From September 10 to 12, 2025, the city of Nantes (France) hosted the IFLA World Congress of the International Federation of Landscape Architects under the theme “Guiding Landscapes.” The congress traditionally brings together more than one thousand leading landscape architecture professionals from around the world.

Representing the International Educational Corporation (KazGASA) at the international forum were faculty members, including Professor-Researcher of the “GiOP” Department, Doctor of Architecture Nazgul Zh. Kozbagarova, as well as PhD doctoral candidate M.A. Srail, who presented a poster on the topic of her dissertation research at the exhibition area.

The congress program featured keynote speeches by international experts, thematic discussions, and an exhibition showcasing innovative landscape and garden equipment, along with the latest professional literature in the field of landscape architecture.

Special attention during the congress was given to the experience of the city of Nantes, which has undergone significant urban transformation in recent years and gained international recognition for its achievements in sustainable urban development. One of the key examples was the Plan Guide project-an experimental initiative in landscape urbanism that became a starting point for professional discussions on the role of landscape architecture in contemporary urban planning. Landscape architects who have worked in France and the Nantes region shared their practical experience during the congress sessions.

The list of speakers included renowned practitioners and scholars-from pioneers of urban ecology and the architectural and landscape organization of public spaces to experts in biodiversity, climate change, and social transformation. The event also provided an opportunity to engage with one of the world’s leading speakers, the renowned Chinese landscape architect Kongjian Yu, author of the “Sponge City” concept. For his outstanding contribution to the profession, he was awarded the prestigious Geoffrey Jellicoe Award and Oberlander Prize in 2020 and 2023.