$2bn project: New medical city takes shape in Konayev
A large-scale medical campus will be built in Konayev, which will function not only as a university but also as a full-fledged student city designed to accommodate up to 60,000 students, Qazinform News Agency reports.
According to the city akimat, a 100-hectare land plot has been allocated for the project in the Zhana Ile area. Design and estimate documentation is currently being developed, with construction scheduled to begin later this year.
The project is expected to attract $2 billion in investment and take around five years to complete. The campus will feature student dormitories, a 1,000-bed hospital, medical clinics and academic buildings, with more than 3,800 new jobs set to be created as part of the development.
It is worth noting that plans to build an academic city in Konayev aimed at training highly qualified specialists were first announced in 2022. At the time, the Ministry of Science said that Almaty-based universities could open campuses there.
On August 31, 2023, the Akimat of Almaty region, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Kazakhstan and the non-profit organization Qonayev Academic Campus Fund signed a trilateral memorandum on the construction of an academic campus in Konayev.
In 2025, it was reported that the project was at the stage of discussions with potential investors and planning. The development of the master plan and design documentation was expected to begin after all agreements were finalized. Under earlier plans, construction was set to start in 2026 and be completed between 2028 and 2029.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, stated that Kazakhstan is actively engaged in creation of an academic hub in collaboration with the leading foreign universities.