Nazarbayev awarded 'Gasyr Gulamasy' high title

ASTANA. December 1. KAZINFORM Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev has been awarded the high title of "Gasyr Gulamasy" (Scholar of the Century) by President of the National Academy of Sciences Murat Zhurinov on Thursday during the Kazakhstan Scientists Forum in Almaty.

The forum is dedicated to the 20^th anniversary of Kazakhstan's independence. The President visited the exhibitions demonstrating the best projects of Kazakhstani scholars, innovations of "Bolashak" scholarship holders.

Addressing the participants Nursultan Nazarbayev noted that the government always paid much attention to the development of science. For 20 years the network of scientific organizations expanded almost twice and now counts 400 scientific centers and structures. The state expenditures on science will total KZT 42 billion in 2012. It is twice more than in the previous three years.

The forum ended with the awards ceremony of state prizes to leading scientists of Kazakhstan.