BI Introduction
In today’s world, higher education is not only a tool for individual advancement but also a central pillar of sustainable development and the strengthening of human capital in every society. Countries such as Kazakhstan, through extensive investment in science, innovation, and higher education, have demonstrated that a bright future for nations is shaped through universities and scientific cooperation. The present report, authored by one of Kazakhstan’s distinguished professors, reflects this very approach. Kazakhstan has taken significant steps toward becoming a regional scientific hub by creating an open environment for international collaboration and establishing branches of globally recognized universities. Bakhtar Institute, firmly believing in the foundational role of knowledge in transforming societies, consistently strives to benefit from the successful experiences of neighboring countries such as Kazakhstan and to expand academic and educational cooperation between academic institutions in Afghanistan.
Speakers’ Remarks at the Strategic Partners Forum
Kazakhstan – a territory of academic knowledge. Kazakhstan places a strategic priority on the development of human capital and integration into the global educational space. The country is building a knowledge and innovation ecosystem in which universities play a key role in ensuring sustainable development. Kazakhstan remains open to international cooperation and partnership in the fields of science and education. The Strategic Partners Forum has become a platform for discussing current issues in the development of education, science, and technology.
The Strategic Partners Forum is a timely and relevant initiative aimed at strengthening international cooperation in education and science. Partnerships between universities and research centers open broad opportunities for the exchange of experience, the implementation of joint programs, and the introduction of innovative approaches to learning.
Situated in the heart of a rapidly growing region — Central Asia and Eurasia — Kazakhstan holds unique potential to become an academic hub. The country aspires to become a destination of choice for students seeking high-quality alternatives to overseas education. The expansion of international academic ties strengthens Kazakhstan’s position on the global education map and creates new opportunities for scientific and cultural exchange.
Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan
The profound transformation of the global educational ecosystem requires the development of sustainable and strategic solutions. In response to these challenges, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan is implementing a set of concrete measures aimed at developing the national higher education system and enhancing its global competitiveness.
Thanks to the strategic vision of the President, branches of 40 leading foreign universities have already opened in Kazakhstan. Among them are 9 Russian, 6 Chinese (including 3 Luban Workshops), 7 American, and 8 British universities — including 3 institutions from the Russell Group and universities from all four nations of the United Kingdom — as well as French, Italian, German, Polish, Turkish, and Korean universities.
Today, we welcomed representatives of universities that, for the first time in their 150-year history, have opened campuses beyond their home countries — and they chose Kazakhstan for this step. The meeting also gathered representatives of more than 60 international partner institutions, including leading universities, educational, and research organizations.
Last year, the Council of Strategic Partners was established to institutionalize cooperation and address shared goals. To date, three meetings of the Council have been held. This Forum is a continuation of that systematic work and represents an expansion of the format of our collaboration.
Nunzio Quacquarelli, President of QS (Quacquarelli Symonds)
There has been a steady increase in the number of Kazakhstani universities ranked in the QS World University Rankings. President of the international ranking agency QS, Nunzio Quacquarelli, highlighted Kazakhstan’s consistent progress in the internationalization of education and the enhancement of scientific competitiveness.
QS is planning to cooperate with Kazakhstan in developing a forecasting model for future professions and advancing a knowledge- and innovation-based economy.
It is particularly important to note that Kazakhstan is confidently moving along the path of internationalization, openness, and social responsibility. The country’s universities are actively expanding global partnerships, which positively impacts their positions in international rankings.
Kazakhstani universities continue to climb higher: for instance, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University has entered the top 200 best universities in the world. This marks a significant step forward, reaffirming Kazakhstan’s status as a leading scientific and educational center of Central Asia.
Our forecasts show that artificial intelligence (AI) will dramatically reshape Kazakhstan’s labor market. By 2035, up to 50% of professions may become partially automated — especially in areas with repetitive tasks such as accounting, finance, logistics, and administrative services.
However, there is another important dimension: up to 75% of jobs could become more efficient thanks to AI — particularly in technology, energy, medicine, data science, and creative industries.
Located at the crossroads of Central Asia and Eurasia, Kazakhstan has a unique potential to evolve into a regional academic hub and a driver of innovation.
Anatoly Torkunov, Rector of Moscow State Institute of International Relations
The establishment of the MSIIR branch in Astana marks a new stage in the development of higher education in Kazakhstan. Rector of MSIIR Anatoly Torkunov noted Kazakhstan’s steady progress in building a modern higher education system and expanding international partnerships.
Today, nine branches of Russian universities operate successfully in Kazakhstan, enrolling around 4,000 students, of whom more than 1,000 study on state grants.
Kazakhstan has also become the first country to open its own university branch in Russia — the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University campus in Omsk, inaugurated with the personal participation of President Tokayev. Currently, 60,000 Kazakhstani students are studying in Russia.
The opening of the MSIIR branch at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University represents a strategic step, reflecting the shared commitment of Kazakhstan and Russia to the development of human capital and integration into the global educational space.
The new educational programs at the branch are designed to train specialists capable of working at the intersection of diplomacy, economics, and technology, including through the application of artificial intelligence.
President of Beijing Language and Culture University, Peng Duan
The opening of the branch of Beijing Language and Culture University (BLCU) at Astana International University has strategic importance as the establishment of the first center for Chinese language education in Central Asia. Language and culture are viewed as tools for mutual understanding and building trust-based relations between nations. The branch will serve as a hub for training specialists proficient in Chinese and Kazakh (or Russian), capable of working at the intersection of cultures and economies.
We take pride in the fact that in 2024, a branch of Beijing Language and Culture University was opened at Astana International University. This is the first educational center in Central Asia where Kazakhstani students can receive quality education following BLCU standards without leaving their country. The Government of Kazakhstan has allocated 80 state grants for study at this branch. This project became possible thanks to the support of our governments and your personal attention.
At the same time, programs for studying the Kazakh language and culture have been launched in China. On the initiative and with the support of the relevant ministry, they are successfully implemented at five leading universities: Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, and Dalian Universities of Foreign Languages, as well as the Central University for Nationalities of China.
Furthermore, within the framework of your visit, a Kazakhstan Cultural Center was opened in Beijing. This step laid the foundation for further strengthening humanitarian cooperation and brought our peoples even closer together.
It is also extremely important for us to maintain personal ties and continuity between generations of graduates. We are deeply honored to note that His Excellency President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev once studied at Beijing Language and Culture University. This represents a special chapter in the university’s history — an inspiring example of how education can become the foundation of successful diplomacy, intercountry trust, and strategic vision.
President of Cardiff University, Wendy Larner
Cardiff University has become the first member of the prestigious Russell Group to open a campus in Kazakhstan. For the first time in its 150-year history, Cardiff University has chosen to establish an overseas campus here. The new Cardiff University Kazakhstan campus is designed to train specialists in artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and medicine. This project reflects Kazakhstan’s strategy to develop a regional educational hub and strengthen the role of higher education and science in the knowledge-based economy.
Our upcoming campus in Kazakhstan will be a modern international university environment — with academic buildings, laboratories, dormitories, and comfortable spaces for students. We want students to receive world-class education here in their own country, close to their families.
Two of our professors have been awarded Nobel Prizes: Sir Martin Evans — in Medicine, and Robert Huber — in Chemistry. This highlights the university’s strong position in medicine and biomedical research, as well as its contribution to global health science.
We see great potential in Kazakhstan for developing a modern biotechnology and medical cluster with the participation of such a major partner as AstraZeneca.
We were particularly inspired by the AI-Sana project, which trains people in artificial intelligence skills. We want to be part of this movement. That is why we have opened the AI Learning and Innovation Centre for Excellence.
The center will train specialists in digital systems and AI ethics. It is open to everyone wishing to acquire AI skills.
Under the agreement with the government, 300 state grants have been allocated for training.
The courses are based on British experience and adapted to the context of Kazakhstan while maintaining high academic standards.
For the development of the program and teaching, we have sent to Kazakhstan our distinguished AI expert and Pro Vice-Chancellor, Professor Gavin Shaddick. He is a Turing Fellow at the Alan Turing Institute — the UK’s national institute for data science and artificial intelligence. He works closely with industry and chairs the World Health Organization Working Group on Global Air Quality Data Integration.
Professor Shaddick also led the development of the Data Integration Model for Air Quality (DIMAQ) within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Thus, we are also ready to jointly develop environmental projects — in air quality monitoring, sustainable development, and green technologies — ensuring that AI benefits both people and the environment.
We have also launched bachelor’s programs in AI, and in January next year, we will open a Master’s program in AI & Data Science.
In addition, we have launched the “From Zero to Hero” learning platform. This open-access platform enables anyone to acquire modern digital competencies — from basic to professional levels.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Woosong Educational Foundation (founder of Woosong University, Republic of Korea) — Song Kyung Kim
Kazakhstan is shaping a generation of specialists for the digital era.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Woosong Educational Foundation, Song Kyung Kim, noted that Kazakhstan demonstrates impressive progress in the development of higher education and digital technologies. The establishment of the Woosong University branch in Turkistan has become a vivid example of how the country invests in human capital and cultivates a generation of future specialists.
We sincerely thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. President, and the Government of Kazakhstan for your trust and support of this regional project, which provides young people from the Turkistan region and other parts of the country with a real opportunity to become specialists of the future — in artificial intelligence, data science, and digital technologies.
Our programs in “Artificial Intelligence” and “Data Science” give students the opportunity to study for two years in Kazakhstan and another two years in Korea or at one of Woosong University’s international partner institutions around the world. Upon completion, graduates receive two diplomas — Kazakhstani and Korean — along with invaluable international experience, linguistic immersion, new perspectives, and self-confidence.
The branch currently has 108 students from eight regions of Kazakhstan, almost all of whom study under government grants provided by the Turkistan regional administration (Akimat).
The university trains specialists in key areas — artificial intelligence and data science — offering the opportunity to obtain a double degree and international exposure.
The Woosong University Kazakhstan project reflects a new stage in the country’s educational policy — an emphasis on practical knowledge, global integration, and the preparation of competitive professionals for the digital economy.
Rector of the National Research Nuclear University “MEPhI” — Vladimir Shevchenko
Kazakhstan is building human potential for a new nuclear energy era.
Rector of MEPhI Vladimir Shevchenko noted that Kazakhstan is confidently becoming a key player in the nuclear industry. The country ranks first in the world for uranium production and second in uranium reserves.
Since 2022, a branch of MEPhI has been operating at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, established on the instruction of the President of Kazakhstan. It trains specialists in nuclear energy, radiation safety, and applied physics.
Teaching is conducted by 23 MEPhI professors, and students complete internships at enterprises of the atomic industry as well as training programs in Moscow.
The branch currently has 125 undergraduate students and 39 master’s students, and the first graduation took place in the program on high-performance computing systems. Most graduates are already employed in Kazakhstan.
According to Shevchenko, the country demonstrates a systemic approach to developing nuclear competencies by combining education, science, and industry.
President of Minerva University — Ben Nelson
Kazakhstan is developing a new model of education in the age of artificial intelligence.
President of Minerva University, Ben Nelson, emphasized that Kazakhstan’s initiative to establish a university of artificial intelligence reflects the country’s strategic and forward-looking vision. According to him, this project has the potential to position Kazakhstan among the world’s leaders in AI education.
“Minerva has begun building what we call the first university of the post-AI era,” he said.
He highlighted that the future AI university should not only study artificial intelligence but also use it within the learning process itself — to personalize educational trajectories, analyze data, and foster critical thinking and creativity among students.
Ben Nelson noted that Kazakhstan possesses all the prerequisites for implementing such a project: a young and ambitious society, a government open to innovation, and a strong educational foundation. In his view, this will allow the country to become a platform for developing a new university model — one where humans and AI evolve together, amplifying each other’s potential.
In this model, artificial intelligence is not only a subject of study — it is an active participant in the educational process. It helps each student learn in their own way: analyzing strengths and weaknesses, selecting materials, and building an individual learning plan. The teacher, rather than disappearing, becomes a mentor — one who teaches students to think critically, understand machine logic, and use technology with intelligence and humanity.
Such a university operates simply and efficiently. AI takes on most routine tasks — scheduling, grading, performance analysis — while people focus on what requires thought and creativity: projects, research, and generating new ideas. The university is closely connected with companies, schools, startups, and other universities, enabling students to see how their knowledge applies in real life.
We envision this university as a living system that learns together with its students and professors. Here, AI becomes not just a subject of study but the foundation for knowledge organization, decision-making, and personalized educational pathways.
It will be a space where humans and artificial intelligence evolve side by side, strengthening one another — a model for the future of education that is flexible, personalized, and dedicated to unlocking human potential.
Rector of Baku State University — Elchin Babayev
Global trends — from digital transformation and artificial intelligence to green technologies and ethical governance — are shaping a new landscape for higher education and scientific research.
At the same time, significant regional developments in Central Asia and the Caspian region are opening new opportunities for joint progress. Both Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan, serving as bridges between East and West, have every opportunity to lead this transformation through scientific diplomacy and academic solidarity.
Cooperation between Baku State University and leading Kazakhstani universities — including Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Satbayev University, Yessenov Caspian University, L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, and Atyrau State University — continues to strengthen and expand.
At Baku State University, where the Abai Center proudly operates, we are ready to work closely with our Kazakh partners to establish a Joint Academic Council, a Research and Innovation Fund, and a Network of Young Scholars — uniting creative minds across borders.
It is worth highlighting the Study in Kazakhstan exhibition held in Baku in March 2025, as well as the recent joint conference on AI Ethics held just two days ago. We are already witnessing a rapid increase in young people’s interest in studying and conducting research in Kazakhstan.
Rector – Chairman of the Board of the M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University — Yermek Isakaev
Rector of M. Kozybayev North Kazakhstan University, Yermek Isakaev, emphasized that the partnership with the University of Arizona, initiated by the President of Kazakhstan, has become an important milestone in the development of science and education in the country.
Today, over 1,200 students are enrolled in joint programs, bringing the total student population to 6,500. The university’s geography now spans all regions of Kazakhstan and several foreign countries.
Over the past three years, cooperation has evolved from academic programs to scientific projects. Together with the University of Arizona and JSC KazMunayGas, a project is being implemented to convert sulfur into environmentally friendly materials and fertilizers — paving the way for the creation of a new sector in the chemical industry.
For the first time in Kazakhstan, in collaboration with American colleagues, unique courses on functional genomics based on real third-generation sequencing data have been launched. This represents the most advanced genome decoding technology available today.
Ten researchers from research institutes and universities have completed training. The technology allows for the full reconstruction of genome structures and precise identification of genes responsible for yield, stress resistance, and product quality. In other words, we are laying the foundation for a new generation of breeders and geneticists capable of developing resilient crop varieties.
To support research conducted by both universities in agricultural science, the administration of the North Kazakhstan Region has allocated 500 hectares of land for the creation of experimental sites in livestock breeding, crop production, and testing of digital solutions in the agro-sector.
In addition, under the leadership of Professor Jeffrey Pyun from the University of Arizona, a project is underway to develop innovative polymeric materials derived from elemental sulfur.
The university also conducts research in the fields of water resources, agro-genomics, bioinformatics, and preservation of the gene pool of rare animals and plants. According to Isakaev, such projects are transforming regional universities into drivers of scientific and economic change — forming the foundation for the country’s sustainable development.
