ASTANA – Kazakhstan signed major agreements with leading U.S. universities to launch three new research projects and expand partnerships. During a working visit to the United States, Kazakh Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek announced that Arizona State University will open a second branch at Mukhtar Auezov South Kazakhstan University in 2026.
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Links with US universities extended
The University of Arizona, already operating at Kozybayev University in Petropavl, will initiate research in bioinformatics, water management, and sulfur-based polymer production.
A new technical university is also being planned in Zhezkazgan with the Colorado School of Mines and Kazakhmys Corporation, reported Kazinform on April 24.
Nurbek held a meeting in Washington with the largest and legendary test development company, Educational Testing Service, which is known for creating TOEFL (English language proficiency test), PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) and SAT (for admission to U.S. universities).
“We will sign a major partnership agreement in the area of transforming the national testing system, developing tests and switching to certificates. Applicants will take the test and with a certificate will be admitted to any university,” said Nurbek.
According to the ministry, an agreement on a joint research project with Harvard University and the Davis Center in Boston was reached. The project in the field of library science is supposed to create a digital platform for the digitization of valuable and rare handwritten manuscripts in the Chagatai and ancient Chinese languages, dating from the 12th to 17th centuries.
According to Nurbek, 37 foreign universities have decided to open their branches in Kazakhstan. This academic year, Kazakhstan welcomed nearly 31,500 foreign students from Australia, China, India, Mongolia, Russia, European and African countries, who attracted over 30 billion tenge (US$58.7 million) in investments and allowed to create 40,000 jobs.
“In the 2028-2029 academic year, we plan to train 100,000 foreign students annually, who will attract billions of tenge in investments and generate some 130,000 jobs,” he said.
On the way to Central Asian educational hub
On April 28, Nurbek met with South Korean Deputy Minister of Education Oh Seok-hwan in Almaty, where they discussed Kazakhstan’s goal to become a Central Asian educational hub. Woosong University will open a branch in Turkistan this year with 110 scholarships for its first students. Other collaborative efforts include mechanical engineering training with Dong-Eui University, dual-degree programs with SeoulTech, and a rare earth processing center with Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
“I am impressed by how higher education is developing in Kazakhstan. I believe that with such a powerful potential and systemic approach, Kazakhstan will inevitably take a leading position in the educational markets of Central Asia,” said Oh Seok-hwan.
