Professional Biography
Darkhan Bilyalov is a seasoned academic executive and faculty member with a successful career spanning over a decade, currently serving as the Vice President of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Specializing in the strategic oversight and development of higher education with a focus on social sciences and humanities, he formerly acted as the rector of a major national university, leading an academic community of 16,000 students and 1,800 faculty and staff and a $27 million budget. Dr. Bilyalov has demonstrated skills in project and budget management, successfully overseeing projects with substantial budgets. He is currently a PI for two research projects of $1.6 million each. At Abai he facilitated an increase of the research budget from 385.4 million to 2.1 billion KZT, while the number of funded projects increased from 48 to 83.
A committed scholar with a portfolio of over 50 publications, including articles, reports, mass media publications, and book chapters, Dr. Bilyalov is experienced in international academic collaborations, having bridged partnerships with various institutions across the globe. He is dedicated to the principles of effective governance, educational excellence, and transformative leadership in academia. He has published scholarly work in such prestigious journals as Studies in Higher Education, Higher Education Policy, and the Teachers College Record.
