Dr. Sanat Kushkumbayev is a Chief Research Fellow at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS). He also serves as a Professor at the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana. He holds a Doctorate in Political Science, with a focus on regionalism in Central Asia, from al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty, where he previously worked as an Associate Professor. With 28 years of experience in research, teaching, and public service—including roles in academia, think tanks, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—his expertise focuses on foreign policy, international relations, regional cooperation, and security issues in Central Asia. His latest book, Kazakhstan and Central Asia: Between the Challenges of the Past and the Future, was published in 2022 by KazISS.