Education providers were forced to adapt to the new norm in the age of COVID-19, when the switch to online learning and assessment happened overnight. How did universities respond to the challenge? Is the pandemic a disruptor or an opportunity to rethink and transform higher education? What are the skills needed to thrive in the post-pandemic world? The President of Nazarbayev University, a flagship of higher education in Kazakhstan, Mr. Shigeo Katsu sat down with Lyazzat Shatayeva to talk about the impact of the pandemic on higher education and discuss ways to foster science and innovation in the digital age.