On February 26, 2026, the ceremonial opening of the Orbis Auto teaching and practical laboratory took place at ALT University named after Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpayev. The laboratory was established as part of a strategic partnership between the university and one of the country’s largest automotive holdings. The project marks a significant milestone in the development of practice-oriented education.
The new laboratory will be integrated into the educational programs “Automobiles and Automotive Management,” “Automobiles, Road and Construction Machines,” and “Automotive Engineering.” It creates a platform for training based on real technological solutions and equipment used in the modern automotive industry, allowing students to develop practical skills throughout their studies.
Dinara Iskakova, Director General of Orbis Auto, delivered a welcoming speech at the opening ceremony. In her remarks, she emphasized that the company views the training of a new generation of specialists as a strategic priority. “The key value of this project lies in aligning the educational process with the real needs of the labor market. The laboratory is designed as a space where students can work with real units, disassemble and assemble mechanisms, analyze errors, and develop professional engineering thinking,” said Dinara Iskakova.
It was separately noted that the Orbis Auto Automotive Group is interested in developing the partnership beyond the scope of internships and laboratory classes by involving the company’s leading engineers and technical specialists in the educational process.
In her speech, Meruert Zharmagambetova, Chairperson of the Board – Rector of ALT University named after Mukhamedzhan Tynyshpayev, emphasized that the opening of the laboratory is a landmark event for the university. She noted that partnership with business serves as a key element of modern engineering training and an important tool for integrating education, science, and the real sector of the economy. According to her, the Orbis Auto laboratory clearly demonstrates how agreements between the university and the industry translate into practice and form the foundation for quality education, creating an environment for training the next generation of specialists.
“As part of its mission, ALT University is consistently moving toward a practice-oriented model of education. It is impossible to train competitive personnel by relying solely on theoretical knowledge. We pay special attention to the development of dual education and the joint development of educational programs. Our plans include the formation of industry-oriented curricula, revising course content, and increasing the share of practical training. In particular, we plan to conduct specialized practical exams directly in the Orbis Auto laboratory, where students will demonstrate their practical skills,” emphasized Meruert Zharmagambetova.
A welcoming speech was also delivered by Sergey Rodnov, Technical Director of Audi & Volkswagen Kazakhstan distribution, who stressed the importance of early immersion of students into real production and service processes, as well as the need to train specialists considering the standards of international automotive brands. During the presentation, he spoke in detail about the laboratory’s equipment and noted that the primary goal during its formation was to create a complete environment for practical training.
The laboratory features real power units, including Cadillac Escalade and EXEED engines, as well as elements of electrical systems and electronic components of Audi vehicles. This allows students to perform mounting, dismantling, and detailed disassembly of units, as well as conduct a comparative analysis of technical solutions from different manufacturers. Such an approach will foster a deep understanding of vehicle design, reliability, and quality principles among students, which is a key factor in building customer trust in the Orbis Auto Automotive Group service.
The partnership between Orbis Auto and ALT University began with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation in October 2025. The document provides for students to undergo internships and training at the automotive holding’s dealerships and enterprises, as well as the possibility of employment for the best graduates within the Orbis Auto group companies. The agreement also includes a systematic exchange of experience between the university and the business, the introduction of modern educational formats, and the implementation of joint applied projects, one of which was the opening of this laboratory.
During the event, special attention was paid to the labor shortage currently faced by the automotive industry. In connection with the project by the parent company Orbis Auto to build an automobile plant in Almaty, scheduled to launch in 2027, training specialists with practice-oriented competencies is becoming of strategic importance. In these conditions, developing applied skills in future specialists becomes a key factor for the sustainable growth of both the existing business and the emerging production sector.
The opening of the laboratory at ALT University was another step on this path and an example of effective interaction between education and business in training specialists in demand by the market.
