Kazakhstan cuts number of universities

Minister of Education and Science Bakytzhan Zhumagulov announced at the government's session on Tuesday that the number of universities in Kazakhstan will be reduced to 100 within next two years at an initiative of President Nazarbayev and in a move to upgrade the system of higher education.

"The number of tertiary institutions has recently been reduced from 149 to 136 by merger. Our ultimate goal is to have at least one state and one private university in each region of the country," Minister said.

"Unfortunately, the majority of private higher education institutions in Kazakhstan do not sustain the competition, the standards of education are too high. Hence, the number of these institutions is planned to be cut from 66 to 30 in the upcoming years," Mr. Zhumagulov added.