In 2025, the researcher became a participant in the Bolashak International Scholarship Program under the “500 Scientists” initiative and completed an internship at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS). According to Amantayev, he was the first scientist from Kazakhstan to undertake training at this leading research institution.
“For me, it was more than just an internship. It was an opportunity to see how modern agricultural engineering is developing at the global level. Today, China is one of the world leaders in agricultural technologies, and this experience proved truly invaluable,” says Maksat Amantayev.
During the first month, the researcher worked in Beijing alongside international scientists before continuing his studies in Nanjing at the Nanjing Institute of Agricultural Mechanization, part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, one of the country’s leading centers for agricultural engineering research.
The primary focus of his work was the study of innovative soil cultivation and seeding machines with active drive systems.
Under the supervision of Professor Chang Wenyi, Amantayev designed and constructed a specialized experimental facility—a soil channel test rig intended for comprehensive research on agricultural machinery of this type.
“We were not simply conducting experiments; we were simulating machine performance before field deployment. We used dynamometric testing methods, modern strain-gauge instrumentation, and Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. These approaches significantly improve research accuracy and enhance the efficiency of future agricultural machinery,” the researcher explains.
During his internship, Maksat Amantayev visited more than ten cities across China, touring research institutes, manufacturing enterprises, and participating in field trials of agricultural machinery and technologies.
He also attended major agricultural machinery exhibitions, participated in international conferences, and delivered presentations representing Kazakhstan and its agricultural science community on the global stage.
One particularly symbolic moment during the internship was the announcement by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the China–Central Asia Summit that 2026 would be designated the Year of Education and Science.
“While I was in China, I felt especially strongly how important international scientific cooperation and the right choice of research environment are. Science knows no borders, and progress is possible only through the exchange of experience and collaborative research.”
Following his return to the university, the internship has already produced practical outcomes.
The experimental facility and modern equipment acquired in China have been brought to Baitursynuly University and are currently being used in scientific research as well as in the training of master’s and doctoral students.
In addition, Professor Jun Chen from China has become an international academic advisor for one of Amantayev’s doctoral candidates.
Today, the researcher continues his scientific work actively. As a result of the internship, he has published six articles in Q1–Q2 international journals, twelve articles in national journals recommended by the Committee for Quality Assurance in Science and Higher Education, prepared four patents of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and completed two monographs. The total number of his scientific publications has now exceeded one hundred.
Under his supervision, three project proposals have been submitted to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan for grant funding competitions.
However, Amantayev considers the most important outcome not the publications or technologies themselves, but the opportunity to build a modern scientific school.
“I am convinced that the future of Kazakhstan’s agricultural engineering is based on three principles: science, human capital, and innovation. This concept should become the foundation for the development of modern agriculture in Kazakhstan,” the scientist emphasizes.
