KARAGANDA NATIONAL RESEARCH UNIVERSITY WINS ERASMUS+ JEAN MONNET GRANT

Karaganda National Research University named after Academician E.A. Buketov has been selected as a winner of the Erasmus+ Jean Monnet competition with the project “Human Well-Being in Digital Societies: EU Policies and Practices” (DIGI-WELL EU).

The three-year project will be implemented at the Faculty of Philosophy and Psychology of Karaganda National Research University. Its main objective is to advance interdisciplinary education on human well-being in the context of digital transformation through the study of European Union policies, regulatory approaches, and best practices. Particular attention will be paid to the social and psychological impacts of digitalisation, digital well-being, social resilience, fundamental rights, digital education, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

As part of the project, a dedicated educational module will be developed and introduced for Master’s students and senior undergraduate students. The programme will include at least 120 contact hours of instruction annually, with at least 75 students expected to participate in the module over the three-year period.

The learning process will combine EU policy analysis, interdisciplinary research, case studies, problem-based learning, practical sessions, and comparative analysis of European and Kazakhstani approaches. The project team will subsequently develop a teaching and methodological guide, open educational resources, and a MOOC, as well as organise a series of open webinars and events for the academic and professional communities.

Importantly, DIGI-WELL EU builds on the university’s ongoing research into the digital transformation of society. The project draws on the results of the research programme BR21882302 “Kazakhstani Society in the Context of Digital Transformation: Prospects and Risks,” within which the university team developed and piloted the Digital Detox toolkit. It includes a digital well-being programme, a didactic game, a motivational workbook, and methodological materials aimed at preventing digital risks. The new project complements this practical and research foundation with a European dimension by examining EU policies, legal instruments, and regulatory models.

The project will integrate psychological, sociological, and political and governance perspectives, approaching digital transformation not merely as a technological process but also as an issue of human well-being, social cohesion, rights, ethics, and the quality of public governance.

DIGI-WELL EU Project Team:
🔹 Anara Makatova — Project Coordinator;
🔹 Tatyana Rezvushkina;
🔹 Dinara Mukhamedkarimova.

The implementation of DIGI-WELL EU will mark a new stage in the development of research and educational initiatives at Karaganda National Research University in the field of digital society. It will contribute to expanding academic cooperation, advancing European studies at the university, and facilitating the transfer of European expertise and practices to Kazakhstan and Central Asia.