Launched in 2023 in collaboration with Middlebury College, the Program for Foreign Students in Russian Language invited US students to study for a semester in Kazakhstan.
Students from different regions of the United States, including New York, Ohio, Tennessee, Massachusetts and others, came to Astana to learn Russian while immersing themselves in the Russian-speaking environment.
“I’m really excited to study at NU because of the supportive nature of students and faculty I’ve experienced during my first few days here. I’m looking to improve my Russian and learn more about Kazakhstan through political, cultural, and historical lenses. It’s been great trying traditional dishes like beshbarmak and plov and I can’t wait to experience what else NU and Kazakhstan in general has to offer!” shared Sophia Alexandria May, a student at Skidmore College, New York.
In addition to language, exchange students will study Eurasian international relations, politics and history of Central Asia, and the history of Kazakh music and culture.
“I am really excited to be studying at NU in Kazakhstan because I am looking forward to learning more about the country itself as well as Kazakh culture. I can’t wait to see what NU, Astana, and Kazakhstan as a whole have to offer,” said Guillaume Bastien Rombaut-Enriquez, an exchange student from Brown University, Rhode Island.
The Program for Foreign Students in Russian Language is a joint project of Middlebury Language Schools and the NU School of Sciences and Humanities. The dean of the school, Gonzalo Hap Hortelano, considers the project an excellent opportunity for Kazakh students to meet and mingle with top students from the United States.
“We are also strengthening an international partnership with arguably the top language school in the US. In return, it allows us to show the international students NU, and showcase Kazakhstan and Central Asia to the world. The fact that the number of students in the program has increased significantly this year indicates the growing popularity of our program. We look forward to maintaining and enhancing this partnership with Middlebury College for years to come,” said Dean Hortelano.
Middlebury College is a leading US and one of the world’s leading language institutes, offering language training in a range of world languages, including Chinese, French, Italian, Russian, Spanish and others. Founded in 1880, it has branches in 16 countries. In 2023, the college launched a test exchange program at NU when 4 students arrived.
