Registration for CPFED Kaspi.kz DIV-2 is now open!

A new CPFED Kaspi.kz DIV-2 rated contest will take place on September 27!

📅 September 27
🕛 12:00 PM
⏱ Duration: 2 hours
💻 Format: Online

This is a rated contest. The rating on the CPFED platform is a numerical indicator that reflects a participant’s skill level in competitive programming.

Join the contest, test your skills, improve your results, and increase your rating!

🎁 In addition, one participant will receive an IOAI merchandise set as a gift.

September 27 · 12:00 PM — see you at the contest! 🚀

Registration: https://cpfed.kz/contests/cpfed-kaspi-div-2-contest-2026/register

We’re looking for problem setters for CPFED Kaspi.kz DIV-2!

We’re looking for authors who can help us create interesting, unconventional, and diverse problems for the upcoming CPFED Kaspi.kz DIV-2 rated round.

Problem setter rewards:
Simple (800–1000) — 6,000 ₸
Easy (1000–1500) — 10,500 ₸
Easy–Medium (1500–1800) — 16,000 ₸
Medium (1800–2200) — 26,500 ₸
Medium–Hard (2200–2500) — 47,500 ₸

What to submit:
Problem statement (in Kazakh or Russian);
Solution;
Links to sources used when creating the problem (articles, other problems, platforms, etc.).

Problem submission deadline: September 20.

If you have an idea for a great algorithmic problem — we’d love to hear from you!

📩 Problem submission form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScoQvAkobz4rgKkX6O-z3QAsvBrVHBxh8aaLP2s9_leRKecRA/viewform

Registration for the contest will open very soon 🔜

The fourth Kazakhstan Championship in Competitive Programming was held in Astana on August 22–23, bringing together some of the country’s strongest competitive programmers for one of the leading national competitions in the field.

This year, more than 2,000 participants from cities and regions across Kazakhstan took part in the championship. Following the qualifying rounds, 40 of the strongest participants advanced to the final in Astana to compete for the title of Kazakhstan’s champion.

The championship was organized by the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation. The Federation develops competitive programming through education, competitions, and community building, while also implementing educational and international projects, including training camps and olympiads for school students, informatics teachers, and adults.

Championship Winners

Following the final competition:

1st place — Mansur Mamadakhunov, a student at Spectrum Astana, became the 2026 Kazakhstan Champion in Competitive Programming.

2nd place — Isatay Ismagzi, a graduate of Bilim-Innovation Lyceum Zhetisu.

3rd place — Alisher Yelaman, a student at Republican Physics and Mathematics School in Almaty. At just 14 years old, Alisher was the youngest participant of the championship.

The winners received diplomas and cash certificates:

• 1st place — 600,000 KZT
• 2nd place — 400,000 KZT
• 3rd place — 210,000 KZT

The absolute champion was also awarded the championship trophy. Cash certificates were also presented to participants who placed 4th–15th, as well as regional winners.

Developing Competitive Programming Across Kazakhstan

One of the key goals of the championship is to develop competitive programming not only in major cities, but also across Kazakhstan’s regions, while creating equal opportunities for young programmers from all parts of the country.

The championship is open to anyone aged 14 and above.

“The fourth championship shows that a strong competitive programming community has already been formed in Kazakhstan. Today’s participants are not only future strong programmers, but also future coaches, mentors, partners, and organizers who will continue developing this field themselves. Our task is to create the conditions for this ecosystem to keep growing,”

Danabek Kaliyazhdarov, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation.

Championship Partners

The organizers would like to express their special appreciation to the Federation’s General Partner, Kaspi.kz, as well as Astana Hub and Alem.ai Foundation for their support and for providing the venue for the championship.

The fourth Kazakhstan Championship confirmed the growing interest in competitive programming and its important role in developing IT skills and talent in Kazakhstan. The tournament provided a platform for the country’s strongest young programmers to demonstrate their knowledge, speed of thinking, and ability to solve complex problems.

Kazakhstan’s national team has achieved a historic milestone at the 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026), held in Astana from 2 to 8 August.

In the individual competition, the Kazakh team won eight medals: two gold, two silver, and four bronze. Remarkably, every member of the eight-person national team earned a medal, achieving a perfect 100% medal success rate. In the unofficial overall medal standings, Kazakhstan ranked 6th.

The standout performance came from Dauzhan Beketov, who not only won a gold medal but also finished second in the overall world rankings, placing him among the top three absolute champions of IOAI 2026. He became the first representative of Kazakhstan to reach the podium in the Olympiad’s overall individual standings.

Kazakhstan National Team Medalists

Gold Medals

• Dauzhan Beketov (Almaty, Lyceum No. 165) — Gold Medal and 2nd Place in the Overall Individual World Ranking.
• Sultanbi Isatai (Karaganda Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Chemistry and Biology, Karaganda).

Silver Medals

• Abu Kanabek (Almaty, Republican Physics and Mathematics School).
• Alem Amenov (Abai Region, Bilim-Innovation Lyceum, Semey).

Bronze Medals

• Zhanibek Kassymkhan (Zhetysu Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Taldykorgan).
• Ulugbek Usmanov (Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics, Taraz).
• Islamnur Khusainov (Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics, Taraz).
• Dinmukhammed Yntykbay (Zhambyl Region, Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Physics and Mathematics, Taraz).

Danabek Kaliazhdarov, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation, noted that this achievement reflects the results of a long-term, systematic effort to develop competitive programming and artificial intelligence education among school students.

“Today we are witnessing the outcome of the dedication of our students, coaches, mentors, and the entire ecosystem we have been building. It is especially symbolic that such an outstanding result was achieved at a home Olympiad. These eight medals represent far more than sporting success—they demonstrate that Kazakhstan is already nurturing world-class young AI specialists capable of competing on equal terms with the strongest students in the world. I sincerely congratulate every member of our national team, as well as their parents, teachers, and coaches, on this remarkable achievement,”

Danabek Kaliazhdarov, Secretary General of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation.

The national team was prepared under the leadership of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation, with the support of the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Throughout the year, the students completed a multi-stage national selection process, intensive training camps, and specialized AI preparation under the guidance of leading Kazakh coaches and experts.

The team's outstanding performance further demonstrates the effectiveness of Kazakhstan’s systematic approach to developing AI Olympiad education. The success of the national team highlights the country's high standard of AI training and reinforces Kazakhstan’s growing position among the world’s leaders in AI education and talent development.

This achievement is not only a major milestone for Kazakhstan’s national team but also a fitting conclusion to the successful hosting of the 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence. Hosting IOAI 2026 has demonstrated Kazakhstan’s ability to prepare young talents capable of competing with the world’s best in one of the most transformative fields of the 21st century—artificial intelligence.

The 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI 2026) — one of the world's largest AI competitions for secondary school students — has concluded in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Marking a historic milestone, the Olympiad was held in Central Asia for the first time, bringing together young researchers, scientists, and AI experts from around the globe.

From 2 to 8 August, Astana welcomed nearly 500 participants, team leaders, and jury members from 106 countries. Throughout the week, students tackled practical challenges in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and other areas of artificial intelligence, while also taking part in an extensive educational, scientific, and cultural programme.

A key component of the Olympiad was the Team Challenge, where international teams collaborated to solve a real-world engineering problem using artificial intelligence technologies.

IOAI 2026 became the largest international educational event in the field of artificial intelligence ever hosted in Kazakhstan. Organised in just a few months, the Olympiad brought together the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation, government institutions, the international organising committee, partners, jury members, experts, hundreds of volunteers, and the organising team. Their collective efforts ensured that the competition met the highest international standards.

"The participation of more than 100 countries and nearly 500 students demonstrates just how global the competition for AI talent has become. We are especially proud that an International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence of this scale was held in Kazakhstan for the first time, and that a Kazakh student secured second place overall among the absolute winners. We are systematically building a comprehensive AI ecosystem by expanding our computing infrastructure, establishing the Alem.ai International AI Center, and investing in the next generation of specialists. Our goal is for young Kazakhstanis not only to use artificial intelligence technologies, but to create them and compete alongside the world's best,"

Zhaslan Madiyev, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

A total of 220 medals were awarded during IOAI 2026, including 37 gold, 73 silver, and 110 bronze medals. The awards recognized outstanding performances in the individual competition and reflected the exceptional level of talent demonstrated by students from around the world.

The overall winners of the individual competition were:

1st place — Artem Gorokhov (Russia)
2nd place — Dauzhan Beketov (Kazakhstan)
3rd place — Shao Zixi (China)

The following special awards were presented as part of the Team Challenge:

• Best Demonstration Award — awarded to Team New Zealand for the strongest overall performance in the live robot competition.
• Creative Robot Design Award — awarded to Team Hong Kong for the most creative robot design.
• AI-Native Robotics Award — awarded to Team Brazil for the most effective application of AI-native approaches in robotics.

Bagdat Mussin, President of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation, expressed his gratitude to everyone involved in organising the Olympiad.

"In just four months, we successfully organised and delivered a world-class Olympiad. This would not have been possible without the support of the Head of State and the dedicated work of government agencies, our international partners, jury members, team leaders, volunteers, and the entire organising committee. I sincerely thank everyone who contributed to making this event a reality. Our ambition was not only to host a competition, but to create a platform where the global AI community could come together, exchange ideas, build friendships, and lay the foundation for future collaborations,"

Bagdat Mussin, President of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation.

In addition to the competition, participants explored Kazakhstan's modern infrastructure, visited the Alem.ai International AI Center, took part in cultural activities, and established professional and personal connections with peers from around the world.

Hosting IOAI 2026 marked an important step in strengthening international cooperation in artificial intelligence and reaffirmed Kazakhstan's ability to host world-class educational and technology events.

The Olympiad's greatest achievement extends beyond outstanding competition results. It has created a lasting platform for international collaboration among the next generation of AI researchers. In the years ahead, these students will help shape the future of artificial intelligence, develop breakthrough technologies, and drive the global digital economy.

Partners of IOAI 2026

Local Partners: Kaspi.kz, Freedom Holding Corp., Astana Hub, Documentolog, Higgsfield AI.

Global Partners: IMC, Jane Street, Google, Huawei, Galbot, HRT, Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI), DeepInfra.

On 3 August, Astana hosted the opening ceremony of the 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, IOAI 2026.

For one week, Kazakhstan's capital is serving as a meeting place for talented students, leading experts and representatives of the global technology industry.

The Olympiad was officially opened by President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. The ceremony was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhaslan Madiyev, Head of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan Roman Sklyar, Minister of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Zhuldyz Suleimenova, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Sayasat Nurbek, co-founder and Chair of the IOAI International Council Elena Marinova, and Head of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation Bagdat Mussin.

The ceremony brought together IOAI 2026 participants, team leaders, observers and representatives of the international olympiad community. This year's competition has attracted approximately 500 participants from 106 countries and territories, making Astana a meeting point for a new generation of researchers, engineers and technology creators.

“It is a great honour for us that President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has personally supported IOAI 2026 and shared this important moment with the Olympiad participants. For the students who have travelled to Astana from around the world, this sends a powerful message: their knowledge, ideas and drive to create something new truly matter. The young people gathered here today are not simply talented students; they are the generation that will shape the future of artificial intelligence. We want the Olympiad not only to give them an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities, but also to help them make friends, find like-minded peers, gain new experience and build confidence in themselves,”

Bagdat Mussin, Head of the Kazakhstan Competitive Programming Federation.

The following speakers shared their experience and perspectives on the future of artificial intelligence:

• Mikheil Lomtadze, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Kaspi.kz;
• Timur Turlov, founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom Holding Corp.;
• Dr Kai-Fu Lee, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sinovation Ventures, President of the Sinovation Ventures Artificial Intelligence Institute, and former President of Google China.

The invited experts' addresses were among the highlights of the ceremony. The speakers discussed the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, the importance of fundamental knowledge, a willingness to experiment, and the responsibility borne by the next generation of developers.

The 3rd International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence, IOAI 2026, runs in Astana from 2 to 8 August. Participants will tackle problems in machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing and other areas of artificial intelligence.

The programme comprises two individual rounds, a Team challenge, educational sessions, international discussions and cultural events.

Hosting IOAI 2026 in Kazakhstan reflects the country's commitment to advancing digital education, supporting talented young people and helping shape the global agenda for artificial intelligence.

ACTSxCPFED 2026 International Training Camp Concludes

From July 3 to July 15, 2026, the third ACTSxCPFED International Training Camp was successfully held at Astana IT University for national IOI teams and Kazakhstan's top high school students in competitive programming.

Continuing its tradition for the third consecutive year, the camp brought together national teams from multiple countries alongside the 20 best 9th–10th grade students from Kazakhstan, selected based on their performance in the National Olympiad in Informatics and the national qualifying contest.

Over the course of nearly two weeks, participants prepared intensively for international Olympiads, attended lectures, competed in training contests, exchanged knowledge, and built lasting international connections.

We sincerely thank our sponsors and partners — JetBrains Foundation, Neapolis University Pafos, and Constructor University — for their generous support and valuable contribution to the successful organization of ACTSxCPFED 2026.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to the next ACTSxCPFED training camp.