Asian Brown Bag Series #5 - Foresight in the Central Asian Terrains

About the Session:

Turkic culture has alwaysbeen open to new influences and ideas brought there by different means, either by merchants travelling through the famous Silk Road, scientists and artists coming from the West, or even conquerors sweeping like a hurricane through its vast terrains.

Foresight reached Central Asian countries relatively recently. It is still in the process of gaining its ground. However, there are stories the "Stan" countries are ready to share with the APF community.

Futurists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan will bring their feelings, emotions, comments, and images to compose a narrative of a foresight journey in the region.

If you know nothing about Central Asia, it is time to learn!

About the Speakers:

Lola Abdusalyamova is a development and training specialist with over 25 years of experience in civil society strengthening, organizational development, and participatory planning across Central Asia. She has designed and delivered training programs on project management, advocacy, financial sustainability, and community engagement for NGOs in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

Dr Temirlan Jailobaev is a research specialist with over a decade of experience in research design, scale development, and advanced data analysis. He holds a Ph.D. in Business and a Master’s in Social Research from the University of Strathclyde, as well as a Master’s in Actuarial Science from Heriot-Watt University. His doctoral research focused on value perception using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. He has taught statistics and research design at Strathclyde and is proficient in SPSS, Stata, and Amos. As an international consultant and a director of the Empirica Research Company, Dr Jailobaev has led large-scale evaluations for UNICEF, USAID, Aga Khan Foundation, World Vision, and the World Bank across multiple countries.

Dr Kanykey Jailobaeva is a sociologist and experienced international consultant with over 20 years of research and evaluation expertise. She holds a Ph.D. and a Master’s in Social Research from the University of Edinburgh. Her work spans health, child protection, civil society, urbanisation, and gender issues across Central Asia, Africa, and Central America. She has led mixed-methods evaluations for UNICEF, USAID, World Bank, and others. At Queen Margaret University, she contributed to global health and child wellbeing projects. Dr Jailobaeva has also taught research methods and analysis at the University of Edinburgh.  As co-founder of the Empirica Research Company, she plays a leading role in designing and delivering high-quality research and evaluations across diverse thematic areas.

Yelena V. Muzykina is a certified and award-winning futurist, practitioner, and educator with ample experience in various fields. She is a fellow at the Centre for Postnormal Policy & Futures Studies and a trainer at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of Kazakhstan. For the last 18 years, her occupation has been directly linked with Humanities and Social Science. She actively promotes futures studies and foresight in the Central Asian region and beyond, taking part in different international projects and cooperating with public, educational, governmental, and private organizations. As a practitioner, consultant, and educator, Yelena has organized, managed, and facilitated workshops and seminars, multi-stakeholder projects, and foresight sessions in person and online. Yelena is a reviewer and a guest editor for the Journal of Futures Studies, World Futures Review, and Islamoved (an Islamic Studies academic journal, Dagestan).

Zafar Norov is an expert in sustainable tourism development, with over 20 years of experience leading impactful initiatives at the intersection of tourism, environmental sustainability, and inclusive growth. He has worked extensively in natural resource management, climate change adaptation, renewable energy, and the circular economy. Known for his strategic leadership and strong project management skills, he has built lasting partnerships with governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to advance gender-responsive and community-driven development solutions.

Atai SAMYIBEK UULU

Urban planner and expert in sustainable urban development from Kyrgyzstan. Co-Founder of Urban Development Fund. Atai is the CEO of Sonun Urban Design, specializing in urban analysis, territorial development consulting, and landscape planning. He has led research on urban infrastructure and land use in cities across Kyrgyzstan. Currently, he focuses on legal reforms in urban planning, promoting zoning, green economy principles, and climate adaptation at the local governance level. His key interests include sustainable urban economies, public space, mobility, and climate policy.

Zabira Yeshimbetova is a professor and lecturer at Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University. She has experience working at different secondary and higher-level educational institutions in Kazakhstan. She defended her PhD thesis in pedagogy. She held the positions of head of the Language Department and dean of the faculty. Pr. Zabira is very interested in new methods and teaching technologies.