The Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) and the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan as well as the Regional Hub of Civil Service in Astana signed the MOU in Astana on May 21, 2015. The Asian Association for Public Administration (AAPA) welcomes individual members from Central Asia and neighboring countries.

The Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Rector: Mr. Bolatbek Abdrassilov) was created by merging of the reorganized state institutions including the Academy of Public Service under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Academy of Justice at the Supreme Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Diplomatic Academy. It offers not only trainings for public officials but also offers various degree programs including MPA (Master of Public Administration), MPP (Master of Public Policy), DPA (Doctor of Public Administration), and DPP (Doctor of Public Policy) at the academy. Mr. Bolatbek Abdrassilov (Rector of the Academy) and Prof. Pan Suk Kim (AAPA President) signed the MOU during the Astana Economic Forum on May 21, 2015.

The Regional Hub of the Civil Service in Astana (Chairman: Mr. Alikhan Baimenov) is a multilateral platform established as an institutional network for continuous exchange of knowledge and experience in the civil service among the countries of the region, including participation of international organisations: headquartered in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan. The establishment of the Regional Hub of Civil Service in Astana (ACSH) has been supported by the Agency of Civil Service and Anti-Corruption and the UNDP Office in Kazakhstan. Mr. Alikhan Baimenov (Chairman of the Regional Hub) and Prof. Pan Suk Kim (AAPA President) signed the MOU during the Astana Economic Forum on May 21, 2015.

During the 2015 Astana Economic Forum, a special panel on “Meritocracy and official ethics as key factors of government service effectiveness” was held at the Palace of Independence in Astana on May 21, 2015. http://forum-astana.org/en/programma/p/31/5118/. AAPA President (Prof. Pan Suk Kim) also visited the Graduate School of Public Policy at Nazarbayev University on May 23, 2015 and discussed possible collaborations with Prof. Lilian Barria and Prof. Saltanat Janenova.