Ait Hamza
    Director of Leadership Programs, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI, UAE).

  • Andrew Wachtel
    President of inVision U. Researcher, PhD.

  • Christopher Schwartz
    Rochester Institute of Technology's Global Cybersecurity Institute

  • Anel Kulakhmetova
    Provost inVision U

  • Ahmed Evin
    Senior Scholar in Istanbul Policy Center and Professor at Sabancı University

  • Abdessamad Fatmi
    CEO and Founder Erudite Counseling

  • Alan Greenberg
    Led Education Podcasting, iTunesU, Apple Education

  • Henry Myerberg
    Founder of HMA2, NY

  • Zehra Sayers
    Former Interim President of Sabancı University and co-chair of the SESAME Scientific Advisory Committe

The day

September 23

Time
Block
Description
09:00
Guest registration
Coffee, light snacks, and conversation
09:30
Official opening
Announcement of the launch of the inVision U bachelor's program.Welcome remarks from Meiram Begentayev, Rector of Satbayev U, and Arsen Tomsky, CEO of inDrive.
09:50 - 10:10
Leadership in the Age of AI
Sayasat Nurbek – Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan
10:10 - 10:30
Leadership in the Age of AI
Zhuldyz Dosbergenovna Suleimenova – Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan
10:30 - 11:45
Panel 1
What Kind of Leaders Are Needed for the mid-21st century
Moderator — Vyacheslav Abramov, Founder of Vlast.kz and Head of Digital Media & Marketing at inVision U
Arsen Tomsky
– Founder of inVision U, founder and CEO of inDrive
Maulen Sagatkhanovich Ashimbaev – Public figure
Brian Uzzi – Professor of Leadership at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Nurlan Erkebulanovich Smagulov – owner of the Astana Group holding and the Founder of the Almaty Museum of Arts
Armanzhan Baitasov – publisher of Forbes Kazakhstan magazine
11:45 - 13:00
Panel 2
How is AI changing the world of work and what does it mean for universities?
Moderator — Vitaly Volyanyuk, Co-founder and CEO of Digital Business
Umut Bolatkhanovna Shayakhmetova
– Chairperson ofthe Management Board, Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan
Bagdat Batyrbekovich Musin – Chairman of the Management Board, Kazakhtelecom JSC
Erzat Dulat – CEO Higsfield
Vera Solomatina – SVP People and Culture, inDrive
Ulan Usenov – Popular chemistry teacher
13:00 - 14:00
Lunch
13:00 - 14:00
Pokemon catching
14:00 - 15:00
Panel 3
How to Find Future Leaders? Does AI Change Anything about Finding and Developing Leaders?
Moderator — Elnora Rozmut, Co-founder and CEO of Er10 Media
Wadia Ait Hamza
– Director of Leadership Programs,Mohamed bin Zayed University of AI
Stephan De Spiegeleire – Principal Scientist at TheHague Center for Strategic Studies
Christopher Schwartz – Rochester Institute of Technology's Global Cybersecurity Institute
Anel Kulakhmetova – provost inVision U
15:00 - 16:00
Panel 4
How To Integrate Leadership Education into Academic and Extra-curricular Programs / Leadership and Values
Moderator — Andrew Wachtel, President of inVision U
Ahmed Evin
– Senior Scholar in Istanbul Policy Centerand Professor at Sabancı University
Abdessamad Fatmi – CEO and Founder EruditeCounseling
Aliya Asanbekova – Head of IT program, inVision U
Alan Greenberg – Led Education Podcasting, iTunesU, Apple Education
16:00 - 16:30
Coffee Break
Coffee, light snacks, and conversation
16:30 - 17:30
Panel 5
Post-graduation support for emerging leaders
Moderator — Kanat Nogoybaev, Global Impact PR Manager at inDrive
Andrew Wachtel
– President of inVision U
Zehra Sayers – Former Interim President of Sabancı University and co-chair of the SESAME Scientific Advisory Committe
Henry Myerberg – founder of HMA2, NY
17:30 - 18:00
Official Closing
Registration

Come if you're one of these three people

You're a student, or you're thinking about applying

The public day on September 23 is open to everyone. Register through the link on the site.

This is inVision U with the doors open: meet the students and the faculty, walk through Foundation Year projects, sit in on a real argument about leadership with people who study it for a living, and decide for yourself what this place is.

If you're considering applying in 2027, one day here will tell you more than any brochure.

You're a partner, a company, or an educational organization

The Partners' Evening on September 23 by invitation. You'll have direct access to the Advisory Board, the inVision U team, and the guests who matter: government institutions, business schools, NGOs, international organizations.

If you've been meaning to start a conversation about working with inVision U, start it here.

You just care about leadership and AI

Registration for the public day is open, and it's free.

The format is built for talking, not listening: debate-style panels, speed mentoring with the speakers, and a room full of people asking the same questions you are.

inVision U Forum 2026 opens more than an undergraduate program. It opens the argument about what education is for and what a leader is supposed to look like now.

Forum Partners

Forum Media Partners

How to join?

Public Forum day, September 23.

Registration open. Admission free.
inVision U Campus, 22/1 Kanysh Satpayev Street, Almaty (Satbayev University grounds)

invisionu.education · info@invisionu.education · +7 771 070 73 70 (WhatsApp, written inquiries only)