03 Universities changed into research institutes

Nur-Sultan, The Gulf Observer: Three Kazakh universities will be transformed into research institutions to spur the development of breakthrough technologies, said Minister of Science and Higher Education Sayasat Nurbek at a government meeting.

The Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) has obtained research university status. The L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU) is preparing the development program and the draft regulation for the transformation, as well as the Auezov South Kazakhstan State University.

“It is also planned to open specialized centers for academic excellence and to select 15 regional and five pedagogical universities for the funding,” said Nurbek.
The ministry developed the Lifelong Learning Concept to ensure continuous education, as well as the so-called Stackable degree, which will expand chances for receiving minor qualifications by recognizing non-formal education.
The academic mobility program is one of the most important aspects of internationalization. In 2021, 273 teachers took part in the academic mobility programs, and in 2022 – 174. According to the ministry, the decline is largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictive measures.

Over the past decade, more than 17,000 Kazakh students have been trained in foreign partner universities. For the first half of this year, 2,320 students took part in the exchange programs, and in 2021 – 3,246.