On June 12, 2024, the VII International Summer School of Young Archivists began its work, organized jointly for specialists from archival institutions by the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Russian State University for the Humanities. The theme of the Summer School, which is being held for the seventh time, is dedicated to current issues of archival acquisition in the context of digital transformation. The opening of the event began with a welcoming speech from the Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan B. Sariyev, which notes that in the modern era of the development of digital technologies, the importance of archival work is increasing, and along with traditional paper documents, digital documents are gaining priority. The greeting speech emphasized that the forum will become a platform for constructive dialogue between domestic and foreign archivist scholars, both experienced and young, and will provide a valuable exchange of views between participants. Greeting from the Rector of the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University Zh. Tuimebaev was read by the director of the Department of Science and Innovation of the University M. Ibraimov. The opening speakers included the director of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan A. Mustafina, Deputy Director of the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan D. Zhukenov, consultant of the Department of Economic Cooperation of the CIS Executive Committee M. Kulagina.

The Director of the “Uzarchiv” Agency under the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan U. Yusupov, the Director of the Belarusian Scientific Research Institute of Document Management and Archival Affairs A. Rybakova, the President of the Russian State Humanitarian University E. Pivovar and the director of the All-Russian Research Institute of Documentation and Archival Affairs P. Kyung addressed the participants of the Summer School in an online format. The Summer School program includes lectures, seminars and a master class, as well as a new interactive format - project defense. This year, the total number of participants exceeds 100 people, these are specialists from the central, regional and district archives of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, students, undergraduates and doctoral students of the university studying in the specialty “archival and document management”, including exchange students from Italy, China, Tanzania and France. After the opening ceremony, began an introductory lecture on improving the work of archives in acquiring documents at the present stage, which was conducted by the head of the Center for Applied and Scientific Projects of the Archive of the President, K. Alimgazinov. Head of the archival fund formation service G. Mukazhanova focused on the issues of organizing the work of departmental archives, and the features of compiling a rating of the effectiveness of the activities of departmental archives of state organizations - sources of acquisition. The end of the first day of the Summer School was concluded by the speech of the head of the digitalization and development of electronic archives service of the Archive of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan K. Kabarova. What are the features of organizing work with digital-born documents, how to organize the processes of accepting them for state storage - these and other issues were presented. After the lectures, the Summer School students were divided into three groups, each of which will work on developing proposals on topical issues of acquisition in the state archives. Topics of the proposed projects: mechanisms for effective interaction of state archives with acquisition sources; modern forms and methods of working with fund founders - individuals (personal funds); compiling archives with electronic documents. The defense of projects will take place on June 14, the last day of the summer school.