On September 30, 2026, ALT University hosted a National Day event organized by the Department of Logistics and Business together with student activists for university students. Entitled “A Journey Through the Ages: From the Great Silk Road to the Logistics of the Future,” the event brought together Kazakhstan’s national traditions and culture, the history of transport, and modern logistics technologies.
Special attention was given to Kazakhstan’s historical role as a territory crossed by important routes of the Great Silk Road. For centuries, caravan routes served not only as channels for transporting goods but also as spaces for interaction among peoples and for the exchange of knowledge, crafts, traditions and cultural values.
The national character of the event was highlighted through elements of Kazakh culture, traditions of hospitality and the sound of the dombra. A themed dastarkhan also formed part of the overall concept. Traditional treats symbolically represented the cultural diversity of the peoples along the Silk Road and demonstrated how historical trade routes facilitated not only economic relations but also cultural exchange.
A central part of National Day was the interactive game “A Journey Through the Ages.” Students were invited to arrange key stages in the development of transport and logistics in historical sequence — from caravans and the Great Silk Road to railways, the Turkestan–Siberian Railway (Turksib), containerization, dry ports, GPS technologies and modern digital logistics. Each stage included questions and historical facts, allowing participants to explore the evolution of transport technologies in an interactive format.
A special part of the programme was dedicated to Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpaev, after whom ALT University is named. As the first Kazakh railway engineer and a participant in the construction of Turksib, Tynyshpaev represented an important link between the history of Kazakhstan, the development of railway transport and the establishment of professional transport education.
Through the history of Turksib, participants also explored the origins of ALT University, which celebrates its 95th anniversary in 2026. Over the decades, the University has continued the traditions of transport education while developing modern educational technologies and innovative approaches to professional training.
The active involvement of students created a particularly engaging atmosphere. Student activists worked together with lecturers from the Department of Logistics and Business in preparing and conducting National Day, organizing the interactive programme and creating the thematic setting. This format enabled students not only to learn more about history and national traditions but also to become active participants in a cultural and educational initiative.
National Day “A Journey Through the Ages” demonstrated the continuity between different historical periods: from caravan routes to railways and international transport corridors, and from traditional forms of communication to digital technologies and modern logistics. At the same time, preserving historical memory, national culture and traditions of hospitality remained an important part of the event.
The event contributes to SDG 4 “Quality Education” by using interactive educational approaches and expanding students’ knowledge of transport history, logistics and national culture. It also supports SDG 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” through the promotion and preservation of cultural and historical heritage.
Organizer: Department of Logistics and Business, ALT University.
Author: Alik Asel
