From January 21 to 30, 2026, Chen Zhen, a teacher from the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory of the Engineering Practice Education Center, together with Lead Counselor Lei Chenghao and Detachment Leaders Zhu Yuepeng and Zhang Man, led the 14—member overseas practice team—named "Journey Westward with Aspiration"—on a 10-day social practice program in Almaty and Astana, Kazakhstan.

During their stay in Almaty, the delegation visited the China-Xi’an Kazakhstan Logistics Terminal, the Almaty Railway Administration of Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ), the Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Almaty, the Kazakhstan Branch of Lenovo, and the Huawei Representative Office in Kazakhstan. In addition, the team conducted systematic visits to leading Kazakhstani universities, including Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, NARXOZ University, Satbayev University, and ALT University. They held forums with faculty and students from these institutions on topics such as educational cooperation and cultural exchange, and toured campus facilities.

In Astana, the delegation visited the Kazakhstan Branch of China State Construction Sixth Engineering Bureau and inspected the Astana Light Rail Project undertaken by the company, learning about the overseas engineering projects of Chinese enterprises. The team later visited Nazarbayev University (NU). Arranged and accompanied by Professor Wang Yanwei from the School of Engineering and Digital Sciences at NU, the delegation engaged in academic exchange activities and a roadshow showcasing traditional Chinese culture, followed by a campus tour. As a top research university in Central Asia and a key site associated with the global launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, Nazarbayev University provided the delegation members with valuable insights into the Initiative.