The President of Caucasus University, Kakha Shengelia, and the Vice President for Internationalization, Irena Melua, participated in the Central Asia Regional Conference of the International Association of University Presidents (IAUP) - “Impact-Driven Universities: Education, Leadership and Societal Change.”

The event was held on June 11–13, 2026, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The conference was hosted by Almaty Management University in cooperation with IAUP. The official opening ceremony featured Assylbek Kozhakhmetov, Founder and President of AlmaU; Shawn Chen, President of IAUP; and Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The conference aimed to discuss contemporary challenges in higher education, impact-driven university development, leadership, and global cooperation. The event included panel sessions, workshops, and discussions with the participation of international leaders in higher education.

Kakha Shengelia participated in the book launch session “Universities after AI: Voices from the Global Frontier,” which was held on June 12. In this book, Kakha Shengelia authored the chapter “Building AI-Ready Graduates in a Small, Fast-Shifting Economy: Curriculum Design, Employability Pathways, and Internationalization.” The session brought together Shawn Chen, President of IAUP; Fernando León-García, Chair of the IAUP Board; Sabur Khan, Founder of Daffodil International University; and other international experts. The discussion focused on new visions for university development in the era of artificial intelligence and the future of global higher education.