The quality of roads and road infrastructure in the country is of concern to almost every Kazakhstani. But how often do we think about where it starts, and who is behind its improvement? One such specialist who contributes to ensuring safety and comfort on Kazakhstan's roads is Bakdaulet Zhailaubekov, Chief Manager of the Standardization Department of the Road Research Institute (KazdorNII).

• Bakdaulet Salavatovich, how did you come to the road industry and how did you end up at KazDORNII?

It all started in 2006, when I got a job as an engineer in Pavlodar Regional Department of the Committee for Transport Infrastructure Development of the Ministry of Transport Infrastructure of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It was there that I gained my first professional experience and a better understanding of the real processes in the transportation industry. Later, while working in production, I took part in the realization of the large infrastructure projects such as “Western Europe - Western China”, construction of the first road tunnel at Shakpak-Baba pass, reconstruction of Kapshagai - Kurti, Shymkent - Tashkent roads and others. This experience became a foundation for me, which now helps me in standardization - I understand the needs of the industry not only from the theoretical, but also from the practical side.

Over time, I moved to administrative positions, where I focused on standardization and quality control. Since 2024, I have been working as the Chief Manager of the Standardization Department of KazdorNII.

• What is your daily work?

The goal of our department is Reformation of the regulatory framework of the road industry and development of new standards that meet modern requirements. We are not just engaged in their implementation, but also in their accounting system and monitoring of their application. This requires constant interaction with the national standardization body, studying international experience and adapting it to our conditions.

The institute where I work is the base organization of the technical committee on standardization. This imposes a great responsibility on us. Thanks to highly qualified specialists and our own laboratory facilities, we can ensure not only professionalism, but also high quality of our developments.

• What have your specialists managed to achieve in recent years?

In fact, there are many reasons to be proud of. For example, we have developed more than 230 NTDs. Among them are a unique system of documents for the road industry and new types of departmental standards. We also approved a roadmap for Reformation of the regulatory framework until 2030, analyzed more than 1,200 documents and eliminated many contradictions and outdated information. You have no idea how many standards used to contain inadmissible recommendations, sometimes written by people far removed from the road industry. Now we are putting everything in order, based on modern research and the experience of advanced countries such as the USA, Canada and South Korea. It is a huge labor, but every small victory brings tremendous satisfaction, because behind each standard there is research, testing and work of the whole team of the institute.

• How does your work affect the development of infrastructure and improvement of road quality in Kazakhstan?

The quality of roads starts with the standards. The result directly depends on how well and balanced they are written. If the requirements are too soft, the quality of construction will suffer. If they are too rigid, they simply cannot be met. One of our tasks is to find this balance. We analyze each clause, compare it with international standards and adapt it to our realities. This is a difficult but important job, because the comfort and safety of everyone who uses the roads of Kazakhstan depends on it.

It seems that your job is not easy, because you have to keep so much information in your head - regulations, laws and documentation

It is true that our work is not easy, but it is minimum interesting and exciting. At the beginning of my career, when I was doing Engineering Supervision, I had a senior colleague who often tested my knowledge and asked difficult questions. That is, I had to be ready to answer them at any moment, and not to fail. This encouraged me to study regulations, laws and technical documentation every day. Over time, I became more confident in my knowledge and was able to apply it in practice. This experience showed me that success depends on perseverance, study, continuous professional development and a deep understanding of my work. I am still grateful to that colleague for that lesson.

• What advice do you have for young professionals who are just starting to build a career in the road industry?

Of course, young professionals should understand the huge, strategic importance of their work. After all, roads are used by everyone, and the quality of people's lives often depends on their quality. Without dedication and a sincere desire to change the situation for the better, there is no way around it. Therefore, the main advice is to use every opportunity for self-development. Knowledge is power. In our industry, lack of training often leads to problems with road quality. We need specialists who know their job thoroughly.

• What inspires and motivates you in your work?

My main motivation is to see the roads in Kazakhstan become better. I want our highways to be not just high quality, but also comfortable and safe for every driver. I work in such a way that every contribution to improving infrastructure brings real benefit to people. It is a big responsibility, but it is the realization that you are involved in creating something meaningful that helps you move forward every day.