ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN (September 6, 2026) — Prior to the welcome dinner for the inaugural China Conference: Central Asia 2026, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) entered into a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nazarbayev University (NU), Kazakhstan’s premier research university.
The signing ceremony took place ahead of a high-level welcome dinner co-hosted by SCMP and the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) in Dubai. The gathering convened senior government officials, diplomatic representatives, and business leaders from across Hong Kong, Mainland China, Central Asia, and the Middle East.
The strategic partnership formalises institutional linkages between the leading global news organisation and Central Asia’s top-ranked higher education institution—the historic location where Chinese President Xi Jinping first announced the “Silk Road Economic Belt” initiative in 2013.
Commenting on the landmark agreement, Tammy Tam, Publisher of the South China Morning Post, highlighted the strategic and historical significance of the collaboration: “We are deeply honored to forge this landmark partnership with Nazarbayev University, building upon a legacy of global connectivity first championed in Kazakhstan back in 2013 when Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the historic ‘Silk Road Economic Belt’ initiative. This MoU represents a vital bridge between leading academic research and global media excellence. As a premier voice on China and Asia, the South China Morning Post is proud to collaborate with Kazakhstan’s flagship university to elevate cross-border storytelling, foster deeper cultural and educational exchange, and illuminate Eurasia’s critical role in shaping the future of global connectivity and building a talent pool for the region.”
Emphasising the mutual benefits for academic reach and international visibility, Professor Waqar Ahmad, President of Nazarbayev University, stated, “For Nazarbayev University, partnering with a globally recognised media organisation such as South China Morning Post opens significant opportunities to bring our academic expertise and research to a much wider international audience. With its strong reach across one of the world’s most dynamic and influential regions, SCMP can help strengthen the visibility of NU, while our academic expertise can also provide SCMP with new perspectives and insights into Central Asia. The partnership also creates new opportunities for our students to access knowledge and perspectives from a leading international media organisation, while bringing our academic communities closer together. Building meaningful international partnerships of this kind is an important part of our journey towards becoming a world-class university”.
Key Objectives of the MoU:
- Institutional Partnerships: Formalising strategic, long-term ties between both organisations.
- Academic Exchange: Fostering academic dialogue and knowledge-sharing between East and Central Asia.
- Digital Silk Road: Connecting Hong Kong’s capital and media reach with Central Asia’s tech and resource ecosystem.
The ceremony set the stage for SCMP’s flagship China Conference: Central Asia 2026, themed “Hub-to-Hub Gateways to the Digital Silk Road,” focusing on capital flows, technological innovation, and economic potential across Central Asia.
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About South China Morning Post South China Morning Post
The SCMP is the premier English-language news platform rooted in Hong Kong, reaching a global audience with authoritative and comprehensive insights about Greater China, including Hong Kong’s development. With more than 122 years of publishing excellence, SCMP has been providing insights into key news topics in Asia and global dynamics impacting this region through the lens and perspectives of Asia, while hosting high-calibre events and conferences engaging key decision-makers, top government officials, business leaders and experts. Read more with SCMP: www.scmp.com
About Nazarbayev University
Nazarbayev University is a modern, research-intensive university located in Astana, Kazakhstan. Ranked among the top institutions in Eurasia, NU is dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and preparing leaders for the region and beyond. NU was announced in 2006 by the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan and founded in 2010 as the country’s flagship institution for academics and researchers to collaborate. The university is also the country’s first global-level, autonomous research university, granted by law on 19 January 2011, “On the status of ‘NU,’ ‘Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools’ and ‘Nazarbayev Fund.’ https://nu.edu.kz/
