Higher education brings Kazakhstan’s economy 30 bln tenge and creates 40,000 jobs annually
Kazakhstan is developing an ambitious project to turn the country into an educational and scientific center in Eurasia, Kazinform News Agency reports.
Expansion of academic presence of the world’s top universities is not just a contribution to the modernization of the education system but also a strategic resource for the economy and strengthening the country’s international standing, Kazakh Science and Higher Education Minister Saysat Nurbek told Kazinform News Agency.
He highlighted on September 3, the Cardiff University Kazakhstan campus, a branch of the prestigious British university, started its work in the Kazakh capital. More international projects will be launched in the coming weeks.
The Marche Polytechnic University will open its branch specializing in agricultural sciences and economics in Taldykorgan on September 28–30. On October 14, a branch of MGIMO will begin classes at the Gumilyov Eurasian National University in Astana. Besides, in Turkistan, South Korea’s Woosong University will launch an innovative campus for 2,300 students, offering programs in AI and cybersecurity.
A record high of 31,500 international students were enrolled in Kazakhstan in 2024, which contributed over 30 billion tenge to the economy and helped create around 40,000 jobs. According to the Minister, for the first time, students from Asia led by India, China, and Pakistan, outnumbered those from CIS countries.
Minister Sayasat Nurbek revealed that Kazakhstan aims to enroll up to 100,000 international students by 2029 and raise education exports to 400 billion tenge.
To this end, foreign university branches are actively opening — 85% of them focused on technical and IT fields, aligned with national economic priorities.
Dormitory shortages have been reduced from 82,500 to under 15,000. Astana commissioned a record high number of dormitories for 2,656 students, and a new 4,280-bed campus will open in Almaty in 2025.
Education experts note that the opening of foreign university branches and the rise in international students represent not only an educational breakthrough but also a strategic move to elevate Kazakhstan’s global standing.
The presence of universities from the UK, Italy, South Korea, and Russia reflects growing trust in Kazakhstan’s education model and opens new opportunities for young people — without the need to study abroad.