In spite of picturesque landscapes, natural beauties and authentic traditional lifestyles to be seen in East Kazakhstan, tourism is far from being developed. The Kazakh Altai (called the Kazakh Switzerland) is one the most colourful parts of the country and, indeed, all Central Asia. The attractiveness of this geographically isolated region (formerly a part of the Imperial Russia), consisting of rocky semi-deserts, vast parkland-steppes, and rugged mountain terrains, is reflected in its distinctive geological and geomorphological character, its pristine nature, and its extraordinary geodiversity and biodiversity. This study presents a roster of geotourism and ecotourism loci for the broader Altai area within a framework of sustainable development. The modelled assessment of the tourism and recreation potential is based upon multi-proxy analyses of GIS, DEM, and cartographic data. It integrates the most appealing natural (biotic and abiotic) site-specific natural features across all physiographic zones within a broad region. The most significant and representative geosites fall within three geographic sectors suitable for geo- and ecotourism. Prospects for travel to these places are enhanced by the presence of numerous prehistoric archaeological sites and historical monuments, which document the rich, multi-ethnic background of Kazakhstan and the ancient Silk Road that traverses it. These geological, environmental and cultural resources, and the regional geoheritage and environmental conservation concepts have been figured into strategies for economic growth of rural Kazakhstan. Visitors travelling to this most appealing region are constrained by climate of pronounced continentality, seasonality, geographic accessibility, the international border-zone regulations and a lack of services of an international standard.

Atmospheric air pollution is a major environmental and public health concern, particularly in industrialized regions. The East Kazakhstan Region exhibits high rates of oncological, cardiovascular, and respiratory diseases. However, the specific impact of industrial emissions on morbidity remains insufficiently studied. This study employed correlation and regression analyses using data on pollutant emissions and population morbidity indicators from 2014 to 2023. Correlation and regression methods, along with geoinformation technologies, were applied. A moderate positive correlation was found between industrial emission volumes and the incidence of neoplasms (r = 0.59, R² = 0.35), especially in areas with high concentrations of sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. The findings confirm the significant influence of polluted air—particularly mixed pollutants—on the increase in cancer-related diseases. The conclusions emphasize the urgent need to implement emission reduction measures, enhance environmental monitoring and disease prevention, and carry out further epidemiological research.

Pollution and freshwater scarcity, coupled with the energy sector’s continued dependence on fossil fuels, constitute a dual challenge to sustainable development. A promising response is biosystems that jointly address wastewater treatment and the production of renewable products. This review centers on a managed consortium of aquatic macrophytes and microalgae, in which the spatial architecture of plant communities, rhizosphere processes, and the photosynthetic activity of microalgae act in concert. This configuration simultaneously expands the spectrum of removable pollutants and yields biomass suitable for biorefinery, thereby linking remediation to the production of energy carriers and bioproducts within a circular bioeconomy. The scientific novelty lies in treating the integrated platform as a coherent technological unit, and in using the biomass “metabolic passport” to align cultivation conditions with optimal valorization trajectories. The work offers a practical framework for designing and scaling such consortia that can reduce the toxicological load on aquatic ecosystems, return macronutrients to circulation, and produce low-carbon energy carriers.

This chapter explores the strategy of authentic assessment of students' educational achievements and its role in the implementation of the academic policy of universities. The research upon which it is based includes a text analysis of the rhetoric of the academic policy of 4 universities in Kazakhstan and several regulatory documents on assessment. We studied the strategy of authentic assessment at the University of Westminster in the UK. The results of the study point to the need to expand and modernize the conceptual apparatus, improve, and revise the principles and strategies of assessment at the universities of Kazakhstan. It also determines the constraints on the transition to authentic assessment.

Industrial settlements of the East Kazakhstan Region face a persistent technogenic burden driven by the dense concentration of non-ferrous metallurgy and heat-and-power enterprises, further compounded by unfavorable pollutant dispersion conditions inherent to the region’s mountain–basin topography. This study evaluated spatiotemporal associations between annual mean concentrations of NO₂, SO₂, H₂S, and CO, the integrated air pollution index (API₅), and primary neoplasm morbidity across five settlements over the period 2014–2024. A retrospective ecological analysis was carried out for Ust-Kamenogorsk, Ridder, Altai, Shemonaikha, and the settlement of Glubokoe, incorporating Spearman’s rank correlation, lag analysis (1–3 years), and the Mann–Kendall trend test. Throughout the study period, neoplasm morbidity in the region consistently exceeded the national average by a factor of 1.3 to 2.0. In Ust-Kamenogorsk—where metallurgical SO₂ and NO₂ emissions are most heavily concentrated—strong positive associations were found in children for SO₂ (ρ = 0.791, p < 0.05) and in adolescents for NO₂ and CO, reflecting elevated inhalation exposure under conditions of chronic pollution. The negative associations with API₅ observed in Ridder and Altai, where the index showed a statistically significant downward trend, are interpreted as evidence of the inertial character of oncological processes and the lasting influence of cumulative past exposure. Across all studied settlements, SO₂ emerged as the most consistent predictor of morbidity variation. These findings support prioritizing stricter emission controls for SO₂ and NO₂ from metallurgical and energy facilities, establishing oncological screening programs for children and adolescents in chronically polluted areas, and strengthening ambient air monitoring—measures whose effective implementation will require coordinated action between public health authorities and environmental regulators.