Kazakhstan leads Central Asia in global university standings

In 2026, Kazakhstan’s universities have improved their positions, setting a historic record for the region and expanding their footprint in global rankings. This demonstrates, thereby, the growing competitiveness of the national higher education system.

The QS Subject Rankings represent an independent comparative analysis of more than 21,000 degree programs at 1,900 universities across 100 countries and territories worldwide, covering 55 disciplines and five broad fields: “Arts and Humanities,” “Engineering and Technology,” “Life Sciences and Medicine,” “Natural Sciences,” and “Social Sciences and Management.”

Key results for Kazakhstan's higher education institutions:

• Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University achieved the highest ranking among universities in Central Asia, placing 41st in the world in the “Education and Training” category and securing a spot in the global top 50.
• Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory entered the top 100 in the “Performing Arts” category for the first time.
• Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (KazNU) tops the list of the country’s universities by the number of positions in subject rankings and is represented in four sectoral and 23 subject rankings. It is followed by L. N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University (ENU), which is represented in one sectoral and 15 subject-specific rankings. Kazakh National Agrarian Research University (KazNARU), Kurmangazy Kazakh National Conservatory, and Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University hold high positions among Kazakh universities in the respective fields.
• Satbayev University ranks second among the country’s universities in terms of the number of new positions in the 2026 subject rankings.
  In 2026, Kazakhstan’s universities strengthened their positions in “Education and Training” and “Linguistics.”
  Kazakh universities made their debut in subject rankings in “Accounting and Finance,” “Biological Sciences,” “Environmental Sciences,” and “Materials Science.”

— The 2026 subject rankings of the world’s best universities show that Kazakhstan’s higher education system continues to enhance its competitiveness. The inclusion of 14 new degree programs in various disciplines reflects growing international recognition and strengthens the country’s reputation as a regional educational hub. In addition, Kazakhstan’s universities continue to improve their rankings in fields such as 'Education and Training' and 'Linguistics,' and have entered the top 100 in 'Performing Arts' for the first time,” noted QS Senior Vice President Ben Sauter.

QS Regional Director Sergei Khristolyubov highlighted that Kazakhstan remains the only country in Central Asia represented in the top 100 subject rankings.

“The highest ranking in the history of higher education in the region — a spot in the top 50 for ‘Education and Training’ — is a significant achievement not only for Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University but also for the entire national higher education system. Kazakhstan’s presence in subject rankings has grown to 13 universities, represented by 70 positions across four broad subject areas and 27 disciplines, which is a record for the country,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the results demonstrate the steady growth of higher education in Kazakhstan and its integration into the global academic community. Expanding the country’s presence in subject-specific rankings and strengthening its position in key fields lay the groundwork for further improvements in the quality of educational programs and scientific research.

Earlier, Qazinform reported that Kazakhstan eyes international students increasing to 100,000.