BELFAST – ALMATY – 2025 became a defining year for Kazakhstan’s higher education sector. Record numbers of foreign students enrolled in Kazakh universities, local institutions reached their highest-ever positions in global rankings, and the country hosted a landmark development: the opening of the first campus of a Russell Group university, Cardiff University. These developments signaled that Kazakhstan’s ambition to become a higher education hub had begun to move from intention to early delivery.
Yerzhan Tokbolat. Photo credit: personal archive
This ambition reflects more than three decades of reform and a sustained belief that education represents the country’s most strategic long-term investment. Following independence in 1991, Kazakhstan faced the urgent task of rebuilding human capital after the collapse of the Soviet Union triggered a large-scale outflow of skilled professionals. Strengthening higher education quickly became a national priority.
Over time, this strategy unfolded in distinct stages: the emergence of private universities in the 1990s, state-led expansion in the 2000s, the establishment of Nazarbayev University in the 2010s, and a decisive turn toward internationalization in the 2020s. Today’s push to become a regional education hub is not a departure from past policy, but its logical continuation and a test of whether earlier lessons can now be scaled across the system.
Building institutions
In the early years of independence, Kazakhstan’s higher education system was fragile and underfunded. Yet as early as 1993, the government launched the Bolashak International Scholarship, sending promising young Kazakhs to leading universities abroad. Since then, more than 13,000 graduates have returned with training in fields ranging from economics and engineering to public policy. Many went on to strengthen public institutions, lead companies, and shape policymaking, forming the backbone of Kazakhstan’s modern professional class.
Miras Dolayev. Photo credit: personal archive
At the same time, it became clear that sending students abroad alone would not be sufficient. Developing talent at scale required building strong universities at home. Private higher education emerged in response. KIMEP University, established in 1992, became a trailblazer by offering Western-style programs taught in English. Its graduates moved into finance and management roles, including in international firms, contributing to Kazakhstan’s integration into the global economy. This model was later expanded by Kazakh British Technical University, founded in 2001, which focused on training specialists in oil and gas, engineering, IT, and business.
The 2000s brought rising oil revenues and sustained economic growth, creating fiscal space for more ambitious investment in higher education. The Bolashak program expanded, sending larger cohorts abroad. Building on earlier successes, policymakers in the mid-2000s turned their attention to creating a research-oriented university that could set new benchmarks for the sector. To support this vision, the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools network was launched in 2008, modernizing secondary education and preparing students for international-standard universities.
In 2010, Nazarbayev University opened in Astana. Designed around international faculty, English-language instruction, and governance models borrowed from leading Western institutions, it marked a structural shift in Kazakhstan’s education strategy. With the capacity to train students to international standards at home, Bolashak ended funding for undergraduate degrees in 2011 and redirected resources toward postgraduate and research-level training. This shift deepened in 2020, when the program introduced a new stream supporting up to 500 scholars annually for research internships at leading global universities, underscoring a growing emphasis on scientific capacity and research excellence.
Beyond borders: Internationalizing higher education
Having established flagship institutions, Kazakhstan now faces a more complex challenge: extending these standards across the wider system and connecting beyond national borders. For the country to function as a higher education hub, quality cannot remain concentrated in a small group of elite universities but must become accessible nationwide. Internationalization is central to this shift. Attracting foreign students, building academic partnerships, and raising the global visibility of Kazakh universities will determine whether the system can move from isolated pockets of excellence to genuine international relevance.
By 2025, this strategy had begun to take concrete form. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education reported partnerships with 39 foreign universities, while 23 leading institutions from the U.K., the U.S., Italy, China, Russia, France, and South Korea were represented in Kazakhstan through joint campuses, academic collaborations, and dual degree programs. These developments reflect Kazakhstan’s determination to diversify educational offerings and embed global standards.
Looking ahead: From education to innovation
Kazakhstan’s progress over the past three decades shows how far the country has come in rebuilding its education system. The foundations are now in place: flagship universities, international partnerships, and a generation of globally trained professionals. The next stage is to link education more directly with science, research, and innovation, ensuring that universities function not only as centers of learning but as engines of discovery and growth.
Achieving this will require sustained investment in research, broader access to high-quality education beyond major cities, and an environment in which academic freedom and innovation can thrive. Stronger collaboration with industry will be essential to translate research into economic and societal value, while deeper integration into global academic networks will strengthen international credibility. If these conditions are met, higher education could become Kazakhstan’s next strategic resource — a renewable source of talent capable of shaping the country’s scientific and technological future.
The authors are Dr Yerzhan Tokbolat, a lecturer in Finance, Queen’s University Belfast, and Miras Dolayev, Professor of Practice at Almaty Management University, Founder and CEO of Data Science Academy.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of The Astana Times.
