Become Part of the School of Sociologists
Applications are now open for the main School Program 2026.
Application deadline: January 15, 2026, at 12:00 PM
About the
School
"Kazakhstan Sociology Lab"
Modern social sciences actively utilize various methods of algorithmic data analysis for diverse purposes. For example, they are used to analyze patterns of public opinion polarization through text processing, to study factors determining the career success of school graduates, or to predict the locations of future crimes.
Within the framework of the "Kazakhstan Sociology Lab" School, we aim to help young researchers from the Republic of Kazakhstan acquire advanced methods of social sciences and become high-class experts in their respective fields.
The goal of the School is to develop participants' competencies and skills in working with modern methods of data collection and analysis. We will also study theoretical questions that researchers in the social sciences have been addressing in recent decades.
The training will be conducted in a blended format, combining both offline and online modes. As a result of their work, participants (under the guidance of mentors) will be expected to present policy-oriented research on socially significant issues. Examples of project participants' works can be found via the link.
Within the framework of the "Kazakhstan Sociology Lab" School, we aim to help young researchers from the Republic of Kazakhstan acquire advanced methods of social sciences and become high-class experts in their respective fields.
The goal of the School is to develop participants' competencies and skills in working with modern methods of data collection and analysis. We will also study theoretical questions that researchers in the social sciences have been addressing in recent decades.
The training will be conducted in a blended format, combining both offline and online modes. As a result of their work, participants (under the guidance of mentors) will be expected to present policy-oriented research on socially significant issues. Examples of project participants' works can be found via the link.
Opportunities for School Participants
Graduates of the School will possess significant competitive advantages. We expect that this will provide a strong boost to the career growth of the participants
- Modern ApproachesThrough the School, participants will become acquainted with new methods and theories widely applied in contemporary social sciences.
- NetworkingThe School serves as a platform for finding like-minded individuals and offers opportunities to meet experts in participants' areas of interest.
- Experience in Policy ResearchUpon completing the School, participants will be expected to conduct policy-oriented research, the results of which will be of interest to both the media and decision-makers.
Main School Program
(Applications open until January 15, 2026, 12:00 PM)
early March
early March
Workshop 1. School Opening
March
—
April
March
—
April
Module 1
Courses:
- Sociology of Education
- Sociology of Сulture
- Public Health and Medical Sociology
May
—
June
May
—
June
Module 2
Workshop 2
Courses:
Courses:
- Natural Language Processing
- Causal Inference
- Survey Research Design
July
—
August
July
—
August
Module 3
Workshop 3
Individual or pair-based work on research projects with mentor support
Individual or pair-based work on research projects with mentor support
September
September
Graduation Conference 2026
The School will be conducted from March to September 2026.
The School program is divided into three modules, each delivered in a blended format. The initial days of each module are organized as in-person sessions (a two-day workshop), during which participants complete intensive courses. The remaining part of the module is conducted online; participants are expected to devote at least 15 hours of study time per week to complete the full program. Each class lasts 1.5 hours.
Important: participants from other cities are responsible for covering their own transportation and logistics costs related to attending in-person sessions. These expenses are not covered by the organizers.
Participation in the School is fee-based; however, scholarships are available. To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must successfully pass a selection process and conduct an empirical research project as part of a team upon completion of the program.
Important: participants from other cities are responsible for covering their own transportation and logistics costs related to attending in-person sessions. These expenses are not covered by the organizers.
Participation in the School is fee-based; however, scholarships are available. To be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must successfully pass a selection process and conduct an empirical research project as part of a team upon completion of the program.
Upon completion of the School training, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion.
The cost of training in the main School program is 300,000 tenge. There is an option to pay in installments. You are not required to participate in the competitive selection. In this case, participation in the research project in the final module of the program is optional and remains at your discretion.
Alternatively, you may apply for a grant through the competitive selection process. A total of 20–25 grants are planned. For applicants who receive a grant, participation in the group research project is mandatory.
Alternatively, you may apply for a grant through the competitive selection process. A total of 20–25 grants are planned. For applicants who receive a grant, participation in the group research project is mandatory.
Application deadline: January 15, 2026, at 12:00.
An educational services agreement will be concluded with applicants who are prepared to participate in the program at their own expense or through other funding sources.
Applicants for the scholarship program will complete an additional online interview.
An educational services agreement will be concluded with applicants who are prepared to participate in the program at their own expense or through other funding sources.
Applicants for the scholarship program will complete an additional online interview.
New Participation Format in the School!
Throughout 2023, we carefully studied the needs of researchers in the social sciences and compiled a “menu” of short courses (4–6 classes each). If you are unable to participate in the main School program or would like to improve your skills in a specific area – you are welcome to join!
Short Courses
Courses will be conducted in groups in an online format with an instructor. The minimum group size is 7 people. Each course consists of 4–6 classes, each lasting 3 hours.
The cost of the main courses is 100,000 tenge. Courses marked with an “*” cost 70,000 tenge. For students and graduates of Kazakhstan Sociology Lab, a unified fee of 40,000 tenge applies to all courses.
The cost of the main courses is 100,000 tenge. Courses marked with an “*” cost 70,000 tenge. For students and graduates of Kazakhstan Sociology Lab, a unified fee of 40,000 tenge applies to all courses.
- Advanced Statistics in RThis course continues the discussion of generalized linear models (GLM) introduced in the basic statistics course and also covers quantile and multilevel regression.
Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of R and statistics. - Academic ReadingReading academic texts and working with theory is an important skill both within and beyond universities, particularly in applied research. This course covers various techniques for reading academic texts and extracting relevant information.
Prerequisites: Experience in reading academic literature; proficiency in academic reading in English is desirable. - Machine Learning for Social SciencesMachine learning is arguably one of the most popular methodological approaches in recent years. But how can it be applied to research in the social sciences? This course addresses this question by exploring the conceptual foundations of machine learning, key algorithms (clustering, regularization, ensemble methods, SVM), and approaches to explainable machine learning.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic statistics and proficient use of R. - R Programming in Kazakh LanguageAn introductory course in data analysis and programming in R for participants with no prior experience in data analysis.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of the Kazakh language. - MAXQDA for Qualitative Data AnalysisMAXQDA is a widely used tool for coding and analyzing qualitative data of various types. This course focuses on mastering the technical aspects of working with the software.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic qualitative research methods. - Power BI for AnalystsPower BI is a widely used tool for data analysis and visualization. This course focuses on processing and analyzing survey results and databases.
Prerequisites: None. - Conducting Impact AssessmentHow can we determine whether a government initiative or an organizational program has been successful? In modern social sciences, this question is addressed through a set of methods collectively known as impact assessment. This course introduces approaches to measuring the effectiveness of specific initiatives.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic statistics; familiarity with R or STATA. - Media Analytics in R and Contemporary Marketing ResearchContemporary marketing research is a specialized field that employs a wide range of methods and research designs. In this course, together with experts in the field, participants will explore how modern marketers conduct research and analyze media data using R.
Prerequisites: Knowledge of basic sociological research design and R. - …To Be ContinuedIf you have a request for a specific course, we would be glad if you shared it with us by email.
Instructors and Mentors
- Aliya SarsekeevaDirector of the School
- Dmitry SerebrennikovScientific Director of the School
Researcher at IPP EU SPb - Adil RodionovScientific Director of the School
Ph.D. in Sociology - Andrey SemenovCandidate of Political Sciences
Nazarbayev University
- Vitovt Kopytokex-Senior Analyst at the Central Research Institute, independent researcher
- Yulia VerlinaHead of Consulting, Research, Marketing Projects at Institute of Modern Media (MOMRI)
- Darkhan MedeuovPhD candidate at Leipzig University
Nazarbayev University - Baurzhan EdgenovPh.D. in Economics
Georgia State University
- Yana SosnovskayaLecturer at HSE, EU SPb
- Ksenia TenishevaAssociate Professor of Sociology Faculty
EU SPb - Nata VolkovaResearcher at TOО Scientific Research Institute "Almatygenplan"
- Anna KolotovkinaPh.D. student at EU SPb
- Zhaniya AubakirovaResearch Associate
- Arsen AvsatkarinovResearch Associate
- Sanzhar KalkanbayResearch Associate
- Alina KulichkovaEU SPb
Contacts:
+7 775 476 33 77
SociologyLab.kz@gmail.com
Kazakhstan, Astana, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 11/5, 12th floor
SociologyLab.kz@gmail.com
Kazakhstan, Astana, Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 11/5, 12th floor
© 2023 Kazakhstan Sociology Lab
Terms of use
Requisites
КОРПОРАТИВНЫЙ ФОНД "ФОНД "EL UMITI"
Юридический адрес:
010000, Республика Казахстан, г.Астана, ул.Бокейхана, 1
Фактический адрес:
010000, Республика Казахстан, город Астана, район Нура, проспект Кабанбай батыр, 11/5
БИН: 190940020707
Счет: KZ60601A871005960391
Название банка: филиал АО «HalykBank» г. Астана
БИК: HSBKKZKX
Юридический адрес:
010000, Республика Казахстан, г.Астана, ул.Бокейхана, 1
Фактический адрес:
010000, Республика Казахстан, город Астана, район Нура, проспект Кабанбай батыр, 11/5
БИН: 190940020707
Счет: KZ60601A871005960391
Название банка: филиал АО «HalykBank» г. Астана
БИК: HSBKKZKX